Keychron K8
My ol' reliable wireless TKL mechanical keyboard, almost 10 years old, retired to spare duty and collection after the Q3 Max arrived
| Maker | Keychron |
|---|---|
| Model | K8 |
| Type | Wireless tenkeyless mechanical keyboard (87 keys, Bluetooth 5.1 + USB-C, Gateron switches) |
Store
| Store | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Keychron | $136.30 USD | 2020-09-22 |
Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Layout | Tenkeyless (80%), 87 keys |
| Switches | Gateron (Red, Blue, Brown options), hot-swappable version available |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.1 (up to 3 devices) and USB-C wired |
Description
My ol' reliable, I've had it for almost 10 years. Since the Q3 Max arrived it moved to the gaming setup as a spare.
It's a TKL, so it has all the normal keys of a keyboard except the numpad. I've had it for as long as I can remember, I don't remember using any other mechanical keyboard before it apart from an old Corsair, so this was probably my second mechanical keyboard ever. It connects over Bluetooth to up to three devices or wired, there's no dongle, and it isn't a VIA or QMK board, it uses Keychron's own software to program it.
Impressions
I think this is the keyboard that made me like smaller keyboards, or at least the one that got me off the 100% layout. That's the thing about a TKL, it keeps what you already know from a standard keyboard, but smaller. You drop the part you don't use and end up with something you can use in a lot of other places.
It's been around practically as long as I have, so it's quite durable. I don't think it's actively sold anymore, I don't think the whole K line from Keychron is. But it's an excellent keyboard and it's very resistant, which for me is the best thing about it. The only downside is that it's plastic, and it feels a bit cheap, like it has that cheap plastic build, so it ends up feeling a little strange. Other than that it's nice, it's a good keyboard, it's ok.
Today I think it would be quite dated, mostly because it doesn't have a dongle to plug into USB, it's only Bluetooth or wired. Three Bluetooth devices is actually very ok, because most of the time you're not going to connect more than that, and for what most people do it's fine.
The layout is very good, like all TKLs. It keeps the original design of a keyboard but smaller, so there isn't much of a learning curve. It does have a function key, but you rarely need it. It's also fully programmable, although these days I don't know whether that still works or not.
It's also hot swappable, which makes it excellent value. These days it has multiple switches mixed into it, it doesn't have a single type anymore. There are linear switches in there, tactile ones, a few clicky ones, it's kind of the Frankenstein of the whole thing.
To be clear, it isn't the best keyboard I've ever had, it's the oldest one. It's the keyboard that actually started me in this world of mechanical keyboards, but I can think of any number of keyboards that are better than it, especially after all this time. It wasn't even the best keyboard I'd used back then, it was the keyboard I had. So it has a special place, and it's a keyboard that's part of the story.
Final thoughts
I don't recommend buying the K8 nowadays, because it's a very old keyboard. But it's an excellent keyboard if you ever need one, the same as any other TKL from Keychron. I like the brand a lot, most of their keyboards are very well built.