Best Full-Size Keyboards

As explained in the Keyboard Guide, there are many sizes for keyboards. In this article, we will take a look at the best full-size mechanical keyboards. That means keyboards with all the standard keys.

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SteelSeries Apex Pro

Very Best Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Omnipoint technology is a patented novelty from SteelSeries that jumps on the bandwagon of squeezing the full potential of our keyboard. These switches promise five times faster actuation, eight times less response time, and twice the estimated durability. All this is taking as reference the Cherry MX Red and Speed ​​switches.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro’s chassis is made from an aluminum alloy like that used in aircraft fuselages. This material has been used only on the top cove. The back of the keyboard is made of plastic. The aluminum is not brushed; it has a slightly pearlescent matte black finish that is less intense than the color of the keys.

This keyboard’s presentation is minimalistic since it seeks to reduce the external margins to a minimum.

Wrist rests are a rare commodity to be included and a whim for many. However, we find that the one included in the SteelSeries Apex Pro is a practical and subtle complement that can make even the most skeptical of its users fall in love.

In the world of switches, everyone compares themselves to Cherry MX. The brand has become the flagship of mechanical switches, and its long history makes it worthy of all honors. So now, what is special about the Omnipoint switches? First, you can adjust this linear mechanical switch through software to lower its actuation point than that of models such as the Cherry MX Red or the Speed.

The most enthusiastic users will appreciate the potential of such a fast keyboard here. Being on the jump takes on a new meaning here, although not everything will be a bed of roses. Those of you who don’t use your keyboards solely to humiliate staff in CS: GO may find this hypersensitivity somewhat annoying when typing. No matter how small, an accidental touch can activate the surrounding keys and drive the most hardened typists crazy, so keep that in mind.

In the case of the SteelSeries Apex Pro, the keys that have adjustable Omnipoint technology are the basic 61 keys of the QWERT or AZERTY keyboards (characters, punctuation marks, and writing controls). All the others do not have software calibration options and are left in their default activation.

Razer Ornata Chroma

Greatest Cost-Benefit Razer Keyboard

The soul of this Razer Ornata Chroma and what makes it unique are its new mecha-membrane mechanisms. This solution tries to combine the best of membranes and mechanical switches. A piece very similar to the one used by the famous switches accomplishes this, which is responsible for activating a membrane below.

The membrane provides a smoother touch and helps cushion the “clack” when pressing the key. In this sense, it works similarly to the O-Ring.

In addition, these mechanisms maintain a “click” very similar to that of the Blue or Green switches. Although certainly less pronounced, it is clear that Razer likes that metallic sound.

The wrist rest is magnetically attached to the keyboard, which allows us to put it on and take it off at our will. The fastening is not as strong as other systems we have seen, but in return, we are certain that no anchoring system will break.

The main features of the keyboard continue with 1000 Hz ultra polling, 10 n-Key Rollover (NKRO) technology, and 10 reinforced keys with Anti-Ghosting protection that convey an ideal experience to the end-user.

The Razer Ornata Chroma is a fairly compact unit with dimensions of approximately 470mm x 155mm x 30mm0. Quite contained figures for a full format keyboard, which makes it quite comfortable to transport. The keys are medium-height, a format that Razer claims helps us type faster than full-height keys.

There is no USB port on the sides or 3.5 mm jack connectors for audio and micro.

We come to the software section with the Razer Synapse 2.0 application. To install the customization app, you must go to the official Razer website and download the Razer Synapse application. Once the application is open, it will ask us to update the product’s firmware, which we always recommend, even if it takes a few minutes. You can do it from the application itself if you do it later.

The other great protagonist of this Razer Ornata Chroma is the advanced Chroma lighting system that allows us to customize the keyboard with 16.8 million colors and the following available effects:

• Wave: swaps the color scale and makes a customizable wave effect in two directions.
• Spectrum Cycle: Cycles of all colors.
• Breathing: It allows us to choose 1 or 2 colors, and they alternate for several seconds.
• Chroma Experience: Make a combination of colors starting from the keyboard’s middle.
• Static: A single fixed color.

Custom themes backlight specific keys, depending on the activated profile/game. By default are the following:

• MMO: Numeric keys, WSAD, and Enter are activated.
• MOBA: Numeric keys from 1 to 6, QWER, AS, and B.
• RTS: Numeric keys from 1 to 5, AS, SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT.
• Counter Strike Global: number keys from 1 to 5, Tab, QWER, Y, U, ASD, G, K, B, SHIFT, and CTRL.
• DOTA 2: function keys F1 to F8, numeric from 1 to 6, QWERY, AS, G, ZXCVBN, and enter.
• League Of Legends: number keys from 1 to 7, QWER, ASDF, and the B.
• Starcraft II: Function keys F1 to F4, number keys 1 to 5, AS, Shift, BN, Control, Alt, and Enter.

Keychron C2

Budget Full-Size Keyboard For Office

The housing on the Keychron C2 is made of ABS plastic, a downgrade from the metal housing in more expensive models. However, plastic is slightly better for the acoustics of the keys.

The chassis flex is still very minimal even though it is completely made of plastic and has no metal reinforcement.

The Keychron C2 is not super thick, but the chassis (without keycaps) is thicker than other low-profile keyboards from Keychron.

The Keychron C2 supports both Windows and Mac. In the keyboard box, you get both the keycaps for windows(Alt, Win) and mac(command, option).

In addition, the keyboard can be transferred from windows to mac and vice versa on the back via a slider. Here you will also find the detachable Type C connection.

Now the switch options for the C2. Suppose you get the cheaper version with non-swappable switches. You are limited to Red, Blue, or Brown switches from either Gateron or Keychron (Keychron for the non-backlight and Gateron for the backlight variants).

The Gateron variant would last 50 million clicks, while the Keychron switch itself lasts 70 million clicks.

However, if you get the hot-swappable version, your choice of switches becomes a lot wider.