Keychron’s mechanical keyboards should be no stranger to the avid GBAtemp reader. The site has previously reviewed the Keychron K6 and K2 keyboards, but the company has even more to offer in the mechanical keyboard world. Enter the Keychron K1, a low profile option for those in the market for a new keyboard. As always, let’s start by taking a look at the tech specs!

Tech Specs

• Color: Black 
• Number of Keys: 87 and 104 keys
• Switches: Low profile switches 
• Number of Multimedia Keys: 12 
• Main Body Material: Aircraft-grade aluminum 
• Keycap Material: ABS
• Layout: ANSI
• Backlit Types: 18
• Backlit: Adjustable 4-level RGB backlit
• System: Windows/Android/Mac/iOS
• Battery: 2000mAh Rechargeable li-polymer battery
• BT Working Time (White backlit): Up to 36 hours (Lab test result may vary by actual use)
• BT Working Time(RGB): Up to 38 hours (Lab test result may vary by actual use)
• Connection: Bluetooth and Type-C cable
• Bluetooth version: 5.1
• Bluetooth Device Name: Keychron K1
• Dimension (87-Key): 355 x 120 x 20mm
• Weight: About 650g / 1.43 lbs
• Dimension (104-Key) : 435 x 120 x 20mm
• Weight: About 805g / 1.77 lbs 
• Operating Environment: -10 to 50℃

  

One thing that immediately struck me with this keyboard is the size. For the review I was sent the 104-key board, and even with the number pad adding onto the total size, it just feels so compact. It doesn’t take up any less space than my previous non-mechanical keyboard, but the low-profile switches and slim, aluminum body makes it feel so much smaller, and like it’s taking up less space. This is amplified by the low profile switches and slim, curved keycaps, which keep the keys themselves from being too bulky, and fit the sleek, minimalist design of the keyboard body perfectly. It’s also astoundingly light for how sturdy it is, weighing in at just under two pounds, making it a great option for bringing a mechanical keyboard on the go with your laptop. One issue I do have with the K1, though, is that there’s zero options on the body to raise it. The body itself is designed at a very slight incline, but most of the time it still just feels so flat. I’d much prefer this over the keyboard being too steep, admittedly, but it’d still be nice if it had any built-in options to prop it just a bit higher. 

When it comes to the actual key portion of the keyboard, the unit I was sent came with the Gateron brown tactile switches, which work perfectly with the slim, curved ABS keycaps included. Typing on it feels natural as ever with just the right amount of feedback and a satisfying “clickety-clack” noise without being overbearingly noisy and earning the scorn of the missus. Keychron’s website advertises these brown switches as best suited for “midway gaming and office work,” which is how I tested the unit. I primarily wrote, played games, and edited videos using the K1, and I was beyond satisfied with my results each time. In both wired and bluetooth modes, I noticed little to no latency while typing or going for my keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Premiere Pro. While gaming I experienced much of the same in a variety of games, from RPGs to first person and third person shooters where actions and keyboard commands were executed in perfect sync with a keystroke. I’m a big fan of the brown tactile switches, though red and blue switch options are available if that’s your preference.

If you’re an RGB nut, the K1 will have you covered with 18 different types of backlight available for you. These range from a traditional white backlight, a static single color, pulsating color or colors, light up upon keystroke, and different patterns that are constantly in motion. The RGBs are backlit, and reflect off of the sides of the keycaps beautifully, as well as being visible through the letter and number markings on the caps. It fits beautifully with the minimalist aesthetic that the rest of the keyboard has, and was a great looking, welcome addition to my home office setup.

  

Being a wireless keyboard, battery life is obviously a major concern. The K1 sports a 2000 mAh battery, and advertises a max of 36 hours of working battery life while the backlights are on, or 38 hours while RGBs are on. Both of these numbers seem a bit on the lower end to me compared to Keychron’s other offerings, though after 10 minutes of idling the board will go into a sleep mode to help conserve some of this battery life, which definitely makes a huge difference and let me get a ton of use out of the keyboard before I needed to charge it for the first time. The USB-C charging cord also doubles as a way to use this as a wired keyboard, though the included cord is only about three feet long, which I’d imagine should work fine for most home setups but it obviously does limit your setup options when compared to keeping it wireless. Out of the two, I prefer the wireless option. The design of the K1 definitely seems to be intended for use as a wireless keyboard, and that’s where it definitely looks the best. And as mentioned above, functionally there was little to no difference between using it wireless and corded.

Included with the K1 is your USB-C charging cord, a keycap puller, and four extra Keycaps to swap between Windows and macOS layouts. The K1 is fully Mac compatible at the flip of a switch, and even comes with the Mac keycaps on as a default. I use a Macbook for my dayjob, so I was thrilled to be able to test it out both at work and for home use, and no surprise, I found it much more preferable to the on-board keyboard that the Macbook had, to the point where I’ll be bringing the K1 from home every time I have to go to the office going forward. From a personal standpoint, as I switch between the OSes regularly, I didn’t feel the need to swap my keycaps when using the K1 on the Macbook, but for those who are strictly one OS or the other, I really like that it comes with the option to make your keyboard feel as at home as possible with the appropriate keycaps.

Price-wise, the K1 ranges from as cheap as $69 to as expensive as $89. Your choice of RGB over backlight, and 87 or 104-key will be the primary factors determining what price you pay, with RGB and 104-key obviously raising the price up. Even at its most expensive, I feel like this is a pretty affordable price for what you get and is comparable to, if not cheaper than, most other mechanical keyboards on the market. 

All told, I’m beyond satisfied with the K1 and it’s quickly become my primary keyboard both for work and home use. It’s a great looking, sleek board that functions like a dream, and quickly became my go-to keyboard for both professional and personal use thanks to its portability.