The best keyboards for video editing are a wise investment for anyone working in the field. For a small outlay, they'll help finish your work more quickly, and stave off RSI too. So they'll basically pay for themselves tenfold over time.
So what makes a good keyboard for these purposes? Well, for a start you'll want an ergonomic layout, to save your fingers and hands from pain during long sessions. You may also seek special dedicated keys for video editing software or a multi-functional dial, which will speed up your workflow. You may also be looking for wireless functionality and other time-saving features. (If you're not sure what to look for, see our section on How to choose the best keyboards for video editing.)
To help you out, we've curated a list of the best keyboards for video editing today. Most of these are compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, while some like the Logitech K780 (number 6 on our list) will also work with Chromebooks, iOS and Android devices.
Finally to complete your kit, check out our buying guides to the best mouse for video editing and the best headphones for video editing too.
Best keyboards for video editing in 2023
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Why fiddle around with keys to make tiny adjustments, when you can do so more easily with a dial? The signature feature of Logitech's Craft keyboard is its touch-sensitive multi-function dial in the upper left corner. Called the 'Crown', lets you make adjustments to settings in Adobe apps like Photoshop, Lightroom Classic and Premiere Pro, as well as the Microsoft Office suite.
With a simple spin or tap of the dial, you can control functions like zooming, brightness, contrast, tool options, and more. When used in conjunction with your mouse, the pairing aims to give an ergonomic and fluid control interface that should soon become second nature.
The Craft is designed to work seamlessly with PCs and Macs, or even both together. Indeed, Logitech's Flow feature allows the Craft and a compatible mouse to work across up to three devices, fluidly transferring from one screen to another, and is even capable of seamless file transfer between machines.
The Craft keyboard is wireless with either a 2.4GHz or Bluetooth low energy connection, and the built-in rechargeable battery should last around a week on a charge. The back-lit keyboard keys are responsive and quiet, and each key has a dished surface to improve typing accuracy. All this makes it our clear pick as the best keyboard for video editing overall.
See also: • Best Mac mouse • Best Mac keyboard
If you generally use one software package over all others, it makes sense to get a keyboard that's optimised for that tool. Hence LogicKeyboard makes custom keyboards tailored to a variety of popular video editing software packages, including DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, After Effects and many more.
This Premiere Pro version of its Astra keyboard is typical of the breed, with color-coded keys for easy function identification. Each key has a dedicated Premiere Pro shortcut assigned to it, while five-level key backlighting makes this keyboard usable in any lighting environment.
LogicKeyboard has even included a USB 2.0 hub on the back of the keyboard to connect other peripherals. Note that this keyboard is available in separate versions for Windows or Mac, so be sure to pick the right model.
If you edit in DaVinci Resolve, this custom keyboard is your editing dream come true. Its most important video-centric feature is the integrated Search Dial Control. This Jog/Shuttle dial has an in-built clutch for more accurate timeline positioning, but can also be freely spun for faster scrubbing.
Metal construction and roller bearings are designed for top-notch smoothness, and the main keyboard body is also metal. The keys themselves are color-coded to help identify functions at a glance, with individual keys pre-set to perform frequently used functions in DaVinci Resolve. And when you've finished editing, the standard QWERTY key layout means this can double as a standard keyboard for word processing.
Is the feel of a keyboard important to you? Then it's worth investigating the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum. It's more aimed at gamers than creatives, but it's still a great choice for video editing.
For starters, you can assign macro functions to six dedicated keys, which is useful for pre-programming your most frequently used editing functions. The 8MB of onboard memory stores these on the keyboard itself.
What really makes this keyboard special, though, are its RGB backlit keys which use Cherry MX mechanical switches; the gold standard in keyboard switches. Mechanical switches are designed to give keyboard keys an especially tactile, precise feel that makes typing much more satisfying than using a more basic membrane keyboard.
The K95 RGB Platinum can be specced with either Cherry MX Blue keys (particularly 'clicky' and great for typing) or MX Speed switches, if you're a gamer. A detachable soft-touch palm rest further ups this board's ergonomic credentials.
