It would be incorrect to say that membrane keyboards are not relevant anymore. If that was true, membrane switches would have disappeared from the market. It has been decades since mechanical switches existed on the market and in the last decade, the market saw a sharp rise in the production ofmechanical keyboardswith a variety of mechanical switches for various purposes.
Lenovo Legion K310
CORSAIR K57 RGB
However, the membrane switches are still ideal as theyprovide silent operation, are cheaper, and can provide features as good as some of the finest mechanical keyboards for less than half the cost. The actuation process of a membrane switch is quite simple, incorporating three layers where two layers use printed conductive traces and the third one is sandwiched between the two, avoiding the actuation of the switches when the keys are not pressed.
Whether you are a professional who has a lot of typing work or a seasoned gamer who plays every night for several hours, these membrane keyboards will provide a quiet operation, good ergonomics, great aesthetics, and dedicated software support for more customizations.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Membrane Keyboards in 2024
Corsair K55 Core RGB Gaming Keyboard
The K55 Core is an affordable way to experience the advantages of a Corsair gaming keyboard. With low-effort typing, this membrane keyboard has the quick and responsive performance needed during furious gameplay. The K55 Core also looks stunning with bright and customizable ten-zone backlighting. Among budget keyboards, few options give gamers more control, thanks to the powerful macro reprogramming functionality in the Corsair iCue app. Complete with 300 ml spill resistance to avoid desktop disasters, the K55 Core is ready to become a permanent part of a battlestation.
Corsair’s fantastic software supportfor its peripheralshas made it one of the most reputable brands in the PC market. It’s not difficult to find a good membrane keyboard from Corsair’s keyboard lineup and fortunately, the K55 Core RGB is exactly what most users will need. If you are someone who wants good responsiveness, great aesthetics, and some dedicated media controls, the K55 Core RGB won’t disappoint you in any way.
Boasting a 104-key layout, the keyboard provides all the necessary keys along with a panel of dedicated multimedia buttons on the top right. Whether you want to adjust the volume or change the current media, the panel serves as a handy purpose. Furthermore, the availability of Windows Lock and LED brightness control buttons makes things convenient. As you would expect, the K55 Core RGB has customizable RGB lights and users can use the iCUE software to change the lighting effects.Corsair’s K55 Core RGB, thankfully, isn’t expensive and fits the budget of most users.
Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard
The Logitech G213 Prodigy is a gaming keyboard that brings along a customizable RGB lighting system that allows the user to change colors on the keyboard to match the setup or change according to the games. It can also synchronize with other supported Logitech devices to provide a more comprehensive lighting setup. The G213 Prodigy is a full-sized keyboard with a slim body and durable construction that repels liquids and dirt. The keyboard also comes with an integrated palm rest and adjustable feet for better comfort.
It has been roughly eight years since the launch of the legendary Logitech G213 Prodigy gaming keyboard, and to this day the keyboard doesn’t disappoint. With a beautiful 104-key layout, incorporating some media controls and RGB lighting, the G213 looks mesmerizing in the dark through its contrasting black chassis and bright LED lighting. It uses tactile Mech-Dome switches that are spill-resistant and provide a mechanical-like feel at an affordable price, helping gamers enjoy gaming to the fullest.
The keys have a 4mm travel distance and don’t require more than 50g of force. All of this without generating any noise whatsoever.The LED lights shinethrough the letters and numbers, utilizing five individual lighting zones that are customizable through the Lightsync RGB software. Its ergonomics are also on point with a dedicated wrist rest that allows you to place your palm on the platform. The only complaint is its small text below the four status LEDs on top, which use a dark color, making it difficult to understand what is currently toggled on or off.
Redragon K503 Gaming Keyboard
The Redragon K503 is a wireless, RGB gaming keyboard that doesn’t break the bank. This full-sized keyboard has multi-zone RGB lighting both plugged in and wireless and will last anywhere from 30 hours with the RGB on to 300 with the RGB off. Redragon also manages to cram in shortcut and media control buttons onto the frame.
When it comes to offering more for less price, nothing beats Redragon. Specialized in makingbudget gaming peripherals, the Redragon K503 is one of the cheapest yet feature-packed membrane keyboards, with features and functions generally found on premium models. From the layout itself, you’re able to tell that it is equipped with a lot of additional keys apart from the general 104-key layout. These include multimedia as well as productivity-related keys, that will help you control the media files or open up your email, or search through the internet easily.
