Keychron - K5 Max QMK/VIA Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard

The [Keychron K5 Max](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k5-max-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard) or [K5 Pro](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k5-pro-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard) might interest you

I just got into mechanical keyboards and have some problems and questions. **WHAT I'VE TRIED:** I did some research on low-cost options and started with a Kisnt but quickly realized how much I prefer low profile and full size like my previous keyboard. My next try was the [IQUNIX Magi96](https://iqunix.com/products/iqunix-magi75-96-aluminum-low-profile-mechanical-keyboard) with [Hades silent switches](https://www.lofree.co/products/hades-low-profile-pom-switches) which I loved the sound of but I constantly found my fingers drifting down during gaming and triggering inputs without intending to because they're low pressure linear switches, and as far as I've found they do not make tactile versions of these silent switches. I also couldn't get used to the layout having the arrow keys and numpad pushed up against the enter key, and the location of the Del key being above Backspace was awkward since I use Del all the time. I'm currently using the [Keychron K5 Max](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k5-max-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard) with [Gateron KS-33 silent browns](https://www.gateron.com/products/gateron-ks-33-low-profile-red-silent-20-mechanical-switches-set?VariantsId=11457) which solves the accidental input and layout problems. My problem now with the Gateron switches is that after using them for a day or two several of them having starting making this sticky clicking sound when I release them. I've swapped them out for new switches but they usually do the same thing, and even then they are louder after a couple of days. **MY QUESTIONS:** 1. Is this normal? Do switches get louder after a couple days of use? 2. Do Gateron switches normally start making sticky clicking sounds after a couple days of use? Is it some issue with the Keychron? 3. Are there other full-size low profile keyboards I could try? The K5 Max is the only one I've been able to find. 4. I really loved the sound of the Hades switches, do they make a tactile version of this switch?

I have a keychron low profile keyboard that I like.  Feels easier to type - less travel distance 

If you're thinking about Keychron it might be better if you wait a bit longer since a new low-profile model is apparently being worked on. Additionally, if you want to use your keyboard wirelessly for tasks other than office work/internet browsing you should consider buying one that has a dedicated 2.4GHz dongle. The Keychron K Max series has one (alongside a better MCU iirc) and isn't that much more expensive compared to the K3 Pro. And one last thing - don't ever consider buying low profile boards from NuPhy. Speaking from my own experience while the hardware is decent (case/switches/keycaps) the firmware so so horribly bad that the 2.4GHz mode is practically unusable. The marketed 1200 hours of battery life also seems a bit overly generous.

I'm typing on a Drop keeb right now, but wouldn't buy one today. I'm moving over to Keychron low profile. Has wireless, low profile switches and cost a lot less. Also has QMK/VIA support.

I adoooore my low profile keychron lots and lots. It's gotten me through work and games without a hitch in the 4 years I've owned it. Plowed through Elden Ring on release (1k hours in that game all on this board) + extremely high demand comics schedules where crtl+z has been spammed at maximum. Unreal value. K7.

There's no best keyboard. It's all preference. Well the answer is to walk into a shop and try them all honestly. I started with a kbt race brown switches, to filco majestouch 2 red switch, swapped the red to durock t1 tactiles, used ducky, ikbc, daskeyboard which were mix of blue and some switches I forgot. Also Anne pro 1 for a bit, and finally recently ended up with a keychron with mmd holy panda tactile switches but then swapped to gateron milky yellow linear switches. I've tried most of the keyboard layouts and switch types. Clicky, tactile, linear. I've never used the numpad ever, I don't use most of the home/pgup/pgdwn keys so 75% was the best for me. I just need the delete key and an F row and arrow keys. Find out what keys you use. Then walk into a shop and try the different sizes, try the switches, get one which have hot swappable switch feature(quite common now). Every keyboard sounds different. Different switches and keycaps will sound different on one keyboard and another. So if you want certain sound characteristics then you need to research on what materials are most often known for said sounds. Then try them out and hope you get the sound you want. It's trial and error. Go out and try as many as possible. There's no easy way if you really care. I personally avoid clicky switches because I don't like having to release the click before pressing the key down again while gaming. If you just want a "gaming" keyboard. Just search for famous brands and throw a dart on a dartboard. Modern mkbs are pretty good in quality these days. Double typing is more of a luck thing imo after trying so many. Durable, most modern mkbs are really durable like from keychron.

They have more than a frame of latency. Not great for gaming.

Latency. If you're a gamer avoid these. Otherwise they're great.

A frame or two of latency is important, whether you're aware of it or not.

You would do *better* without the latency.

Not remotely true. Hitting skill checks in Dead by Daylight regardless of what level you're playing at is easier with less latency. I'm not saying "spend $350 for a Hall Effect keyboard with 1ms latency". But Keychrons are sometimes at 30ms, and that's just about 2 frames.

Can't go wrong with a Keychron then: https://www.keychron.com/collections/100-layout-keyboards

Mine has problem when pressing multiple keys down at the same time, nothing happens. So called "tilt" keyboard. This broke my trust on this manufacturer, is it just on my end?