• Amazon is cracking down on the use of AI tools in job interviews.
• AI tools in interviews pose ethical challenges, and have sparked debate across Silicon Valley.
• Some Amazon employees consider AI tools beneficial, while others see them as dishonest.

Generative AI tools like coding assistants and "teleprompter" apps feed live answers during job interviews, giving a leg up to candidates looking for an edge.

Amazon, one of the largest employers in the world, wants to curb this growing trend.

Recent Amazon guidelines shared with internal recruiters at the company show that job applicants can be disqualified from the hiring process if they are found to have used an AI tool during job interviews.

Amazon believes AI tools in interviews give candidates an "unfair advantage" and prevent the company from evaluating their "authentic" skills and experiences, according to the guidelines, which were obtained by Business Insider.

"To ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process, please do not use GenAl tools during your interview unless explicitly permitted," the guidelines state. "Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in disqualification from the recruitment process."

The guidelines also instruct Amazon recruiters to share these rules with job candidates.

The crackdown highlights one of the many ethical challenges that are bubbling up from the rise of generative AI. Amazon has restricted employee use of AI tools such as ChatGPT, even as it encourages the use of internal AI apps to boost productivity. Hacking job interviews with AI has become a growing trend, prompting debate across Silicon Valley.

In a recent internal Slack conversation seen by BI, some Amazon employees debated the need to ban AI tools during job interviews when they can improve the quality of work.

"This is certainly an increasing trend, especially for tech/SDE roles," said one of the Slack messages, referring to software development engineers.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company's recruiting process "prioritizes ensuring that candidates hold a high bar."

When applicable, candidates must acknowledge that they won't use "unauthorized tools, like GenAI, to support them" during the interview, the spokesperson added in an email to BI.

Tips to identify the use of GenAI tools

The trend has become a big enough problem for Amazon that the company even shared internal tips on how to spot applicants using GenAI tools during job interviews.

The indicators, according to the guidelines, include:

• The candidate can be seen typing whilst being asked questions. (Note, it is not uncommon for candidates to write down/type the question asked as they prepare to answer.)
• The candidate appears to be reading their answers rather than responding naturally. This could include correcting themselves when they misread a word.
• The candidate's eyes appear to be tracking text or looking elsewhere, rather than viewing their primary display or moving naturally during conversation.
• The candidate delivers confident responses that do not clearly or directly address the question.
• The candidate reacts to the outputs of the AI tool when they appear to be incorrect or irrelevant. This is often demonstrated by the candidate being distracted or confused as they are trying to make sense of the outputs.

While candidates are permitted to talk about how they have used generative AI applications to "achieve efficiencies" in their current or previous roles, they are strictly prohibited from using them during job interviews, the Amazon guidelines added.

A recent video produced by an AI company that claims to have received a job offer from Amazon after using its coding assistant during the interview raised alarms internally, one person familiar with the matter told BI. This person asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

'Mainstream' problem

This is not just an Amazon problem. Job seekers are becoming increasingly bold in interviews, using different AI tools. A recent experiment found it was easy to cheat in job interviews using AI tools like ChatGPT.

In October, xAI cofounder Greg Yang wrote on X that he'd caught a job candidate cheating with Anthropic's Claude AI service.

"The candidate tried to use claude during the interview but it was way too obvious," Yang wrote.

Matthew Bidwell, a business professor at Wharton, told BI that these AI tools "definitely penetrated the mainstream, and employers are worried about it," based on conversations with students in his executive-management program.

Bidwell said it's a problem when employers can't detect these tools and the job candidates are uncomfortable admitting their use.

"There's a strong risk of people using it to misrepresent their skills, and I think that is somewhat unethical," Bidwell said.

Bar Raising?

Not everyone is opposed to it. Some Silicon Valley companies are open to allowing these apps in job interviews because they already use them at work. Others are making the technical interview an open-book test but adding questions for a deeper assessment.

Some Amazon employees appear less concerned about it, too.

One person wrote in a recent Slack conversation at Amazon that their team is "studying" the possibility of providing a generative AI assistant to candidates and changing their hiring approach, according to internal messages seen by BI. Another person said that even if a candidate gets hired after using these tools, Amazon has "other mechanisms" to address those who do not meet expectations for their roles.

A third person questioned whether Amazon could benefit from this. Using generative AI may be "dishonest or unprofessional," but on the other hand, it is "raising the bar" for Amazon by improving the quality of the interview, this person argued.

"If judged solely by the outcome, it could be considered bar-raising," this person wrote.

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• President Trump's nominee for Navy secretary said the service's shipbuilding problem is a top challenge.
• Phelan said he wanted to examine the core issues, particularly with the Navy's submarine projects.
• US shipbuilding issues are multifaceted and not easily solvable.

President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of the Navy offered up his vision for fixing the sea service's submarine construction shortfalls on Thursday.

A bunch of Navy shipbuilding projects are delayed, with a Navy review finding last year that the Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines are years behind schedule. The new Columbia-class ballistic missile subs are also dragging. Submarines are considered a Trump administration priority, as well as a key capability the US needs to confront top adversaries.

The president's nominee for SECNAV said that Trump's priorities are clear: "shipbuilding, shipbuilding, shipbuilding." He also said the Navy is "at a crossroads," grappling with "systemic failures" that include inadequate maintenance, massive cost overruns, and delayed shipbuilding.

Early in his confirmation hearing Thursday, John Phelan, a businessman with no prior military experience, was asked what he plans to do to get the submarine construction programs back on track.

Phelan, who identified Navy shipbuilding as a top challenge in his answers to advanced policy questions, wants to start by reinvigorating the US industrial base. 

"That could come from a couple of different angles," he said.

Phelan pointed to several ideas from the SHIPS Act, such as incentivizing the private sector to invest in shipyards and helping make a shipbuilding career attractive to skilled workers with competitive pay. He also said there were some lessons to learn from foreign shipyards, something previous Navy secretaries have highlighted as well.

On submarines, Phelan said the priority Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine is critical. He said he needed to examine the "root cause analysis" of the delays and cost overruns on the major programs, including in industry.

"I do think we need to analyze ways to create more competition for some of the components" for the submarines, he said, and that comes from working with and incentivizing the private sector.

"What you want to try to do is make it so that the private sector, you make the pie bigger, and so they can have a smaller slice of a bigger pie," he said. "And I think if we can create the right incentives, that's the right way."

In answers to pre-hearing questions, Phelan said he wanted to "push for a more agile, accountable, and flexible shipbuilding strategy by streamlining procurement, enhancing budget flexibility, strengthening partnerships with the defense industrial base, and holding contractors accountable for cost and schedule overruns." He also said modernization with the help of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence is key.

During the hearing, Phelan, who highlighted his experience as a businessman as a complement to Navy expertise already available in the department, said he is "candidly fearful" for what he will discover once he starts reviewing contracts.

He added that if confirmed, he wants to return to the concept of shared risk, saying that while it's okay for the private sector to make a profit, it should be based on their share of the risk.

General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is building Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, announced earlier this year that it plans to hire 3,000 additional workers in 2025, building on the expansion of its workforce.

A complex problem

At Phelan's confirmation hearing, Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi and the committee chairman, didn't mince words when describing the Navy's shipbuilding problems.

