Keyboards built to outlast the desk they sit on

Buy it if

• You want to remap every key without vendor software running in the background
• Typing feel is worth more to you than portability
• You expect to swap switches rather than replace the board

Skip it if

• You need it to travel — this is close to two kilograms
• Wired-only, or the wireless variant premium, is a problem

Buy it if

• A keyboard that will be on the same desk in eight years
• You want genuine Cherry switches rather than a clone
• A physical volume wheel is worth desk space to you

Skip it if

• You do not want iCUE resident in the background
• Desk space is tight — this is a full-size board with a wrist rest

Buy it if

• Macro keys and a command dial are things you will actually use
• You want lighting that goes further than any rival here
• Gaming is the primary job, typing the secondary one

Skip it if

• Synapse running permanently is a dealbreaker
• You want a keyboard that disappears into a professional desk

Buy it if

• Three machines on one desk and one keyboard between them
• You want mechanical feel without mechanical height
• Backlighting that reacts to your hands approaching

Skip it if

• You intend to change switches later — these are soldered
• You want the deep travel of a full-height board

Buy it if

• Your first mechanical keyboard, without committing to a build
• You switch between a Mac and a PC on the same desk
• Arrow keys and a delete key are non-negotiable

Skip it if

• You want a low-profile board — the front height is tall without a wrist rest
• Per-key firmware customisation matters to you