Best Gaming Keyboards Under 5000 In India (September 2022)

The Logitech G213 Prodigy is an entry-level gaming keyboard that is easily available in the Indian market for under Rs. 4,000. It is a membrane keyboard that comes with rubber-dome switches and before you ask me what a membrane keyboard is doing on the top of this list, well this keyboard is loaded with a list of features that make it stand out among the rest of the keyboards of its league.

For starters, the rubber dome switches have a low actuation force that makes typing on them enjoyable. The top right corner has a bunch of dedicated media controls which means no need to use multiple keys or function keys to access them. Although these keys feel a bit mushy and I would have absolutely loved it if they would have added a mechanical feel to them. It has the gamer’s favorite game mode that disables some keys like the Windows key so they do not mess up your intense gameplay. It also supports anti-ghosting which makes sure that all keys get registered all the time.

The main keyboard frame is made up of a durable grade plastic which feels quite durable. The rubber dome switches also make the keyboard spill-resistant so a few accidental spills are not going to take your keyboard away from you. Logitech has Included a braided cable with it which will surely add some extra life as the cable is one of the most fragile parts of a keyboard that easily breaks.

It has RGB backlighting that is divided into 5 different zones that you can easily customize using the G Hub software. You also get some preset effects that you can choose from the same software. As mentioned it has 5 different zones which means you cannot customize individual keys which is fine considering the price point it is being offered on. You can easily turn RGB lights on and off with a single press of a button that is placed on the top of the keyboard. It

Coming on the comfort, the keyboard has an inbuilt palm rest which gives a good amount of support to your wrists and in turn enhances the overall typing experience.

Overall, Logitech G213 Prodigy is a decent gaming keyboard with all the necessary features you would expect from a gaming keyboard. It has multiple lighting schemes with nice and big keys that offer an overall good gaming experience.

The HyperX Alloy Core is our second choice on the list of best gaming keyboards under 5000 Rs. HyperX is a big name in the gaming industry, especially for its gaming keyboards. One such gaming keyboard is the HyperX Alloy Core which will not fail to impress you with what it has to offer. Just like the G213 Prodigy, it is a membrane keyboard with a full-sized layout and it has some similar features to the G213 Prodigy with some extra handy buttons which we will talk about in a while.

The HyperX Alloy Core has a solid plastic frame along with a braided 1.8-meter long cable that makes it feel pretty well built and I can assure you that it is going to last for some time. It has media controls on the top right corner, meanwhile on the top left corner are some lighting controls which come in handy in day-to-day usage. It has the same gaming mode button just like the G213 and is placed next to the lighting controls.

Coming on to the RGB lighting, the Alloy Core support 6 lighting presets and 5 lighting zones which you can only toggle using the lighting controls on the keyboard. I know it’s a little disappointing to not see some kind of software support with it but I think it’s fine for the price tag and if you put the software aside, the lighting is really good-looking and some of the brightest looking RGBs I have tested in this price segment.

It also spills resistance to an extent that makes you safe from a few liquid splashes. It uses membrane dome switches just like the Logitech G213 and has a similar typing experience. Well, to be honest, the typing experience is not what most gamers would prefer as it is more on the spongier side. Although if you are a new gamer and want to start your journey with something that rightly fits your pocket and gives you features you would expect from a gaming keyboard that this could be a good choice for you.

Now the next keyboard we have is a mechanical gaming keyboard and I know you have been waiting for it. The Gamdias Hermes E3 follows the 60% form factor which basically means no separate numeric keys and media controls either. But what you get in exchange is a pure tactile feel with the click of every single key and some extra space on your desk.

The Gamdias Hermes E3 has been specifically made with portability in mind which can be easily seen in its design as well. Gamdias has done a good job as they have included a USB Type-C connectivity, which makes it easier for you to plug out the keyboard in case you need to clean it or take it to a different place. It also comes in handy in case the cable breaks down so you can simply get a new one and you are good to go.

Gamdias has offered a complete plastic build with this keyboard which feels quite durable and sturdy. Meanwhile, the keycaps are also well built and nicely placed. Since we are talking about the keys, let’s quickly discuss the key switches as well. The Hermes E3 uses Ortemo Blue Switches which are rated for 50 million clicks. These switches are known to offer a pleasant typing experience with tactile feedback similar to the Cherry MX blue and are considered good cheap alternatives to them.

