In 2019, there were 26.4 million software developers in the world, and it is estimated that the number will grow to 28.7 million by 2024. Developers need to write code for more than 9 to 10 hours a day so, they have to fight directly to their keyboard. The performance of the programmer is directly connected with the keyboard quality.
If you are here, you might not feel good with your existing keyboard and want to replace it with a new one that will increase your performance level, so you are at the right place. We have manually reviewed more than 200 keyboards in the market and selected the ten best keyboards for the programmers in the market.
Table of Contents
1. ANNE PRO 2 Wireless Keyboard
The gamers and programmers both have similar needs when it comes to the keyboard so, this gaming keyboard will work perfectly for the programmers. The design of the keyboard is cool, small, and minimalistic. RGB lights also enhance the typing experience of the programmers. There are many colors and effects that you can through the keys. The RGB light adds fun to your boring programming experience.
The feel and look of the keyboard are premia. The keys are made of high-quality PBT material, which makes them very smooth and impressive. The ANNE PRO 2 has a steel plate inside the keyboard, making it more durable than the other keyboards in the market with aluminum plates.
The keyboard comes with some random keys in different colors and a key puller, which means, you can easily customize the keys according to your moods. The keyboard comes in only two colors, white and black, but you can make it colorful with these customizable keys.
You can control the RGB lights and layout f the keyboard through the software it can download through the official website. The basic other information like battery and macros are also shown in there so, if we talk about the software overall, it’s pretty easy to use, and there are no complications in it, which is very good.
You can connect this with the four devices at a time through Bluetooth, and the battery life of the keyboard is 7 to 8 hours, which is reasonable compared to other keyboards.
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2. KINESIS Freestyle Edge Split Mechanical Keyboard
It is one of the unique keyboards with a split ergonomic design, making it perfect for gamers and programmers. The design of the keyboard looks big, bulky, and modern. The previous models come with just blue light, but they have improved by adding RGB lights, which have many colors and more than nine effects, which will boost you to program if you don’t want to do it.
Both parts of keyboards can take 20 inches apart, and you can easily put a mouse that will give you a good gaming experience. The keyboard comes with detachable arm pads, which will provide you comfort when you are programming for more than 9 to 10 hours. There are also some arm cushion pads that you can buy for some extra bucks for more comfort.
One of the keyboard’s most premium features is that it gives you some different angles so you can type easily. It has three angles 5, 10, and 15. The Angles will cause less fatigue and increase your comfort level. The keys are very smooth and sharp made of ABS plastic. The keys’ response time is one millisecond, which means if you drop something accidentally, it will press some keys.
The keyboard does need to download any software on the pc, but it has four MB memory, and the software comes installed on the keyboard. You can save up to nine custom layouts and two layers each use, and the keyboards have eight programmable macro keys.
The keyboard is compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac. And you can use it for the plugin. The kinesis gaming gives a two-year warranty for its keyboard.
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3. Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2
It is one of the best-selling keyboards in the market. The Razer BlackWidow is outclassing with the matte black finish of the keys, and the Razer RGB lights are specially designed for the keyboards and have many effects that add colors to your programming life.
The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2 comes with a detachable arm cushion, one of the best cushions I have ever seen with the keyboards. It attaches with the keyboard through a magnet and gives you a very smooth pillow level comfort so you can write code for a long time.
Razer gives you a variety of options when it comes to switches. They have Razer green switches, tactile and clicky, then Razer Orange, which is tactile and silent, and then there are yellow switches that are linear and silent. The keyboard uses 45g of press force, and you can use keys for 80 million times press, which pretty durable and long-lasting.
The whole keyboard is made of a plastic keyboard, which looks pretty cool and durable but does catch some fingerprints. The keyboard is a bit heavy than the regular keyboards, which may be due to the steel plate. The Razor keyboard comes with a two-year warranty, so if there is any defect, the company will handle it.
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4. Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
At the end of 2020, Corsair has launched its flagship keyboard, k100. The keyboard is redesigned, and they have put a lot of thought into it. The design is slim for a full-size keyboard with the maximum RGB lights level, which Corsair has never used in the past. They had put the lights on all three edges, which give a great look when it lights up the surface.
They have a dedicated key for the multimedia and glossy finish screen that will show the num lock indicators etc. They also have a metal look six buttons for the macros, distinguished from the other keys.
