This $36 keyboard proves you don’t need to spend hundreds for a premium gaming experience — here’s why

You don’t need to spend hundreds to get a good mechanical keyboard. But for a board to be one of the best mechanical keyboards, it needs to meet certain criteria, including great gaming and typing performance, solid construction, ergonomics, and more. These qualities make Keychron keyboards a superb choice for productivity, with the manufacturer being one of our favorites here at Tom’s Guide. If you aren’t already aware, Keychron has a sub-brand, Lemokey, focused on affordable gaming keyboards like the X1 here, which costs just $36.

The Lemokey X1 ticks a lot of my boxes. I type for a living and I’m an avid gamer, and the X1 is comfortable for both. It’s built so well that you probably won’t guess it costs less than $40 when you see it for the first time. It’s also got customizable backlighting and intuitive companion software that can be used to tweak it and remap keys. However, the X1 lacks in a couple of areas, which may have you considering other keyboards.

For all the deets, read my full Lemokey X1 review.

Lemokey X1 review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A budget keyboard with red or brown mechanical switches
• Who is it for? For gamers on a budget
• How much does it cost? The Lemokey X1 is available for $36 / £45
• Anything wrong? Its keycaps feel cheap and it isn’t hot-swappable

Lemokey X1 review: Specs

Lemokey X1 review: The ups

The Lemokey X1 does a lot of things right. From its premium construction and design to the gaming and typing performance it offers, at $36, this board is a steal.

Design and construction

When we’ve reviewed Keychron keyboards here at Tom’s Guide, we’ve raved about their construction and design. It’s great to see Keychron carrying its usual stellar build quality over to the Lemokey lineup — even the budget X1. While its body is made of ABS plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or plasticky (barring the keycaps, which I’ll discuss later).

A steel plate sits between the mechanical switches and the sound absorbing foam which, as Keychron says, enhances its acoustic performance. This foam provides a dampened, fuller sound when you type.

Typing experience

The Lemokey X1 really impressed me with its typing capabilities. I used it for just under eight consecutive hours to game and type, and my hands and wrists were comfortable throughout. I’m even typing this review on it! Our review unit came with tactile brown switches which aren’t too loud so it can be used in an office environment without disturbing your coworkers.

I took a typing test on 10fastfingers.com and you can see my top four results above.

Gaming performance

To judge whether a keyboard is good for gaming, its polling rate and switches’ actuation points can paint a picture. The Lemokey X1 has a 1,000Hz polling rate straight out of the box, so you don’t need to worry about latency issues affecting casual and even competitive gaming. Keychron doesn’t specify the X1’s actuation point — the amount of force required to press down on a key — which is typically between 1.5mm and 4mm. A good gaming keyboard will have a low actuation point.

So how does the X1 fare? The X1 performs better than the MageGee Sky87 ($29) — another budget gaming keyboard I reviewed recently. I tested the same three games I did with the Sky87: Lies of P, F1 2017, and Counter Strike: Global Offensive on my MacBook Pro M1. When it came to braking and turning sharp corners in F1 2017, the X1 registered key presses better than the Sky87.

The X1’s 80% layout and small size make it a winner for first-person shooters and third-person RPGs as it frees up space to move the best gaming mouse around on your desk. Because of this, I enjoyed playing Lies of P. And as I said, the keyboard registers key presses quickly, so pressing F to use Fable Arts after executing a perfectly timed dodge helped me win a few fights.

Customizable backlighting

While the Lemokey X1 doesn’t feature the fancy RGB effects we’ve seen on Keychron boards like the Keychron Q6 ($195)  NuPhy Halo75 V2 ($129) or the Epomaker TH80 Pro ($99), but then it doesn’t cost anywhere near as much, and its north-facing red-only LED lighting is still cool. There are 14 modes to choose from, such as flashing, breathing, and static, and you can use the companion software to change the lighting’s hue and saturation (more on that soon). Additionally, the keycaps are shine-through, making it easier to see the legends in the dark.

Companion software

What I love about the Lemokey X1 is that I don’t have to download any bloatware to customize it (looking at you, Armoury Crate). As a QMK-enabled keyboard, this can easily be done either via the VIA web app (although at the time of writing, the website didn’t recognize the board) or the Lemokey Launcher web app. We have used VIA in the past to customize expensive keyboards such as the Keychron V1 ($94), but it hasn’t always worked as expected, like when trying to change the RGB on the Keychron V6 ($89). In comparison, Lemokey/Keychron Launcher works like a charm, and is browser-based meaning no downloads are required.

Lemokey Launcher allows you to remap keys, program macros, update the X1’s firmware, and alter the hue and saturation of RGB lighting. The X1, by default, has a Windows layout which means there’s no Command key for macOS. I use a MacBook at work and at home, so I used Lemokey Launcher to remap the Win and Alt keys, and even assign app exposé to F3. Easy as pie! The MageGee Sky87 didn’t have any companion software which rendered the keyboard difficult to use with Mac.

Lemokey X1 review: The downs

For a budget keyboard, there isn’t a lot that’s wrong with the Lemokey X1, but its keycaps don’t feel nearly as premium as the rest of the body, and modding enthusiasts on a budget might be disappointed that it isn’t hot-swappable.

Cheap keycaps

I normally prefer PBT or MDA keycaps because they’re oil- and wear-resistant, so they’ll stay true-to-life over time. The Lemokey X1 uses ABS keycaps which are neither durable nor as dense as PBT keycaps so they can sound hollow. I didn’t have any issues with how the keys sounded as the sound absorbing foam produces a great sound regardless, but the keys themselves feel unpolished and plasticky. They won’t wear as slowly or sound as good as heavier PBT keycaps.

You can, of course, replace the ABS keycaps with ones of your choice, and Lemokey sells its own in an array of colors. But again, a set of PBT keycaps will cost you more than $30. You’ll have to spend a little more on a keyboard with premium keycaps too. The Epomaker TH80 Pro has MDA keycaps, while the Cooler Master MK770 has PBT ones, but both will cost you nearly $100.

Not hot-swappable

I probably would have thought nothing of the Lemokey X1 not being hot-swappable, had I not just tested the cheaper MageGee Sky87. Hot-swappable keyboards are great because you can change the switches without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB. A cheap hot-swappable keyboard like the Sky87 can serve as a good starting point for modding enthusiasts. But the X1 is leaps and bounds ahead of the Sky87 in terms of build quality and performance — the ability to change switches would have just been the cherry on top. You win some, you lose some, huh?

Lemokey X1 review: Verdict

The Lemokey X1 is a great budget keyboard for gaming and typing alike. For $36, you get more than you paid for, proving that you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy a high-quality mechanical keyboard. I loved playing games with this keyboard as the 1,000Hz polling rate makes latency issues unnoticeable, and key presses are registered well. The Lemokey Launcher companion software makes remapping keys and customizing the red-only backlighting easy as well.

At the end of the day, its drawbacks are minor too. The less durable ABS keycaps can be easily replaced by more premium ones down the line — although you’ll have to loosen the purse strings for PBT ones. But the keyboard’s overall build quality more than makes up for this. Additionally, the lack of hot-swapability might disappoint modding enthusiasts but for most users, the X1’s performance will outweigh this limitation.

The X1 is a standout option in the budget gaming keyboard market. If you’re on a budget but crave quality, this keyboard is a no-brainer.