Keychron - K4 HE Wireless Magnetic Switch Custom Keyboard

Got the Keychron k4HE 2 days ago from Amazon Prime Day. It is my first >$100 keyboard and I am so damn amazed by it.

just got my K4HE in today, and it's been quite an enjoyable experience so far. first time using linears and hall-effect switches, coming from heavier tactile low-profile switches (40g vs 65g) on a k17 max. feels fairly smooth and the board isnt too loud. has kind of an in-between "creamy" and "clacky" sound to it. dont regret buying this board at all so far, espeically since it was cheaper then some other HE boards while offering basically the same functionality (minus 8k polling that some offer) while being in the 96% form factor i like which there basically arent any others of. and then you get the added bonuses of HE switches. like the customizable actuation range which im already liking since i can set it shallower and allow me to just tap keys to use them if i want to, or deeper like the key i have set to put my computer to sleep so i have to fully press it to get it to do anything. you get rapid trigger, multi function key presses, analog capability to where it can work like an "xbox remote", snap tap the board is wireless if you are into that (bluetooth and 2.4ghz dongle) only downside is you are limited to 3 different switches. 30g, 40g (default), and 50g linear switches and they are quite stubborn to take out of the board with the provided switch puller. But the stock ones feel nice enough imo edit: turns out im just a dum dum and have been trying to pull the switches out wrong, they come out nicely

Second this but the K4 HE, hall effect switches are OP for gaming

I have had it for two years now and it works great. I don't have any problems with bluetooth and the only thing I've noticed is that I need to charge the battery a bit more often than I used to. The build quality is also very good. I have brown switches and they are not very clicky, but just the right amount of tactile for me. As others said, there's no possibility to reconfigure it. The keyboard itself is pretty tall, so I'm using it with a wrist rest. For serious gaming I recommend using it wired. I really like the compact layout and it was the main selling point for me as well. However it's really hard to find good keyboards having the same layout (other 96% Keychron keyboards use less compact layout). So when I started looking for a keyboard to use at work, my only option is another Keychron K4, as I don't want to use different layouts at the same time.

[Keychron K4 HE: A wireless Hall-effect gaming keyboard](https://preview.redd.it/3ik6jxjgzhre1.jpg?width=1332&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=318896b34c25af809c923f9b3dfbcf94b37fe44e) I reviewed the Keychron K4 HE, a 96% Hall-effect keyboard with wood accent panels. Here is the full review including a sound test: [https://www.notebookcheck.net/Keychron-K4-HE-review-Wireless-gaming-keyboard-almost-everyone-can-enjoy.978784.0.html](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Keychron-K4-HE-review-Wireless-gaming-keyboard-almost-everyone-can-enjoy.978784.0.html) Overall, I really like the K4 HE, especially from a design POV. It feels well-made, and it packs in a lot of neat features, like hardware connectivity switches, wireless connectivity, and all the fancy stuff that HE keyboards are known for. The only gripes I have with it are the uber-stiff tray-mount design and the chattery top-out sound from the Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic switches. I have the Nebula switches in my unit, and they feel quite nice to use. Weight and lube feels consistent throughout the board, the actual bottom-out sound it quite pleasant, and the stem wobble is minimal, but they still have that typical Hall-effect clatter when they top-out. I would rank them above the Wooting Lekker V2 switches but below the Gateron Magnetic Jade Pro switches. Curiously, I did find that I type quite quickly on this board, and I didn't find it fatiguing to use for long periods, despite the tray mount. I also liked Keychron Launcher for both gaming and productivity, since it allows you to program macros onto the K4 HE, which is something not a lot of HE boards allow at the moment. That alone makes the K4 HE a do-it-all keyboard, in my opinion. The OSA profile keycaps on the K4 HE are also surprisingly comfortable, and the low R1 height of the profile means the K4 HE is comfortable to use, despite its high 23 mm front height. I will be opening the K4 HE this weekend to check out the internal design, but I suspect there is a decent amount of room for improvement with mods. Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything you'd like me to test on my board in particular.

