Mechanical gaming keyboards are expensive. If you look at the best gaming keyboards (open in new tab), you will pay somewhere between $200 and $300. If you want a compact keyboard with hot-swappable switches, RGB lighting per key, and discrete media keys, you'll probably pay a fortune for an enthusiast board. [Thanks to G.Skill KM250 (opens in new tab). Yes, G.Skill. High-end system memory.

G.Skill already makes our favorite cheap mechanical keyboard (opens in new tab), the KM360 The KM360 is a tenkeyless board with genuine Cherry MX Red switches instead of Cherry's analog. The price is about $50.

It is not hot-swappable and has only white LED backlighting, but it functions as a genuine mechanical keyboard. It's not flashy, but it's affordable and functional. Frankly, that's all you need for a good gaming keyboard.

But while that may be all you need in an enthusiast keyboard these days, it's not all you want. That's because the G.Skill KM250 is loaded with the features of an enthusiast keyboard without the exorbitant price tag. Right now, you can get this compact 65% keyboard for just $40 (opens in new tab).

If you're looking for a compact board, you honestly need look no further. And if you're looking to get into the maniacal switch game, the hot-swappable nature of this board makes it a super inexpensive base to pack with high-quality switches.

Before I go any further, I'll say that while it obviously lacks high-end luxuries like sound dampeners and super fancy stabilizers, I'm willing to compromise for the best cheap keyboard like this one. Frankly, I have experienced far worse stabilizers on expensive NZXT and Razer keyboards in the past.

Unlike the KM360, however, the KM250 does not have stock Cherry MX switches, instead using Kailh's version of linear red switches. Combined with the plastic, undampened housing, this results in a rather empty keystroke feel.

However, when we swapped out the linear Kailh Red switches for the heavier tactile switches of the Halo True, the difference in sound is obvious: super rich like the Mountain Everest 60 (open in new tab) or the Asus ROG Azoth (open in new tab) It doesn't sound great, but it feels great typing, damper or not. And if you include the fancy new switches, the price is at best half the price, and with the headset on, you'd be hard-pressed to feel the difference.

Of course, you can also buy the bare-bones keyboard base by itself. But even if I were to pay $80 for a hot-swappable base, I would still have to buy keycaps and choose switches. But if I were to buy a set of KM250 and Drop's Halo True switches for $35 (open in new tab) (one 70-switch pack would cover 67 keys on the G.Skill board), I could still get a complete, compact, and complete keyboard with a great feel for only $75! You can still get a complete, compact gaming keyboard with great feel for only $75.

Also, G.Skill's unique pudding-shaped keycaps are genuine PBT double-shot caps. So I don't feel the need to replace them with more fancy switch toppers.

The board layout itself is a very standard 65%, meaning it's a gaming keyboard layout that I actually like. I prefer a compact board, which gives me more space on my desktop and more room for my gaming mouse, but the pure strain 60% has too few keys; G.Skill allows a little spacing between most of the keys and the cursor, and the Del, PgUp, and PgDn buttons are also independent.

The volume wheel is also independent. I love the physical, tactile volume control, and it's a really nice little addition that I never would have expected to see on such a reasonably priced board. Not only can the volume be raised or lowered, but it can also be muted or unmuted with a click.

Also, thankfully, there is no software. So while you may not be able to match Hot Pink's exact Hex code to your other setups, you can make things easier by controlling various lighting effects and game modes from the board itself.

The only real problem with the KM250 is its plastic chassis. It is light, but surprisingly solid, leaving no room at all for boards. Unfortunately, due to the finish of the chassis, there is a slightly sharp edge at the seam where the top and bottom of the chassis meet. It's a minor detail, but not a very nice touch.

However, this keyboard is only $40 for a compact and functional mechanical gaming keyboard.

It's great to be able to genuinely recommend cheap PC gaming hardware in these times. If you want to experience a proper mechanical keyboard without paying a maniac, the G.Skill KM250 is a great option.