Here's an alternative approach that might fit your video editing needs better than a conventional QUERTY keyboard. After all, keyboard shortcuts are useful, but they can be fiddly, especially when you need to pressing two, three, or even four keys at once. Instead, this console helps you use photo and video editing software more simply and intuitively, using physical buttons, knobs and dials.
Although it's primarily designed to work out of the box with Adobe Lightroom, it also comes loaded with pre-assigned actions for video editng software such as Premiere Pro. The accompanying Loupedeck+ app will tell you what these are, as well as allowing you to customise these for other software.
Overall, this takes up a bit more space than a normal keyboard, but because it simplifies your controls, it means you can spend more time looking at the screen and less time glancing down. For more details, see our Loupedeck+ review.
Want to perform video editing tasks across desktop and mobile devices? Then here's our recommendation. The K780 works with a PC, Mac or Chromebook, but that's just the start. Thanks to a discreet slot running across the top, a phone or tablet (up to a 12-inch iPad Pro) can sit in the keyboard itself, held upright at just the right angle to create a laptop-style set-up.
Connecting devices is achieved via Bluetooth, and up to three devices can be simultaneously contnected. The keyboard can then be used as a much more ergonomic input device for your phone or tablet than trying to type using its touch screen. One-touch switching between each connected device further enhances the easy of use, while the rounded keys add some design flair. What's more, the K780 is completely wireless, with a stated 10m range and a two-year battery life from just a pair of AAA cells.
Want to impress your friends, colleagues, clients and managers? Aesthetics aren't usually a big concern when choosing a new keyboard, but the Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo may just persuade you otherwise, especially as it has great functionality too.
Its RGB key lighting is displayed to full effect thanks to the minimal key caps that allows the the transparent key switch housings to be visible. Those switches are Roccat's own Titan switches, which have been designed to be precise and tactile, with a 3.6mm travel distance and reduced key wobble.
An anodized aluminum fascia plate has been made to improve the rigidity of the board and it adds a quality look, plus there's a large detachable palm rest for improved ergonomics. And extra dedicated media keys and a volume dial add some convenience for video playback.
Want to edit video on an iPad? We wouldn't recommend it in general. But sometimes when you're travelling it's nice to have the option of making some tweaks to your footage on the go. Especially if you have a new iPad Pro which, when teamed with DaVinci Resolve, makes an impressively capable video editing machine.
As for a keyboard, we'd recommend the Logitech MX Keys Mini, which is light, easy to set up, and beautifully portable. And it's versatile too: it can Bluetooth with up to three different devices, including Windows, Android and Chromebook devices as well as Apple ones, with dedicated keys for switching between them. On average, you get 10 days' use on a full charge, and up yo five months' if you turn off the backlight.
How to choose the best keyboards for video editing
What should a video editor be looking for in a keyboard? Well, for a start, think about the keys. Many keyboards use short-travel keys for compactness and quietness, but if you value a longer key stroke and a more defined 'clicky' feel, spending a bit extra on what's called a mechanical keyboard is well worth it.
This type of keyboard uses individual mechanical switches beneath each key to create a tactile, defined response as you type. The most well known manufacturer of these mechanical switches is Cherry, with its MX line of switches available in multiple variants, each with a slightly different 'clickiness' to satisfy all requirements, from typing to gaming.
If you're likely to be editing for long periods, also think about how your keyboard's ergonomics can help. A board with a large, preferably padded, wrist rest could really help reduce or eliminate the chances of RSI or other pains.
One of the most helpful ways a keyboard can speed up your include dedicated media playback shortcut keys. It's also possible to find boards like the Logitech Craft, which include a multi-function dial designed to offer a faster and more ergonomic means of controlling editing functions.
Then there are boards specifically designed for one editing package, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. These boards have the keyboard shortcut functions for the editing software in question permanently labelled on each key, and groups of keys are often color-coded according to the type of function they perform. It's a great way to help speed up your video editing.
Extras like RGB key backlighting can also be useful if you regularly edit in the dark and can't always see key labels at a glance. And a wireless keyboard may also be a smart choice if you don't like to be tethered to your desk.
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