On this page, I’ll be reviewing and comparing my favorite portable mechanical keyboards. One of the major drawbacks of mechanical keyboards is how clunky they can be. While they may feel great to type with, most of them are not designed with traveling in mind. Thankfully, there are a few mechanical keyboards out there that aim to tackle this exact problem. There are simple ways to do this like removing non-essential keys and less obvious methods like using low profile mechanical switches.
1. Vortexgear Core 40%
The Vortexgear Core is a tiny mechanical keyboard also known as a 40% keyboard. It’s 40% the size of a regular keyboard which is achieved by removing a lot of the less necessary keys. Thankfully, you can still access all of those missing keys by using the Fn keys as modifiers. I think it’s safe to say that this kind of keyboard will take some getting used to.
The available switches will differ depending on where you buy it from, as for Amazon US, it’s currently available with either Mx Clears or Mx Reds. Vortexgear are known for their high-quality keyboards, the Core has doubleshot PBT keycaps and a lightweight aluminum casing.
It weighs just 408 grams making it the lightest keyboard on this list, and one of the lightest mechanical keyboard money can buy. The old-school color scheme combined with the floating keys gives the keyboard a slick professional look. While it may take some getting used to, the Vortexgear Core is definitely a portable mechanical keyboard. It’s almost small enough to fit in your pocket!
Key features:
- Portable 40% layout
- Impressively low weight of 408 grams
- Doubleshot PBT keycaps
- Split spacebar, two Fn keys, and a Pn key
2. Cooler Master SK621
With low-profile switches and a 60% layout, the SK621 from Cooler Master is one of the most compact mechanical keyboards money can buy. It’s one of the first keyboards to implement Cherry’s new low-profile switches, they’re MX reds but with the actuation point lowered by 0.8mm.
It only weighs 430g making it the second lightest keyboard on this list, the lightest being the Vortexgear Core. The SK621 is also available in two other sizes, TKL and full-sized. If you want a compact low profile keyboard without losing too many extra keys, I would recommend checking out the TKL version instead.
To complement the portable design, the SK621 has Bluetooth 4.0 wireless. You can use the keyboard wirelessly for up to 5 months without having to charge it, this goes down to only 15 hours though if you keep the RGB lighting enabled.
While they may not be the first to experiment with low-profile switches, Cooler Master may have done the best job yet. Overall, the SK621 is a compact, slick, and portable mechanical keyboard suitable for both gaming and typing enthusiasts.
Key features:
- Low profile Cherry MX switches
- 60% compact design
- Bluetooth 4.0 wireless
- Per-key RGB backlighting
3. Ducky One 2 Mini
The Ducky One 2 Mini is possibly the most popular 60% keyboard on the market. Ducky have always made amazing keyboards and the One 2 Mini is no exception. It’s marketed as a gaming keyboard and is used by many professional players, the most notable being Tfue. Like most 60% keyboards, it’s missing the arrow keys, the function keys, the numpad, and the navigational keys. Keep in mind all of the missing keys can be accessed using Fn or Alt modifiers.
The wide range of switches to choose from makes the One 2 Mini suitable for all typing preferences. There are currently 5 Cherry MX switches available when buying on Amazon US. The doubleshot PBT keycaps have transparent lettering allowing the RGB backlighting to shine through. They have been designed in a way to ensure long-term durability and zero fading.
It’s a cool-looking keyboard with a unique two-piece casing, the top half is black and the bottom half is white. All of the keys are raised above the edges of the keyboard giving them a floating effect, the RGB lighting enhances this effect even further.
As the name suggests, the Ducky One 2 Mini is a small mechanical keyboard perfect for gaming, typing, and traveling.
Key features:
- 5 Cherry MX switches to choose from
- 60% layout
- Doubleshot PBT keycaps
- Keycap puller + extra keycaps included
4. Razer Blackwidow Lite
The Razer Blackwidow Lite is a TKL mechanical keyboard with Razer’s new silent orange switches. The orange mechanical switches are quiet while still providing nice tactile feedback, making the keyboard a good choice for gaming and office work. You also get a full set of o-rings which you can use to dampen the noise even further.
Razer have opted out of their usual flashy style and have given the Blackwidow Lite a subtle design. It’s available in matte black, mercury white, and a slightly more expensive stormtrooper edition. The low weight of 670 grams makes it almost three times lighter than the Blackwidow Chroma. As far as mechanical keyboards go, the Blackwidow Lite is relatively cheap being less than $100 as of writing this.
The compact size, lightweight build, and detachable cable make it a super portable mechanical keyboard. Overall, I’m a big fan of Razer’s approach with the Blackwidow Lite. They have dealt with two of the common issues people have with mechanical gaming keyboards; noise and over-the-top designs.
Key features:
- TKL layout
- Razer Orange quiet mechanical switches
- Full set of o-rings included
- Subtle lightweight design
5. Anne Pro 2
The Anne Pro 2 is a 60% mechanical gaming keyboard made by Obinslab. A 60% keyboard is 60% the size of a regular keyboard, the size is achieved by removing the function, numpad, and navigational keys. Naturally, these mini keyboards are smaller, lighter, and a lot more portable than regular keyboards, they also look super cool.
