There’s no doubt that a backlit keyboard adds a certain aesthetic to your desk. However, when it comes to backlit laptops, you might want something more, right?
Let’s say you’re playing your favorite games at night (Fortnite, anyone?) and you don’t want to lose your progress. Well, if you’re having difficulty seeing the keys, you might press the wrong button and, whoops, there goes the raid!
Or maybe something came up and your boss sent you files to work on throughout the night. You don’t want to have lights on, but you need to work on those files.
If not one of these reasons, there are plenty more. In any case, in order to help you do whatever it is you do at night, in the dark, etc. we made a list of the ten best laptops with a backlit keyboard.
Table of Contents
Best Laptops With A Backlit Keyboard
1. Apple MacBook Pro M1
- Display: 13.3” Retina display
- CPU: Apple M1 Chip
- GPU: 8-core GPU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Jumping right in, we have this awesome MacBook. Its keycaps are 1mm extended for an improved tactile experience and the keyboard has a backlit with a spring back feature to ensure easy typing.
You can type or play games without getting tired. You can flip through applications with its arrows. Also, the ESC key is placed in a more convenient location than before.
This MacBook features a 4k display, making it different from previous models. Also, the slight increase in screen size (0.6″) makes a notable difference. Work or play, the enhanced size will allow you to do both with ease.
Despite its old model chipset, we found that the Apple MacBook Pro’s core performance is ten times better than the previous version. Its onboard Intel chipset works when your required visual performance is reduced, and its AMD chip enhances overall performance.
This laptop’s six speaker sound system produces crisp, room-filling sound with deep bass and sharp treble. Also, its integrated microphones (three of them) allow you to make clear calls, video and audio, with excellent background noise cancellation. In using this laptop, we experienced better sound fidelity with noise reduction than was found in the previous MacBook.
Another great upgrade is the increased SSD capacity which was doubled up to 1TB and 512GB on upper and entry models. The touch bar, too, has seen an upgrade; it adapts well to screen content.
This MacBook is great for games. You can play all current games on this laptop and get good FPS (35-40) without lagging. Also, this laptop provides terrific leap performance which is key for playing AAA games with high visual and performance settings.
When you’re not playing your favorite game, you can use this MacBook for content creation. You will be able to run several apps simultaneously without hindering performance. We tested this by running several apps and then looking at the Task Manager, notes, and CRM with multiple apps – the laptop still performed well.
2. Acer Aspire 5 Slim
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 128GB SSD
If you are having trouble with your current laptop you might want to consider switching to this Acer Aspire. It has fast processing speeds and won’t cost you a pretty penny.
This Acer provides high-resolution picture quality and screen output with 1080p and IPS display. Along with its HD display, the Acer Aspire features Acer color intelligence (blue light shield) which will help to protect your eyes from strain and allow you to work for long periods of time.
Its lightweight allows you to carry this laptop everywhere and its aluminum casing will give you mind peace because it increases durability. In terms of technical utility, the Ryzen chip increases the laptop’s speed and provides consistent performance (especially for games). On the flipside, the 4GB memory is relatively less than that found in other laptops.
You can add extra memory by buying a 1TB drive for around $50 with specs similar to expensive laptops. With M.2 SSD, you can add additional memory devices without reinstalling or cloning the drive.
The integrated ports include an HDMI, USB 2.0 and 3.1, which transmit data 10 times faster than a standard dock. (They transfer data with a rate of 150 kbps to 480Mbps and above.)
If you’re a gamer, you’ll love the clear and crisp sounds the Aspire delivers. It also provides deep bass which will no doubt enhance your gaming experience.
Finally, there is the backlit keyboard. (Obviously, right?) You know the drill. One thing we will note is that the keyboard needs to be in constant use to keep the backlights from turning off.
3. Razer Blade 15
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
If you are an excellent all-day gamer or just a mediocre game, the Razer Blade base model (specially designed for gaming) might interest you. This 10th Gen Intel core laptop will push your gaming to the max!
Razer’s 5.0 GHz max turbo with 6 cores enhances the laptop’s clock speed thereby increasing the processing speed. Basically, this means that you can have a bunch of web pages open simultaneously or you can mash all of the buttons while playing that intense game.
To ensure better display and gaming coverage, this laptop features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX, and an HD display which provides a cinematic experience for high-visual games. Be that as it may, if this laptop heats up, the visuals will be reduced to some extent.
We tested this Razer’s potential by playing Ultra GTA V; the laptop got pretty hot, but it cooled down rather fast. Thus, we are happy to report that the Razer works great and is quite durable.