"If we threw a zillion dollars at the Department of the US Navy today, we couldn't build the ships because we don't have the industrial base. We've got to fix that," he said.

Navy officials, industry leaders, and experts have said that US shipbuilding problems are complex and not easily solved.

Many top Navy projects are seriously over budget and behind schedule. While the Navy has attributed these delays and overruns to COVID's lasting impact on the workforce and supply chain, the problems run deeper.

Many issues stem from the post-Cold War slowdown in Navy ship demand, which shrunk industry and the workforce, ultimately hollowing it out. Industry leaders have said the long-term consequences of that left them with less experienced shipbuilders and uncertainty, making it hard to produce ships at scale.

The increasing complexity and sophistication of Navy warships exacerbates that challenge, as do shifting requirements.

The US Government Accountability Office has said inconsistent demand signals from the Navy have been a major problem for industry and shipyards, often involving changing the number of ships ordered or scrapping entire programs altogether.

Speaking Thursday, Phelan identified budget shifts, cost, and spending transparency as major issues he'd tackle, which falls in line with both Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's priorities for the military and broader government.

The budget for the Pentagon is a bit of a moving target at the moment. Hegseth has ordered the military to reallocate $50 billion to Trump priorities by pulling funding for certain legacy programs. The cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has also been invited in to find fraud and waste in the Pentagon.

That could involve sacking thousands of probationary employees within the Department of Defense. During Phelan's hearing, senators expressed concern about how the cuts could affect the Navy's public shipyards. Outside of the hearing, other lawmakers have likewise taken issue with the cuts.

Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat, wrote a letter to Hegseth Thursday outlining "the danger of your department's disastrous layoff plans" and expressing his concerns over how they could impact firefighters at the Navy's Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut, home to a bulk of the Navy's submarine force.

Courtney said firefighters are "an essential component of force readiness and safety," handling emergencies such as shipboard fires, hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, and mutual aid support. "Reducing their numbers in the name of efficiency does not enhance our military readiness," Courtney wrote. "It weakens it."

• Not every movie can become a classic — just ask these 83 Oscar winners.
• Although they've turned in some iconic performances, they've also starred in some flops.
• Jessica Chastain and Robert Downey Jr. are among the actors whose movies earned 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.

At this weekend's Oscars, many beloved actors are up for awards, including Demi Moore, Ralph Fiennes, Timothée Chalamet, Zoe Saldaña, and Colman Domingo.

Winning an Academy Award is one of the highest honors an actor can receive — though, sometimes it can be a bit of a curse — but it doesn't mean that the actor is immune from appearing in bad movies.

These are the worst movies that 83 Oscar-winning actors have been in, according to critics scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Adrien Brody — "Air Strike" (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Brody, one of the more famous "victims" of the Oscars curse, initially struggled to appear in many good films after his win in 2003 for "The Pianist." This year, however, that's changed, as he received his second Oscar nomination for "The Brutalist."

Between his two nominations, he appeared in "Air Strike," a 2018 Chinese war film that focuses on the Japanese bombing of Chongqing during World War II. Brody plays a military doctor named Steve in a "special appearance."

Cillian Murphy — "Aloft" (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 16%

Ten years after appearing in "Aloft," his worst movie according to critics, Cillian Murphy took home the 2024 Academy Award for best actor for portraying J. Robert Oppenheimer in "Oppenheimer."

In "Aloft," Murphy plays a man with nowhere near the historical significance of Oppie. Instead, he plays a falconer who wants to confront his cult-running mother for abandoning him as a child.

Robert Downey Jr. — "Johnny Be Good" (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Downey's career has been filled with ups and downs, both personal and professional. While his personal struggles have been well-documented in the press, you might not know about this professional low, in which he plays Leo, the best friend of a star high school quarterback.

Nearly four decades later, Downey earned a best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss, a foil to J. Robert Oppenheimer, in "Oppenheimer."

Da'Vine Joy Randolph — "A Little White Lie" (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 34%

The same year she scored an Academy Award for her heartwarming portrayal as Mary, a cook at a prestigious New England boarding school in "The Holdovers," Randolph appeared in the film "A Little White Lie," co-starring Michael Shannon and Kate Hudson as a handyman masquerading as an author and an English professor, respectively.

Emma Stone — "Movie 43" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

Stone won an Oscar for her role as Mia in "La La Land" in 2017, and seven years later, she picked up her second statue for playing Bella Baxter in "Poor Things."

In "Movie 43," Stone plays Veronica, who accidentally has her conversation with her ex-boyfriend (Kieran Culkin, also her real-life ex-boyfriend) broadcast to an entire grocery store.

Jamie Lee Curtis — "Christmas With the Kranks" (2004)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

In "Christmas with the Kranks," Curtis plays half of a married couple alongside Tim Allen, who are new empty-nesters. When their plans for a Christmas cruise are changed by their daughter's surprise visit, hijinks ensue.

Curtis has been in Hollywood for over 40 years but was finally recognized by the Academy in 2023 for her supporting role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

Brendan Fraser — "The Poison Rose" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Four years after appearing in this critically panned film, which co-starred Morgan Freeman and John Travolta, Fraser won an Oscar for his performance as a reclusive English professor in "The Whale."

Michelle Yeoh — "Babylon AD" (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Yeoh stars in "Babylon AD," a sci-fi dystopian thriller as a nun of a new religion that is darker than she realizes.

In 2023, Yeoh, much like her costar Jamie Lee Curtis, was recognized for her decades of work in Hollywood by winning an Oscar for her role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

Will Smith — "After Earth" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

Smith has had some high highs and low lows, cinematically speaking. His worst-reviewed film is a personal one for him — it's 2013's "After Earth," in which he co-starred with his son Jaden Smith. They played father-and-son duo, Cypher, and Kitai Rage, who must work together to survive on a postapocalyptic Earth.

Almost 10 years later, he won an Oscar for portraying Richard Williams, the father of tennis GOATs Serena and Venus, in "King Richard."

Jessica Chastain — "Stolen" (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Chastain finally won an Oscar 10 years after her first nomination for "The Help" in 2012. She took home the best actress prize for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," in which she totally transformed to play evangelical Christian celebrity Tammy Faye Bakker.

Back in 2009, though, Chastain appeared in a career-low, the film "Stolen" alongside Jon Hamm and Josh Lucas. The film tells the story of two fathers connected by the kidnappings of their sons 50 years apart.

Sam Rockwell — "Gentlemen Broncos" (2009) and "Mute" (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Rockwell's been nominated for two Oscars, winning one for his performance in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" in 2018. The next year he was nominated again for "Vice."

Almost a decade prior, he appeared in "Gentlemen Broncos," a film about a would-be author named Benjamin Purvis, who is trying to write a book called "Yeast Lords." Rockwell plays the main character of the book, Bronco (later Brutus).

His other lowest-rated film, "Mute," was released in 2018 and is a follow-up to the 2009 film "Moon." Rockwell has an uncredited cameo in the film as his role from "Moon," Sam Bell.

Marisa Tomei — "The Watcher" (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

In total, Tomei has been nominated at the Academy Awards three times, winning one in 1993 for "My Cousin Vinny." Her other two nominations were for 2001's "In the Bedroom" and 2008's "The Wrestler."

Right around the time of her second nomination, Tomei appeared in the worst-reviewed film of her career, "The Watcher," in which she plays the therapist of antisocial FBI agent Joel Campbell, played by James Spader.

