As someone who spends a lot of time on their computer I also, by extension, spend a lot of time with my keyboard. As such, I have come to actually be very picky about my peripherals and I don't settle for a cheap or sub-par keyboard anymore. Before I come off as some elitist snob, let me get a few things out of the way: I don't need a mechanical keyboard, I simply expect a certain level of functionality which many keyboards simply don't offer, and, I can't stand chicklet keyboards at all, so the current options for laptop keyboards are... abysmal.
To start, a keyboard must have the following features as a requirement: Media Keys Left and right Windows/super keys Windows/super key lock Full numpad * Option to always force function keys over meta-functions
Some of these features are oddly specific, so, I'll explain in detail. Media keys are pretty obvious, I like to be able to control my music player without navigating to the actual application. For the windows keys, I use keyboard shortcuts a lot, and having a windows key on both sides of the keyboard lets me do more one-handed keystrokes. The windows key lock is also very useful since I do play a significant amount of video games, and accidentally bringing up the windows menu in the middle of a game can be quite irritating. Lastly, the function keys should be function keys first and other things second, that is, if I hit f1 I want the function key to be the primary use, and if there is anything else such as volume up or a brightness modifier it should be accessed with a modifier key.
Believe it or not, that rather modest list of requiremnts locks out quite a few keyboards, gaming or otherwise. However, I have been very happy with the CODE keyboard from WASAD keyboards. It has all of the above features plus a few others including a variable brightness backlight and connection via a standard usb micro port on the back. The build quality is very solid, I would actually fear for any table I bashed the keyboard against. The keycaps are also very durable, having just shown to show wear after 2 years of heavy use. It's a moot point anyway, since the keycaps are replacible and pretty affordable. It's also worth noting that it supports media keys, even over a PS/2 connection, which I didn't know was possible. It is mechanical, and avalible in a variety of switches, though I chose Cherry MX clear switches.
It's not without it's downsides, however. The biggest for me is that the metakey for the media keys and backlight brightness is the right-click key. While this can be rebound and changed by dip-switches on the undreside of the keyboard, I am unable to use both the right-click key and the mediakeys at the same time as a result.
Overall, the CODE keyboard is an excellent keyboard which I highly recommend, though, it's quite pricy with the cheapest model starting at $100. However, if you spend a lot of time on your computer and typing, it's worth the money to invest in a comfortable and feature-rich keyboard to make your digital life more comfortable and feature-rich.