Getting together a gaming rig doesn’t have to be expensive; in fact, in some areas, you can cut corners to save money for the most important components. There are plenty of gaming-centric keyboards and mice for a bargain and, believe it or not, work incredibly well, too. One of the most budget-friendly choices, and the best keyboard, is the Redragon S101. Its design and performance make it one of the best keyboards for everyday work and best gaming keyboards for intense gaming sessions.
Why We Like It – Redragon S101
Can’t afford the Razer Huntsman Elite Gaming Keyboard? Then fall back on the Redragon S101 for its great keyboard and gaming mouse bundle. It’s the ideal choice for someone on a budget.
- Good performance for price
- Bundles with keyboard and mouse
- Built-in multimedia keys
- Wrist rest is lacking
Performance
As far as membrane keyboards go, we were pretty impressed with the Redragon S101. The keys themselves have a nice feel to them—not mechanical, but certainly enough push back that responds well to your fingers. At the same time, the keys have a rubbery feel to them, which helped prevent fingers from slipping. In fact, the mouse had a similar feeling to it that really helped with grip. Comparing it with the Logitech K400, we would definitely take the Redragon S101 for gaming or even general use.
Related: If you’re looking for a mechanical gaming keyboard, then take a look at our Corsair Vengeance K60 Performance FPS Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review.
Design
Given the price you pay, the Redragon S101 keyboard uses seemingly high quality build materials, including the gaming mouse itself. However, compare it with the Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and it’ll look cheap. You’ll find multimedia keys in the top-right and dedicated keys for email, home, searching, and so on. Since this is an LED backlit keyboard, you can alter the RGB lighting by holding FN and using the arrow keys. What it lacks is a good wrist rest. It’s a bit longer along the bottom, but it isn’t enough.
See also: If you’re looking to really up your gaming setup, then check out our Logitech G510s LCD Gaming Keyboard review.
Value
The best way to gauge the value of the Redragon S101 was to compare it with the Razer Huntsman Elite Gaming Keyboard. After all, they’re both touted as “gaming” keyboards. When it comes to performance, the Razer is clearly better. In the case of the Redragon S101, you’re getting a good gaming keyboard bundled with a mouse, one with additional buttons. For those looking for a budget setup, this is the way to go and where you’ll find the most value.
Redragon S101 Wrap Up
We were delighted to use the Redragon S101 in a gaming environment. In most cases, it will exceed the price you pay, and that includes the gaming mouse, too. It was also nice to have all those additional functions like multimedia playback and dedicated app keys. While a better wrist rest would’ve been better, it’s priced so fairly you’ll be able to buy something more comfortable.