The detachable magnetic arm pad for the programmer’s comfort and can type for more time than the usual keyboards. The arm pad has a great textured design with corsair branding. The keys are made up of PBT plastic, which everyone expected from this premium-level keyboard. They have also change the fonts on the keyboards; now they look clean and sharp.
The Corsair k100 keyboard is known as the fastest keyboards in the market right now, with a 4000 Hz polling rate. The keyboard’s actuation force is 45g and with a 150 keystroke life span, making it more long-lasting than the other keyboards in the market.
Activating 4000 Hz, you need to go to setting and then choose 4000 Hz because, by default, it is running on the 1000 Hertz.
There is an Alumunium button to control the IQ software. It is not that good as the whole keyboard, and it makes controlling software complicated. The button is also not matching the build quality and looks clumsy.
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5. Logitech G915 Wireless
It is one of the slimmest profile keyboards in the market. The low-profile full-sized wireless keyboard with a spectacular show of RGB lights makes the programming experience more pleasant than ever before. It is as slim that most of the phones with a case on them will look bulkier. The RGB synchronizes with all of the games or the music you are listening to.
One thing which we like the most about these keyboards is their battery timing. The keyboard can work for more than 30 hours in just one charge, which is perfectly fine for the programmers because they need to work on a project for a long time; this keyboard is perfect. There is an indicator on the keyboard that will indicate to you when the battery is low than 15% more exciting thing is that you can fully charge it within 3 hours.
Smooth and comfortable keys offer you the most beautiful typing experience and an actuation force of 50g. It has dedicated media keys, which look very elegant on the keyboard with an aluminum roller to handle the volume. The basic things like battery percentage and other customization options are there in the Logitech G hub software, which is very easy to control.
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6. BlackWidow Lite TKL
When we talk about the Razer, the first thing popups in our head are RGB lights and funky designs, but Razer comes with the BlackWidow lite, a modern and straightforward look without RGB light. This keyboard is designed for the professional like offices, or any workplace that’s why they keep it very simple.
Although they have added white LED lights, which don’t look funky like RGB so, they complement the office environment. They have used the Razer orange switches known for silent keys and will not make noise if you are at the office or school and will not irritate others, and there are also some O-rings included n the box; you can use them to make it more silent.
The keyboard requires 45g of force to push the button, and the keys are very durable because they have 80 million keystrokes capacity. It comes with a detachable USB cable, which makes it portable. The Razor is a very well-known brand, and it gives the Two- year warranty on its keyboard for customer satisfaction.
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7. Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard
Most of the programmers face issues that, after a long time coding, they have to suffer through some wrist and hand injuries, and they have to visit the hospital for some treatment.
But the Microsoft sculpt keyboard has solved all the problems with its wireless keyboard. The Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard is designed for people who have to work for a long time. The keypads are designed that your hand and wrist will be in a natural position while typing, and there is also a very soft cushioned wrist pad attached with the keyboard to give you premium-level comfort.
The keyboard is very short, and they have included just those things you will use while programming. The shape is unique; it is slim and grounded from the sides and upward from the center. The Num pad is also excluded from the main keypad and comes separately with it.
Microsoft does include any RGB lights or any other funky things with it; they focus on the programmer’s health so, they’ll work with great focus.
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8. Das Keyboard 4 Professional
When you talk about professional Das, the professional is there for you. They are the slimmest mechanical keyboards out there, but they claim that these are the thinnest mechanical keyboard on the planet, which looks a bit true.
It has a very sturdy and durable look, and if you are a programmer, this would be perfect for your work in your office space. The keys are very soft, and letters are written so you can read them.
This keyboard will work for you, and it will increase your typing speed and accuracy. The keys are maybe too loud, but that’s what most of the mechanical keyboards have in them, and frankly speaking, most people like the satisfying sound of hitting the button.
The keyboard has included the dedicated media keys and also a wheel to control the volume. The previous versions of Das keyboards have a glossy finish, which catches fingerprints and dirt, but they have improved this version with a matte look that looks more premium.
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9. Kinesis Advantage2 Ergonomic Keyboard
It is another ergonomic keyboard, which means that if you are a programmer who has to work for a long time on the keyboard, that might cause some pain in your wrist and cause injury. This keyboard is for you because it is designed especially for your hand’s health and reduces fatigue.
The keyboard keys are fully customizable without any software to put them in wherever position on the keyboard. Some comfortable wrist pads on the keyboard make your typing more comfortable and smooth.
It has MX Brown mechanical switches, which will increase your typing speed and accuracy. A very durable keyboard with more than 50 million keystroke capacity. You can use this with almost all operating systems in the market, and you’ll need to plug it, and it will play.