Daniel Kaluuya — "Chatroom" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Kaluuya scored his first Oscar win in 2021 for his performance as Fred Hampton in "Judas and the Black Messiah." He was also nominated for "Get Out."

But back in 2010, fresh off his run on "Skins," Kaluuya appeared in the internet thriller "Chatroom," which followed a group of teens who meet online and encourage each other's bad behavior.

Rachel Weisz — "Dream House" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Weisz won her first (and only, so far) Oscar for 2006's "The Constant Gardener." She was nominated again for 2018's "The Favourite."

Even if her worst film is the 2011 psychological thriller "Dream House," it couldn't have been that bad to shoot — on set, she reconnected with Daniel Craig, which led to their eventual marriage and the birth of their daughter in 2018.

Taika Waititi — "Green Lantern" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Waititi might be best known as a writer and director — in fact, his Oscar win was for the screenplay of his film "Jojo Rabbit" in 2020 — but he has acted in a fair few films, including the maligned comic book film "Green Lantern," in which he plays an engineer and coworker of Hal Jordan, played by Ryan Reynolds.

Hilary Swank — "New Year's Eve" (2011), "The Next Karate Kid" (1994), and "The Reaping" (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes scores: 7%

Swank has won two Academy Awards: one for her role in "Boys Don't Cry" in 2000 and one for her role in "Million Dollar Baby" in 2005.

Six years after her second win, Swank appeared in "New Year's Eve," Garry Marshall's second anthology film based on a holiday after 2010's "Valentine's Day." Swank plays Claire, the vice president of the Times Square Alliance, who has to deal with many mishaps regarding the ball drop. Her father, played by Robert De Niro, is also in the hospital while she's dealing with these crises.

She has appeared in two other films tied for worst, "The Next Karate Kid" and "The Reaping."

Olivia Colman — "Pudsey the Dog: The Movie" (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Colman won her first Oscar in 2019 for "The Favourite," was nominated again for her role in "The Father," and received her third nom for "The Lost Daughter" in 2022.

But five years prior, she voiced a horse in "Pudsey the Dog: The Movie," a film based on Pudsey, the canine half of the "Britain's Got Talent" winners, Ashleigh and Pudsey.

Russell Crowe — "Poker Face" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Crowe was nominated for an Oscar three years in a row, from 2000 to 2002, winning one for his performance in "Gladiator" as Maximus in 2001.

However, in 2022, he appeared in the critically panned "Poker Face," a film Crowe also wrote and directed. In it, he plays a tech billionaire who invites his closest friends over to make them confess their secrets.

Helen Mirren — "Berlin, I Love You" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Mirren has one Academy Award win from four nominations, for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen."

Her worst-reviewed film is 2018's "Berlin, I Love You," part of Emmanuel Benbihy's "Cities of Love" series. The film is made up of different segments, each with a different director, about different people in Berlin. Mirren plays a character named Margaret.

J.K. Simmons — "Marmaduke" (2022) and "An Invisible Sign" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Simmons' first and only Oscar to date is for his performance in 2014's "Whiplash."

Eight years later, he had a voice role in the 2022 animated remake of "Marmaduke" as an Afghan hound named Zeus that earned a 0%. Another Simmons film, "An Invisible Sign," a math-based inspirational film, also received a 0% back in 2010.

Frances McDormand — "Æon Flux" (2005), "Chattahoochee" (1989), and "Passed Away" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

McDormand has four Oscars on her résumé, for "Fargo," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,"  and two for "Nomadland" (as an actor and producer) with eight nominations total.

The same year she earned her fourth nomination for "North Country," she also appeared in "Æon Flux," a dystopian sci-fi thriller about an underground society trying to overthrow its dictatorial leaders. McDormand plays the Handler, the society's leader, but she may not be what she seems.

McDormand has had two other films earn a 10% score, too: "Chattahoochee" and "Passed Away."

Mark Rylance — "Days and Nights" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Rylance won an Oscar on his first try, for 2015's "Bridge of Spies." Just two years prior, though, he appeared in "Days and Nights," a film based on Anton Chekhov's play "The Seagull." Rylance plays Stephen, an ornithologist and husband to Alex (Katie Holmes), the daughter of the film's main character, movie star Elizabeth (Allison Janney).

Allison Janney — "A Thousand Words" (2012) and "Days and Nights" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Janney won her first Academy Award in 2018 for "I, Tonya." On the flip side, she's appeared in not one, but two 0% films on Rotten Tomatoes. First, she appeared in 2012 comedy "A Thousand Words," which focuses on Eddie Murphy's character Aaron losing his ability to speak freely — every word brought him closer to death. Janney plays a character named Samantha.

And, as a bonus, the next year, she appeared in the 0% film "Days and Nights."

Christoph Waltz — "Tulip Fever" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

Waltz is two-for-two in Oscars, with wins for "Inglourious Basterds" and "Django Unchained." In 2017, Waltz starred in 2017's historical drama "Tulip Fever," based on the 1999 novel of the same name. He played Cornelis Sandvoort, a merchant who commissions a painting of his wife Sophia — only for the painter to fall in love with Sophia himself.

Renée Zellweger — "The Bachelor" (1999)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

Zellweger has earned two Oscars during her career. First, for her role as Ruby in the Civil War epic "Cold Mountain" in 2004, and then again in 2020 for her portrayal of Judy Garland in "Judy."

On the other hand, she also appeared in the 1999 rom-com flop "The Bachelor" as the ostensible female lead, Anne.

Joaquin Phoenix — "Russkies" (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14%

Phoenix earned his first Oscar win in 2020 for his performance in "Joker" as the titular comic book villain. He had been nominated three times prior. In "Russkies," (in which he is credited as Leaf Phoenix), he plays a 12-year-old Army brat named Danny.

Laura Dern — "Grizzly II: Revenge" (1983/2020) and "Little Fockers" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Dern's 2020 Oscar win for her turn as the ruthless divorce lawyer Nora in "Marriage Story" came after two previous nominations. That same year, a long-delayed film called "Grizzly II: Revenge" was finally released after being completed in 1983.

Dern also had a small role in "Little Fockers."

Brad Pitt — "Cool World" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 4%

After decades in Hollywood, Pitt finally won an Oscar in 2020 for his performance in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," in which he played bodyguard Cliff Booth. While 2019 was a peak, the nadir of his career has to be his appearance in "Cool World" as Frank, a detective transported into a comic book world.

Lupita Nyong'o — "The 355" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

Nyong'o earned an Academy Award for her very first film, 2013's "12 Years a Slave," in which she played Patsey, a slave who endured particularly horrifying mistreatment and violence from her master, played by Michael Fassbender.

Since then, Nyong'o has proven to have good taste — she's only appeared in two films ruled "rotten" by Rotten Tomatoes ... with the worst film being 2022's spy thriller "The 355."

Eddie Redmayne — "Hick" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

Redmayne won his first Oscar for 2015's "The Theory of Everything," in which he played Stephen Hawking from before his ALS diagnosis and time as a student through to when he was honored by the Queen in 1989.

However, the worst film in his career thus far is 2011's "Hick," an exceedingly dark film in which he plays a creepy man named Eddie who "falls in love" with a 13-year-old girl while on a road trip.

