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Coolest keyboards to give or receive

If you're serious about typing, there's nothing that beats the speed, precision, and sheer joy that comes from using a high quality physical keyboard.
By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
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Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The $199 Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is a beautiful keyboard, both inside and out. It features CHERRY MX Speed key switches mounted to a lightweight aluminum frame.

The 100 percent anti-ghosting and full key rollover means that commands and simultaneous keystrokes always register the way you intend.

It also features a built-in 8MB profile storage with hardware macro and lighting playback to enable profile access independent of external software.

See it now: Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Das Keyboard 5Q
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Das Keyboard 5Q

Cloud-connected keyboards are here!

The $249 Das Keyboard 5Q is a smart RGB mechanical keyboard that allows the user to display color notifications on each key.

Notifications can be sent to the keyboard from a variety of applications, such as Twitter, Gmail, eBay, Facebook, and many others. Hundreds of other applications can be configured via IFTTT and Zapier, transforming the 5Q keyboard into a RGB dashboard.

The Das Keyboard 5Q also features high-speed, 1-millisecond key detection analog technology, ensuring it never misses a keystroke. The backlit keys are two times brighter than other keyboards on the market, ensuring they are not washed out no matter what the lighting conditions.

See it now: Das Keyboard 5Q

Das Keyboard 4 Professional
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Das Keyboard 4 Professional

If you just want a high-quality, solid keyboard that's a pleasure to type on without too many bells and whistles, the $169 Das Keyboard 4 Professional is the keyboard for you.

Built using the highest-quality materials and robust construction, it features high-performance, gold-plated mechanical Cherry MX mechanical key switches lasting up to 50 million keystrokes.

The large volume knob allows users to quickly adjust volume while on a Skype call, in a Google hangout, or streaming online music. The Das Keyboard 4 also provides quick access to dedicated media controls such as mute, play, pause, next, and previous track. And there's also a quick-access instant sleep button to save energy when you're not using the computer.

See it now: Das Keyboard 4 Professional

Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro
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Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro

If you do a lot of typing on an iPad Pro then you know that the on-screen keyboard is nowhere near as efficient as a physical keyboard.

The best keyboard for the iPad Pro I've come across is Apple's own $159 Smart Keyboard. Not only is the keyboard nice to use, but it fits onto the iPad so well and precisely that it's easy to forget that it's not a part of the iPad.

See it now: Smart Keyboard

Stealth 861-DP2-USB is an industrial desktop rugged keyboard
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Stealth 861-DP2-USB is an industrial desktop rugged keyboard

Need a keyboard that can stand up to harsh environments?

The $325 Stealth model 861-DP2-USB is an industrial desktop rugged keyboard that is environmentally sealed to NEMA 4, 4X / IP65 specifications, allowing it to be used in harsh and dirty environments.

It also features a 4-stage backlight illumination for night time use, and also features a handy "Clean Key" that locks down the keyboard while you give it a clean.

This Stealth washable keyboard also features a built-in optical fingertip mouse sensor for a total solution in one convenient package.

See it now: Stealth model 861-DP2-USB

Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID
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Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID

Microsoft make some beautifully functional hardware, and the $129 Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID is no exception.

Not only has Microsoft built a thin yet rugged keyboard, but it can be used in either a wireless/wired configuration, a feature that makes it more appealing to commercial users. It also features a built-in fingerprint reader, making this a stylish way to improve security.

See it now: Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID

Logitech K780 multi-device wireless keyboard
7 of 9 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Logitech K780 multi-device wireless keyboard

It's not just PC and tablets that can benefit from having a keyboard upgrade. Smartphone users can also give themselves a massive productivity boost by using a physical keyboard.

The $79 Logitech K780 Multi-Device is a fully-equipped, beautifully finished computer keyboard with numbers pad, which also works perfectly with smartphones and tablets, no matter how big or small they are.

Enjoy comfortable, silent typing, while being able to switch easily between all the devices you enter text on, whether they be PCs, Macs, or even Chrome OS, Android or iOS.

See it now: Logitech K780 Multi-Device

Thomas Lyte Bluetooth Keyboard Trifold
8 of 9 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Thomas Lyte Bluetooth Keyboard Trifold

Need to inject some style into your life? Take a look at the £85 Thomas Lyte Bluetooth Keyboard Trifold.

This is a compact, foldable, portable Bluetooth wireless keyboard, which has been built from the highest quality aluminum.

It is compatible with any smartphone or tablet, it has been fully optimised to work with iOS, Android and Windows. The keyboard is recharged using the micro-USB port.

See it now: Thomas Lyte Bluetooth Keyboard Trifold

Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard for iPad, iPhone, Android Devices, and Windows Tablets
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Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard for iPad, iPhone, Android Devices, and Windows Tablets

The $99 Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard is the perfect travel keyboard. It is ultra-thin, lightweight, and has a compact design that's durable enough to allow you to take it wherever you go.

You can pair this keyboard with up to two mobile devices -- iPads, iPhones, Android devices, Windows tablets, and Windows Phone devices -- and instantly switch between them with a single tap of a button.

See it now: Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard

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