I've been using this keyboard for over a year, and it sounds better than many that cost three times as much.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works .
The RK R65's feature set reads like something that costs at least twice as much. The wired keyboard boasts RGB backlighting, factory-lubed switches (RK Cream in this variant), a gasket mount, two silicone pads to absorb stound, and (somewhat) metal volume knob. The result is the best-sounding budget keyboard I've ever used — so much so that I've been using it as my daily driver in the office for over a year, despite the lack of a Function row and other handy keys.
The RK R65 is an excellent budget 60% wired keybaord, with RGB, swappable factory-lubed linear switches, a gasket mount and silicone pads, QMK/VIA support for customizing keys, and a metal volume knob. This is by far one of the nicest-sounding and nicest-looking keyboards I've used in this price range.
Of course, the 60% layout is best-suited to gaming, and it works quite well for that. But with its dedicated arrow keys, I can also get by using it for productivity. And if you don't like the bronze-and-brown color scheme of this model, there are four other color and switch options that are currently priced between $48 and $50. Keep in mind, as much as this keyboard delivers excellent features for the price, Royal Kludge had to cut corners somewhere. The chassis is basically all plastic save for the knob, which is also partially plastic. So don't expect a weighty, premium-feeling shell. Still, if you consider the price — especially when it's on sale, as it is today — this is a whole lot of keyboard for something that falls decidedly into the budget range. It is also probably the best-sounding keyboard I've ever used that didn't cost well more than $100. So much so that, while I have several other keyboard options, I plan to keep using the RK R65 at work for the foreseeable future.
If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals , Gaming Monitor Deals , Graphics Card Deals , gaming chair, or CPU Deals pages.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/mechanical-keyboards/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/mechanical-keyboards/one-of-our-favorite-budget-gaming-keyboards-drops-back-down-to-its-lowest-ever-price-of-usd45-at-amazon-rk-r65-packs-lubed-switches-metallic-knob-and-gasket-mount-for-excellent-sound-and-feel#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com/membership
- Dramatically redesigned GMKtec EVO-X3 shown bearing Lisa Su’s signature of approval — flagship AI mini PC workstation is built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 'S
- Get AMD's flagship Ryzen 7 9800X3D with 32GB of DDR5 memory and an MSI B850 Wi-Fi 7 motherboard at a discount — Micro Center bundles are now available on Amazon
- WD's 2TB Black SSD price drops by nearly 20% ahead of Prime Day sale — grab the 2TB SN7100 for $242.96
- Anycubic Kobra 4 Combo 3D printer review: Evolution, not revolution
- Save hundreds during this storage pricing hellscape by turning an SSD or hard drive you aren’t using into a useful external drive for as little as $8 – put an o
Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.