Natalie Portman — "Planetarium" (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

Portman has been nominated for three Oscars, winning one for her performance in "Black Swan" as Nina, a ballerina who is slowly losing her grip on reality.

In 2016, the same year she was nominated for her third Oscar for playing Jackie Kennedy in "Jackie," she also starred in the French film "Planetarium" as Laura, a séance host turned actress.

Colin Firth — "The Accidental Husband" (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Firth received an Oscar for his role as King George in 2010's "The King's Speech," which focused on the King's efforts to conquer his stutter so that he could give a speech to the British public.

But only three years prior, Firth appeared in the most critically disliked film of his career, "The Accidental Husband," in which he plays the prim and proper Richard, opposite the film's titular accidental husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Charlize Theron — "The Last Face" (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

Theron won an Oscar for her breakthrough role in "Monster," a 2003 film about the real-life serial killer and sex worker Aileen Wuornos (played by Theron), who murdered seven men.

Over a decade later, she starred in "The Last Face." She played Wren Petersen, a doctor working for a Doctors Without Borders-type of organization in West Africa.

Anne Hathaway — "The Last Thing He Wanted" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

Hathaway, who won best supporting actress for her role as Fantine in "Les Misérables," plays a journalist who becomes an arms dealer named Elena McMahon in "The Last Thing He Wanted," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020.

Leonardo DiCaprio — "Critters 3" (1991)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

DiCaprio finally won his Oscar for his role as Hugh Glass in "The Revenant." In "Critters 3," he plays the main character's little brother, Josh. It's actually his film debut!

For a bonus, DiCaprio also produced a film with a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes: the 2018 horror film Delirium, starring Topher Grace.

Meryl Streep — "Lions for Lambs" (2007) and "Evening" (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

Streep's three Oscars came from her roles as Joanna Kramer in "Kramer vs. Kramer," Sophie in "Sophie's Choice," and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."

In "Lions for Lambs," Streep plays a TV journalist who is asked to spout positive propaganda about the war in Afghanistan. The same year, she co-starred with her daughter Mamie Gummer in a film called "Evening," in which they played older and younger versions of the same character.

Jared Leto — "Basil" (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Leto played a trans woman named Rayon in "Dallas Buyers Club," which earned him an Oscar for best supporting actor. Seventeen years prior, he starred in "Basil," based on the 1852 novel of the same name, as the titular character.

Viola Davis —"The Architect" (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Davis won her first Oscar after three nominations for her role as Rosa Lee Maxson in "Fences." She was nominated yet again in 2021 for her role in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

 In "The Architect," she plays Tonya, an activist who decides to oppose the high-powered architect who designed the public housing she lives in.

Mahershala Ali — "Supremacy" (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

Ali has won two Oscars. First, for his role as father figure and drug dealer Juan in "Moonlight," and then for his role as real-life musician, Dr. Don Shirley, in "Green Book."

In "Supremacy," Ali has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role as a cop named Deputy Rivers.

Jennifer Lawrence — "House at the End of the Street" (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

Lawrence won for her role as a young bipolar widow named Tiffany in "Silver Linings Playbook." In "House at the End of the Street," Lawrence plays the "final girl" Elissa, who is terrorized by her next-door neighbor.

Marlon Brando — "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Brando, one of the greatest actors of all time, won two Oscars in his career. First, for his role as Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront," and then for his iconic role as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather."

They can't all be winners though, as evidenced by "Christopher Columbus," in which Brando played the Spanish friar and first grand inquisitor, Tomás de Torquemada.

Regina King — "A Cinderella Story" (2004)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

King garnered her first Oscar in 2019 for her role in "If Beale Street Could Talk," as Sharon Rivers.

In "A Cinderella Story," she played the lovable waitress/"fairy godmother," Rhonda. 

Matt Damon — "Suburbicon" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%

Damon, alongside Ben Affleck, won an Oscar for best screenplay for "Good Will Hunting," which he also starred in as Will Hunting.

His worst film, on the other hand, was 2017's "Suburbicon," written and directed by his friend George Clooney. Damon plays Gardner Lodge, the patriarch of a "seemingly normal family" inside a '50s suburb when their lives get upended by a home invasion.

Damon also has a 0% under his belt for producing the 2015 comedy "The Leisure Class."

Patricia Arquette — "Holy Matrimony" (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Arquette won best supporting actress for her role as Olivia in "Boyhood," which was shot over the course of 12 years.

In "Holy Matrimony," directed by Leonard Nimoy, a 26-year-old Arquette stars as Havana, a petty criminal who is forced to marry the kid brother of her boyfriend after her boyfriend is killed in a car crash.

Sidney Poitier — "The Jackal" (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

Poitier, who died in 2022, became the first Black actor to win an Oscar when he won for his performance in "Lilies in the Field," as Homer Smith, in 1964. Over 30 years later, he appeared in "The Jackal," a Bruce Willis-led action thriller, as FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston.

He also directed "Ghost Dad," which has a 6%.

Tilda Swinton — "The Beach" (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Swinton earned an Oscar for her role as Karen Crowder, a lawyer on the verge of a mental breakdown, in "Michael Clayton." In "The Beach," she plays Sal, the enigmatic leader of a beach community.

Rami Malek — "Dolittle" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

One year after Malek won an Oscar for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody," Malek appeared in "Dolittle," a movie in which he voices Chee-Chee, a shy gorilla.

Angelina Jolie — "Original Sin" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

Jolie burst onto the scene with her Oscar-winning performance as Lisa in "Girl, Interrupted." Two years later, she starred in "Original Sin" as Julia Russell, opposite Antonio Banderas.

Gary Oldman — "Killers Anonymous" (2019) and "Nobody's Baby" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Just a year after his first Oscar win for his performance as Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour," Oldman starred in "Killers Anonymous," as a hit-man only called The Man, who joins a support group for killers. But, two years after this career low, he was nominated once again for his performance in "Mank."

But his first 0% movie came in 2001, with "Nobody's Baby." In it, he plays a criminal named Buford Bill.

Cate Blanchett — "Borderlands" (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

Blanchett has won twice: first, for her role as Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator" and second, for her Jasmine Francis in "Blue Jasmine."

However, the worst film in her career was 2024's "Borderlands," based on the video game series of the same name. She played Lilith, the film's orange-haired main character.

Matthew McConaughey — "Surfer, Dude" (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

The "McConaissance" began with McConaughey's Oscar-winning performance as Ron Woodroof in "Dallas Buyers Club." "Surfer, Dude" falls squarely before McConaughey's career experienced a revival.

In "Surfer, Dude," he plays Steve Addington, a surfer who experiences an existential crisis.

Whoopi Goldberg — "Theodore Rex" (1995) and "Homer & Eddie" (1989)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Goldberg won for her role in "Ghost" as medium Oda Mae Brown. Five years later, she appeared in "Theodore Rex," as a detective named Katie Coltrane who works with dinosaurs. At the time, it was the "most expensive straight-to-video flop," according to The Guardian.

Another poorly received film Goldberg starred in was "Homer & Eddie," in which she plays an escaped mental patient.

Daniel Day-Lewis — "Nine" (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 39%

Day-Lewis is extremely selective with the movies he chooses, so it's no surprise that "Nine" isn't as widely panned as some other films on this list. In it, he plays director Guido Contini, based on Federico Fellini.

