4 Mechanical Keyboards For Mac Cheaper Than Apple's Magic Keyboard

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If you own a Mac, it makes sense that you would want to pair it with Apple's Magic Keyboard. After all, it's an official Apple accessory, and its ability to last for a month between charges means you can get some good mileage out of it without reaching for a USB-C cable. However, the world of third-party mechanical keyboards has a lot to offer, with many of them including features beyond what the Magic Keyboard provides at a lower cost.

Below, we're taking a look at some good mechanical alternatives to the Magic Keyboard. Along with these keyboards being cheaper than the retail price of Apple's offerings, there may be some additional benefits of going with mechanical keys. For starters, since mechanical keyboards rely on spring-operated switches for individual keys, a good majority of these allow you to swap and replace the keycaps. This can make for a great DIY upgrade for your keyboard, as you can customize the keys in a number of ways, including for style and function.

As cool as personalizations can be, a mechanical keyboard isn't just about potential aesthetic improvements. They can also be more accurate and responsive when typing and can also offer more durability. However, unlike conventional keyboards, it's important to periodically lube your mechanical keyboard, as it can make the keys quieter and increase the keyboard's longevity. It's a little more work, but it's worth it.

The $56.99 Keychron C2 Full Size Wired Mechanical Keyboard is a full-sized keyboard, so you get a 10-key numberpad that's not available on the Apple Magic Keyboard. The Keychron is also frequently on sale through Amazon. It includes options for red or brown switches, giving you options for a keyboard that already has some serious retro vibes. Though this Amazon's Choice QWERTY keyboard relies on a wired connection, it includes a key layout that's been optimized for Mac, including function and multimedia keys. Keychron also included a button dedicated to Apple's virtual assistant Siri in the design.

However, it does support Windows if you need it to, and there are additional interchangeable keycaps that support both operating systems. The device even includes a keycap puller to easily swap out one or more of its 104 total keys. With an included USB-C braided cable, the company promises this mechanical keyboard can connect to three different devices simultaneously across Windows and Mac, and the keyboard's included adjustable feet allow for different angling options — something the Apple Magic Keyboard lacks.

With a 4.4-star rating and over 450 reviews, Amazon customers give this one points for its build quality and typing experience, with many stating it can be a good value. Keychron is a beloved brand among enthusiasts, but Keychron's keyboards, like the K3 Version 3, are also great entry points if you've never had a mechanical keyboard before.

When choosing a keyboard, or any accessory, having a wide selection of color combinations to choose from is never a bad thing. There are many things to like about the $45.99 Kisnt KN85 Wireless Mechanical 75% Gaming Keyboard (aside from it being less than half the cost of a Magic Keyboard), but it's the creamy-sounding keys that will catch your attention. Of course, it helps that customers give this 85-key accessory (which comes in five different varieties along) 4.6 stars with 960 reviews, and the keyboard gets points for its design and clicking sounds, sturdy build quality, and reliable connections.

The high marks for connections may not be too surprising, as the KN85 offers "tri-mode" connectivity. It can use a wired USB-C connection (USB-C to USB-A cable included), a 2.4GHz wireless receiver (also included), or you can rely on Bluetooth 5.0 with up to three channels supported. There's naturally Mac support, but this keyboard also works with gaming consoles, smartphones, and PCs. With 85 keys, including arrow, shortcut, and function keys, the company intentionally didn't include a numberpad (hence the 75%), which is a design choice similar to Apple's.

There's also 20 pre-set RGB backlighting effects with adjustable brightness and colors, and the pre-lubed Bsun linear switches allow for hot swapping with 5-pin or 3-pin options. The 4000mAh battery also ensures 30 days of use with the backlight off. Since it features Bluetooth support, you may also want to consider some clever Bluetooth gadgets for your MacBook.

The Amazon's Choice Yunzil B75 Pro Mechanical Keyboard with Knob for $79.99 has a 4.7-star rating with 1,010 reviews. In addition to offering Cocoa Cream V2 and Milk switch options, there's also seven different keyboard colors to choose from, including white with a heart pattern in the keys. However, what really separates this keyboard from what Apple offers is the addition of a multifunctional knob, providing a number of different options, including switching between gaming and office modes, adjusting volume, or tweaking RGB backlighting effects.

Designed around a gasket keyboard structure, the 82-key Yunzil includes five layers of padding, noise cancellation, and pre-lubed, creamy mechanical switches, among other features. It includes Bluetooth for connections, but there are also options for a 2.4GHz wireless connection via an included dongle, or you can use the included USB-C cable for a wired connection. With USB-C connections, there may be some common debunked myths about USB-C that are worth knowing.

Customers praise this one for its easy connections, whereas several also praise it for being able to switch between Mac and Windows with a button press. Since it's wireless, there's also a 4000mAh battery, and the top row of number keys can give you a battery level reading by pressing Fn+Ctrl when in wireless mode. For those who may want more customization options, the PCB board is compatible with 3-pin or 5-pin switches, and the company promises low-latency key responses alongside hot-swappable sockets.

Coming with a price tag of $82.99, the standout features for the Epomaker X Aula F75 MAX Wireless Mechanical Keyboard are its TFT screen and Linux support (along with Windows and Mac, of course). Coming in a variety of colors that also offer some dynamic patterns (the White Pink has a cool wave effect), this keyboard also touts itself as a gaming keyboard.

Along with the 2.4Ghz wireless dongle, Bluetooth 5.0, and USB-C connection options (USB-A to USB-C cable included), the TFT smart display can give users a number of options and features. This includes displaying the date and time, battery level, displaying GIF images, and accessing certain options. There are also three adjustable angles through the adjustable kickstand and PBT keycaps. Users like this one for its customization options and overall quality, likely attributing to the device's 4.7-star rating and over 1,395 reviews.

Since a good keyboard is a tech product you should never be frugal about, it's always smart to check the details of a device. Getting into the grittier specs of the keyboard, it includes anti-ghosting tech for stability when using any of its three connection types, and it has a 1,000Hz polling rate when using a wired or 2.4GHz connection. Like others on this list, the keys are also hot-swappable, and they include compatibility with 3-pin or 5-pin mechanical switches and screw-in stabilizers.