My wireless keyboard was suddenly broke while charging and needed to be sent back for testing. Suddenly there was no keyboard at hand, and after rummaging through all the drawers, I only found a wired keyboard for emergency. But getting used to wireless, the wired keyboard is really awkward to use, so a new wireless keyboard purchase plan is on the agenda.
After reading several forums on the Internet, I accidentally found that there is a Keychron keyboard brand on the Internet, especially the K2 wireless dual-mode dual-platform 84-key short keyboard, which is full of praise in the comment area, and MAC users are particularly esteemed for this keyboard. , which ignited my curiosity.
I checked the official website of Keychron and found that the price of this white keyboard is 69USD, and the Aluminum frame and RGB backlight is 89USD within my acceptable budget. The keyboard can also freely customize the switch, backlight mode, whether it has a metal frame, and whether it supports hot-swappable switches. A series of functions such as body, and playability is also good.
In addition to buying on the official website, I found that you can also buy it on Amazon, Aliexpress and other channels. The overall cost-effectiveness is quite good, so I bought it without hesitation.
Aliexpress
When I bought the wireless keyboard, I also ordered the corresponding matching wooden wrist rest, which is also very cost-effective. The price of the palm rest is 25-30USD, and the price of the K2 keyboard palm rest is 25USD. The palm rests of different types of keyboards are slightly different, but the overall difference is not too big. Of course, there are resin palm rests (black), priced at 30USD.
Open box feeling
The box is made of black color, which is calm and atmospheric. I started with a heavy and simple drop, which made my unpacking expectations directly full. The Keychron K2 words on the front of the package and the keyboard display are all made of laser illusion technology, and there will be silver sparkling visual changes under different light. However, I personally think that the most intriguing thing is the red Coke label with the model number.
The unpacking process has a strong sense of ceremony, and the layers of packaging are quite delicate. All accessories have independent storage, protection, and frame sponge pads are also comprehensive.
In addition to the keyboard, it also comes standard with a connection cable, manual, a set of Windows replacement keycaps, a key puller and a hard dust cover.
The wrist rest I bought is of PR1 size, the size is corresponding to K2, the texture is clear, the paint color is darker, and there is no smell at all. But now the website picture, the color is a little different now.
There are 2 large silicone non-slip pads on the back of the wrist rest, which can firmly bite the desktop, and you don’t have to worry about displacement when gaming.
There is a Keychron metal nameplate on the lower right corner of the wrist rest, which has a good texture.
Use experience
I have been using 68-key and 87-key keyboards all the time, so the layout of Keychron K2, which is 75% with 84 keys, still gives me a great sense of novelty. The keyboard size is 31612632mm, and the width is actually the same as mine The 68-key short keyboard used before is basically the same, except that the top row of F keys and the function key area are added vertically. The weight of the keyboard is about 830 grams. The workmanship is very solid, and it is quite satisfying to start with a heavyweight.
What is more interesting is that the Keychron keyboard is the same as the customized keyboard, the frame material can be customized, and the rubber plate is light and more convenient to carry. The metal frame has a better texture and is stronger, but is heavier and suitable for home use. I prefer the metal frame version because I have many at home.
The metal frame is made of aluminum, with dark gray color matching, a narrow border and an equal width design, and the visual effect is quite excellent.
Because the keyboard supports both macOS and WIN systems, COMMAND and other Mac-specific keycaps and WIN-specific keycaps provide two solutions, which can be replaced by rooting out your actual usage habits, but if you want to be lazy, it’s not a big problem if you don’t change them.
The charging interface and IO module of the keyboard are designed on the left side of the keyboard, and the hidden design of the concave eaves is made, so there is no need to worry about accidental touch during normal use.
The charging interface uses the TYPE-C interface, which is very versatile. The 2 switches correspond to the MAC/WIN system switching, power supply and connection mode switching, respectively, and the top of the buttons are treated with anti-slip bumps, and the damping and positioning are also very clear.