The now-retired actor has won three Oscars. First, for his role as Christy Brown, a man with cerebral palsy, in "My Left Foot," for his role as silver prospector Daniel Plainview in "There Will Be Blood," and as the 16th president of the United States in "Lincoln."

Anjelica Huston — "Material Girls" (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 4%

Huston won in 1986 for her role as Maerose Prizzi in "Prizzi's Honor," which was directed by her father, John Huston, and co-starred her longtime love, Jack Nicholson.

In 2006, she played a makeup mogul named Fabiella Du Mont in "Material Girls."

Jeff Bridges — "8 Million Ways to Die" (1986)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Bridges won an Oscar for his performance in "Crazy Heart" as an aging country star named Otis "Bad" Blake. But decades prior, he starred in "8 Million Ways to Die" as Scudder, an alcoholic detective.

Goldie Hawn — "Town & Country" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Hawn won her Oscar for 1969's "Cactus Flower," in which she played Toni, a 21-year-old girlfriend of a dentist, played by Walter Matthau. In "Town & Country," Hawn plays a woman named Mona, whose husband is cheating on her with another man.

Forest Whitaker — "A Dark Truth" (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Whitaker garnered an Oscar for his role as real-life Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland." Five years later, Whitaker appeared in "A Dark Truth" as a character named Francisco, who wants to expose the beginnings of a typhus outbreak in a South American village.

Sandra Bullock — "Speed 2: Cruise Control" (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 4%

Bullock portrayed Leigh Anne Tuohy, the adoptive mother of professional football player Michael Oher, in "The Blind Side," earning her an Oscar. In "Speed 2," she reprises her role as Annie Porter from the first "Speed" movie, a civilian who frequently finds herself in high-stress situations.

Sean Penn — "Crackers" (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Penn has earned two Oscars in his career, first for his role as Jimmy Markum in "Mystic River" and again for his role as Harvey Milk in "Milk."

In "Crackers," Penn plays an amateur musician named Dillard.

Kate Winslet — "Movie 43" (2013) and "A Kid in King Arthur's Court" (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

Winslet played a former Nazi guard named Hanna in "The Reader," and her performance earned her an Oscar. In "Movie 43," Winslet plays Beth, who goes on a blind date with Davis, played by Hugh Jackman.

Winslet has a role in "A Kid in King Arthur's Court" as Princess Sarah.

Jamie Foxx — "Stealth" (2005) and "Not Another Church Movie" (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

While Foxx earned an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in "Ray," not all of his films have been hits.

In "Stealth," Foxx plays Navy Lieutenant Henry Purcell, while in "Not Another Church Movie," he plays God.

Reese Witherspoon — "S.F.W." (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 6%

Witherspoon won an Oscar for her role in "Walk the Line" as June Carter Cash. In "S.F.W.," she plays a hostage named Wendy who falls in love with another hostage named Cliff, played by Stephen Dorff.

Paul Newman — "When Time Ran Out..." (1980) and "Adventures of a Young Man" (1962)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Newman is one of the most beloved actors in American history, though it took decades for him to finally win an Oscar for his role as "Fast" Eddie Felson in 1986's "The Color of Money."

Six years prior to the win, he starred in universally panned "When Time Ran Out..." as an oil rigger named Hank Anderson. Eighteen years prior, he had starred in another 0% movie, "Adventures of a Young Man."

Nicole Kidman — "Grace of Monaco" (2014) and "Trespass" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Kidman earned an Oscar for "The Hours," in which she played real-life author Virginia Woolf.

In "Grace of Monaco," she plays the real-life first American princess, Grace Kelly, while in "Trespass," she plays Sarah, the victim of a stalker.

Al Pacino — "Jack and Jill" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 3%

After decades of iconic performances, Pacino won his Oscar for 1992's "Scent of a Woman." In it, he plays Frank Slade, a blind alcoholic whom Chris O'Donnell's character Charlie is tasked with taking care of.

In "Jack and Jill," Pacino plays a fictionalized version of himself who has a giant crush on Jill, played by Adam Sandler.

Halle Berry — "Dark Tide" (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Berry is perhaps one of the most famous alleged victims of the "Oscar's curse." After winning for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in "Monster's Ball," Berry's career slowed down.

Case in point: the 2012 film "Dark Tide," in which Berry plays Katie Mathieson, the shark expert afraid to get back in the water.

However, her career is definitely picking back up again with recent films like "Moonfall," "Bruised," and the third "John Wick" film.

Robert De Niro — "Godsend" (2004)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 3%

De Niro is another highly respected actor in cinematic history, as evidenced by his two Oscar wins for "The Godfather Part II" as Vito Corleone — he and Marlon Brando won Oscars for the same role — and for "Raging Bull" as real-life boxer Jake LaMotta.

But sometimes even De Niro gets a dud, like 2004's "Godsend," a horror film starring De Niro as a doctor who offers to help a grieving couple by cloning their dead son.

Susan Sarandon — "The Big Wedding" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 6%

Sarandon's Oscar win came from her role in "Dead Man Walking," in which she plays a nun, Sister Helen Prejean, who became close with a death row prisoner, Matthew (played by Sean Penn).

In "The Big Wedding," Sarandon plays Bebe, the new girlfriend of Robert De Niro's character Don, who is returning home for the wedding of his son Alejandro.

Jack Nicholson — "Man Trouble" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Nicholson has won three Oscars. He won for his role as Randle "Mac" McMurphy in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," for Garrett Breedlove in "Terms of Endearment," and for Melvin Udall in "As Good As It Gets."

In 1992, Nicholson starred in "Man Trouble" as Harry Bliss, a man who runs a guard dog service and gets blackmailed into stealing.

Julia Roberts — "Love, Wedding, Marriage" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Roberts earned an Oscar for "Erin Brockovich," in which she played the titular character, a legal clerk who built a case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

In "Love, Wedding, Marriage," which was directed by her friend and frequent costar Dermot Mulroney, only Roberts' voice can be heard as Ava's (played by Mandy Moore) therapist.

Denzel Washington — "Heart Condition" (1990)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

Washington won Oscars for his performances as Private Silas Trip in "Glory" and Detective Alonzo Harris in "Training Day." He was nominated for No. 3 for "The Tragedy of Macbeth" in 2022.

He also starred in the movie, "Heart Condition," as a lawyer named Napoleon Stone who gets murdered and reappears as a ghost to help his racist former colleague, played by Bob Hoskins.

Jane Fonda — "The Blue Bird" (1976)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Fonda won her first Oscar in 1972 for her role as Bree Daniels in "Klute." She won again in 1979 for her role in Sally Hyde in "Coming Home."

She has a role in 1976's "The Blue Bird" as the personification of Night.

Christian Bale — "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

Bale garnered his first Oscar for his role as Dicky Eklund in "The Fighter." Nine years prior, he starred in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" as Madras, a local Greek fisherman.

Anna Paquin — "Darkness" (2002)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 5%

Paquin was just 11 years old when she won an Oscar for her role as Flora McGrath, a child who interprets for her mute mother, in "The Piano." A decade later, she starred in the horror movie "Darkness," where she plays a teenager, Regina, living in a possessed house.