Specs: Keychron K4 HE Special Edition 96% keyboard Switches: Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula Hall-effect switches Keycaps: Keychron OSA profile double-shot PBT

I have the K4HE, and it's quite a nice board for a $140 tray-mount HE board. I think it could do with some mods, but it's definitely not the worst-sounding HE board I've heard. Keychron Launcher is excellent for HE features, too.

I'd stick to the V Max line. The K line misses out on gasket mounting, which is not as nice as the gaskets in the Q and V lines. You could also check out the Lemokey (Keychron sub-brand) P1 HE if you want to try out a Hall-effect keyboard for adjustability and gaming features. That said, I have a Q13 Max and a K4 HE, and both are actually really nice to type on. What keyboard are you currently using? Are you comfortable with a smaller layout or do you need a full size board?

Yeah! I love the K4 HE. I wish the keycaps were better. I swapped on one of my MDA caps from my Galaxy 100, and lemme tell you, the sound from the thicker keycaps is so much better. Basically eliminates the shitty top-out sound completely. I may try to buy a set of the nicer OSA profile keycaps specifically for my K4 HE. I got the board for free as a review unit, but I would not have been mad about paying $145 for it. I've played around with the actuation distance settings and eventually settled on around 1-1.2 mm, with deeper settings on my modifiers and number row. It's actually been a decent help in avoiding miss-presses on the top alpha row, and I'm decently faster on the K4 HE than any of my other boards, which was a surprise to me. I have two 8 kHz HE keyboards, and I don't think the higher polling rate is noticeable at all. I'd much rather have the convenience of wireless than the high polling rate. I often work on an Android tablet, so having wireless is a huge boon for me. I tested the Wooting 80 HE on the tablet, and it absolutely decimated the battery life. I don't actually mind the limited switch options that much, tbh. The Gateron Double-rail magnetic Nebulas are nice enough, even if they are a little fatiguing to bottom out consistently. Maybe I'll learn to be a better typist on this thing lol.

For gaming, really anything with an HE on the end. Q HE are high-end, K HE are less fancy, but still very nice imo. There's almost no reason to buy a non-HE Keychron keyboard for gaming. Cost is about the same, HE features are super useful in games, and the switches sound pretty good now.

Honestly, unless you're looking to dump $100+ into a keyboard, HE doesn't make sense. Cheap HE boards are just not it in terms of reliability, build quality, and software experience. The cheapest HE board I can actively recommend is something like a NuPhy Field 75 HE or Air60/75 HE. Keychron's K2 HE or K4 HE are also a steal for what they cost. But it's all preference. Generally speaking, mechanical keyboards still have the upper hand when it comes to sound, and to a degree build quality. But if you're not particular about sound, and you can handle more or less only having linear switch options, HE is fantastic for both work and play.

I mean, in FPS games that still allow it, SOCD is a pretty solid advantage, apparently. There are other features, like DKS that allows you to input like four different keys with one keystroke, or analog mode for games that support dual input. But those can take getting used to. I wouldn't say you're gonna need to train to get used to any of it, but it'll feel a bit wonky for a while, as with any change. As for actuation point, I actually find it quite easy to get used to shorter actuation points — until a point. As soon as I drop below like 1.2 mm, I start making hella errors in my typing. Honestly, you might just be better off getting a keyboard that feels really nice to use and calling it a day. I have four HE keyboards available to me (Wooting 80HE, Keychron K4 HE, Iqunix EZ63, Epomaker HE75 Mag), and I still mostly game and type on my mechanical keyboards. They sound better to me, so they're less distracting, and that motivates me to use them.

I've had a good experience with my K4 HE, and that's been great. I'd much rather use a Q HE series or a Lemokey L or P HE keyboard, because the aluminium chassis sounds and feels a decent bit better, but the K HE series is great nonetheless. The K10 HE is a solid affordable option for full-size HE.

I've had a good experience with my K4 HE, and that's been great. I'd much rather use a Q HE series or a Lemokey L or P HE keyboard, because the aluminium chassis sounds and feels a decent bit better, but the K HE series is great nonetheless. The K10 HE is a solid affordable option for full-size HE.

Ya I ended up going with a keychron k4 HE. Hopefully it works good. People on here seem to praise keychron a lot so figured I try it

I have the k4 HE and I love it honestly, I would suggest checking the pricing on amazon it might be a little cheaper, also for about 18$ more they have a bundle at Sam's club that's comes with a mouse.

i love the look of this keyboard!!

