Over the Christmas holidays, I haven’t been writing as much as usual, but when I returned to my desk after the festivities, I was tapping away with the Keychron K3 Max, the latest keyboard to turn up on my desk for review.
The Keychron K3 Max is a compact 75% mechanical keyboard with 84 hot-swappable and low-profile switches. It can connect to host devices using Bluetooth, a 2.4Ghz wireless dongle or USB-C cable.
The wireless dongle offers low-latency performance with the same responsiveness as a wired keyboard. The overall effect is a wonderfully slimline keyboard that’s ideal for gaming and looks superb with its grey and orange keycaps.
The K3 Max can be ordered with Gateron Red, Blue or Brown mechanical switches, but it’s also available as a hot-swappable version where the switches can easily be changed to another type of low-profile switch with a different feel and range of travel distances.
The Keychron K3 Max has a similar size and feel as the excellent Logitech MX Mechanical Mini keyboard. The MX Mini was Logitech’s first low-profile mechanical keyboard and a superb performer. However, the Mini has no hot-swappable option, so you can’t change switches later.
The MX Mechanical Mini keyboard benefits from Logitech’s superb Logi Options+ software, which offers almost endless customization. I’d love to see Keychron produce some user-friendly configuration software like Logitech.
The Keychron K3 Max is well-made and has two flip-out legs with rubber feet to stop the keyboard from slipping or moving around on a desk. With and without the two flip-out legs, the keyboard can be set at 2.5, 4.2 and 6.5 degrees, giving the keyboard three different rakes.
The K3 Max uses an ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit processor and QMK firmware, enabling it to be customized using VIA software or website. The keys can be remapped and macros can be assigned to individual keys. The RGB backlight on each switch can be customized with a range of 18 colors and animation effects. And for those who don’t like colored backlights, ordering the K3 Max with white LED backlights is an option.
The standard keycaps on the K3 Max are PBT double-shot types. If you want the legends on keycaps to be illuminated, you’ll need to specify some optional see-through keycaps when ordering. Both Windows and macOS modifier keys ship with the K3 Max, plus there’s a physical switch that sets the keyboard layout to Mac or Windows without the need to remap any keys.
The frame of this compact keyboard is made from aluminum, making it both sturdy and lightweight. As well as the option to connect to the host computer using the 2.4GHz wireless dongle or USB-C cable, the K3 Max can also connect via Bluetooth with up to three devices. You can switch between the Bluetooth hosts with a keystroke, making it easy to switch between a desktop, laptop or tablet.
The battery life of the K3 Max is good. With the LED backlights turned off, the keyboard can work up to 78 hours, translating to about three weeks between charges. With the backlights turned on, you can expect around 40 hours of running time between charges. If the battery does run out unexpectedly, you can switch to the USB connection and recharge the battery as you carry on typing.
Verdict: The Keychron K3 Max 75% mechanical keyboard is a classy performer. It looks great and the switches are very responsive. Connecting via wireless, Bluetooth or USB makes the K3 Max an incredibly versatile keyboard. The compact layout means more desk space for a mouse or graphics tablet. Unless you need a numeric keypad for spreadsheets or coding, the 75% layout makes a lot of sense and you still have a whole row of media and Function keys, which can be customized to suit your needs. The K3 Max is one of the most excellent compact mechanical keyboards on the market and it’s a joy to type on.
Pricing & Availability: The Keychron K3 Max 75% mechanical keyboard is available from Keychron or Amazon. There is a choice of white or dark grey finishes. The price is $94 / £89 / €94
More info: keychron.com
Tech Specs:
- Model: K3 Max.
- Keys: 84
- Backlight: White or RGB backlight options
- Layout: 75%.
- Hot-swappable: Optional.
- Switch type: Gateron Mechanical Red, Blue or Brown.
- Polling rate: 1,000Hz 2.4GHZ and USB / 90Hz Bluetooth.
- N-Key Rollover: Yes.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless or USB wired mode.
- Bluetooth: Version 5.1
- Processor: ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit STM32F402 (256KB Flash).
- Battery: 1,550mAh lithium polymer.
- Battery life: Up to 78 hours (backlight of) / Up to 40 hours (backlight on).
- Compatible system: Mac/iOS/Windows/Android.
- Keycaps: macOS and Windows.
- Body material: Aluminum.
- Charging port: USB Type-C.
- Weight: 525g.
- Dimensions: 306 x 116mm.