Unlike companies like Razer and SteelSeries, Logitech is as much about making offices run more efficiently as they are enhancing gaming rigs. Even so, in 2013, Logitech rebranded its gaming division to emphasize the fact that they are also a dominant force in the gaming world.

Compared to office-style keyboards, gaming keyboards are designed for the most rapid and accurate inputs. However, the visual components of gaming keyboards are also crucial. These keyboards often feature RGB-illuminated designs that enhance the looks of gaming rigs.

The "key switches" (that is, the mechanisms under each keyboard key) define the two broad classes of gaming keyboards today: mechanical gaming keyboards, and non-mechanical ones.

Most higher-end gaming keyboards these days use mechanical key switches, which pair each key to its own discrete, spring-loaded mechanism. They are designed to provide superior audio and tactile feedback. Many of these switches use so-called "MX" mechanisms from a company called Cherry, and are identified by color (MX Black, MX Brown, MX Blue, MX Red, and so on), each with a slightly different design, tweaked to provide a specific feel and sound while typing.

Which switch you want depends on what types of games you play, and what else you do with your computer. Cherry MX Black switches have the highest activation force, which makes them ideal for games in which you don't want to have to worry about accidentally hitting a key twice. This, though, can give them a stiff feel that's not well suited for games that require nimbler response, so for those types of titles you may prefer hair-trigger Cherry MX Red switches. If either is too extreme for you, there's a compromise candidate in Cherry MX Brown switches: They have the same actuation force as the Red variety, but add a tactile bump to aid with typing. If you need a keyboard that can switch back and forth between hard-core gaming and traditional work tasks, this is the kind to look for.

Cherry isn't the only switch maker in town, though. Decent Cherry MX imitations from makers such as Kaihua populate some budget mechanical keyboards. Many of these makers even use the same Cherry "color" designations to describe their switches. (For example, "Blue" switches from a given maker tend to be ultra-clicky-sounding, like the classic clicky Cherry MX Blue key switches.)

Also, some mass-market keyboard manufacturers have developed their own mechanical switches as an alternative to Cherry's. Logitech's Romer-G switches are available on many of its gaming keyboards, and the company claims they have a longer lifespan (up to 70 million keystrokes) and a shorter travel distance than Cherry switches. Razer, too, has made a name for itself with its Green (tactile and clicky), Orange (tactile and silent), and Yellow (linear and silent) key switches. What's more, the green tri-serpent company now has an optical ("Opto-Mechanical") key switch that uses a light beam to detect a keypress rather than a standard metal contact point. (For lots more about mechanicals, see our picks for our favorite mechanical keyboards.)  

At the lower end of the gaming keyboard market, you will find non-mechanical boards that mostly make use of "rubber dome" switches, which employ little bubbles in a silicone membrane, this material being what gives the switch its bounce. The result feels mushy and requires a full press with each keystroke, slowing down the speed at which you can enter commands. A slight variation on this is the scissor switch, which also uses a silicone membrane for springback but has a slimmer profile and adds a stabilizing "X"-shaped mechanism beneath each key. Scissor switches are most often found on laptops, but a few low-profile gaming keyboards use them, too.