Tom Hanks — "The Bonfire of the Vanities" (1990)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

Hanks won Oscars back-to-back for his roles as Andrew Beckett in "Philadelphia" and as Forrest in "Forrest Gump." He also starred in this flop, "The Bonfire of the Vanities," as Sherman McCoy, a typical Wall Street broker.

Penélope Cruz — "Twice Born" (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Four years before she won an Oscar for her role as María Elena in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," Cruz appeared in "Twice Born" as Gemma.

Nicolas Cage — "Left Behind" (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Cage, who has appeared in a few questionable movies over his career, won an Oscar in 1996 for his performance as Ben Sanderson in "Leaving Las Vegas."

In 2014, he starred in the film "Left Behind" as Rayford Steele, a pilot trying to survive the Rapture.

George Clooney — "Return of the Killer Tomatoes!" (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Clooney won one Oscar for acting, for his role as Bob Barnes in "Syriana," and one for producing "Argo," which won best picture.

He also starred in "Return of the Killer Tomatoes!" as ladies' man Matt Stevens.

Gwyneth Paltrow — "Mortdecai" (2015) and "Hush" (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

Paltrow scored an Oscar for "Shakespeare in Love," in which she plays Shakespeare's love interest, Viola de Lesseps.

In "Mortdecai," Paltrow costars with Johnny Depp as the married con artist couple Johanna and Charlie Mortdecai, while in "Hush," she plays Helen, a young woman being manipulated by her mother-in-law.

Morgan Freeman — "The Minute You Wake Up Dead" (2022), "The Poison Rose" (2019), "That Was Then…This Is Now" (1985), and "The Contract" (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Freeman plays a coach's assistant, Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris, in "Million Dollar Baby," which earned him an Oscar in 2005.

In "The Minute You Wake Up Dead," he plays Thurmond Fowler, the sheriff of a small town.

Technically, Freeman has appeared in four films with a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes ("The Poison Rose," "The Contract," and "That Was Then ... This Is Now," "The Minute You Wake Up Dead"), but "The Minute" is the most recent.

 

Sally Field — "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" (1979)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Field has won two Oscars in her career. First, for playing the titular role in "Norma Rae," and then for her role as Edna Spalding in "Places in the Heart."

In "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure," Field plays a passenger, Celeste Whitman, aboard a tugboat that's set to salvage the sunken Poseidon.

Benicio del Toro — "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Del Toro's lone Oscar win thus far is for his performance in "Traffic" as Mexican police officer Javier Rodriguez.

In "Christopher Columbus," del Toro plays Alvaro Harana, the son of one of Columbus' friends.

Brie Larson — "Remember the Daze" (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

Larson won an Oscar for her role in "Room" as kidnapping victim Joy (or Ma) who is forced to raise her son inside a single room by her captors.

One of her first roles was in "Remember the Daze" as Angie, the younger sister of the main character, Julia.

Amazon announced that it has created its own quantum computing chip, joining Microsoft and Google in a push to take this potentially transformative technology from the theoretical to the practical. Ocelot is a prototype that's intended to test the effectiveness of Amazon Web Services' quantum error correction architecture. Compared with other chip methods, the company claims Ocelot can reduce the cost of implementing quantum error correction by up to 90 percent.

Quantum computing could solve complicated problems exponentially faster than standard computers by using quantum bits, or qubits, rather than traditional bits that store a computer's information as 1s and 0s. Rather than representing only a 1 or a 0, qubits can represent a proportion of both 1 and 0 at the same time. Ocelot takes this a step farther with its use of "cat qubits," named for the famous Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, which can "intrinsically suppress certain forms of errors," according to Amazon.

Error rate is one of the key limitations of current quantum computing, because the qubits are so sensitive to minute changes in their environments. Electromagnetic interference from a WiFi network can be enough to disturb a qubit and cause it to make mistakes. Adding more qubits to a chip means faster calculations, but also more mistakes.

Ocelot consists of five data qubits (the cat qubits), five "buffer circuits" to stabilize them and four qubits for detecting errors on the cat qubits. "We selected our qubit and architecture with quantum error correction as the top requirement," said Oskar Painter, director of quantum hardware at AWS. "We believe that if we're going to make practical quantum computers, quantum error correction needs to come first."

Google claimed that its Willow chip, announced in December, was able to reduce errors as more qubits were added. Ocelot is another step toward reducing errors and making useful quantum computers a reality.

Your keyboard is one of the few pieces of technology you’ll use for hours at a time, so why not make it something that brings you joy? Sure, the people who gush over mechanical keyboards can be a bit much, but the enhanced comfort, durability and customizability that comes with the best of them is real. If you’re interested in making the switch (ahem), we’ve tested dozens of mechanical keyboards over the past year and rounded up our favorites below. We’ve also broken down what to look for as you shop.

What to look for in a mechanical keyboard

Layout

The first thing to decide with any keyboard is what size and layout you want. Full-size layouts have all the keys you’d ever need — a number pad, a full function row, arrow keys, etc. — but they also have the largest physical footprint. A 96-percent or “1800” keyboard is similar, but crunches the navigation cluster (Page Up, Home, etc.), numpad and arrow keys closer together to save space. Tenkeyless (TKL) or 80-percent keyboards omit the number pad entirely; they're often considered the best blend of size and functionality. 75-percent keyboards keep almost all of the buttons of a TKL model but further reduce any “dead” space between them — think of them like the TKL versions of a 96 percent layout.

It gets more and more minimal from there. The smallest popular layout is the 60 percent keyboard, which removes the arrow keys, function row, numpad and navigation cluster. This kind of design can be particularly useful for gaming, as it opens up a ton of desk space to swing your mouse around. It typically relies on shortcuts to make up for its missing keys, but it comes with a learning curve as a result.

Even more compact options exist beyond that. These can be adorable, but they usually involve removing the number row, which is a step too far for most people. There are all sorts of ergonomic keyboards that utilize different shapes to improve your wrist and arm comfort as well, but we have a separate guide for those.

Switch type

No component has more of an impact on how a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds than the switches beneath its keycaps. The market for these tiny mechanisms is vast and complex but, to keep it simple, you can separate them into three types: linear, tactile and clicky. Which you prefer ultimately comes down to personal preference, so we encourage you to go to a store, try out a friend’s keyboard and test switches out to determine what you like best.

Linear switches feel smooth and consistent all the way down. Many PC gamers prefer them because they’re often light and fast to actuate, so they can register inputs quickly. They tend to be quieter than other switch types as well, but some may find them too sensitive.

Tactile switches create a noticeable “bump” partway through a press. They generally aren’t as fast as their linear counterparts, but many (including yours truly) enjoy the tangible sense of feedback they provide with each keystroke. This bit of resistance can make it a little easier to avoid typos, too. Many tactile switches are neither outright quiet nor disruptively loud.

Clicky switches are, well, clicky. They work similarly to tactile switches but use an extra mechanism that makes a sharp click sound when pressed. The exact design of that mechanism can differ depending on the switch. Some people love the audible feedback of clicky switches. The people who work or live with them? Probably not so much.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Remember: These are general buckets. Within them lies an enormous variety of switches with differing actuation points, weights, springs, bump sensations and more. One linear, tactile, or clicky switch can feel and sound noticeably different than another.

