The Best RGB Keyboards: Our Top Picks

RGB keyboards

An RGB keyboard is an advanced type of LED backlit keyboard that generates custom colors by projecting simultaneous combinations of red, green, and blue light, like a TV, creating millions of potential hues. RGB keyboard software lets you choose your exact favorite colors and program them to appear on certain keys or in special sequences. You can even link your keyboard lighting effects to specific functions and game events or the real-time performance of your PC.

RGB gaming keyboards first gained attention as external add-ons in advanced home gaming systems. That market continues to grow (see our Legion K500 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard). But RGB keyboards are available in high-performance laptops, too, including Lenovo’s new Legion Y730 and Legion Y740. Now, gamers - or anyone who wants their system to express a little personality - can create and travel with their own personalized key patterns and colors.

What is an RGB keyboard?

First, let's make clear what an RGB keyboard is not. It's not just a backlit keyboard that simply illuminates the letters on each key. It's also not a multi-color keyboard that lets you pick from a set of pre-defined colors for different groups of keys.

An RGB keyboard is much more versatile, allowing you to select any of the 16+ million colors of the RGB wheel and apply them on a per-key basis, whether individually or in sets. This makes RGB keyboards a big, colorful step beyond the old-style backlit models or the ones that display just a few basic colors.

Plus, new ways to use key colors and patterns for faster gameplay – or even at home or in the office -- continue to emerge. This is especially true with advanced RGB keyboard software such as Corsair iCue, which controls each of the Lenovo RGB keyboards and laptops described here (see details below).

RGB keyboards for gamers

If you're a gamer, you probably already know that an RGB keyboard can help you quickly locate the all-important WASD keys to maximize each North-South-East-West keystroke. But there’s more to an RGB gaming keyboard than moving around within the game environment.

Here's a short list of how gamers of all levels are using today's best RGB gaming keyboards:

• Custom key maps to highlight your favorite firing patterns, spell-throws, and more
• Colors that warn you when your system is too hot, or the wireless connection is down
• Lights that you can sync to match game-enforced capability slowdown times
• Profiles to help coordinate your keyboard lights with any other RGB peripherals

Game designers are getting into the act, too, with some game functions now pre-configured to be used with best RGB keyboards, such as to give you a visual keyboard alert when enemies or allies are near.

RGB keyboards for office and home use

Great thing about a new RGB keyboard-equipped laptop is that you get the fancy colors long associated with RGB mechanical keyboards -- but with the quiet keystrokes of a typical membrane pressure-style laptop keyboard. This has opened the door for more RGB keyboards to enter business and home settings.

There are several everyday advantages of an RGB keyboard for non-gamers:

Practical benefits of an RGB keyboard for non-gamers:

• Lighted keys help you use your system at night or in low light
• Each key-press can generate a color-keyed visual response, not just a tactile one
• Number-crunchers -- like gamers -- can benefit from knowing when a CPU gets too hot

Aesthetic benefits of an RGB keyboard for non-gamers:

• Key colors and patterns are a great way to express a company's or family's personality
• With 16+ million possible shades, you're sure to find your color -- even match a company logo
• Forget about keeping up with the Joneses and start keeping up with the Jones’ gamer kids!

Lenovo RGB keyboards

Lenovo has entered the RGB keyboard market in a big way. We now offer two new high-powered laptops with RGB keyboards, plus an RGB mechanical keyboard that’s popping up at eSports events around the globe:

• Legion Y730

Lenovo’s Legion Y730 17-inch gaming laptop delivers a better gaming experience by packing the latest high-performance hardware from Intel and NVIDIA GTX into an amazingly thin and light system. Plus, the 100% anti-ghost, Corsair iCUE RGB-backlit keyboard offers under 1 millisecond response time, six custom macro “Y” keys, and RGB thermal lighting with more than 16 million customizable color combinations.

• Legion Y740

Featuring a precision-cut, all-aluminum chassis with RGB ambient system lighting, Lenovo’s Legion Y740 17-inch high-performance laptop is a true gaming rig, powered by NVIDIA® GTX 10 series graphics with DirectX12 support for super-fast, smooth and power-efficient gameplay. The full-size Corsair iCue RBG backlit keyboard delivers 100% anti-ghosting, and response time under 1 ms to give you ultimate control of your system.

• Legion K500 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Lenovo’s Legion K500 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard may be the best RBG mechanical keyboard available, blending minimalism and functionality in the spirt of Lenovo’s renowned Legion gaming family. Enjoy total typing comfort and innovative gaming features in a slick, no-frills design that delivers the full range of RGB colors and pattern options.

To learn more, check out Lenovo’s full Legion line of gaming laptops and towers.