In fact, there is a power indicator hidden near the charging interface, which will display red when charging and green when fully charged. In the wireless working mode, the indicator light will start to flash when the battery is low, which is very practical.
The bottom of the keyboard is relatively flat, with product information and a nameplate in the middle, and non-slip feet are designed at the four corners.
The built-in 2-stage bracket is a classic way of folding and storing nesting dolls. After opening, there are anti-slip strips on the bottom.
By adjusting the stand, the K2 can provide 3 different tilt angles, so you can always find the most suitable solution for you.
The original wrist rest can also be seamlessly connected to the K2, and the width is just right, and it is very comfortable to look at.
The wrist rest has just the right height and curvature to provide a very comfortable state of use.
In terms of the switch, I chose the Gateron red switch, with a service life of 5000W times, a trigger pressure of 45 grams, and the key distance of 4mm.
Keychron provides users with two solutions: traditional fixed and hot-swappable switches. I struggled before starting. The traditional fixed switch has better stability and a more uniform feel. The pluggable switch body can be deeply DIY. For example, I originally planned to replace the commonly used keys such as ESC, space, and Enter key with the blue switch with greater pressure and clearer paragraph sense.
In terms of large keys, the K2 uses the true main switch + satellite switch scheme.
The largest space bar also uses the same scheme, but if you look closely, you can find that the grease on the satellite switch is quite full, and the big keys are very smooth when hitting.
The original keycaps are made of ABS material, the workmanship is surprising, and the details on the back are also quite clean.
The font of the keycap is similar to young black, which is round and delicate, and has good light transmission.
There is a layer of skin-like material on the surface of the keycap, which is warmer and smoother than ordinary ABS, and feels good, but the problem of fingerprint residue still exists after long-term use. Keychron specifically provides higher-end PBT keycaps, but requires a second purchase.
The matching data cable has a moderate hardness, a length of 1.2m, the mesh material is resistant to pulling, and the USB end has an anti-interference magnetic ring, and the details are quite satisfactory.
In wired mode, the elbow design is smaller, and it is not easy to pull away from the fuselage, and there is no interference in use.
The Keychron K2 has a built-in Bluetooth 5.1 module, which has strong anti-interference ability and excellent connection stability, and can switch between multiple devices through the combination keys FN+1/2/3 on the keyboard.
Device recognition is also fairly quick, and it works without a driver, requiring no setup.
The actual measurement is using the AX200 network card that comes with the motherboard, and the game is played in the wireless connection mode. There is no unexpected situation such as any delay, continuous play, and broken link, which is very stable.
The backlight effect of the K2 can also be selected. All shopping platforms provide three versions: Non-backlight, white light and RGB version. As a light pollution lover, I of course prefer the latter. A lighting effect mode switch key is specially set at the top of the right side of the keyboard, which can easily and quickly recall/switch various preset lighting effects.
The backlight brightness can also be fine-tuned through key combinations.
The built-in lighting effect modes are also quite rich, with as many as 19 types, which can be eaten according to your preferences.
After switching to your favorite lighting effect mode, you can also fine-tune the lighting effect through a combination of keys, and the playability is quite good.
The uppercase keys and other status indicators are also displayed very conspicuously.
The built-in 4000mAh large-capacity battery in the keyboard can also provide up to 20-80 hours of battery life in RGB backlight mode. If I use it for a few hours after get off work every day, I only need to charge it once a month. If the light effect is turned off, the battery life will last longer. will be longer.
Summary
This Keychron K2 bluetooth mechanical keyboard combines multiple elements, frames, switches, backlight, hot-swap switches and other optional configurations to provide high playability, not only supports MAC and WIN dual systems, but also free of drive and free settings , the built-in Bluetooth 5.1 module connection is also quite stable. 75% of the 84-key layout makes the short keyboard quite efficient. Coupled with excellent battery life and simple design language, it is no wonder that it has accumulated so much popularity on Youtube. Really useful!
