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Mechanical Keyboard

Keychron K8 vs Keychron K2

Keychron K8

87 reviews

View Product Details

Keychron K2

87 reviews

View Product Details

Great value for the price

Bluetooth connectivity

Hot-swappable switches

Customization options (foam, PBT keycaps)

Great compact size and layout

Multi-device support and Mac/PC compatibility

Pleasant typing experience with tactile switches

Not very solid build quality

Inconsistent wireless performance for some users

Keycaps and lighting have been criticized by some users

Not all users find the keyboard to be well-constructed or worth the price

Some users find the spacing on the keys to be off

Battery life is a common complaint, with some users only getting a few days of use before needing to recharge

Verdict

The Keychron K8 has received mixed reviews from users. While some praise its aesthetic, build quality, and Bluetooth connectivity, others have criticized its thickness, wobbliness, and inconsistent wireless performance. The keycaps and lighting have also been points of contention for some users. However, many users appreciate the hot-swappable switches and the option to customize the keyboard with foam and PBT keycaps. Overall, the Keychron K8 may be a good option for those looking for an affordable wireless mechanical keyboard, but it may not be the best fit for everyone.

Verdict

Overall, the Keychron K2 has received mixed reviews. Some users love the keyboard and find it to be a pleasure to type on, while others feel that it is overpriced and feels cheaply made. The compact size and layout are praised by many, but some find the spacing on the keys to be off. Battery life is a common complaint, with some users only getting a few days of use before needing to recharge. The lack of an aluminum backplate on the base K2 is also a point of contention. However, the keyboard's multi-device support and Mac/PC compatibility are appreciated by many.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Build Quality

I really wanted to like it

I was trying different keyboards and on paper and for the price this one seemed really good. I don't want to pay $200 for a keyboard just to get backlight + bluetooth However the build quality is just not there. It's not very solid, it doesn't even lay flat on my desk, it has a slight wobble. Also it's kind of pingy and loud when you type

Not the best Keychron

I bought the K2 keyboard due to massive positive reviews on youtube. However, this keyboard doesn't really live up to its praises received from Youtube reviewers. If you buy the plastic version, it feels really cheaply made. Even for the Aluminum version, only the sides are made of Aluminum and the entire back is still plastic

Quality

youtube

This wireless keyboard has THOCK! - Keychron K8 Pro

! That's a good deal.! Now. That being said, this one's got the aluminum frame and it's got a full RGB backlight.

Positive

youtube

Keychron K2 V2 Review, THAT RHYMED :)

It's a solid keyboard and again going back to one of my other favorites, the k6 over here right to 65, where you're losing that top row comes at the s...

Positive

Keycaps

youtube

My Honest Thoughts: Keychron K8 One Week Update

You can see it right there. Cherry profile is a little bit shorter than oem, so that does improve the height a little bit. I did also try the hyperx p...

Positive

>. >I checked with the team, the keycaps were oiled on the surface, which is why the paint fell off after you washed it with soap.If you are interested, perhaps you can take a look our our K2 keycap set that will be back in stock in April, [https://www.keychron

Negative

reddit.com/r/Keychron

Ergonomics

This keyboard has potential, but also some major flaws

My real complaints are the thickness, it's considerably thicker than other TKL keyboards, so without any kind of wrist rest it's a bit of a stretch for the thumbs (but YMMV depending on how you're positioned while typing). The other major gripe is the stabilizers (or lack thereof) on the longer keys; the right shift key for example can easily come unseated depending where on the key its pressed and how hard (one end of the key essentially pops up and no longer travels up and down unless you forcibly even it out), but that's the only key I've experienced this problem with. A replacement version was slightly better, but I'm not optimistic for the longevity of this engineering choice. It's currently being used on a secondary desktop, at this rate not sure it's going to cut it as a "daily driver"

A review from not a gamer - I love(ed) this thing for a couple weeks

Update: soooo… I had to get rid of it. After a couple weeks and every wrist rest and desk arrangement I could find, it was too tall for me. Key travel, cool lights and clacking were great, but if your typing style isn’t the best (mine isn’t) you may find yourself with wrist pain and numb hands. I moved to the MX Keys (VERY different, I know) and am really happy with the much lower profile that one has

Design

I like the looks of the Drop CTRL keyboard, but it's pretty expensive and I want different switches and maybe keycaps. I also like the Keychron K8, but there isn't any software to control the RGB except the built in presets.

Neutral

reddit.com/r/Keyboard

Amazing mechanical keyboard but after a 2 weeks start to get laggy.

I work with a Macbook Pro in a desktop mode, so I have an external monitor and the keyboard. The first impression was great. It looks well build. The withe light is a cool white tone perfect for an office and home

Backlight

I could be just seeing things but I also think that the backlighting is maybe a bit brighter on the K8. But that might just be because there's some extra room on the right side for the lights to shine through.

Positive

reddit.com/r/Keychron

Awesome first time mechanical keyboard!

Holds a charge for a long time. Lots of fun backlight options. Easy to configure. Can use as wired or wireless

Software

Good build quality, love Gateron brown switches now

Cons: Funtion keys are important for software developers. In the instructions, steps to disable volume up and down to work as function keys is very tiny.

Has weird quirks, but one of the best keyboard designs

I think there's a firmware upgrade that gives you a feature to lock light patterns, so that probably solves this problem. I have found some weird things going on with this keyboard though. It doesn't play nicely on bluetooth with some macOS devices, and it seems to "keep" my 2008 Macbook pro constantly awake, which really annoying. A firmware update might fix this in the future

Layout

Brown Switches Don’t Make It

— I could get used to the K2 layout, except that I move among several keyboards regularly and having the Light Effects key at the top-right, where Del usually is, was always going to lead to the circus light show, or at least was going to require additional time on a regular basis to remind myself. As a touch typist, the idea is to never look at the keys. I’m also blind, so.

Great compact keyboard with good wireless functionality

This review was typed on the Keychron K2 with PBT keycaps and Gateron Brown switches. PROS - Great compact size and layout. 84-keys is the perfect size to stay very compact while giving you the keys you need and use readily. - The brown color on the PBT edition is fantastic

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