Apart from that, the E3 has all the basic features that a gamer would need like a polling rate of 1000 Hz, anti-rollover, and anti-ghosting, along with the game mode to disable the Windows key during your gaming sessions. And now coming to the RGB effects, the Gamdias Hermes E3 comes with 19 RGB presets that you can choose directly from your keyboard. Honestly speaking, getting this amount of RGB presets at this price point is pretty rare. I know you want to ask if these RGB lighting can be customized using the software? Well unfortunately the answer is no, E3 does not come with any software support at all, so you will need to choose from the presets only.

Overall, the Gamdias Hermes E3 is a pretty good choice for those who want a portable, neat, and most importantly, mechanical keyboard for their day-to-day gaming needs. Yes, you have to go through the hassle of using multiple function keys and you have to stick with the preset lighting, but if you are fine with it, this could be one of the best picks for you under Rs. 5,000.

Now moving on to our next gaming keyboard on our list, which is the Corsair K55. Corsair is not a new brand in the market and hence needs no introduction at all. Their keyboards are well built and are loved by gamers and the K55 seems to follow in their footsteps. The K55 is a membrane keyboard with rubber dome switches and comes with all the perks of a gaming keyboard.

The keyboard is mostly made out of plastic but the build quality is pretty good and feels pretty solid. Although it has glossy plastic at the top which acts as a fingerprint and dust magnet. The good part is that it has dedicated media keys at the top right corner which makes controlling media pretty easy. Meanwhile, on the left-hand side, you will see 6 macro keys that can be programmed as per your liking which is one of the things which really comes in handy during games.

Now coming on to the typing experience, the keyboard feels like most of the membrane keyboards out there in the market. The keys strokes are not tactile and do feel a bit mushy which is to be expected from a membrane keyboard. The keycaps are well placed and are made out of plastic but they feel stable when they’re pressed. It also has a detachable rubberized wrist rest which does a good job of offering a basic level of support to your wrists.

Moving on to the RGB lighting, this keyboard also has zonal backlighting which is divided into three lighting zones. You can easily customize them by using the keyboard or with the compatible software called the iCUE. This software offers a good amount of customizations like setting up macro keys.

Overall, the Corsair K55 is a perfect gaming keyboard for those who want a membrane gaming keyboard with some cool perks like extra programmable function keys, zonal RGB lighting, and dedicated media controls. If you are someone who has been using a mechanical keyboard then this keyboard may disappoint you a bit but for someone who wants to start their gaming journey, this one could be a pretty good choice.

The next keyboard on our list of best gaming keyboards under 5000 Rs comes from an Indin brand, the Cosmic Byte which is fairly new to the market when compared to most of the other brands on our list but still has managed to make a good name in the industry. The keyboard I am talking about is the Cosmic Byte CB-GK-18 which is a mechanical keyboard with the Outemu Red Switches and follows the 80% form factor.

The keyboard has a strong build with a metal top plate and a plastic frame at the bottom although it does make a creaking sound every time you pick it up. The cable used is braided and is 1.6 meters long. It saves some space on your table thanks to its 80% form factor. The backside also has a plastic body along with two rubberized feet that can elevate the keyboard to a level.

Coming on to the typing experience, the keyboard uses Outemu Red Switches which are said to be the cheaper alternatives of the Cherry MX Red Switches. These are linear switches that give no tactile feedback and offer a smooth actuation which in turn makes them less noisy than the other switches.

Now moving on to the RGB lighting, you can easily control them using the software that it comes along with. The software is not much refined and does feel buggy but you cannot expect much from a keyboard at this price range. You can customize effects, colours, speed, brightness, and even set macros using the compatible software.

Overall, the Cosmic Byte CB-GK-18 is a perfect keyboard for someone who wants a keyboard that is mechanical but doesn’t want the loudness of it. The RGBs are placed under every single key which gives a good effect and the software does all the basic jobs that you may need.

