This full-size Roccat Pyro mechanical keyboard is an absolute steal for $40
Now that's cheap!
Mechanical keyboards certainly don't have to cost the earth, even though some options in recent months certainly have done, and it's gotten to a point where you can get reliable gaming options for ridiculously low prices. One of my favourites from the last couple of years, the Roccat Pyro, is half price at Best BUy right now, which brings its price down to a ridiculously low $40.
The Pyro is a well-built keyboard, with a metal top plate and otherwise plastic chassis that feels sturdy, while you also get a full complement of keys, including arrow keys and a number pad, for ease of use. The Pyro also comes with some additional goodies including a reasonably comfortable grooved plastic wristrest that clips into the bottom of the keyboard, as well as a wonderfully twiddly volume knob in the top right corner. The doubleshot ABS keycaps are a nice touch, and allow the Pyro's vibrant RGB lighting to shine through, and it completes the look of what is a good-looking keyboard, especially for the price.
Inside, the Pyro features TTC Reds, which make for some of the better Cherry MX Red clones out there, complete with a light and linear actuation that makes them a great choice for gaming. You may not be getting any gimmicky switches here, but that's no bad thing if you want a more conventional experience. For the outlay, I've got no real concerns over Roccat's choice of switches here. You also get the usual gaming keyboard accoutrements with both full NKRO and full anti-ghosting to ensure the most precise inputs possible, so none are missed or repeated.
As I've alluded to before, the Pyro's lighting is fantastic, and almost Razer-like in vibracy. It impressed me when I first used the keyboard a couple of years ago, and still holds up today. You also get access to Roccat's Swarm software, which allows for convenient customisation in terms of remapping keys and fiddling with the RGB lighting. Swarm is also one of the more industrial-looking software suites, which is nice if that's what you're into.
I really struggle to believe how cheap this Roccat Pyro is, and if you want to grab a great all-round gaming keyboard for what is absolute peanuts really, then this is a great deal.