Compared to the Acer Aspire, the Razer Blade is heavier, however, it is made with CNC aluminum which is where its durability comes from. Despite its weight, this laptop is still rather compact (around 0.78 inches thin), so you will be able to take your trusty gaming companion anywhere.
Gaming specs aside, this laptop also features the rather cool Razer Chroma which allows you to customize the keyboard’s RGB backlights. You can go with a single color or multi-breathing with 12 different colors.
The improved keyboard layout is great for gaming, work, personal stuff, etc. Similarly, the additional ports (USB and HDMI) have multiple uses.
We can’t say the Razer Blade is strictly a gaming laptop because it can produce content to some degree. However, in this area, its percentage is lower than the average which means that you can’t make content (including stuff like video editing) like you can on Dell laptops.
Finally, we have to mention the one thing we didn’t like about this laptop: its low-quality, zero bass speakers. Ultimately, we don’t think this is a big problem, especially when you consider everything else this Razer laptop brings to the table. Deep bass speakers or not, you will still have loads of fun playing Fortnite (and a bunch of other games) on this laptop.
4. HP Pavilion x360
- Display: 14” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
HP is known for its high-quality products; one of its best being the HP Pavilion 14, a 14-inch convertible laptop with a backlit keyboard.
The HP gives you two different integrations. On the right side there is a USB-A 3.1, a 3.5 mm headphone/mic jack, a power button with an LED indicator (to know the device is on) and a noble lock.
On the right side, there is an HD light (unusual because we don’t see it anymore), a large SD card port for additional memory, USB Type-C (for data transferring), USB and HDMI ports and power jack.
Moving on to its display features, we have a Full HD resolution (1920×1080p) and a multi-touchscreen with excellent colors and contrast. (If you like watching movies, this laptop is definitely one to consider.) One issue we found with the display is its low brightness when used outdoors.
If you are a student or work in an office and have to attend classes or meetings daily, you will really appreciate its front webcam (720p and 30fps) – it will make your video calls clearer.
The backlit single-colored keyboard has nice key travel and spacing resulting in better tactile feedback and comfortable typing. Also, the precision touchpad is responsive, allowing for accurate cursor movements.
Because this laptop is convertible (or 2 in 1) it can be positioned in four different modes including tent mode (suitable for when you’re in the kitchen following cooking videos) and tablet mode which is great for taking notes or doing artwork.
Overall, this HP Pavilion will help you be productive when it comes to work or school. However, when it comes to gaming, you’ll only be able to play old titles as it’s really not designed for current/high-end games.
5. ASUS ZenBook 13
- Display: 13.3” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256GB SSD
Like other brands, the ASUS is compact and slim, designed especially for professionals.
When held, the ZenBook feels amazingly light, and according to ASUS, this 13.3″ laptop is the most compact laptop worldwide. After holding it in our hands we came to the same conclusion: it just might be the most lightweight laptop currently on the market.
Despite its slim design, this laptop features multiple connection ports, including a full-size HDMI, standard and USB Type-C ports, and a micro SD card inlet on the side for increasing the available memory. This latter feature will come in handy because the storage capacity (256GB) of the ASUS ZenBook is slightly on the lower end of the spectrum.
This laptop features a 13.3-inch screen which ASUS managed to keep full-size/Full-HD by surrounding it with short bezels. To give you a better idea: the frameless Nano Edge (the screen) has a 95% screen to body ratio.
One of this laptop’s exceptional features is its number pad which is merged with the trackpad. The backlight shows the number pad on the trackpad which is not something you see in most laptops. We tried continuous finger movements over the trackpad and found that it was quite responsive, as was the touchpad multi-finger gesture software. Also, typing on this laptop’s single-colored keyboard is comfortable; it has great key travelling and tactile response.
The ZenBook also features a cooling system that dissipates heat without making any noise coming from the back fence-like opening. As such, it’s great for content creation (e.g. high profiled video editing), which is super easy to do on this laptop due to the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce.
Finally, let’s talk about the battery. Asus claims that the ZenBook’s battery lasts about 14 hours. However, our team estimated that the battery life is more like 4 to 9 hours max. If you’re using this laptop for casual work (meaning that there’s nothing heavy running), the battery could last up to 10 hours.
6. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
- Display: 14” 1080p
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
First, we’d like to note that this Lenovo can also be used in four different modes just like the HP Pavilion we reviewed above. Second, we’d like to note the fast start-up/single fingerprint login (we really like it).
The Lenovo Flex’s overall design features a plastic casing with a matte covering that makes it durable and gives it a premium look. On its sides you will find an HDMI, power jack, headphone jack, a USB Type-C and A ports, and a full-sized SD card reader, all of which demonstrate good port integration at an affordable price.