There are more dramatic variations as well. Low-profile switches, for one, can be linear, tactile or clicky but aren’t as tall and have a shorter travel distance. They allow for flatter and more compact designs, with keys that are fast to press but also easy to bottom out.

Optical and Hall effect switches rely on different mechanisms entirely. Instead of a physical contact point, the former uses a beam of infrared light to register keystrokes, while the latter uses tiny magnets. Both commonly have a linear feel. They can also enable a few gaming-friendly features: You could set custom actuation points and make any key more or less sensitive, map multiple actions to one keystroke or even use an “analog mode” that emulates gamepad controls. (Newer inductive switches are said to offer similar benefits.) These are niche tricks, but they can make a difference for competitive-minded players. Boards that use these “analog” switches are frequently more expensive and less customizable than traditional mechanical options, though.

Switch modifications

It doesn’t stop at switch types: Manufacturers (and you!) can make several other tweaks to shape how a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds. Some have layers of different foam inside their case to tamp down noise, for instance. Some have switches that are lubricated out of the box to provide a smoother feel and more muted sound. A few others put plastic, rubber or foam “films” between the upper and bottom housing of a switch to keep it from wobbling and further tune its acoustics. Or they stick a layer of tape on their printed circuit board (PCB) to absorb higher-pitched sounds. We think most people will find that some well-applied foam and lubing makes things feel nicer, though this is another matter that comes down to taste.

Keycaps

Keycaps play a huge role in defining a keyboard’s character. First off, they should look nice! There’s a huge market for third-party keycaps in all different styles, from the playful to the professional to the proudly impractical. The majority of mechanical keyboards make it easy to swap in new keycaps, so it’s usually not a huge deal if you ever get bored with your device's stock set.

Most keycaps are made from one of two types of plastic: ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). Keycaps using the latter tend to be higher-quality. They're often thicker, more durable, deeper-sounding and less prone to developing a shiny or greasy finish over time. Still, premium ABS keycaps do exist, so this is another case where what’s “best” partly comes down to personal taste. You may prefer an ABS keycap that feels smooth over a PBT model with a rougher texture.

Keycap sets are available in several different shapes and sizes. Some are totally uniform; many others are distinctly sculpted to meet your fingers in (ostensibly) more natural positions. Which is most comfortable is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself. You can check out keycaps.info to see what the most popular keycap profiles look like.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Keyboard makers have several different methods of printing the letters and symbols (aka “legends”) that go on a set of keycaps. The two most common are known as double-shot and dye-sublimation. Double-shot caps are typically more durable but cost more to produce — they’re made by molding one color of plastic for the keycap around a second color of plastic for the legend. “Dye-sub” caps, in contrast, use heat to stain in the legends but are decently durable in their own right.

For keyboards with RGB backlighting, it's best if the legends to be “shine-through,” so those color effects are visible through the keycaps. We don’t think it’s the end of the world if they aren’t — as you’ll see below — but the RGB won’t be as fun otherwise.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers (or “stabs”) are little components that go under large keys like the space bar or backspace to keep them from rattling or wobbling when pressed. These come in different types as well. Many a decent keyboard has been hindered by subpar stabilizers, so it’s worth checking your bigger keys first to ensure they aren’t distractingly shaky or uneven.

Mounting styles and case quality

A keyboard’s mounting style determines how its PCB and plate — i.e., a common (but not universal) layer that holds the keycaps in place above the PCB — are secured within its case. This, too, comes in varying styles and can have a significant effect on how the board feels and sounds. It’s also something that’s best explained visually, so we’ll point you to this excellent infographic from Thomas Baart instead of running through every possible configuration here. It’s hard to say one mounting style is always better than the others, but many enthusiast boards these days use some sort of gasket mount, which puts a gasket material on either side to separate the plate from the main case. Done well, this can make typing feel softer and bouncier than it would on a more traditional, tray-mounted design.

Regardless of what’s going on under the hood, a good keyboard shouldn’t feel cheap on the outside, either. Its case shouldn’t flex under pressure or feel hollow as you’re clacking away. Higher-end models often have cases made from metal or sturdier plastic — the former may feel more premium but it’s typically heavier and pricier.

Customizations and software

We focused on pre-built models here, but that doesn’t mean customization isn’t important. Experimenting with different switches and keycaps is half the fun of this hobby, after all. For this guide, we prioritized keyboards that are “hot-swappable,” which means they let you easily remove and replace switches without having to desolder anything. Permanently attached switches may be more stable, but fixing a broken hot-swappable switch should be relatively painless — and more affordable to boot.

We also valued keyboards that are easy to program and customize through software, whether it’s a manufacturer-specific app or popular open-source programs like VIA. Not everyone will go through the trouble to set macros, customize backlighting or remap keys, but it’s better to have the option if your mindset changes down the road.

It’s a plus if a keyboard works across multiple operating systems, particularly Windows and macOS, just in case you ever switch allegiances. If the device comes with OS-specific keycaps you can pop on to make the experience less clunky, that’s even better.

Connectivity

Wireless connectivity isn’t essential with a device that mostly sits on your desk, but it’s always nice to cut down on cables. Though wireless keyboards still cost more than wired ones, today you can get something great for less than $100. If you do go wireless, look for a model that can connect over Bluetooth and a USB wireless dongle. The former is convenient for travel, while the latter can provide a more stable connection. For wired keyboards, you want a detachable USB cable so you don’t have to replace your entire device if the cord ever frays or breaks.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Backlight

Good backlighting will make any keyboard easier to use in the dark. We gave bonus points to keyboards with fully programmable RGB lights, as they can be particularly fun to mess with, but they're not essential. As noted above, the strength of your backlight will be neutered if your keycaps’ legends aren’t transparent.

Rotary knob

Some mechanical keyboards come configured with a rotary knob, which typically controls volume by default but can be customized to control other inputs as well. This is more of a fun bonus than anything else, but we found it hard to give up on devices without one.

How we tested

To be clear, there isn’t one “best” mechanical keyboard for everyone. Yes, some are likely to be better for most people than others; that’s what we set out to find with this guide. But ultimately, this is one of those categories that’ll largely depend on your personal tastes.

It’s also worth reiterating that we only considered pre-built models for this guide. We still valued keyboards that are configurable with different switches, keycaps and other design tweaks upfront and easy to customize after purchase. However, we recognize that many people just want to pay for a nice thing and enjoy it, without having to do homework on how they can make it better. If you want to get hardcore later on and start building your own custom keyboards, we have a whole separate guide for that.

With that said, we started our research by reading a ton of reviews from both professionals and everyday users, trawling enthusiast forums along the way. This helped us whittle down the devices that had a shot of being a top pick and were readily available from reputable brands. From there, we used each keyboard as our daily driver for a few days, typing up thousands of words, playing PC games and paying attention to the key aspects noted above. We fully charged each wireless model and monitored its battery drain to ensure it lined up with their advertised rating. We also ensured any companion software worked as intended.

It’s worth keeping in mind that new mechanical keyboards are coming out all the time. It's very difficult to get to everything, but we'll continue to monitor the market and update this guide as noteworthy boards arrive.

