Keychron C2 Keyboard Review

This is a full-sized keyboard with a traditional 104-key layout.

The Keychron C2 has a great build quality that feels solid and a plastic baseplate that only flexes slightly. The keys feel very stable, and there are no loose pieces or noticeable rattle. The keycaps are doubleshot ABS and feel good to type with, but they seem prone to showing oil shine from your fingers. Lastly, the feet feel stable, and they're unlikely to collapse during regular use.

The Keychron C2 has adequate ergonomics, and it features two incline settings. Unfortunately, the board's profile is fairly high, and it doesn't come with a wrist rest, so you may experience wrist fatigue during long typing sessions.

The Keychron C2 has full backlighting with individually-lit keys, and there's a button on the top right for cycling between lighting modes.

The model we tested has white backlighting, but there's also a full RGB version available.

The Keychron C2's cable is a detachable USB-C to USB-C cable, and there's an included USB-A dongle that you can use if your computer doesn't have a USB-C port.

The Keychron C2 doesn't have companion software that allows for key programmability. Keychron recommends third-party programs for remapping key bindings, but this isn't something we test for. It does have a toggle switch to alternate between Windows/Android and macOS/iOS.

• Keychron C2 wired mechanical keyboard
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• USB-C to USB-A dongle
• Keycap puller
• 5x alternate black keys (2x Alt key, 2x Windows key, 1x Esc key)
• 2x alternate orange keys(1x brightness key, 1x Keychron 'k logo' key
• Quick start guide

The tactile Gateron Brown Switches on our unit provide good feedback and don't require much force to operate, although they have a high pre-travel distance. This keyboard is also available in linear Gateron Red or clicky Gateron Blue switches, and it has a hot-swappable version if you'd prefer something else.

The Gateron Brown switches on our unit provide a great typing experience. The keys feel stable and have good tactile feedback. The spacing between the keys feels standard, and the pre-travel is fairly long, so you're unlikely to register keystrokes accidentally. Unfortunately, it has a high profile and does not include a wrist rest, so if you're typing for long periods, you may experience wrist fatigue.

If you're not a fan of the tactile Gateron Brown switches, this board is also available with linear Gateron Red or clicky Blue switches. There's also a hot-swappable version if you'd like to replace the default Gaterons for a different set of switches altogether.

This keyboard is louder than most other keyboards using Gateron Brown switches, and the noise may bother those around you. We expect the linear Gateron Reds to be quieter and the clicky Gateron Blue switches to be louder, but this isn't something we test.

The Keychron C2 has only decent latency, so it probably isn't ideal for competitive gaming. If you're using it for office or programming tasks, you likely won't notice any significant delays.

The Keychron C2 doesn't have companion software. The included quick start guide includes suggestions for third-party keyboard remapping software, but this isn't something we test for. There are lighting modes saved in onboard memory, and you can cycle them with a button on the top-right of the keyboard.

The Keychron C2 is fully compatible with both Windows and macOS. It's also compatible with Linux, but the screen brightness up/down keys don't work.

Note: Our current methodology automatically counts wired keyboards as incompatible with mobile devices. However, this model includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, so we tested it with a USB-C compatible iPadOS, and only F3 and F4 keys don't work. We also tested it with a USB-C compatible Android device and only the F4, F5, and F6 keys don't work.