Compared to the Intel version, the Lenovo Flex 5 has the same body and design. However, the differences were found in the CPU and graphic features.
The laptop has a single fan for cooling the laptop during high-volume usage such as video editing or gaming. Its RAM is not replaceable, but the SSD is user-operable so you can add memory up to 512GB. Also, this laptop features Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. (Note: The Wi-Fi 6 card is replaceable, but we recommend leaving as is simply because there’s no need to replace it).
Concerning its graphics features, it has the same resolution as the HP Pavilion (1920×1080p); however, unlike the latter, it has 250 nits of brightness instead of 280 nits. The 14-inch screen features an IPS display with varying colors and contrast which are fine for daily use and casual work but unsuitable for video editing or making content due to reduced color selection (62% sRGB, 44 NTSC, 46% Adobe RGB and P3).
Its bezels are slim (meaning more screen space) and its webcam and built-in mic provide clear video and sound. Also, when the webcam is not in use, the small shutter around it closes to protect your privacy.
There’s also a neat pen holder which, aside from being convenient, helps protect the pen. Of course, there is also a single-colored (white) backlit keyboard with tactile feedback that will provide hours of comfortable typing. As for the touchpad, it’s plastic but that doesn’t seem to affect its responsiveness, i.e. it makes precise cursor movements.
Finally, if you get bored and want to play a game on this laptop, you’ll find that you can only play old games on it. Why? Well, it doesn’t have the necessary hardware required of current games. Of course, we didn’t expect it to, but we thought we should put this out there so that you, dear readers, can make a note of this.
7. MSI GF65 Thin
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX3060 Max-Q
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Some years ago, MSI started producing laptops specially designed for gamers. Now, some years later, they are producing laptops that are not only fully packed with excellent features but are also affordable. Let’s take a look at this (highly recommended) MSI GF65!
Its overall specs include a big 15.6-inch screen with small bezels and 1080p display. It has 16GB RAM, an additional SSD that goes up to 512GB, and an Nvidia RTX 3060 which will optimize your game settings.
The laptop has a sleek design, a brushed aluminum top and a hard polycarbonate body casing to ensure durability. The bottom of the laptop is grooved or slanted which not only makes for a neat design, but also helps to keep the laptop cool.
The GF65’s black keyboard has a red backlight that provides a nice aesthetic look. A drawback you might experience is stamped fingerprints everywhere (!) which is due to magnetic properties. Not to worry, though, you can easily clean these up with some microfiber cloths.
Arriving at this laptop’s display properties, we found an IPS display with 258 nits brightness and color contrast as 68% and 51% Adobe RGB which produced vivid pictures. However, the refresh rate isn’t very high so you might not get smooth character movements (at least not as smooth as you do with high refresh rates). Otherwise, its technical aspects are worth considering—the CPU and GPU properties (Nvidia RTX 3060) are 50% faster than the previous version.
We tested the GF65’s gaming specs to see how well it could run certain games. We are pleased to report that with its Nvidia RTX, 3,584 Cuda cores, Max-Q 6GB GDDR6, and a bandwidth of 128 Gbps, we were able to play current games without a hitch. For instance, at full resolution (normal settings), we played GTA 5 and Far Cry 5 with 170 fps and 107 fps, respectively. At full HD (high settings), GTA and Far Cry climbed up to 145 fps and 97 fps, respectively.
8. Acer Swift 3
- Display: 14” 1080p
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
If you’re looking for a laptop to use in your business work, one that travels well (i.e. not heavy or bulky), this laptop from Acer might be it.
The Acer Swift 3 is lightweight and features a metallic design that makes it, both, durable and stylish. It has a 14-inch widescreen with short bezels and an 82.73 screen to body ratio, which means that you will not experience enhanced visuals interruptions. Also, compared to other lower-priced laptops, it has more memory and many of its features are customizable.
This laptop’s graphics aren’t suitable for gaming, however, it’s great for school or office work. With this Acer you will be able to run multiple apps simultaneously and have a bunch of browser tabs open without lagging or glitching. This is due to the AMD Ryzen 4000 processor which improves performance and user experience. Compared to Intel core, AMD offers 31% more multithreaded, accelerated operation.
The backlit keyboard offers dual modes, switched on or off, and it has a super comfortable feel with excellent tactile feedback.
This Acer’s sound system is good for everyday stuff (work, watching YouTube videos, streaming on Netflix videos, etc.), but if you want HD sound quality, we recommend switching to add-on Bluetooth speakers.
