Best One Handed Gaming Keyboard – Best Gaming Keypads To Increase Your Chances Of Winning!

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When it comes to gaming, both strategy and skill play a role. Whether you’re a casual gamer or professional e-sport competitor, having the right keyboard and keypad can help.

In 2017, we surveyed gamers to find out what features they prefer in a gaming keypad. With more than 3,000 respondents, we found that 85% of gamers prefer keypads over keyboards, and 60% of gamers polled said they prefer a keypad with a detachable wrist rest, as gaming without discomfort is off the highest priority.

We rounded up the best gaming keypads and keyboards based on their popularity and number of reviews. Read more to find out which is our favorite!

Best Gaming keypads

Image	Product	Our Rating	Price
	Razer Tartarus v2 Gaming Keypad	9.5	Check Price on Amazon
	RedThunder One Handed Gaming Keyboard RGB Backlit	9.1	Check Price on Amazon
	Redragon K585 DITI One-Handed RGB Mechanical	8.8	Check Price on Amazon
	Beastron Aula Excalibur One Handed Mechanical Gaming Keyboard	8.6	Check Price on Amazon
	K-700 One Handed Mechanical Gaming Keyboard	8.2	Check Price on Amazon
	One Hand RGB Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo	8	Check Price on Amazon
	MFTEK One Hand Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo	7.7	Check Price on Amazon

Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Our Recommended One Handed Gaming Keyboards for PC:

Razer Tartarus v2 Gaming Keypad

Mecha-Membrane Key Switches – 32 Programmable Keys – Customizable Chroma RGB Lighting – Programmable Macros

The Razer Tartarus V2 Gaming Keypad is a good choice for hard-core gamers who want a quality membrane-based keyboard with programmable macro capability. The Tartarus V2’s comfortable membrane key switches make it a good choice for extended gaming sessions, and it’s fully programmable and customizable, with support for Razer Chroma lighting. The Razer Tartarus V2’s switches are louder than mechanical switches, and its macro programming is a bit tedious, but for gamers who don’t mind the trade-off, it provides an affordable way to get more out of the Razer Tartarus V2’s 32 fully programmable keys.

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The Razer Tartarus 2’s combination of soft-cushioned membrane keys and clicky mechanical key switches makes for a comfortable, optimal gaming experience. The switch action feels more like that of a mechanical keyboard than a membrane one, and the key caps are thicker than most membranes, so there’s also a good thump when you press a key. The 8-way directional thumbpad is also a nice addition, and it allows you to make more precise movements, which comes in handy for console-oriented players.

The thumbpad also acts as a home key, so you can navigate the menu without moving your hands off the keyboard, and it includes a hotkey toggle, so you can quickly switch between the two modes. That toggle also acts as a macro repeat timer, so you can set a hotkey to repeat a key combination indefinitely, which is great for macros designed for fast-paced FPS games. The macro creation is pretty straightforward, too, but be aware that macros with more than four keys are truncated.

Tartarus is a 32 key keypad with fully programmable keys, making it suitable for gamers but usable for other tasks, too. You’ll want to install the Razer Synapse software, which is required for programming the thumbpad and macros. It’s a little cumbersome to set up, but it does a great job of organizing your macros, and it has some nice tools that let you design key remapping profiles for your favorite games. Once you set these customized gaming profiles you are good to go.

The Razer Tartarus 2 has a scissor-switch design in the middle keys, so their actuation feels less crisp than the membrane keys, but the extra tactile response is nice for gaming. Setup is quick and easy, but there’s still a steep learning curve for new players. The Razer Tartarus V2 is pricey, but if you have any interest in gaming, it’s worth considering.

The Razer Tartarus V2 is a well thought out, well built, and durable keyboard. It’s also extremely customizable, with individual backlighting for each key and macro, as well as RGB lighting that can sync with pretty much any Razer hardware or gear from 30-plus partners. The Tartarus V2 is an excellent keyboard, and it’s one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested. Tartarus tops our list of keyboards for pros, and is second pick for everyone else.