There are a lot of switches to choose from when buying from Amazon, keep in mind the options will vary depending on what region you’re in. If you buy from the US there are three brands to choose from, each having three switches available. These brands are Cherry, Gateron, and Khail. The wide range of switches makes the Anne Pro 2 suitable for all typing preferences.
All of the keyboard settings can be adjusted using the OLS software, it’s a simple program with everything you’ll need. The keyboard has dynamic RGB backlighting, 3 Fn layers, and two colors to choose from. Last but not least, the Anne Pro 2 has Bluetooth 4.0 wireless with an 8-hour charge, the option to go wireless really complements the compact portable design.
Key features:
- 60% mechanical keyboard
- Bluetooth 4.0 wireless
- Dynamic RGB backlighting
- Very good range of switches to choose from
6. Qisan Magicforce 68
The Magicforce is more like a 65% keyboard as it includes the arrow keys, insert key, delete key, home key, and end key. For people who want a small keyboard without ditching too many extra keys, this is a great medium between a 60% and TKL layout. It’s still very much a portable mechanical keyboard as the 8 extra keys only add a few inches to the size.
With a silver base and white keycaps, the Magicforce is a perfect choice for anyone going for an all-white computer setup. Each key is backlit with white LED lights to compliment the white design. You can either leave the keyboard flat or prop it up using the retractable legs on the back. The no-border design gives the keys a cool floating effect, which looks even cooler with the LED lights enabled.
It’s currently only sold with OUTEMU Brown switches on Amazon. These switches are essentially a clone of the Cherry MX Browns and should hold up to a similar standard. Brown switches have a tactile bump with no audible click. They are perfect for people who like tactile feedback without causing a racket.
Key features:
- Unique 65% layout
- All-white design
- Currently only available with Outemu Brown switches
7. MOTOSPEED CK62
MOTOSPEED’s CK62 is yet another 60% mechanical keyboard, although this time it’s only going to cost you less than $50. If you’re looking for a portable mechanical keyboard on a budget, the CK62 is your best bet. Much like the Anne Pro 2, the CK62 is available in both black and white when buying from Amazon.
It has Bluetooth 3.0 wireless which really compliments the portability factor, you can connect multiple devices including your phone or tablet. There are currently two switches to choose from when buying on Amazon, Outemu Reds or Outemu Blues. The Blue switches are loud tactile and clicky, whereas the Red switches are linear and marketed more towards gaming.
The keys have full RGB backlighting with 18 lighting effects to choose from. Each keycap has transparent lettering allowing the lights to shine through them nicely. Like a lot of 60% boards, the CK62 has no borders giving its keys a cool floating effect.
Overall, the MOTOSPEED CK62 is a great budget choice for a portable mechanical keyboard. If you’re new to mechanical keyboards then this would be a good entry point without having to break the bank.
Key features:
- Relatively cheap
- 60% layout
- Available in both black and white
- Bluetooth 3.0 wireless
8. Logitech G Pro X
“The pros asked, we listened. With a compact design and user-swappable pro-grade switches, PRO X is pro-tested, tournament-assured, and built to win”
Logitech’s G Pro products are the company’s top gaming peripherals. It’s clear that Logitech has designed this keyboard with competitive gaming in mind, they claim it was engineered for performance and designed to win. The TKL layout makes it a perfect keyboard for this list, ditching the numpad frees up a lot of desk space and weight.
The key difference between the Pro X and the original version is the new user-swappable pro-grade switches. There are three switches to choose from, GX Blue Clicky, GX Red Linear, and GX Brown Tactile. You can buy a switch set for each color allowing you to customize the keyboard as you please. Logitech have included a switch and keycap puller with the keyboard to make this even easier.
Like the other peripherals in the G Pro series, the G Pro X keyboard has a simple and slick design. This keyboard has the best keyboard feet I’ve seen on a gaming keyboard, the three-step rubber feet give freedom to find the best position for your preferences. Each key has independent RGB backlighting giving you endless designs to choose from. You can also sync up the lighting with other Logitech products thanks to the Lightsync technology.
In my opinion, the Logitech G Pro X is the clear choice for a portable mechanical gaming keyboard. While it may not be the most portable keyboard on this list, the G Pro X is still a portable keyboard relative to other gaming keyboards on the market.
Key features:
- Designed with competitive gaming in mind
- User-swappable mechanical switches
- RGB lighting with Lightsync technology
- TKL layout
Portable Mechanical Keyboards
There are a lot of portable mechanical keyboards to choose from. Hopefully, this list has helped you decide which is the best choice for you. I tried my best to include a range of sizes instead of just featuring the smallest keyboards I could find. While this list is ordered, none of these keyboards are necessarily better than each other. It all depends on your personal preferences!
Thanks for reading : – )