Moving down on our list, we have one more gaming keyboard by an Indian brand Zebronics and the keyboard we will be discussing is the Zeb-Max Ninja. Just like the Gamdias Hermes E3, Zeb Max Ninja also follows the 60% form factor and comes with Outemu Blue Switches.

The main key difference is that the Zeb Max Ninja is a wireless keyboard that can work with Bluetooth 5.0 or the 2.4 GHz dongle. Not only that, Zebronics also offers a Type-C cable out of the box which you can use to charge the battery or to even operate it as a wired one. Well yes, it is as interesting as it sounds and I personally like to have multiple connection modes as it adds more mobility. Not only that, you can connect up to 3 devices at a time and you can quickly switch between them using the function keys on the keyboard.

Next coming to the RGB, you have 21 built-in effects that you can quickly switch from the keyboard itself. You can also alter the brightness and the speed of the lighting effect from the keyboard as well. Unfortunately, there is no software support with it at all so you cannot set macros either which disappoints me a bit.

Now finally let’s talk about the typing experience, as I already mentioned, the Zeb Max Ninja houses Outemu Blue Switches which gives good tactile feedback every time a key is pressed. A lot of gamers including me love that tactile feedback but it does get a little noisy when you type so you need to be aware of that. Apart from that, the Zeb Max Ninja is an awesome keyboard for the folks who are looking for a 60% sized mechanical keyboard with some cool-looking RGB lighting and are okay with no software support.

The Redragon K551 is another Indian branded full-sized mechanical keyboard that comes in two variants that are the Outemu Blue switches and the Outemu Red switches variant. These two variants give you an option to choose what best suits your liking which is a good thing.  

The keyboard has a complete plastic build but it feels pretty solid and heavy in the hands. It comes attached to a USB Type-A cable which is not a braided cable but looking at the thickness of the cable, I can ensure that it is not going anywhere for a while. The good part is that the company ships it with some extra key switches, a key puller, and a keycap puller which is pretty surprising for a keyboard at this price point.  

Even though it is a full-sized keyboard, you don’t get dedicated media control keys which is a little disappointing but it is okay considering the price it is being offered on. Although you can still change media using the function keys. The typing experience is also quite good with it and is exactly what you would expect from Outemu switches. 

Moving on to the RGB, you get 5 preset effects that you can quickly toggle from the keyboard itself. Although you cannot customize the lighting effect neither you get any software support with it which is totally fine for its price point. There is another model with the same name that gives you static RGB lighting with no other effect which is a little cheaper than this variant so you can choose it as well to save some of your cash. 

Overall, the Redragon K551 is a decent mechanical gaming keyboard with the good build quality and you can go with it if you want a full-sized mechanical gaming keyboard and do not care much about RGB lighting. 

Now finally we have the Ant Esports MK1300 Mini which is another mechanical gaming keyboard with a 60% form factor and comes from an Indian brand, Ant Esports. These keyboards also come in two variants that are the Outemu Red Switches variant and the Outemu Blue Switches variant. The fun fact is this keyboard is the most affordable keyboard on our list but still manages to secure a spot on our list which is pretty impressive.  

The keyboard has a complete plastic build and feels decently solid. The design is slightly elevated which makes it easier to type on. It comes with a USB Type-C cable that can be removed and reconnected whenever needed which means if this cable gets broken, you need to buy a cable replacement rather than replacing the whole keyboard. Talking about the cable, it is a fully braided cable with gold plated ends which I can ensure would easily last for a few years.

Coming to the RGB, it has 5 zonal RGB lighting which honestly speaking, looks pretty cool. Yes, before you ask, there is no software support or customization options either and you should not expect them at this price either. What we do get is 14 preset light effects that you can easily change from the keyboard itself.

Moving on to the typing experience, the Ant Esports MK1300 Mini performs similar to the other keyboards with the same switches. Yes, the quality of the build is not as good as the other keyboards on our list and the letters on the keycaps would not be there after a few months of regular usage but apart from that, the typing experience is pretty acceptable. 

So, if you are someone who is on a really tight budget and wants a keyboard with a 60% form factor, the Ant Esports MK1300 Mini could be a perfect choice for you. This keyboard cannot stand head to head with the other keyboards on our list in terms of build or features but it surely justifies its price.