Other mechanical keyboards we tested

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Lofree Block

The wireless Lofree Block feels great and has a fun retro aesthetic that looks like it belongs next to an old Mac. Its keys are wonderfully smooth to the touch and create a nice thocky tone. At $169, it’s a good middle ground between the Keychron Q Max and V Max series if you dig the look. However, it doesn’t have any software for programming macros, it only has a white backlight and it only comes in a full-size layout. Are those huge issues? No. But there are fine margins separating these things once you get to a certain point.

Lofree Flow

It’s a similar story with the Lofree Flow, a low-profile model. Its full-POM switches are softer and noticeably quieter than the NuPhy Air V2, and its thin aluminum case looks and feels high-quality. It can only work wirelessly using Bluetooth, though, and we noticed a couple of connection hiccups in testing. There’s still no software, either, plus its backlight is fairly weak. It also costs $40 or so more than the Air75 V2. Still, it’s a great alternative.

Keychron K Max

The low-profile Keychron K Max series has all the requisite features and costs less than the NuPhy Air75 V2 and Lofree Flow. If you don’t like the Air V2’s style and want a cheaper low-profile model, it’s worth a look. That said, the keycaps on NuPhy’s board feel a bit higher-quality, and the tactile Gateron switches in our K Max unit sound thinner.

NZXT Function 2 & Function 2 MiniTKL

The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL are perfectly solid gaming keyboards with fast optical switches, durable PBT keycaps, tasteful RGB lighting, sound-dampening foam and aluminum top plates. They support a fair amount of customization through NZXT’s CAM app, including the ability to swap between two different universal actuation settings. The stabilizers on larger keys exhibit some rattle, though, and the Wooting 80HE's magnetic switches are far more versatile for not too much extra cash.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

MelGeek Modern97

With its fun speckled color scheme, gasket-mounted design and multiple foam layers, the MelGeek Modern97 is a solid value at $139. The linear, pre-lubed Kailh Box Plastic switches in our unit are smooth and enjoyably clacky, while the larger keys are neither hollow nor overly loud. All of the switches are hot-swappable, and the whole thing works over USB-C, Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz dongle. Alas, its ABS keycaps start to feel slicker and greasier with extended use. This model also has a 90 percent layout, which saves a little extra desk space compared to a 96 percent board but can lead to more accidental presses around the arrow keys.

Razer Huntsman V2 TKL

The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL is a quality gaming keyboard with light optical switches, crisp shine-through keycaps, a sturdy frame and an impressively muffled sound thanks to some internal foam. (If you buy the model with Razer’s linear optical switches, that is; another variant with clicky switches isn’t nearly as quiet.) It’s often available in the $100 range, and at that price it’s a solid pick. It’s neither wireless nor hot-swappable, though, and its keys wobble more than those on the Keychron V Max.

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro

The analog Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is a decent alternative to the Wooting 80HE if the latter’s shipping delays become too great. It’s available in a 60 percent, TKL or full-size layout, and it offers a similar set of gaming features, including an adjustable actuation range and a rapid trigger setting for repeating keystrokes faster. But its optical switches are noisier and more hollow-feeling than Wooting’s Hall effect setup, so it’s not as pleasant for typing.

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SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3)

We recommend the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless in our guide to the best gaming keyboards, and it remains a good choice if you want the extensive customizability of the Wooting 80HE in a wireless design. It also comes with a wrist rest, unlike Wooting’s keyboard, and it offers an impressive typing experience in its own right. SteelSeries’ configuration software is clunkier to navigate than Wootility, though, and at $270 it’s pricier than Keychron Q Max without having quite as premium a design.

G.Skill KM250

The $45 G.Skill KM250 is the top budget pick in our gaming keyboard guide, and it’s still a better buy than the Keychron C3 Pro is gaming is your chief concern. Compared to Keychron’s board, it adds hot-swappable switches, full RGB backlighting, PBT keycaps and a rotary knob in a smaller 65 percent layout. That said, the C3 Pro’s fuller sound and springier keystrokes make it superior for typing, and its tenkeyless design should be more comfortable for a wider swath of people. It’s typically available for $10 to $15 less, too.

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Logitech G Pro X TKL & G Pro X 60

The Logitech G Pro X TKL and 60 percent Logitech G Pro X 60 are well-built but far too expensive for gaming keyboards that lack hot-swappable switches and the analog functionality of competitors like the Wooting 80HE.

Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is better, and a fine magnetic-switch alternative to the Wooting 80HE if you must buy from one of the major keyboard brands. It’s wired-only, but it looks good, with clear RGB lighting, a built-in volume roller, dedicated media keys and a sturdy metal top plate. Its rapid trigger and adjustable actuation features all work fine, and Logitech’s G Hub software is easier to get around than most apps from the big-name manufacturers. All of it costs $30 less than the 80HE as well. Where it falls short is the typing experience: The default switches are pretty noisy, and bottoming out the keys feels stiffer. 

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless is a wireless 96 percent keyboard that’s marketed toward gamers but should feel great to anyone. The pre-lubed, linear ROG NX Snow switches in our test unit are smooth and quiet, while the PBT keycaps feel stable and high-quality. The keycaps let the RGB backlight shine through cleanly, plus there’s a clever multi-function key that puts various lighting and media controls in one place. ASUS’ Armoury Crate software is sloppy, though, and the board’s overall look may be too gamer-y for some. At $180, it’s not cheap either. The Keychron Q5 Max costs $40 more but gets you a more premium (if heavier) all-aluminum chassis; here, the housing is plastic.

ASUS ROG Azoth

The ASUS ROG Azoth is like a 75 percent version of the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches. Its gasket-mounted design gives keystrokes a slightly softer landing, it has a programmable OLED display and it even includes a switch lubing kit in the box. Like the Strix, its hardware is very clearly high-grade. But its software is much more aggravating and, with a list price of $250, it's a worse value than the Keychron Q Max.

Corsair K70 RGB TKL

The Corsair K70 RGB TKL isn’t bad in a vacuum, but it lacks wireless functionality and fully hot-swappable switches. It’s on the noisy side, too, and Corsair’s iCue software is rough.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Corsair K70 Max

The full-size Corsair K70 Max is another high-end gaming keyboard with magnetic Hall effect sensors and Wooting-style features, but trying to program those settings through Corsair’s iCue app gave us headaches. The 80HE also feels better for typing, with less rattling on large keys like the space bar. Wooting’s HE keyboards support a slightly wider actuation range on top of that, plus they cost $30 to $55 less depending on size.

Razer Huntsman Mini

The Razer Huntsman Mini is a fine value if you want a no-frills 60 percent keyboard for less than $100, but it’s another wired-only model that isn’t truly hot-swappable.

Logitech G915 TKL

The Logitech G915 TKL is a wireless low-profile model with a metal frame and handy media controls. The GL Tactile switches in our test unit are comfortable and not particularly noisy. But the thin ABS keycaps feel way too cheap for something that costs $180, the keys themselves are a little too wobbly and the switches aren't hot-swappable. The NuPhy Air75 V2 is a superior value. Logitech released an upgraded model with PBT keycaps and a USB-C port last year; we'll aim to test that one for our next update, but it’s still pretty expensive at $200.

Recent notes

February 2025: We’ve updated this guide with a new gaming pick, the Wooting 80HE, and ensured the rest of our recommendations are still accurate. We've also added a few notes on other keyboards we've recently tested. We’ve put several other gaming-oriented models through their paces since our last update: You can find testing notes for those in our dedicated gaming keyboard buying guide.