10 Best Laptops With Backlit Keyboard For 2021

TOP PICK
Apple MacBook Pro (13-Inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) - Silver (Previous Model)
RUNNER UP
ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop 13.3" FHD Display, Intel 8th gen Core i5-8250U, 8GB RAM, 256GB M.2 SSD, Win10, Backlit KB, FP, Icicle Gold, UX331UA-AS51
Apple MacBook Pro (15-Inch, Latest Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray
ASUS VivoBook K570UD 15.6” Laptop, Intel Core i7-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 4GB, 16GB DDR4, FHD Display, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Fingerprint Sensor, Backlit keyboard, K570UD-ES76 Casual Gaming Laptop
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage, 1.6GHz Intel Core i5) - Space Gray (Previous Model)
BLW's Score
95
92
89
87
85
MSRP
Price not available
$499.99
Price not available
$2,299.00
Price not available
Processor
Intel Core i5
Intel Core i5 (up to 3.6 GHz)
Intel Core i9
Intel Core i7 1.8 GHz
Intel Core i5
RAM
8GB DDR4
8GB DDR3
16GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
8GB DDR4
Hard Disk
128GB SSD
256GB SSD
256GB SSD
256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
128GB SSD
Display
13.3'' Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
13.3'' FHD Wide (1920 x 1080)
15'' Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
15.6'' FHD (1920 x 1080)
13.3'' HD+ (2560 x 1600)
Graphics
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Radeon Pro 555x Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
Intel UHD Graphics 617
OS
Mac OS
Windows 10
MacOS
Windows 10
MacOS
Weight
3 pounds
2.6 pounds
4.02 pounds
4.4 pounds
2.75 pounds
Battery Life
10 hours
8 hours
10 hours
7 hours
12 hours
TOP PICK
Apple MacBook Pro (13-Inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) - Silver (Previous Model)
BLW's Score
95
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i5
RAM
8GB DDR4
Hard Disk
128GB SSD
Display
13.3'' Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
Graphics
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
OS
Mac OS
Weight
3 pounds
Battery Life
10 hours
RUNNER UP
ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop 13.3" FHD Display, Intel 8th gen Core i5-8250U, 8GB RAM, 256GB M.2 SSD, Win10, Backlit KB, FP, Icicle Gold, UX331UA-AS51
BLW's Score
92
MSRP
$499.99
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i5 (up to 3.6 GHz)
RAM
8GB DDR3
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
13.3'' FHD Wide (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
2.6 pounds
Battery Life
8 hours
Apple MacBook Pro (15-Inch, Latest Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray
BLW's Score
89
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i9
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
15'' Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
Graphics
Radeon Pro 555x Graphics
OS
MacOS
Weight
4.02 pounds
Battery Life
10 hours
ASUS VivoBook K570UD 15.6” Laptop, Intel Core i7-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 4GB, 16GB DDR4, FHD Display, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Fingerprint Sensor, Backlit keyboard, K570UD-ES76 Casual Gaming Laptop
BLW's Score
87
MSRP
$2,299.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7 1.8 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Display
15.6'' FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
OS
Windows 10
Weight
4.4 pounds
Battery Life
7 hours
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage, 1.6GHz Intel Core i5) - Space Gray (Previous Model)
BLW's Score
85
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i5
RAM
8GB DDR4
Hard Disk
128GB SSD
Display
13.3'' HD+ (2560 x 1600)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 617
OS
MacOS
Weight
2.75 pounds
Battery Life
12 hours

Note: Our comparison table only shows our top 5 picks. You can find the other recommendations within this article.

Laptops with backlit keyboards are not only popular because of the attraction but also for the exact reason they were made for. Most of the high-end gaming laptops as well as ultrabooks come with such keyboards and they are surely a necessity for those who prefer working in dark environment.

Since 2015, LED-backlit keyboards are trending and even now they have a huge demand. Recently, we have seen a couple of budget laptops that include such feature and if I were on low budget I would grab one of them as soon as possible.

Backlit Keyboard

Here we will be reviewing 10 of the best laptops with backlit keyboards that offer not only fantastic typing experience but also powerful specifications.

Most of the laptop brands tend to include such keyboards in their top of the line notebooks and I hope you are prepared to spend some big bucks on your new laptop with backlit keyboard.

Benefit of having a Backlit Keyboard Laptop

Lately, everyone is looking for a laptop with latest features and hardware including illuminated keyboard and SSD. It might be hard to believe but I have seen a customer who rejected a great machine just because it was lacking a backlit keyboard.

The main and biggest benefit of having a backlit keyboard is that you can easily use your laptop in dark rooms. These days most of the people carry around their notebooks while traveling and that’s another reason to own a laptop with backlit keyboard.

I understand there are many computer users who don’t even look at the keyboard while typing but there are times when you have to enter some special characters, numbers or even combinations of keys.

That’s where such keyboards are extremely helpful and we’re sure you will find a suitable laptop with backlit keyboard here.