RedThunder One Handed Gaming Keyboard RGB

The keyboard overall was very solid, with an ergonomic shape and very easy to use. Its compact size makes it perfect for travel. If you need a portable keyboard for gaming or other computer work, the RedThunder One is an excellent choice. If you are on a limited budget, I’d consider this the perfect choice that won’t break the bank.

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The solid feel of the Red Thunder One’s full-sized keys combined with the also full-sized wrist rest make it a very comfortable keyboard for long play sessions. The RGB backlighting on Red Thunder One’s keys is another nice feature, and different color option let you choose the right one for each game.

The RedThunder One is a surprisingly good mechanical gaming keyboard. Its keys are well-spaced, including macro keys, and the keyboard has an ergonomic shape, designed so your wrists aren’t bent unnaturally. The keyboard is stylish, though its backlighting is dim, and it’s a good option for gamers who play on multiple platforms, as it supports Windows and OS X, as well as Linux and Android.

The keyboard’s switches are loud when pressed, and the key presses are a little mushy, which can make typing feel slow and clumsy at first. It’s not as feature-packed as our top pick, but it definitely merits attention. If desk space is a premium, the RedThunder One may be a a strong contender.

Redragon K585 DITI One-Handed RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Brown Switches

It’s constructed with durable aluminum and features the Redragon Brown switches, designed to support long gaming sessions. It’s perfect for eSports competitions, and the dedicated macro keys plus 7 programmable macro keys mean you have plenty of control over your commands.

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The K585 is a purpose-built gaming keyboard. The 2 additional keys on the left-hand-side, however, let you bind macros to anything you want, so you can customize the key layout to precisely fit your game preferences. You can even assign macros to the 8 customizable function keys, allowing you to set up macros for pretty much anything, from changing your volume mode to launching apps.

The K585’s key caps are a nice, medium-dark color, and the quality feels better than on most gaming keyboards, and the keys themselves are very pleasant to type on. In addition, the K585 is very comfortable to use.

The K585 comes with a detachable wrist rest that was comfortable in our tests, though it makes the keyboard more than 1.5 pounds. The K585, like all Redragon products, is well-built and built to last, and at its price, it’s our pick for the best gaming mechanical keyboard under $100.

Our only complaint is that the K585’s RGB lighting effects are a bit dull compared to other RGB keyboards in this price range. Even so, it’s an outstanding gaming keyboard that’s worthy of our Value for Money award.

Beastron Aula Excalibur One Handed Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Blue Switches

The AULA Excalibur is a decent keypad with a unique curved shape. Its housing is sturdy and attractive, and its switches deliver a satisfying clicky feel. The Excalibur also supports multiple backlighting modes and 8 programmable macro keys.

Though the Excalibur is more expensive than our Editors’ Choice, it’s an excellent value for the money, and it’s worthy of a top spot.

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The Aula Excalibur is a well-designed, feature-packed, and highly customizable mechanical gaming keyboard. Although it’s designed for right-handed gamers, we didn’t find any major issues making it great for either. It uses Blue switches, which feel very similar to the Cherry MX Brown switches. That being said, there’s a slight audible click to the Aula, but it’s nothing to worry about and isn’t noticeable under gaming conditions.

The Aula does have a decent size wrist rest, but it’s detachable, so you can always remove it if you don’t need a wrist rest whenever you game. The Aula has programmable macro keys, which can be programmed entirely using the keyboard software, which is easily downloaded from the Beastron Aula website. If only the space key was a little larger. The curved shape means you’ll either love it or hate it.

The keyboard also has three mode LED lights, which can be set to five different colors through a gaming utility. However, these only change the overall color of the backlight.

This top mechanical keyboard is an excellent choice for gamers looking for a professional, no-nonsense replacement keyboard. This little keyboard packs a punch given its narrow design, which packs a lot of features into a small footprint.

The keyboard also has extra macro keys on its lower-right side. Its reprogrammable backlight is one of our favorite things about this keyboard, and it’s easy to program, allowing you control the type of light pattern you’d like to display, as well as adjust the color.