Below those are RGB LED-lit keys, which are 6mm tall, and have a quiet operation while providing tactile feedback. The RGB lighting can be customized via the keyboard itself and all you need to do is press the FN button along with the arrow keys to cycle through seven lighting modes. The keyboard also comes with an extended chassis at the bottom, providing a small platform for users to place their palms on, which is far from a deal-breaker, and better than having nothing for the wrist.
Roccat Magma Silent Membrane Gaming Keyboard
The Roccat Magma Silent Membrane Gaming Keyboard is a high-quality, RGB-infused gaming keyboard. With more lighting than your standard keyboard, the Roccat Magma Silent Membrane Gaming Keyboard is the perfect budget purchase for anyone who wants the maximum style and minimum price. The Roccat Magma Silent Membrane Gaming Keyboard features a detachable palm rest, providing comfort and flair.
While almost every membrane keyboard listed here comes with some sort of RGB lighting, the Roccat Magma stands out due to itsAIMO Illumination.It’s how the keyboard displays vivid lighting modes without a lot of configurations. However, don’t expect Roccat’s Swarm to be as user-friendly as Corsair or Razer. Still, even with just the base modes,the RGB lighting effectsare quite bright for illuminating your gaming setup. This is achieved via a transparent RGB top plate that lets the LEDs shine from underneath the top layer and through the keys too.
The Roccat Magma is not just limited to flashy lights, but has excellent silent membrane switches that provide anti-ghosting and use rubber dome keys that are fully responsive and have a great lifespan. Furthermore, a detachable wrist rest is added to the bottom to support your hand and can be removed if the desk space is less.
Lenovo Legion K310 provides a beautiful 5-zone RGB lighting that lights up the whole keyboard through the key characters. Its quiet membrane switches helps it achieve silent operation and have a quick response time for work and gaming.
Despite being a membrane keyboard, the Lenovo Legion K310 provides great reliability compared to generic membrane keyboards. Even though it lacks some fancy features like multimedia keys or wrist rest, the core functionality of thiskeyboard remains one of the best for a price of $50. The membrane switches on K310 are ultra silent as well as pretty quick in actuation. Each key is rated at a good 20 million click lifecycles, making it an excellent long-term solution.
As you may have seen on most membrane keyboards, one of the major problems they face is the limited key rollover feature. With just a 4-12 key rollover, most membrane keyboards do not register a lot of inputs simultaneously, but the K310 features a 24-key rollover, registering a lot of inputs at the same time. Lastly, the keyboard also gives you the 5-zone RGB illumination, which can be controlled via the function key paired with multimedia controls.
CORSAIR K57 RGB is a premium membrane keyboard, offering great wireless connectivity, beautiful RGB lighting, multimedia keys and an ergonomic design. Its tri-mode connectivity provides options to choose the connection method and has a good battery life even with RGB lighting on.
The Corsair K57 RGB is the best you can get with membrane switches. If you have no budget constraints and want the best possible functionality, the K57 RGB won’t make you regret it later. Only its hefty cost may send some users away, as there are plenty of good mechanical keyboards for a hundred bucks. Still, if you love silent membrane switches that also actuate at sub-1ms response time, the Corsair K57 RGB is the right choice for you.
It brings a full 104-key layout along with a dedicated row of macro keys on the left. Looks like Corsair is also inspired by Logitech’s gaming keyboard design, as macros are very much loved by professionals who can program any complex action for executing it mid-game. The top right corner includes some dedicated multimedia keys plus a Win lock and brightness adjustment button, just like the K55 Pro. However, it also brings a dedicated wrist rest, which is absent from the K55 Pro, and provides reliable wireless connectivity through a 2.4GHz dongle, which also works flawlessly with other Corsair wireless peripherals.
Things to Consider When Buying a Membrane Keyboard
Just as with mechanical keyboards, finding a membrane keyboard that you’ll actually like isn’t a matter of simply choosing the most recognizable brand or deciding solely based on how the keyboard looks. To get a keyboard that will support your day-to-day activities, keep the following in mind:
FAQ
Q: Are membrane keyboards better than mechanical?
Yes, in general, mechanical keyboards are superior since they offer better tactile feedback, faster actuation, better reliability, and more customization. However, it really depends on what you are looking for. If you want very silent operation on a budget, then membrane keyboards are the better choice.
Q: Why are membrane keyboards so cheap?
Because they use inexpensive components, generally requiring a few layers and printed conductive traces that actuate when the keys are pressed. This is unlike mechanical keyboards that use mechanical parts in every key, unlike hollow keys used on membrane keyboards.
Q: Do red switches feel like membrane switches?
Red switches are linear and silent, and while standard membrane switches are also linear and silent, red switches are much faster in actuation and are smoother.