Our Top Picks for Best Laptops with Illuminated Keyboard

1. Apple MacBook Pro 13

Apple MacBook Pro 13

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5 processor
  • 128GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR3 RAM

Not many people know but almost all MacBooks come with a backlit keyboard and that’s surely not that only reason to go with it. It may not be affordable for everyone as the newest model with 128 GB SSD will cost you somewhere around $1000.

This model is available in 2 colors, Silver and Space Gray. It’s suitable for all types of users including businessmen and college students. It’s packed with a 13-inch Retina display that delivers the maximum resolution of 2560 by 1600.

It’s an excellent choice for day to day tasks like watching movies and listening music as well as intense tasks like rendering and video editing.

It comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, Intel Iris 645 graphics, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD. MacBooks are not recommended for gaming as they come with Apple’s Mac OS which is not supported by most of the games and also MacBooks usually don’t come with the most powerful graphics cards.

While being the most stylish laptop, it also comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports (USB-C) making it one of the best laptops with backlit keyboard.

2. ASUS ZenBook UX331UX

ASUS ZenBook UX331UX

Specs:

  • 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8250U
  • 256GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR3 RAM

If you’re looking for a premium Windows laptop with backlit keyboard then the ASUS ZenBook UX331UX is what you need. ASUS launched this machine almost a year ago and it’s famous for its powerful specs and glowing design.

The laptop comes with 6th generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor which is precisely something that anyone would expect for such price. Its other specifications include 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD and Intel UHD Graphics 620 integrated graphics. It packs a 13-inch IPS FHD display with resolution of 1920 by 1080.

It can also be used for gaming as it packs enough power to handle most of the latest games. It’s a good alternative for Microsoft Surface Book if you’re looking for portability and it comes with a full year or accidental damage protection as well as warranty.

It’s available in two different variants and you can decide which one you want, medium model and top one. Overall, it’s a great touchscreen laptop that is lightweight, slim and sturdy.

3. Apple MacBook Pro 15

MacBook Pro 15

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7 Processor
  • 256GB SSD
  •  16GB DDR4 RAM

Apple MacBooks are one of the first laptops to introduce backlit keyboards. If you are ready for a high-end laptop, then you must consider the MacBook Pro 15 as a serious contender. But this is definitely not a budget laptop.

It offers excellent performance and is currently available in 2 colors. It’s able to handle any application such as Adobe Photoshop, Sony Vegas Pro, etc. Its hardware includes 256 GB ultrafast SSD drive, an Intel Core i7 processor,  and 16 GB of RAM. If you have even more money to spend, you can get one of these with an i9 processor and a 512GB SSD.

The 15-inch Retina display comes with resolution of 2880 by 1800 pixels and a Radeon Pro 555x Graphics GPU. When it comes to portability, it’s reasonably lightweight, weighing in just 4 lbs. If you have the money to spend and have demanding requirements, this is the laptop for you. You can also get this model with an i7 processor and a smaller SSD and save several hundred dollars.

4. ASUS VivoBook K570UD

ASUS VivoBook K570UD

Specs:

  • 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8550U
  • 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The ASUS VivoBook K570UD is one of the most recognizable casual gaming laptops at the $1000 price point and it comes with a full-size backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader. Since its launch, it has been one of the best-selling notebooks. We highly recommend it to gamers on budget.

The 15-inch full HD display features a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels and it comes with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX  1050 gaming GPU. This is all driven by the power of an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor with 16 GB of RAM for its use.

There’s plenty of storage space with the 1 TB Hybrid drive so this won’t be an issue for gamers. The 256GB SSD will improve the boot times and game loading while the larger HDD will serve to store files that don’t need as much load speed.

It runs on Windows 10 and is an excellent value for money. For a gaming laptop, it’s very thin and lightweight with lots of aluminum for most of its body parts.

Overall, it’s a premium level laptop for the price of budget laptops. We highly recommend it to gamers and power users that need a thin and light laptop.

5. Apple MacBook Air

MacBook Air

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5 processor
  • 128GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM

If you’re looking for an extremely portable notebook then the Apple MacBook Air is something you’ll want to consider. It’s highly recognized for its long lasting battery life of up to 12 hours.

It offers a backlit keyboard that could be extremely useful in dark rooms and now includes a Retina display which had been lacking in the past. Thanks to its Intel Core i5 processor, it can easily run powerful applications with ease.

It also includes 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB Flash storage and Intel UHD 617 graphics. It sports a 13-inch display with resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels. If you don’t need the high resolution screen you can save a bit of money by choosing a model without the Retina display.

When it comes to battery life, it has no competition and it also offers amazing specifications that make it stronger than ever. Overall, it’s definitely an excellent choice if mobility is all you want and we mostly recommend it to college students and businessmen.

6. Dell XPS 9360-4841SLV

Dell XPS9360-4841SLV

Specs:

  • 7th generation Intel Core i7-7500u
  • 256GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR3 RAM

I guess that’s enough with MacBooks and I know there are people out there who strictly want a Windows laptop. So here you go, the Dell XPS 9360-4841SLV is certainly one of the best laptops with backlit keyboard and powerful specifications.