Kinesis is a very well-known brand, and they have made this ergonomic keyboard beautifully. They stand behind their product by giving a three-year warranty so that any defect or issue company will repair or replace it.
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10. Cooler Master MasterKeys L PBT
If you are into more simple keyboards than those funky and flashy, then this one is for you. It is a simple and sleek keyboard of the Cooler master.
The Cooler master keyboard has PBT plastic-made keys, which are more durable and smooth than any other material in the market.
It is a mechanical keyboard, which will help you increase your typing speed and write with accuracy. The keys need to press with the force of 80g, which will reduce the chances of mistakes.
The keyboard’s full body is made of matt black plastic giving it a tremendous slim and sleek look.
As a programmer, if you are looking for a perfect budget-friendly keyboard, this one is for you, but it doesn’t have any funky things like RGBs or other stuff.
Buyer’s Guide
These are the ten best keyboards for coders and programmers in the market. We have reviewed all of them extensively, so; you don’t need to waste your time looking in the market. You must be thinking about the critical things that a person should consider before buying the keyboard, so everyone should know these essential things before buying the keyboard for programmers.
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Ergonomics
Coders spent a lot of time typing in front of the computers, so; they should select their keyboard according to their needs. The extended use of keyboards can cause wrist pain or many kinds of wrist injuries. To avoid damages, there are ergonomic keyboards that you can use. They are safe for the health of the hand and reduce fatigue.
There are many designs of ergonomic keyboards in the market, which we’ll describe here.
Split keyboards
Many companies have introduced these unique design of keyboards in which the keyboard is split into two parts. The split parts can be put 12 inches away from each other. The benefit of this design is that it gives a natural position to hands to write code without any wrist injury.
Palm support
It is the most common design of the keyboards that most companies are trying to implement. In this design, they have given a magnetic soft and cushioned pad for the wrist’s comfortability so the programmers can work longer without any interruption. On some keyboards it comes with the keyboard and with some you have to buy separately.
Contoured keyboard
These are the most comfortable and unique designs of ergonomic keyboards. The shape keys are in an open position, which makes them more comfortable than any other keyboard. The keys are in the hand’s natural position, which causes no fatigue and eliminates any injuries.
Tenting
It is also another type of ergonomic keyboard. It is comfortable, but most people find typing hard on its design. The design of tenting is upward from the center to come in the natural position of the hands.
But some manufacturers are offering customizable heights so everyone can adjust according to its comfort.
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Budget
Budget is another crucial thing that should consider before deciding to purchase a keyboard. If you are going to buy an ergonomic keyboard (Which we recommend for programmers), you should know that these keyboards are expensive, but the health is priceless so, if you know the worth of your hand’s health, then go for the ergonomic keyboards.
But if you don’t want to invest in your health, then there are many cheaper options in our list you can select from those and purchase the
Durability
Durability is the most important thing for programmers because they have to write thousands of words for their projects so, make sure that the keyboard you select is durable. The keystrokes of the keyboard you choose should be between 80m to 150m then it would be perfect for the programmer’s use.
Mechanical vs. membrane keyboards
Membrane keyboards
These are the most common type of keyboards in the market. These keyboards are cheaper than the other keyboards, and when you open them, they have a pad on which there are marks under every button, which helps to click the circuit.
Mechanical keyboards
This type of keyboard is not so common, and mostly the professionals are using mechanical keyboards. When you open it, they have a switch under every button which is responsible for the typing. There are many kinds of the switch from which you can choose. These keyboards are used to get the feedback of the keyboard.
Which one is better?
If you want a cheap keyboard, then go for membrane, but the mechanical is way better than the membrane. The professionals use to get the feedback from the keys they press, and it also improves the typing speed and accuracy. The voice of that click when you press any key is from the mechanical keyboard. If you are a professional gamer or programmer, then you should go for the mechanical keyboards. No doubt they are expensive but worth it.
Conclusion
We have mentioned all the essential things a person should consider before buying the keyboard for the programming. Now you can select according to your choice.
We’ll recommend you the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, which is the best budget option available in the market in our experience as a programmer. It is an ergonomic keyboard, which means that it is very safe for your hand’s health. Microsoft is a well-known brand, and they have made this unique and straightforward keyboard that doesn’t have any funky or flashy things but best for your health. But if you want to invest in your keyboard and want RGB lights and all those funky things, you should consider Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2. It would be expensive but worth it.
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