With so many gadgets jostling for a space on our work surfaces, there’s a lot of pressure to cut down the size of peripherals, such as keyboards as they are probably the biggest desk hog of all, with mice making a bid for second place.
However, the problem with many smaller keyboards is they tend not to be much better than the membrane keyboards with scissor mechanisms used on most laptops. If you want something more substantial with better action and more robust built quality, the quest becomes a little more difficult.
This month I’ve tracked down two contenders for your consideration and spent some hands-on time with them to find out what they are like. First up is the Keychron K1 QMK wireless mechanical keyboard with its 80% TKL layout.
Keychron is now at Version 6 of its K1 keyboard. This is a professional model with a useful layout for power users that does away with the numeric keypad. However, the K1 still has a full row of function and multimedia keys that work with both Windows and macOS. The K1 also ships with Mac and Windows modifier keycaps.
Low-Profile And Stylish
The K1 is a stylish, low-profile keyboard with an ultra-slim design. It looks good on a desk and features a low typing profile which doesn’t require a wrist rest and has a typing angle that’s easy to use. The keyboard also includes flip-out feet for adding two more degrees of slope to the typing angle if that’s something you need. Despite being low profile, the K1’s switches are all hot-swappable and available in Red or Brown actions.
The stabilizers on this sleek keyboard have been redesigned to make things stay on the level the same way as the switch while still ensuring the keyboard is still and reliable when typing with less wobble on the big keys like the space bar, left Shift, backspace, and Enter key.
As well as its standard ANSI US layout, this compact keyboard features an inverted T cursor cluster, Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, Ins and Delete keys. In addition, there are three dedicated keys for screen print, microphone and backlights. As this keyboard is QMK firmware compatible, the keys can be infinitely remapped and loaded with macros or system-level operations using the Keychron Launcher app.
Like most mechanical keyboards, the Keychron K1 has backlit keycaps with shine thru finish to create a bright backlit effect. The keyboard can be ordered with RGB or white backlights. Gamers usually opt for the RGB variant, while other users tend to stick with the traditional white backlights.
RGB Backlights With Dynamic Settings
The RGB version of the K1 has more than 22 dynamic backlight settings, while the white version comes with 14 unique dynamic lighting modes. The backlights can also be tweaked with Keychron Launcher with RGB hue, saturation, brightness, and effect speed all being customizable.
The K1 connects wirelessly over Bluetooth or via a USB-C cable. When programming the K1 using the Keychron Launcher app, the wired operation is mandatory, but only while customizing settings. The keyboard has enough built-in memory to hold any new settings and use them in wireless mode. The K1 can connect with up to three Bluetooth devices at any one time, with seamless switching between them via a quick keypress.
If the Keychron K1 is a little too large and you want something even more compact, then its smaller sibling, the Keychron K3 Version 3 wireless mechanical keyboard is available. Slightly more expensive than the K1, this compact and low-profile keyboard also offers a full row of function and multimedia keys for both Windows and macOS.
The Even Smaller Keychron K3
The K3 is an 80 key, 75% layout and is available in ANSI or ISO layouts for a variety of languages, complete with keycaps for Windows and Mac, plus spare keys for currency keys and other ISO settings. The mechanical switches are all low-profile Keychron and there is an option for hot-swappable switches.
On the hot-swappable version of the K3, each switch has an RGB backlight with a choice of dynamic settings and customizable settings using the Launcher web app, providing limitless customization for a productivity boost.
When ordering, there is a choice of mechanical Red, Brown and Banana switches, depending on the tactile feel required. The K3 supports both Bluetooth 5.2 and wired connections with the opportunity to pair and switch with three devices at the same time.
The top plate of the K3 is made of aluminum and underneath are three layers of latex and IPXE acoustic foams as well as PET film. Next comes the printed circuit board which is sandwiched with layers of EPDM acoustic foam and PET film. The final layer is a steel counterweight that gives the K3 a little more heft and separates it from the keyboard’s 1,550mAh rechargeable battery.
The upshot of all these layers of foam and insulation is a small keyboard with a solid typing feel that should help to reduce typing fatigue.
Pricing and Availability:
- Keychron K1 Version 6 available now from Keychron priced at $84 / £94.
- The Keychron K3 Version 3 available from Keychron priced at $104 / £103
Tech Specs:
Keychron K1 Version 6
- Number of keys: 87 (80%).
- Switches: Keychron low-profile mechanical.
- Switch face: North facing.
- Multimedia keys: 12.
- Frame material: ABS and aluminum.
- Keycaps: Shine-through ABS.
- Layout : ANSI.
- Polling rate (Wired mode): 1000Hz.
- Polling rate (BT mode): 90Hz.
- N-Key Rollover (NKRO): Yes, for both wireless and wired modes.
- Backlights: 22 types of RGB backlight.
- Battery: 2,000 mAh rechargeable li-polymer.
- Wireless working time (Backlight off): Up to 160 hours.
- Wireless working Time (RGB): Up to 105 hours at the lowest setting.
- Connection: Bluetooth / USB Type-C wired.
- Bluetooth version: 5.2.
- Compatibility: macOS / Windows / Linux.
- Dimensions: 346 x 119mm (13.62 x 4.69″).
- Weight : 596g / 1.31 lbs.
- Typing angle: 3.37º, 4.2º and 6.7º.
- MCU: ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit STM32F402 (256KB Flash).
Keychron K3 Version 3
- Number of Keys: 84 (75%).
Switches: Keychron low-profile mechanical.
Switch face: North facing.
Multimedia keys: 12
Frame: ABS and aluminum.
Keycaps: Shine-through ABS.
Layout: ISO.
Polling rate (Wired mode): 1,000Hz.
Polling Rate (BT Mode): 90Hz.
N-Key Rollover (NKRO): Yes, for both wireless and wired modes.
Backlight: 22 types of RGB backlight options.
Battery: 1,550 mAh rechargeable li-polymer.
BT working time (backlight off): Up to 124 hours.
BT working time (RGB): Up to 82 hours at the lowest setting.
Connection: Bluetooth / USB Type-C wired.
Bluetooth version: 5.2.
Compatibility: macOS / Windows / Linux.
Dimensions: 306 x 116mm (12.04 x 4.56″).
Weight: 540g / 1.19 lbs.
Typing angles: 2.5º, 4.2º and 6.5º
MCU: Low-power ARM Cortex-M3 32-bit WB32F3G71RCT6 (256KB Flash).
