True Score Methodology v1.0

Keychron K1 Review

Name: Keychron K1
Brand: Keychron

August 16, 2023

True Score

76

Mixed Reviews

77

2

Experts

86

407

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

2

)

Testers hailed the Keychron K1, and they approved it for office use and gaming. They were delighted with its wired/wireless design with multi-device Bluetooth pairing. Experts also loved its RGB backlighting and low-profile design. However, they were displeased with its high wired and Bluetooth latency.

$62.99

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Table of Contents

The Snapshot
What Is Not On the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Learn More About Wireless Keyboard

The Snapshot

our Verdict

Top experts adored the Keychron K1, endorsing it for mobile use and gaming. Reviewers at Business Insider praised this device’s build quality, although it has ABS keycaps. If you need PBT keycaps, see our Keychron K8 Pro review. Analysts at Mac World loved its TenKeyLess (80% size) design. Testers were delighted with this RGB backlighting with per-key illumination. However, this device has a fixed 2.5 ° incline and doesn’t come with a wrist rest. Check out the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo Wireless Keyboard review if you desire a more ergonomic curved model. It supports both Bluetooth and wired connectivity, pairing with…

Top experts adored the Keychron K1, endorsing it for mobile use and gaming. Reviewers at Business Insider praised this device’s build quality, although it has ABS keycaps. If you need PBT keycaps, see our Keychron K8 Pro review. Analysts at Mac World loved its TenKeyLess (80% size) design. Testers were delighted with this RGB backlighting with per-key illumination.

However, this device has a fixed 2.5 ° incline and doesn’t come with a wrist rest. Check out the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo Wireless Keyboard review if you desire a more ergonomic curved model. It supports both Bluetooth and wired connectivity, pairing with up to three devices. Its rechargeable battery has a manufacturer-quoted runtime of about 38 hours.

A unit with Gateron Low Profile Red switches needed a 40 gf operating force and 1.4 mm pre-travel distance to operate. Typing was pleasant and quiet during testing. Its 13.6 ms wired latency and 43.4 ms Bluetooth latency disappointed testers. See our Keychron C1 review for a model with a much lower wired latency.

True Score

76

Reasons to Buy

Compact 75% design
RGB backlighting with per-key illumination
Low-profile design
Wired and wireless connectivity
Triple-device Bluetooth pairing tech

Reasons to Avoid

Incline adjustment is not possible
Lacks a wrist rest
Very high wired and Bluetooth latency
Not macro-programmable

Specifications

Battery Life
na
Foldable
No
Form Factor
Tenkeyless
Keyboard Technology
Mechanical
Numeric Keypad
na
Palm Rest
na
Plug & Play
Yes
Spill Resistant
na
Touchpad
na
Wireless
Yes
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth
Wireless Range
10 meters

What Is Not On the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

The Keychron K1 is a mid-range TenKeyLess (80% size) wireless mechanical keyboard launched in 2019, promising a machined aluminum design targeting office and mobile users. It boasts both wired and wireless Bluetooth connectivity and other advanced features. Find devices with similar features on our list of the most popular keyboards.

This keyboard supports multi-device connectivity and RGB backlighting with per-key illumination. Read to the end of this review and see how the Keychron K1 stacks up against the best wireless keyboards on the market today.

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Product Comparison

	Keychron K1 Review	Keychron K2 (Version 2) Review	Keychron C2 Review	Logitech G915 Review
True Score	76	84	77
Market Context	–	While both the Keychron K1 and the Keychron K2 (Version 2) are compact wireless keyboards, they differ in that the Keychron K1 has low-profile switches, whereas the K2 has normal-sized switches. Being a TenKeyLess (80% size) keyboard, the K1 has slightly more keys than the 75% compact K2. Browse our Keychron K2 (Version 2) review to learn more about the K2. Read more ↓	Unlike the Keychron K1, which has low-profile Gateron switches, the Keychron C2 comes with full-size Gateron switches. The K2 supports wired and wireless connectivity, but the C2 is wired only. While the K2 is a 75% compact model, the C2 is a full-size keyboard. Our Keychron C2 review discusses the C2 in detail. Read more ↓	Both the Keychron K1 and the Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED are low-profile, wireless mechanical keyboards. However, the Logitech device is a full-size keyboard, while the Keychron K1 is a smaller 75% sized compact model. The Logitech has dedicated macro keys, dedicated media keys, and customization software, unlike the more humble Keychron, which lacks those features. Read more ↓
Form Factor	TenKeyLess (80%)	Compact (75%)	Full-size (100%)	–
Keyboard Technology	Mechanical	Mechanical	Mechanical	–
Battery Life	N/A	up to 240 hours	Wired ONLY	–
Wireless	Yes	Yes	No	–
Numeric Keypad	No	No	–	–
Dig Deeper	–	Read Review →	Read Review →	Read Review →

All Stores

$62.99
Availability
In Stock
Free Shipping
Yes
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Score Card

E

Expert Score

77

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

76

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
73
The Keychron K1 is a satisfactory keyboard for office use. Ergonomics are only decent, as… read more
F
Trust Score
80
This mechanical keyboard is not for everyone. It fills a specific niche, where other keyboards… read more
?
Trust Score
NR
If you’re looking for a Mac-specific mechanical keyboard, the Keychron K1 is a compelling option…. read more