Keychron K4 HE 96% Wireless Hall Effect Keyboard with Number Pad, Rapid Trigger Magnetic Switches, QMK Launcher, 2.4GHz/Bluetooth/Wired, Mac & Windows, Wood Accent Frame, Black (Non-Shine-Through)

My old mechanical was too loud to game while my wife and baby were sleeping. Sound was a huge factor and I took a leap on this one. Videos I watched it sounded pretty loud but it is almost dead silent!! The features are perfect, rapid trigger is a game changer and the A D key instant strafe is a game changer for FPS games. You can quick peak corners flawlessly. This is the best gaming purchase I have made, maybe ever. I used to have a Corsair K70 and typing on that sounded like someone was throwing handfuls of marbles down concrete stairs. The keys are hot swappable, the key caps on the special edition have a nice soft rounded feel which I love over my old sharp corner ones that dig into your fingers. Key actuation can be anywhere from just looking at the key and it triggers, down to a full bottom out key press. You can make it so the key instantly stops triggering the moment the key moves vertically which is great for movement keys but I had to adjust it for the shift and space bar keys since I found out my pinky lifts ever so slightly when sprinting in game and I kept canceling my sprint on accident. If you are thinking about buying this keyboard, do it! Heck even buy it if you aren't considering it. I type an average of 90WPM and it took a second to get used to this over my trash prior board but now I can type faster and with less errors since I don't have to press the key all the way down and just literally just lightly tap the keys to type. There is near infinite combos of sensitivity and features. The RGB shine through on the letters on the keys is pretty dim, it's more of a backlit keyboard than light up keycaps but I'm sure you could get different caps to change that if you wanted to. Personally I don't look at the keys often and just leave back light off but to each their own. Build quality is phenomenal, the weight is substantial and feels quality but not heavy, and the online web browser software had me worried but it actually works perfectly. Heck it works 100% better than my Corsair keyboards installed ICUE software could ever dream of. The software changes things instantly and doesn't need to be saved after every change, just open it, adjust, and close chrome. I couldn't imagine a better keyboard and now I don't need to. 100/100 no notes

TLDR: If you can adapt to the extremely compact layout of the K4 HE, I believe it provides the best value and would highly recommend. I returned this and chose the Q5 HE. While the keyboard was one of the best I've tried (comparisons below), the numpad/arrow key layout felt too cluttered, hurting accuracy and typing speed, and unfortunately I just couldn't adapt to it. If there was adequate spacing (ASUS ROG Scope II 96 managed this with the same dimensions), I would have kept this over the Q5 HE despite the inferior build quality since it's a great value. Note: I tested both editions—Standard and Special—and very much preferred the Standard edition for the textured/matte Cherry profile RGB keys over the lower contrast/opaque OSA profile keys of the Special Edition. Both versions are solid and keycap profile/RGB just comes down to preference. ~~Pros:~~ 1. Premium build with sound-dampening foam (deep, thocky acoustics right out of the box - no ping or echo) 2. Intuitive web utility (Keychron Launcher) for full customization. 3. Multiple connections: Bluetooth, wired, wireless. 4. Low latency with 1000hz polling (8,000hz is imperceptible). 5. Hall Effect: adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, quad-actuation, analog keys, and high durability. 6. High-quality keycaps and RGB (Standard keycaps are textured; Special is smooth). 7. Full-size functionality in a compact layout. 8. Great value for a premium Hall Effect keyboard. 9. Long battery life. 10. Multi-OS support (Mac-ready with Windows keycaps included). 11. Easy switching between profiles for gaming/productivity. 12. Actuation force (40g) increases on press for better Hall Effect feedback. 13. Right-angle USB cable (monitor-compatible without speed loss). ~~Cons:~~ 1. Multiple keys felt scratchy despite relubrication (known factory lube issue specific to Gateron switches, not Keychron). 2. Analog keys are hard to use in games and not widely supported. 3. Awkward numpad/arrow layout—ROG Scope II 96 Wireless offers a better design for the same dimensions. 4. Limited switch customization compared to mechanical boards (but stock switches feel superior). 5. Keyboard is tall with no wrist rest, and finding one with matching width is tough unless it's Keychron branded. 6. Boxed-in case design/switch wells makes cleaning harder. ~~~Comparison of Contenders:~~~ Corsair K70 (Cherry Red) - ⭐: The most hollow, low quality keyboard I've tried for a premium price. Loud spring ping and sound profile are among the worst I've heard. I came from one of Corsair's membrane boards and the K70 was my first mechanical - it left me deeply disappointed even without any expectations going into it. Keychron Q5 Pro - ⭐⭐: The Q series is Keychron's quality series and have the best build quality/weight of any keyboard I've tried. Unfortunately, the Pro version lacks versatility and is made strictly for productivity. It had KSA profile keycaps which were definitely not for me (extremely deep dish keycaps with tall height). ROG Scope II 96 Wireless (Snow/Storm/Silent Brown Switch Comparison) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐: This is the only board I've tried that came close to matching the K4 HE. The sound profile was creamy, no spring ping (would need a spacebar mod), good build quality (inferior to K4), though it lacked all of the hall effect features at a higher price point and was more prone to typing errors with the lighter keys. Easy to clean and water resistant. There is also a known reported issue of keys seizing to work on different connection modes, indicating possible firmware issues. Armoury Crate is an atrocious disaster to work with and attempts to install non-essential bloatware. ~Note: I tried Silent Brown, Snow, and Storm switches. Silent brown felt scratchy, Storm was too loud, and Snow was nearly perfect. Keychron Q5 HE - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: In terms of productivity, gaming performance, sound profile, build quality, and ease-of-use web-based software, the Keychron Q5 HE checks all the boxes (minus adapting to south-facing RGBs) and comes out on top over all others that I've tried. Unfortunately, it's still plagued by variable QC of individual Gateron switches, which can feel slightly scratchy due to uneven factory lubrication.

A great feeling great sounding keyboard for typing. I generally prefer laptop style keyboards with their short stroke for typing but I love typing on this keyboard. I don’t use it for gaming, I use it as an office keyboard with a Mac. The sound is a nice soft thock. The keys are well lubed and slide nicely. The adjustable features allow you to customize it. So if you do a lot of typing but also want some gaming benefits this one is great. I also like the compact layout. I do a lot of numbers work so I always want a num pad and you get it here in a smaller layout. Plus if your office is visible it looks great.

Love this keyboard. Love the feel of the keys and there is a low level of noise when typing. It connects to my MAC via bluetooth and works well. Must hit the spacebar to "wake" the keyboard up. Very easy to setup. I don't use the backlit keys. Not a fan.

Fantastic typing experience. Reliable connection. Functional backlight. Excellent customisation options. Nice compact layout, but takes time to get used to.

Excellent product. Arrived on time with no damage. It’s been using it for weeks now and it feels so premium, especially the typing and its creamy sound. Although, be ready to receive it in person because the delivery person will ask for a code that they have previously send you right after purchase, for security reasons.

Amazing quality. Feels very well made. Upgraded from my razer keyboard and never going back.

Amazing keyboard although it sometimes has a tendency to keep disconnecting repeatedly even when charged it just happens