Keep in mind though, this keyboard is quite expensive, but if you have the cash, it will provide you with a satisfying mechanical. The Aula keyboard comes with a detachable USB cord, a wrist rest, a padded carrying case, and a quick start guide. 

K-700 One Handed Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, RGB

The K700 RGB  is a feature-rich gaming keyboard that delivers an excellent gaming performance. Overall, the K-700 is a sturdy, responsive, and durable mechanical keyboard. I find this quite a comfortable gaming keypad, and the brown switches offer a neutral feel, while the keycaps have a slight tactile “click” when pressed.

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The K-700 is the quietest mechanical gaming keyboard we’ve tested, thanks to its relatively low-profile design. And while it lacks dedicated media keys, its macro buttons, multiple RGB backlight modes, and 6 months of warranty make it a compelling keyboard for gamers. It’s compact size makes it ideal for narrow spaces, and cluttered desks.

It’s best value pick, and we don’t hesitate to recommend it. Just be aware that the macro keys are smaller than standard PC macro keys, so you won’t want to rely on them for complex macros.

Even though mechanical switches are quieter, they have heavier actuation points so they take more force to activate, and they don’t offer the same short travel, soft actuation feel as all the tactile switches in our previous picks.

But they’re more durable and they have a more consistent, tactile feel over time, so they’re great for gaming. The K700’s keys have a shorter travel than most keys in our previous picks, but they still give you enough to feel the difference between key and bottom dead center.

The K700 is praised for its sturdy build quality, an excellent gaming keyboard design, and customization options, but it falls short on several key metrics, including excellent key feel and responsiveness. This keyboard is nowhere near as responsive as on the Razer. That being said, the K700 is well-built, it features a large removable wrist rest, and the RGB backlighting is robust and customizable.

Cakce One Hand RGB Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo

This is an excellent keyboard-and-mouse combo – it’s smaller than the Razer keyboard I tested earlier this year, and it’s also less expensive. Admittedly, it’s not quite as good as Razer’s offering – but it’s pretty good, and the RGB lighting provides just the right amount of flair.

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The RGB backlighting is colorful, responsive, and really, really cool. It also feels really nice to use, especially the big, comfortable palm rest. The mouse is nice and light, with just the right amount of heft. The mouse has a 6-button design, which makes it easy to program macros for your favorite games. It only took a couple of minutes to set it up on all of my games. Many will appreciate its size, making it suitable for compact spaces or along a full-sized keyboard.

 The included software isn’t very good, though, and it’s glitchy and buggy, so we recommend using it only to download the drivers and set basic settings. The RGB lighting effects are cool and add an extra dimension to the already-excellent combo.

The mouse has a braided USB cord that is better than many we’ve tested. The mouse has 4 levels DPI adjustable, 800, 1200, 1600, 2400. I found the mouse is super fast and accurate, perfect for FPS games and gaming marathons.

MFTEK One Handed Gaming Keypad and Mouse Combo

The MFTEK Keyboard and Mouse Combo is a sturdy and attractive gaming gadget set that feels great to play games on. An affordable choice for anyone not willing to commit to a pricier option yet. Perfect gift for anyone interest in a mini gaming keypad.

If you’re looking for a compact, single-handed keyboard to use on your laptop or desktop computer, this one’s one of the cheapest gaming keypads on the gaming market. 

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If you’re looking for a compact, versatile, and practical gaming keyboard, the MFTEK One Hand Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo is your best choice. The keyboard is compact and comfortable, with keycaps that glow in a rainbow of colors. The mouse is very comfortable too, with a sleek, ergonomic design and a solid base.

The keyboard and mouse are plug-and-play, with no drivers or software to install, either. We were able to pair and start playing right away. The mouse is reasonably sensitive and you also get a large mouse pad, which makes it a very attractive package. If you are not willing to pay for a high-quality gaming mouse on its own, this combo is something you may consider.

The MFTEK One Hand Gaming Keyboard is a great keyboard for everyday users. It’s affordable, easy to use, and has an excellent build quality. If you want a keyboard that looks good but doesn’t cost much, this is the one for you.

Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Gaming Keypads For Long Gaming Session:

Full-sized keyboards with all of the bells and whistles cost a pretty penny, but compact alternatives often lack the features that make gaming keyboard so useful. Enter gaming keyboards, a hybrid between standard keyboards and gaming controllers. These devices are comfortable, have great build quality and feature everything you need for gaming.

When it comes to keypads, comfort is key. After all, you’re going to be pushing a lot of buttons, and it’s only natural that your hands and wrists will start to get sore. That’s why we’ve looked at the features of the best gaming keypads on the market, only to pick out the perfect one for you. Gaming keypads can come in a variety of forms. Whichever type you choose to go for, there are a few vital factors to consider in order to ensure that you get the best gaming keypad for your needs. If you’re in a rush, you can check out our top ten gaming keypad reviews for a few of our favorites.

The Number of Keys

There are many models to choose form so it is advisable to check the number of keys you would most likely need before purchasing a gaming pad. In the gaming keyboard market, there are pads with fewer keys but there are some that accommodate 46 keys. If you are not sure how few you would need we would recommend picking a pad with around 32 keys which usually would be enough but not too many to confuse us.

If you’re playing a competitive game, like FPS games where you need to aim and shoot accurately, or a racing game where you need to race at top speeds, then a gaming key pad is a good option. It offers more in depth control over your character and helps free up space on your desktop, as well as your keyboard. If you’re searching for that extra edge with online multiplayer games, then a gaming keyboard is a smart decision compared to full-sized gaming keyboards.

Simple Design That Will Improve Your Gaming Performance

You can find a keypad to fit almost any game console, from small to large. They can be a wireless gaming keypad or a wired one, depending upon your preference. You can even opt for some that have several buttons, allowing players to direct their character with greater accuracy than the simplistic single macro option. The benefits of having a gaming keyboard vary depending on the type games you play. If your a hardcore gamer, a keyboard offers an unmatched amount of control over your characters and lots of macros to create.

It would be great if you were able to purchase a gaming keypad that blended well with the rest of the setup. Some of them provide LED illumination and perhaps you could also pick complimentary colors for your ideal setup

Build Quality

Try to pick a gaming keyboard that is of high-grade materials and well constructed. t is advisable to spend a bit more for a gaming keyboard of higher quality that would last you for longer and moreover, it will feel more comfortable to your hands. Preferably pick one backed with a lengthy warranty in order to be sure that you are covered for the next few years.

A gaming keypad is different than a regular keyboard because it is designed to be used for gaming purposes. It has additional buttons that are used for gaming functions, separate gaming buttons to avoid accidentally pressing the wrong button and offers ultimate comfort while playing.

Which Gaming Keypad Is Right for You?

Size / Ergonomics and Comfort Level

Identify the purposes of a computer keyboard and keypad. Although the actual uses of the computer keyboard and keypad will vary from person to person, there are some keys which are common to both. For example the windows and F keys might be extremely important while playing certain games while others would not use any combination of these keys at all. Determine how many buttons and functionality you will require.

Choose the size of the key pad that you want to use, a normal keyboard is a standard sized so if you are used with this it might be best stick with a normal sized keypad. However, a few gaming key pads are designed for comfort in usage (such as being smaller and padded). Some people like these to be bigger than the normal keyboard as they can provide you with a better gaming experience. Most of them are small and tiny, however, they offer you only the essential buttons so that you may enjoy the entire process of playing games.

RGB Effects

More expensive products will include features such as an LCD screen, RGB Lighting, a detachable wrist rest, or even multiple connections. Consider their ergonomic designs and pick one that feels good to use for even long game sessions. You want an keyboard alternative for gaming that has customizable backlighting to match your other setup.

Macros and Profiles

You may also want to purchase an electronic gaming keypad that lets you create different profiles for each player. This can be great if you have friends who want to play different games than you; they can just use one of the profiles you’ve created for them!

