The Keychron K4 is an overall decent wireless mechanical keyboard for most uses. It's a keyboard that can be configured with your preferred type of switches. Our unit is fitted with LK Optical Brown switches, which provide a good amount of tactility without producing much noise, making it a good option for use in quiet office settings. It's well-built, it has backlighting, and since it's a Bluetooth keyboard, it can be used with a wide range of devices. You can choose to have a plastic or full aluminum frame, and there's also an option with full RGB backlighting. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any programmable keys, doesn't come with a wrist rest, and there's no customization software. On the bright side, it has a multi-device pairing feature that lets you pair up to three devices at the same time, and it comes with keycaps for Windows and macOS.
Our Verdict
The Keychron K4 is an okay keyboard for gaming. Although we don't test for wireless input lag, the Bluetooth latency may not be suitable for games that require precise timing, so it's best to use it wired when gaming. The LK Optical Brown switches on our unit have a low pre-travel distance, making it feel very responsive, and it doesn't require much force to actuate the keys. Unfortunately, there are no macro programmable keys or dedicated macro keys for MMO games. Also, there's no customization software.
- Great build quality.
- Low operating force.
- Short pre-travel distance.
- No customization software.
- No programmable keys.
- No wrist rest.
The Keychron K4 is a great keyboard for use with mobile devices. Thanks to its wireless Bluetooth connectivity, it can be used with a wide range of devices. It has a multi-device pairing feature, and it has good compatibility with mobile operating systems. It isn't too heavy, but it may be a bit too big to carry around.
- Great build quality.
- Good compatibility with mobile operating systems.
- Bluetooth connectivity and multi-device pairing.
- No customization software.
- Size is a little big for portable use.
The Keychron K4 is a good office keyboard. The LK Optical Brown switches on our unit provide a great typing experience. It's easy to type on, but you might need a wrist rest to avoid getting fatigue. It doesn't generate a lot of typing noise, so you shouldn't have any issues using it in a quiet office environment. It's well-built, and it's fully compatible with Windows and macOS.
- Great build quality.
- Great typing quality.
- Quiet typing noise.
- No customization software.
- No wrist rest.
The Keychron K4 is a decent keyboard for programming. With the LK Optical Brown switches on our unit, this keyboard provides a great typing experience that isn't fatiguing. However, some may find the keyboard's high profile uncomfortable and it doesn't come with a wrist rest. It can be used with any device that's Bluetooth-capable, and it has full compatibility with Windows and macOS. Sadly, none of the keys are programmable.
- Great build quality.
- Great typing quality.
- Bluetooth connectivity and multi-device pairing.
- No programmable keys.
- No wrist rest.
The Keychron K4 is okay for use with a home theater PC. It has Bluetooth connectivity so that you don't need to have a cable running from the couch to the computer. However, it lacks a trackpad for navigation, which means you'll need a separate mouse.
- Great build quality.
- Bluetooth connectivity and multi-device pairing.
- No trackpad.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 04, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Aug 07, 2020: The switch type has been changed to 'LK Optical Brown'.
- Updated Jun 29, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jun 23, 2020: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Keychron K4 with white backlighting, plastic frame, and Optical Brown switches. However, Keychron offers many configuration options. You can choose to have white backlighting or full RGB, and the RGB variant has an option with a full aluminum frame. In addition, there are seven different types of switches to choose from. The LK optical switches are available in Brown, Blue, and Red, and the non-optical Gateron switches come in Brown, Blue, Red, and Yellow.
Note that this keyboard isn't available through retailers such as Best Buy or B&H. It's available on Amazon and Newegg; however, Keychron's website offers the most configuration options.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Keychron K4 is a fairly simple keyboard with decent overall performance. Unfortunately, it lacks features like programmable keys and software support, and its Bluetooth latency may not be suitable for serious gamers. For other options, you can also check out our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best wireless keyboards, and the best mechanical gaming keyboards.
The Keychron K2 (Version 2) is a 75% version of the Keychron K4. The K2 that we tested has full RGB backlighting, while the K4 has white backlighting, although you can get it with RGB backlighting as well. The K2 is smaller and lighter, so it's a better choice for use with mobile devices. However, the K4 has more switch options because it's available with LK Optical or Gateron switches, whereas the K2 is only available with Gateron switches. The K2 has slightly higher latency, but it shouldn't be noticeable to most people.
The Keychron K4 is a full-size version of the Keychron K6. There are some small differences, as the K6 feels better built and has lower latency when using it wired. Both keyboards are available with LK Optical or Gateron switches.
The Keychron K4 is essentially a full-size version of the Keychron K8. There are some small differences, though, The K8 feels better built, and it offers two incline settings, whereas the K4 only has one. The K8 uses Gateron switches, but you can also get it with Keychron Optical switches, and it has a hot-swappable version that lets you change the switches without soldering. The K4 is available with various LK Optical or Gateron switches.
For most uses, the Logitech MX Keys is better than the Keychron K4. Both are wireless keyboards, and both have a multi-device pairing feature for multitasking. Although both feel great to type on, they provide very different typing experiences since the Logitech is a low-profile keyboard with scissor switches, and the Keychron is a mechanical keyboard with a fairly high profile. The Logitech has software support, which the Keychron doesn't have, and it produces less typing noise, which is better for quiet offices.
Test Results
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