Best 60% keyboards for gaming in 2024: Mechanical, budget, wireless & more
Find out what the best 60% keyboards to buy in 2024 are here.
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Picking up the best 60% keyboard for gaming can transform your desk setup, giving you far more space and a much cleaner look too.
While full-size boards have historically been the standard, there has been a desire for minimalist hardware in recent years that has seen the demand for 60% configurations soar.
What is a 60% keyboard?
60% keyboards are, as the name suggests, sixty percent of the size of a 'full size' standard keyboard. These typically negate the function row, number pad, and more, leaving little more than the letters and the number row.
While traditional 60% layouts forgo the arrow keys and auxiliary actions like delete, home, end, and so on, some 65% layouts can squeeze them into the same small frame if you feel like you'd miss them.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini
The Apex Pro Mini is the 60% version of SteelSeries' flagship keyboard, offering most of the top-level design in a much smaller form factor.
Why it really excels for gaming though is the board's implementation of Rapid Trigger and SOCD technology. This, if you're not aware, has revolutionised the gaming keyboard space, by giving much faster and more accurate responses through custom actuation points.
This means that not only will you be able to set your own actuation point (the distance at which your keypress registers) but your press will also deactuate the moment you lift off the switch, giving you far lower input lag, letting you instantly move to the next input.
As this is on a software level it is constantly improving, and the recent announcement of the Gen 3 models will bring any enhancements to existing Apex Pro keyboards, leaving nobody out of the experience.
You won't be able to take advantage of the SOCD features of this board in a game like Counter-Strike 2, which prioritises the most recently pressed input making counter-strafing a breeze, but this will still be available for you to use and improve within other games.
Razer Huntsman Mini
Following post-release updates, the Razer Huntsman Mini has become one of the most popular 60% keyboards for gaming due to its cheap price and Rapid Trigger capabilities.
While it's not quite as accurate or fast as some other models on the market, it is arguably the cheapest way to get into the Rapid Trigger ecosystem - and that will still be much better than your standard switch options for gaming.
If you're simply wanting to get on board then the Huntsman Mini will certainly be for you. It's also got all of the RBG that you'd ever need as well, letting you light up your room with a million colours if that's your jam.
Endgame KB65HE
The final Rapid Trigger-compatible option on this list is the Endgame KB65HE, which gives you an alternative route if you're not a fan of the more flashy gaming options.
This keyboard is simple by nature, offering a sleek black design with minimal RGB. Our 4-star review denotes the fantastic build quality - especially for the price point - and that it feels far more expensive than it actually is.
When it comes to Rapid Trigger though the implementation isn't perfect, which is definitely something to consider. If you're not a huge competitive gamer but still want something to use when you dive into your favourite FPS titles, then this might just be the board for you.
Keychron K6 Pro
The best 60% keyboard in 2023 is the Keychron K6 Pro, which combines excellent build quality and a wonderful typing experience to be the overall best package. We are technically cheating here, as the K6 is a 65% design instead of a 60%, but it remains still the small form factor but with the convenience of a couple extra keys.
It comes complete with double-shot PBT keycaps that have the signature Keychron colourway, and you have a choice between Keychron's own Red, Blue, or Brown switches. However, if they aren't quite to your taste then this board is fully hot-swappable, allowing you to input whatever you want with ease.
There are also both wireless and Bluetooth connectivity on offer here to suit whatever you'd prefer. Both your typing and gaming experience will sound and feel delightful when using the K6, with sound-absorbing foam, a silicone bottom pad, and a heavy metal frame and plate to get that ideal mechanical feel for just $104.
Ducky One 3 Mini
While you'll be hard-pressed to find a small form factor keyboard that's not mechanical, the Ducky One 3 Mini is the best at applying those mechanical features outside of the Keychron. This board has a true 60% design, ensuring that it keeps as low of a profile as possible on your desk.
Furthermore, Ducky has taken feedback from the already fantastic One 2 Mini and applied it to the third iteration, adding in a hot-swappable PCB and improving the overall acoustics to only improve the typing and gaming experience.
For $119 you're not only getting an excellent keyboard out of the box, but you also have the freedom to expand and customise it to whatever degree you want. Some of you might want to as well with the rather loud yellow colourway, but it is certainly more interesting than your standard black or white design.
About The Author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.
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