To many, a good gaming keyboard is the one whose backlighting has gone technicolor. To the initiated or the enthusiast, a good keyboard is all about performance, touch, and responsiveness. However, a great gaming keyboard? Now, you're talking about fine-tuned levels of customization.
At CES 2025, Laptop Mag was spoilt for choice when it came to picking Laptop Laurels winners, but when a keyboard like the Keychron K2 HE comes along, there's really no other option.
Mechanical mastery meets magnetic minimalism in this keyboard, and while Keychron takes home the laurel, the real winner is whoever sits in front of it.
Best gaming keyboard of CES 2025: Keychron K2 HE
Specs to edges, the Keychron K2 HE (Special Edition) is an outstanding, gorgeous keyboard for gamers and typists alike. Both black and white versions are adorned with rosewood on either side of its aluminum frame.
OSA keycaps uniformly span across, complementing the classy, minimalist look. The keys make a soft “thwack” sound when they bottom out, thanks to the switches themselves and the padding inside.
Pressing them is like running your fingertips over silk. The K2 HE is compatible with all major operating systems, too (macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS), and it supports Bluetooth 5.2, 2.4GHz, and wired connections.
It gets better: instead of more common mechanical switches, the K2 HE uses magnetic (also known as Hall Effect switches). So, instead of a physical action, the switches use an electromagnetic field to register key presses.
This allows you to set custom actuation points for each key (in Keychron’s browser-based software), so you don’t have to press the keys all the way down like you normally would with a physical switch.
Not only can this make it easier to type, but it’s also a super handy feature for fast-paced shooters or racing games where you might want more precise control over your movements. You can program up to four different actuation points on a key, whereas most high-end gaming keyboards with magnetic switches only allow up to two.
The Keychron K2 HE is available to purchase from the Keychron store and shortly from Amazon.com, starting at $130 for the standard model and $140 for the special edition. Both models feature Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula switches .
| Switch | Magnetic |
| Frame | Metal & Wood |
| Connectivity | 2.4Ghz, Bluetooth, wired |
| Max devices | Conncects up to 3 |
| Keycaps | Double-Shot PBT |
| Features | Adjustable actuation point, hot swappable keys, per-key RGB LED lights, rapid trigger |
