Keychron - K5 Max QMK/VIA Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard

K5 Max, with some DIY for additional silencing, if you need it.

If you want low profile, get an odd-numbered K Max line board. Make sure it's hot swap. Otherwise, get V or Q (although I would avoid Q cuz it's heavy, as you said, and you plan to travel with it). I would avoid the Razer because it's membrane and loud. Since you're traveling with this board, I doubt the people around you would like to hear the board, too.

V Max > K Max, but again, if you want low profile, you don't really have a choice and can only get a K Max. But if you don't really mind, V Max.

I love my low profile keyboard! Keychron K7. It’s the best. (Could be biased haha)

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.

I see an issue here. While any of the Max keyboards have the low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless, it's single receiver only. For connecting to multiple devices seamlessly, you'd have to use Bluetooth which does have added latency and a much-reduced polling rate (90 Hz over BT versus 1000 Hz over USB or 2.4 GHz) A solution to this is using a wired connection in your office and at any computer, and keep the 2.4 GHz dongle plugged into your console or whatever computer you absolutely need wireless with

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.

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.

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?

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.