4 of the Best Keyboards for Writers

As a modern-day writer, the keyboard is your ultimate tool. You use it every day to create and hone your craft. You’ll want something that registers your typing every time with little latency. Furthermore, you will likely want one with an ergonomic shape and backlighting – for late-night brainstorming.

1. Emarth Mechanical Feel Wired Gaming Keyboard

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This keyboard offers an affordable price of $27.99 on Amazon with backlighting and accurate, well-spaced keys. Being a mechanical-feel keyboard, it has the feeling of a mechanical keyboard without the hefty price tag.

The keyboard is wired, but the USB cable happens to be two meters or so in length. Also, you’ll have seven options for color – plenty of choices to match your desktop wallpaper and personal taste. As one who writes in the dark often, this isn’t a feature to be understated.

2. Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Keyboard

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By far the cleanest design available, the Apple Wireless Keyboard will add simplicity to your desk setup. It really is a no-frills keyboard, with no customizable keys or anything of the sort. Being wireless, you’ll have the freedom of not having to worry about a cumbersome cable taking up space on your desk. For those that like a low-profile key design, you won’t find anything better than this board. The Apple Wireless Keyboard is a membrane keyboard, but it does behave more like that of a mechanical board due to this low profile.

Accuracy and simplicity is paramount in any Apple design, and the solid aluminum shell easily makes this board worth the $39.99 asking price. The only perceivable downfall of this device is that it requires two AA batteries and therefore does not offer a built-in rechargeable battery. As a side note: the keyboard is refurbished through Amazon, but returns are accepted.

If you prefer the most current gen, the Apple Magic Keyboard offers a rechargeable battery, automatic connection to any Mac, and improved scissor switches for further typing accuracy. At $99, it’s much more of an investment. You can pick it up in new condition through Amazon or the Apple website.

3. Dell 104 Quiet Key

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The Dell 104 Quiet Key is one of the cheapest options on our list and is popular in many classrooms and office buildings due to overall build quality and ease of use. Part of what keeps the price so low is that it’s cased in a plastic shell, wired, and a membrane keyboard. Even with this level of simplicity, it is one of the quieter options on the list.

The Dell 104 Quiet Key is proof that you don’t need to spend a ton to get a great writing experience but rather just have to weigh possible options. It is on Dell’s website for $8.99 at the time of writing, but it I’ve seen it elsewhere for cheaper – namely eBay, from various sellers.

4. Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2016

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Razer, known for its gaming equipment, has grown to be a reputable brand with products of durability and plenty of features. The BlackWidow Stealth is one of the great extensions of this business model.

There truly is something for everyone. What makes it especially attractive to writers is that the keys require very little pressure to activate. Accuracy is relied on by writers to get their work done swiftly with the allowance for the free flow of ideas. The Razer BlackWidow Stealth is a mechanical keyboard with the crisp, tactile feel that you would expect – but with a level of quietness that you typically don’t see from a keyboard of the same caliber.

The board offers a USB 3.0 port and a 3.5mm audio jack for added peripheral inputs. This is definitely something notable that is not featured in many boards. In addition to this, you’ll get five neat lighting options. Being a writer, it’s likely that you’ll be listening while you work. With this in mind, the Razer BlackWidow Stealth has media control keys for volume control and media playback.

It costs $89.99 on Amazon at the time of writing and is not an option to look past.

Conclusion

As a writer, you will need to be able to do your best work, every paper and article, every time. Writers shell out plenty of cash on a nice PC or Mac – and monitor to go along with it – but they often overlook one of their primary tools. Hopefully this list and overview will give you an idea of what keyboards are available that can help you advance, refine, and sharpen your skills.

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Corbin Telligman

I'm a junior at UT Dallas, a tech enthusiast, an adreneline junkie, and a coffee fanatic.