So What Are Macros? A programmable keyboard has the capability to use pre-defined short cuts to make specific actions easier, such as changing multiple keys at one time. The macro feature allows users to change multiple keys at once using a single command instead repeating the same action over again. Such a programming button can be useful if you are playing certain video games where you need to perform a lot of tasks all together, such as multiple spells in World of Warcraft or abilities within an RPG game.

You can program each keystroke independently or create shortcuts so that your abilities or spells can be activated by just a single click. This is great for gamers who want to speed up gameplay and also helps them remain focused as they require fewer clicks per ability to perform an action.

Price and Warranty

There’s many lesser known companies out there in the game pad industry, which have been provided bad reviews on various websites. That’s because they don’t provide any customer support or give refunds if things go wrong with their products. If you want to save money and buy a keypad, then you should consider purchasing from a well-established company that has been in business for a long time.

Type of Switches: Mechanical or Membrane Keys

Many different kinds of keyboards are available on the market. These range from mechanical switches to rubber dome switches to membrane key switches. Mechanical keys witches are the most popular option and have been around for years. They require very little force to actuate and are great for gamers that only focus on one game at a time. Some mechanical switches also offer greater durability than others due to the internal design, which provides longer life when used over a long period of time for gaming.

Rubber dome keyboards have fewer moving components than their mechanical counterparts. However, they require more force behind each stroke in order to register properly. This means that you don’t need to press the keys as hard for the action of the keystroke to register, however, this also means that you can miss a number of actions in succession if you are not careful when playing.

Additionally, rubber dome keyboards do provide less tactile feedback than mechanical ones. They can still provide some feedback, but it is often less noticeable or noticeable only when pressing down on the keypad.

Membrane keyboards are often used for gaming by experienced players who want something that is both inexpensive and efficient at the exact same time.

Membranous keyboard may not register the same actions to the same degree as a mechanical switch, but they are much cleaner to clean than membrane switches. Membrane switches are also much more robust than membrane keys because they’re not made from rubber but rather constructed of plastic that is directly applied onto the key. This means they are less likely to crack or break than rubber keys.

Back in the day, membrane keyboards were very popular thanks to their low cost and high portability. The technology has evolved since then, however, and today you can find membrane keyboards that provide just as much durability and feel as you would get with a mechanical keyboard; however, they do tend to cost more in comparison. The type of switch you will choose comes down to personal preference, so take your time and try any alternative option you are considering. 

Compatibility

Gaming Keypads are not advertised as much as regular keyboards. Thus, they are not available at retail stores either. You can however find them on online shopping websites or e-commerce websites specializing in selling computer accessories. It is important that you compare prices between brands and models. Your budget, as also your needs, will largely dictate what you need to look out for in a gaming keyboard.

Some gaming keypads can only be used with a particular operating system, such as Windows or Mac. If you don’t already have the correct connection for your computer, you will need to purchase a converter that allows you to connect your USB or Bluetooth wireless keyboard. To be honest wireless gaming keypads are not your best bet as they introduce some latency, that’s why you see the whole gaming enthusiasts recommend wired keypads. Even a budget gaming keypad can provide a comfortable gaming experience nowadays.

Final Thoughts and Alternatives on Keyboards For Gaming Purposes

Are One Handed Keyboards Good for Gaming?

I believe that the two Razer gaming keypads will allow for countless hours of gameplay and deserve their asking price. The best mechanical gaming keypad I tested is the Orbweaver. It is a low-profile mechanical option, with plenty of keys to add your macros. It feels very responsive and takes up minimal space. The Razer Tartarus v2 is my second option, with 32 programmable keys and a similar ergonomic design. It comes down to personal preference so I highly suggest the first-hand trial before you commit.

Alternatives – The Best Logitech Keyboard for Gaming

I want to include an honorable mention since I considered the Logitech G915 before I bought a one-hand gaming keyboard. I would consider this the best wireless keyboard for gaming, and I think it deserves a closer look, too, if you find that a one-handed gaming pad is not for you. Backed by Logitech, a company well known for their peripherals. You can opt for a used Logitech G13 Pad too, but I’ve seen used Logitech prices skyrocket so much that I would advise you to go for a new keypad instead.