I got the same keyboard. I'm coming from the mx keys. Only thing i miss from the mx keys is the sensor of recognizing when you are close by that it turns on while this keyboard you have to press the space bar to wake it up from sleep.

How did i miss this beautiful thing ? I currently have a Keychron K4. Solid build quality, but higher latency than I would have liked. Thank you for the suggestion.

If your going for hall effect then the wooting HE is the best in raw performance along with Razers optical in the huntsman. For actually using the wooting would be better. Nuphy field 75 HE, Halo 65HE, Wooting 80& 65, keychron Q1 he, k4 he, or Lemokey P1 HE. I like the Lemokey since it's keychron with the same webapp, it's full metal, it costs ~$160 which makes it middle of the price pack but not as expensive as a metal wooting. The L5 is similar with slightly better polling rate. The Nuphy Field 75 is also good, but it's a bit gamery and plastic.

I think a Keychron would be a bit more suitable for the office aesthetic wise. I don't game on it but i have the Keychron K4 HE and i love it, it has a noticable sound but not too loud, I believe the Q1 HE is similar. And I would like to point out that the Keychron K2 HE and K4 HE are a lot cheaper than the Q HE series and the Q HE series does not have adjustable feet on the back.

Keychron K4 is pretty nice. It has a numpad, takes only slightly more space than a TKL, and can toggle between Apple and Windows/Android modes. I have grown to really enjoy the feel of Gateron switches.

I just got the black special edition and I really like it. It feels and sounds much better than my stock gmmk2.

r/MechanicalKeyboards and r/MouseReview would be better to ask specific questions. Wooting 80he is what I have, and I like it, mainly got it cause of the software. Keychron has a pretty nice he wood one. If you search on YouTube, budget wooting, there are alot of decent HE keyboards on the market now, and they all basically do the same thing. I can't help you with mice because I don't know what grip style you like/have. All I know is that you like the viper mini SE so I showed you all the mice with similar shapes to that mice. There's literally nothing else I can do for you. I got the incott g23 v2 because i like the gpx 2 shape but its half the price for better quality.

Looking at the history of this sub over the past year you'll see a heck of a lot more failures from the Q and V boards relative to the K boards. Of course, that *could* just mean Keychron is selling a lot more Q and V boards than K boards. Otherwise, the biggest difference you'll feel/hear will be coming from the difference between steel plate + tray mount and PC plate + gasket mount.

V and Q are flexible/gasket, K is rigid/tray. Hall Effect switches are another can of worms. They are peak hype right now. Eventually people will realize they are actually *cheaper* to implement than contact-based switches.

Wooting or Keychrons Hall effect keyboards are amazing, I thought it wouldn’t change that much but I really don’t like normal keyboards after it.

For wireless keyboard I'd look for those that have qmk/via such as the Keychron

Their new HE series seems promising for gaming.

I bought a Q3 Max with red switches and it was very silent. Be aware, Keychron HE keeb is compatible only with its own HE switches. For me it was a no-go.

I have a Wooting, I love it compared to the previous 3 SteelSeries keyboards I had/have. I do however think it's a little overpriced at the end of the day. I'd probably go with a Keycron HE today if I was shopping

If you're casually playing games then Keychron is all fine. So far the only "real gamer" keyboard to date to be considered is the recent HE variants due to its rapid trigger feature but that is more specifically targetted towards fps players that are willing to tinker each and every key press on how they want it to respond.

Most HE variants offers all keys to be modified if desired since the very switches themselves have the HE features, so some would only changed the main WASD and others would utitlized tinkering the whole keys - but again, this is mostly catered towards fps players that have the intent on tinkering.

The Keychron HE series are fantastic all-rounder keyboards. They are having a sale that ends today.

As you are saying, the reason why you need to replace your keyboard is because you are buying cheaper keyboards. It's probably worth spending 150£ on one that will last you 5 years and that you will change because you want to rather than because you need to! I'd check into keychron UK and look at their mechanical keyboards. They are great quality and if you get a hotswapable keyboard you will not only be able to change the keycaps but also the switches themselves.