It comes with latest 7th generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor which is able to handle plenty of latest games. I know this isn’t a gaming machine but one can surely use it to play some of the high-end titles.

It also features 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD and Intel HD 620 graphics. Sporting a 13-inch QHD touch display with resolution of 3200 by 1800 pixels, it’s one of the best touchscreens we’ve seen recently.

Its backlit keyboard delivers a real and tactile feel which makes it an excellent choice for travelers as well as writers. If we compare it with MacBook Air then it might be better when it comes to design but it’s not even close with performance. All in all, it’s among the best premium laptops that even gamers can use for casual gaming.

7. Acer Aspire S 13

Acer Aspire S 13 Touch

Specs:

  • 6th Generation Intel Core i5-6200U Processor
  • 256GB SSD
  • 8GB LPDDR3 RAM

Acer is known for their quality laptops for affordable prices and the Acer Aspire S 13 is no different. It’s a 13-inch portable machine that comes with a non-touch full HD IPS display and 11 hours of battery life.

It certainly is the best laptop under $700 and comes in two different colors, Black and White. It includes a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6200U processor along with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD.

I know it’s nothing that great to make you go crazy about it as there are many good laptops with backlit keyboard. However, it’s the best choice for people looking for a portable laptop and it’s also available in few other variants where you can get more powerful processor, storage space and touchscreen display.

Even though it’s made using the plastic chassis, it is solid compared to ordinary budget laptops and it surely does feels very premium. Overall, it’s a great PC for businessmen on the go and it’s also suitable for power tasks.

8. Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK

Dell Inspiron I7559-2512BLK

Specs:

  • Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor
  • 8GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • 8GB DDR3L RAM

Dell Inspiron is one of the oldest laptop series that has produced number of affordable and quality laptops. It features incredibly powerful hardware including Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and backlit keyboard.

For such price, it’s not only sturdy but also stylish and lightweight. Storage wise, it comes with a 1 TB of HDD as well as 8 GB of SSD for quick booting. Its 8 GB RAM should be good enough to handle most of your programs and games with ease.

If you’re really serious about getting the best laptop with backlit keyboard then this is surely what you need. Its full size keyboard is more than what you’d expect from Dell and while I was personally testing it, I felt extremely pleased and comfortable.

I also tested number of games on it such as The Sims 4, World of Warcraft, Minecraft and Fallout 4. These games were running flawlessly without any slowness and lags. However, we also recommend it for non-gaming purposes such as graphics designing, photo editing and writing.

9. ASUS ZenBook UX330UA-AH54

ASUS ZenBook UX330UA-AH54

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5 processor
  • 256GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR3 RAM

Here comes another one of the best 13-inch laptop with a backlit keyboard. The ASUS ZenBook UX330UA is also listed in our guide of best aluminum laptops. It might not be all popular for having a backlit keyboard, but it surely is for its slim and robust design which is very similar to MacBook Air.

In many ways, I’d say it’s better than the MacBook Air as it is way cheaper, packs better processor and comes with SSD as well as a fingerprint reader. Its specifications include 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 256 GB of SSD and 8 GB DDR3 RAM.

It comes with quad speakers from Harman Kardon and ASUS Golden Ear, and it delivers extremely clear audio quality. We also recommend it for video editing as well as other intense tasks that you might want to do on your laptop.

Overall, it’s equipped with everything that you’d want in a portable ultrabook and it’s certainly a great performer. So if you’re looking for the best budget ultrabook then this exactly what you should consider.

10. HP Pavilion 15

HP Pavilion 15

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-7500U Processor
  • 1TB HDD
  • 12GB DDR4 RAM

When it comes to the best laptop with backlit keyboard, HP is a string contender. The Pavilion 15 is solid performer that comes with 12 GB of RAM, huge 1TB hard drive and a fast Intel Core i7-7500U processor.

The 15.6″ display is full HD (1920 x 1080) using IPS technology. The images are bright and sharp, but don’t expect to do anything but light-duty gaming with the integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics processor.

The laptop is thin and the weight is better than average at 4.2 lbs. This is a reasonably portable laptop that we highly recommend to business users as it can be extremely helpful for meetings, conferences and even while traveling.

Like most of the other listed machines, this one also includes a full size backlit keyboard and a large touchpad. Overall, the feature set for this laptop provides great value for the price.

Conclusion

You certainly know a lot now about the laptops with a backlit keyboard, and we believe you’ve already finalized a suitable machine.

You should also know that MacBooks are more than best for a backlit keyboard, but if you’re not looking for Mac OS, then we also have some good options from ASUS, Acer, Dell, and Toshiba.

We do not recommend these notebooks for gaming and if you’re a gamer or even a casual gamer then feel free to check our gaming laptop guides.

Resources

Apple

DELL

Quora

Wikipedia

About the Author Marcus

Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.

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