Best full-size (96% and 100%) mechanical keyboards 2023
All the keys (with maybe a few exceptions).
While compact keyboards tend to dominate enthusiast mechanical keyboard forums, it's the full-size (or nearly full-size) options that are seemingly preferred by the silent majority. If you count yourself amongst that cohort and can't see yourself ever giving up your precious num-pad and familiar layout, this is the article for you.
We've rounded up four of our favourite full-size keyboards, including little-known examples from boutique brands like Lofree and Melgeek plus more easily available units from mainstream vendors like Corsair and Asus.
We'll continue to expand this article over time, so feel free to chime in with your suggestions of your favourites in the comments below - or reach out to me on Twitter @wsjudd. For now though, enjoy!
Best 96% and full-size mechanical keyboards 2023
1. Lofree Block
The Lofree Block is a delightfully retro-looking keyboard that echoes the beige-and-grey colour schemes and boxy shapes of the 60s, 70s and 80s, combined with a 96 percent layout that brings the alphanumerics, num pad and arrow keys closer together. It makes for a winsome design, with nice details like a pair of orange dials at the top to change connection methods (USB, 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth) and adjust the volume; a subtle status panel for battery, caps/scroll/num locks and connection method info above the arrow keys; keycaps with legends like 'back to classics' and depictions of Braun appliance controls that inspired this keyboard's look.
Unsurprisingly for Lofree, the keyboard also feels refined. Sound is dampened by the inclusion of a multiple layers of foam within, while the TTC POM block linear switches are pre-lubricated for smoother action and PBT keycaps provide a bit more texture and longevity. The backlighting is a simple white, with 14 different possible effects, and the switch sockets are hot-swappable if you prefer a different typing experience. As even quite budget mechanical keyboards can provide a great typing experience out of the box, these extra touches like foam, pre-lubed switches and high-quality keycaps are starting to become more critical to stand out in 2023. However, there are some common omissions here too, including no user-reprogrammable firmware (as we see on many custom boards) and no shine-through keycaps (often excluded with coloured keycaps).
The Block keyboard manages to look unique and goes nicely with the firm's similarly-beige Touch wireless mouse (which we looked at earlier), so it's well worth considering if you prefer a more classic style without giving up anything when it comes to performance, typing experience and build quality.
Buy:
- £119/$144 at Lofree (Black Friday price; otherwise use code LOF10)
- $170 at MechKeys.com
2. Asus ROG Strix Scope 2 RX
The Asus ROG Strix Scope 2 RX does a few interesting things with the familiar full-size layout, including a beautifully-designed multi-function wheel in the upper right corner, a dense row of LED indicators above the arrow keys and F1 to F5 which are bound to Game Bar functions like recording the last 30 seconds of gameplay. Otherwise, it's a full-size keyboard as we know and love, with an optional wrist rest in the box and Asus-branded box-shaped water/dust-resistant optical switches beneath every key.
The multi-function wheel is the biggest innovation here, so let's take a closer look at it. The wheel adjusts the volume by default and mutes with a press, but tap on the Asus logo to the left of the wheel to change its function to several extra options reflected with tiny LED-lit symbolic indicators above the arrow keys. The other options are media controls (roll to skip, tap for play/pause), backlighting brightness (roll to dim or brighten, tap to extinguish) and scrolling (roll to scroll, tap to scroll-click). It all works nicely, and not requiring software for the core functionality is a beautiful touch.
Elsewhere, the Strix Scope 2 RX is the very model of a high-end mechanical keyboard circa 2023, with pre-lubed switches, integrated sound-dampening foam and premium PBT keycaps (in some regions; others get ABS which is a shame). It's nice to see major brands keeping tabs on the enthusiast side of the market and adapting their innovations, though it's clear that Asus has opted to retain their classic black-and-RGB design sensibilities rather than something more left-field.
Overall, the Strix Scope 2 RX is a fantastic full-size keyboard that nails the fundamentals and innovates without resorting to gimmicks. The keyboard team at Asus has been knocking it out of the park for the past few years, and this feels like another top-tier effort from them.
At the time of writing, the ROG Strix Scope 2 RX doesn't seem to be available in many regions, but we'll update this article with additional retailers as they come online. After all, this keyboard is worth it!
Buy:
3. Melgeek Modern97
The Melgeek Modern97 has a lot going on, with an eye-catching speckled case, a 90 percent layout, blue, honey-gold and white keycaps and plenty of accoutrements within: multiple layers of foam and RGB lighting plus gasket-mounted, hot-swappable and pre-lubed Kailh Sonic53 'gamer' switches.
The keyboard also supports 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth and USB-C operation, making it suitable for a wide number of devices (though realistically you're not likely to be toting around a full-size mechanical keyboard to use on the go!). While plenty can be adjusted on the keyboard directly, Melgeek's Hive software is also available to remap keys etc and works very nicely for a boutique brand.
Interestingly, to go along with the nature-inspired look of the Modern97, the packaging is also made from natural materials like bamboo and sugarcane fibre which Melgeek claims have a lower carbon impact than the likes of plastic and cardboard.
The Modern97 is one of my favourite keyboards to use from this current batch, as the soft and linear switches are effortless for both typing and gaming, while NKRO (n-key rollover) means all keys can be pressed simultaneously - useful for intense music games and two players using one keyboard for local multiplayer titles like Nidhogg.
Buy:
4. Corsair K70 Core
The Corsair K70 Core is another take on the "full-size gaming keyboard but make it 2023" theme pioneered by the Asus ROG Strix Scope 2 RX option above, this time with a multi-function control dial that can adjust volume or LED brightness, scroll vertically or horizontally, or zoom in and out. As with the Asus board, you can click in the dial to access a third function. These are a useful selection of controls, but switching between them requires pressing Fn+F12 and squinting to see which colour the F12 key briefly flashes - not exactly a stellar user experience in comparison to the permanently lit icons we saw elsewhere.
Of course, there's more to the keyboard than just a multi-function dial, and the K70 Core feels sanely designed throughout with many of the same 2023-era features like pre-lubed switches and sound dampening foam. Weirdly, we see another regional difference here, with superior double-shot keycaps for US boards and printed legend ABS keycaps elsewhere - presumably a play to keep costs down for relatively low-volume regions.
Otherwise, the K70 Core looks and feels good - I'm a big fan of the more refined yellow and triangular motifs that have appeared on recent Corsair releases, and that's reflected on the Core too with subtle details on the space bar and chassis. The aluminium case and 'floating' keycaps still look great, the magnetic soft-touch palm rest comes in handy and Corsair's iCUE software for setting custom lighting schemes or remapping keys remains one of the most powerful in the business. The only real shame is the non-detachable cable, which looks and feels cheap compared to the rest of the board.
Otherwise, this is a solid effort that is worth picking up at its £90/$100 RRP and will become a great deal in the eventual Black Friday sales.
Buy:
Wrapping up
That's all the recommendations we have for now! For more full-size options, why not check out our best gaming keyboard and best mechanical keyboard articles?