The best Keyboard for Counter-Strike 2

Have you been diving into Counter-Strike 2 and are looking to upgrade your keyboard for the FPS? Here are the best keyboard options to enhance your CS2 experience.

Counter-Strike 2 has finally arrived after months of anticipation, and a quality keyboard will be an essential part of experiencing the game. The primary and ideal way to play CS2 is with a keyboard and mouse so they’re certainly as important as any other peripheral in your set-up.

From mechanical to optical models, we’ve been hands-on with a variety of keyboards to put together a full list of recommendations for CS2 players. Focusing on keyboards with a compact footprint, all of these devices can be angled so you can maximize the amount of space you’ve got to move your mouse around – something that’s crucial for high-level play.

So, here are the very best keyboards for Counter-Strike 2, including the pros and cons of each model.

1. Wooting 60HE

Dexerto

• Switch type: Lekker linear 60 (Hot-swappable)
• Keycaps: Double-shot PBT (ANSI only)
• Connectivity: Wired
• Form factor: 60%
• Lighting; RGB, configurable through Wootility.io
• Features: Fully customizable analog inputs, less than 1ms response time, rapid trigger, three programmable keyboard layers, full remapping functionality, universal tray mount.
• Price: $174.99

The Wooting 60HE is one of the most disruptive products we’ve ever tested. It offers a mod-friendly chassis, with all of the performance you could ever need thanks to its various operating modes. Tachyon mode allows for a peerless response time, and Rapid Trigger is so good that brands like Razer and Steelseries have been quick to replicate it for themselves. What Rapid Trigger does is that it allows you to actuate and reactuate a key without ever having to take your finger off of it.

This could assist with strategic movements like counter-strafing, or even just general movement. Using Rapid Trigger does take some getting used to, and you don’t get as many advantages in CS2 as in Valorant or Apex Legends. But, it’s not stopped pro players like TenZ from using the Wooting 60HE competitively. In our minds, this is the best CS2 keyboard, and it’s well worth picking up, even if you might have to wait slightly longer than other brands.

2. SteelSeries Apex Pro (TKL / Mini)

Steelseries

• Switch type: Omnipoint 2.0
• Keycaps: PBT
• Connectivity: USB-C
• Form factor: Fully-sized / TKL
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox, and PlayStation
• Features: OLED Screen, clickable scroll wheel and media button, magnetic wrist rest, 0.7ms response time, wrist rest
• Price: $199

The SteelSeries Apex Pro might not be our top pick for its typing experience, but it is excellent for gaming. Thanks to a recent update, the boards now support the Rapid Trigger feature, and also house some fancy features such as their Omnipoint 2.0 switches. This allows for a rapid response time, thanks to the “hypermagnetic” tech inside.

Steelseries’s version of Rapid Trigger is among the best when compared to Wooting’s original, and the Apex Pro lineup also sold in various different sizes and flavors, meaning that you can opt for a larger TKL layout, or smaller “Mini” 60% board, to boot. This freedom to choose your form factor, in addition to its availability at the majority of stores makes the Apex Pro lineup an easy recommendation for anyone looking to get the best performance and a great CS2 keyboard, without having to wait for it to arrive.

3. Asus ROG Azoth

Dexerto

• Switch type: ASUS ROG NX Red (Pre-lubed, Hot-swappable)
• Keycaps: PBT 
• Connectivity: Wired (USB-C), Bluetooth, 2.4GHz
• Form factor: 75%
• Lighting: North-facing RGB
• Features: Pre-lubed, OLED screen, three-way control knob, adjustable feet, silicon & poron dampening, silicone gaskets
• Battery life: Up to 130 hours 
• Price: $249.99

If you’re not too bothered about features like Rapid Trigger, and are just looking for a more traditional gaming keyboard, it doesn’t get much more premium out of the box than the ASUS ROG Azoth. Sporting several layers of dampening foam in addition to pre-lubed switches, you can expect a fantastic typing experience.

While the board is one of the more expensive ones on this list, it can also be found regularly discounted, so you might grab yourself a bargain. It’s packed full of features and maintains a more compact sub-TKL layout, meaning that it won’t take up too much space on your desk either. The all-metal construction remains a highlight, and it’s one of the best off-the-shelf mechanical keyboards you can buy today.

4. Higround Basecamp 65

Dexerto

• Switch type: TTC White Flame (Hot-swappable)
• Keycaps: 1.5mm thick PBT Dye-Sub
• Connectivity: Wired
• Form factor: 65%
• Lighting; RGB, configurable via keyboard macro
• Features: 1000-Hz, Anti-ghosting, NKRO, Aluminum plate, dual silicon dampening, translucent frame.
• Price: $135.00

For those looking for a more wallet-friendly option, the Higround Basecamp 65 should be near to the top of your list. It has all of the premium trimmings as the ROG Azoth, and comes with some of the best-feeling stock keyboard experiences that money can buy right now. Thanks to layers of sound-dampening foam, in addition to a selection of stylish keycaps and limited-edition designs, Higround is slowly breaking more ground in the overall market.

Its 65% layout means that you will not sacrifice any utility, unlike some other compact gaming keyboards. It has just about everything in the box that you need to get a killer typing and gaming experience. While other brands might boast that they have wireless, or other features, the Higround Basecamp 65 punches above its weight, considering the relatively reasonable price compared to its competitors.

5. Ducky One Three SF

Dexerto

• Switch type: Cherry MX Speed Silver (Hot-swappable)
• Keycaps: PBT
• Connectivity: Wired
• Form factor: 65%
• Lighting; RGB, configurable via keyboard macros
• Features: NKRO, foam dampening, RBG lighting, layout configurable via dipswitch
• Price: $145.00

If you’re looking for a tried and tested brand to pin your keyboard hopes onto, Ducky makes great quality gaming keyboards. However, the One Three SF is more of a blank slate, making it better for those who wish to customize and enhance their gaming experiences, rather than something that’s already top-notch out of the box, like the Higround Basecamp 65.

You get hot-swappable switches, as well as a huge number of designs to choose from. While this board is pricey, it still offers dampening and a slightly expanded layout which could prove to be a boon when using the board in non-gaming scenarios.

The best CS2 keyboards all have one thing in common

All of the best CS2 keyboards share a similar trait: They are all relatively small. The largest keyboard that we recommend would be a TKL-sized board, which will shave off the numpad from a traditional larger keyboard.

The reason behind this is that you will want enough room on your desk in order to accommodate your mouse and mouse pad. This will allow you to make larger, more sweeping movements for clutch moments, too.

What switches are good for CS2?

The best keyboard switches for CS2 will be any linear switch, such as a Cherry MX Red. However, you can also get Optical or Magnetic switches, which will have a much quicker response time than the traditional mechanical switch, too.

Switches can also be lubed and unlubed, and lubed switches will offer the smoothest operation out there, meaning that you won’t have to crack the keyboard open yourself to make it better. Generally, we recommend boards that have a healthy dose of lube and sound dampening, which will offer a smooth typing experience, as well as a deeper sound, instead of high-pitched clacks that you might find on cheaper keyboards.

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