You can use this laptop for up to 11.5 hours on a fully charged battery. The care center app charges the battery up to 80% and then stops, ensuring long battery life. So, you can keep it plugged in without worrying about battery health.
9. Dell Inspiron 15
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- GPU: ntel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 1TB SSD
In reviewing the Best Laptops with a Backlit keyboard, how could we forget to add one of Dell’s most amazing laptops?
The Dell Inspiron is a great machine for freelancers, students and office workers. It is quite durable and comes with 16GB RAM and hardware up to 1TB M.2 SSD which ensure reliability and performance. It also features a 15.6-inch Full-HD (1920×1080) resolution (great for folks who do visually-intensive work like photographers) and an HD webcam with a dual-microphone array that is housed in the screen’s medium-sized bezels. Additional features include DVD input, wireless connection (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) and Windows 10 home.
For multiple connectivity options, this Inspiron offers USB 2.0, 3.1 Gen1, 3.1 Type-C, RJ-45, SD card reader, and HDMI ports and headset inlet (input/output microphone combo). It also comes with Intel Iris Xe Graphics that provides highly immersive visuals whether you are editing videos or playing games.
Its keyboard is backlit and has increased key travel, however, the loose integration of keys can hinder typing. In contrast, its trackpad is precise and responsive, providing for exact movements on the screen.
Overall, this laptop offers usage in various areas (hence the designation of “all-rounder”) which is perfect for folks who like to do a little bit of everything.
10. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
- Display: 13.5” (2256 x 1504p)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256GB SSD
Right off the bat, we really liked this Microsoft Surface’s design and style (it comes in various colors; our favorite is the matte black finish). It offers a premium quality laptop experience which is made even better with the discount on bundled accessories.
Compared to other brands, the Microsoft Surface is lighter (only 2.80lbs) and thinner even though it has a metal casing (for durability). On its sides, you will find various connection ports, including USB Type-C and USB Type-A 3.1, 3.5mm audio/microphone combo, and a single surface connection port. Be that as it may, we think that this laptop offers less port selection when compared to other brands.
The Microsoft Surface features a 13.5-inch touchscreen with three-way micro-edge FHD and IPS vibrant display that houses a wide vision 720p HD webcam. It also has an increased resolution of 2256×1504 and 3:2 aspect ratio that gives you a full display with 10-point multi-touch options. Its image quality is clear and sharp, and its brightness goes up to 348 nits (the white point is around 6700K), so you can use this laptop indoors and outdoors without increasing brightness levels.
The Surface’s keyboard is backlit and is accompanied by a number pad which is great for all the number crunchers out there. On the flipside, we should note that we were not impressed with the rather unresponsive touchpad.
In any case, the Microsoft Surface is a good laptop for mostly everything except gaming.
Best Laptops With a Backlit Keyboard: Quick Answers
✅ Which is the best laptop with a backlit keyboard and touch screen?
Two of the best laptops are the Microsoft Surface and HP Pavilion. They both come with a backlit keyboard and amazingly adaptable touchscreens.
✅ Are there any laptops with a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader?
Yes, the ASUS Zenbook features a (single-colored) backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader.
✅ What sets a laptop with backlit keyboards apart from other laptops?
Well, sometimes when you’re working or playing games during the night (or in low-light conditions) you can’t always have a light on. That’s where the backlit keyboard comes in. With one of these, you get sufficient lighting so you can continue your work without worrying about keeping the lights on. Also, they provide a certain aesthetic that some folks appreciate.
✅ How long do backlights last?
The LED’s quality and built-in capacity decide their longevity. Most backlights run from 50,000 hours to 500,000 hours; their average age (if high-quality) is five years.
✅ Do backlit keyboards drain a laptop’s battery?
Yes, they do. Also, they reduce the battery’s lifespan by about 2 to 3 percent. However, several brands guarantee long battery lives even with the inclusion of a backlit keyboard.
✅ Can I make a non-backlit keyboard into a backlit one?
If you have a PC set up, you can easily switch to a backlit keyboard. However, if you have a laptop, there’s no replacing its keyboard. In this case, we recommend using a small USB lamp or a glow-in-the-dark keyboard cover.
Final Words
If you already decided on a laptop – that’s great! If you haven’t we thought we’d make two recommendations. For the gamers, we recommend the MSI GF65 thin laptop; their enhanced GPU and CPU processing make them great for gaming.
For those of you looking for an all-round laptop that you can carry anywhere, the ASUS ultra-slim Zen book is the one you want. Its compact, lightweight design will allow you to work anywhere, anytime. Lastly, we hope that you found our reviews helpful and that you find the laptop that best fits your needs. Thanks for reading!
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