Keychron is among the best wireless mechanical keyboard manufacturers on the market as they’ve released some very popular products. They have a wide range of keyboards but the Keychron K1 is different to all others and it has become my favorite choice during this period, let’s find out how good it is in the review.
Unboxing & Testing
Design & Performance
The Keychron K1 has exactly the same key layout as the K8 I tested a few months ago. In fact, you can choose between the tenkeyless 87-key layout and full-size 104-key layout. I chose the more compact one because of its ergonomic design; My right hand feel much more comfortable because I don’t have to reach too far to control the mouse.
My keyboard is the version with RGB backlight and aluminum body. Besides, I stick to Brown switch because it’s been always the best option for typing and normal usages. I’m so glad that they finally added this Brown switch option in the version 4. Unlike other Keychron keyboards, the K1 uses Gateron low-profile switches which are 48% thinner than conventional switches. A huge benefit of the switch is that it makes the whole keyboard slimmer and more suitable for minimalist desk setup. After trying the K1, I couldn’t come back to other conventional mechanical keyboards because they are quite thick and bulky.
Another reason I love the K1 is that it is super easy to clean. Other Keychron keyboards have raised borders and they make a thorough cleanup more difficult; Dirt and hairs can easily get through the gaps between keys and my vacuum cleaner couldn’t suck them out; My only choice was to remove all keycaps before cleaning. The K1 has a flat base and the flat keycaps allow me to reach the gaps easily; Therefore, I can use my vacuum to clean this keyboard within 30 seconds.
The battery life of the keyboard is decent; A full charge via the USB-C port takes a few hours and it can last from a few weeks to a month, depending on your usage. According to the manufacturer, the battery life ranges from 38 hours (RGB off) to 110 hours (RGB on). I use the keyboard everyday and I often have to recharge the battery after about 2 weeks. If you want a longer battery, you should get the version with White backlight. I love the RGB color because it looks so beautiful in the dark; The keycaps are laser-etched on the text so that the light can shine through, therefore, the lighting effect looks really stunning.
Obviously, typing on the low-profile switches is not as satisfying because the travel distance is just too small and you can bottom out the keys easily. However, I still can feel the tactile feedback of the Brown switches and it is way better than my MacBook Pro or Apple Magic Keyboard. In my opinion, this is a great middle ground between laptop keyboards and traditional mechanical keyboards.
Noticeably, the low-profile switches are much more silent than conventional ones, so they absolutely won’t cause annoyance to people around you, especially when you work at night or in quiet environments. You can check out the typing sound in this video.
Overall, I love the Keychron K1 because of its slim design while the sacrifice in typing experience is totally acceptable. If you are looking for a wireless mechanical keyboard for a minimalist setup, this is absolutely among the best choices out there. The new version 4 is even upgraded with Bluetooth 5.1 which provides a much more consistent connection, therefore, we at TechWalls highly recommend the product.
