The Keychron K2 HE combines two attention-grabbing issues in a keyboard: magnetic switches and wooden. Alright, that will appear to be an odd mixture, however that’s not less than a part of what makes this ‘board such a compelling selection for its $140 asking worth.
Initially, let me tackle the wooden on the edges of the K2 HE. That is a part of the particular version package deal which I’ve right here, and by jove is it pretty. It’s a pure rosewood that feels wonderful should you’re bizarre and stroke the edges of your keyboard, and provides an aesthetic that I didn’t know I wanted. Far too typically, mechanical boards provide a really related design with a imply black metallic or plastic case, so to see one thing totally different with this K2 HE is very welcome.
It’s obtained an virtually Scandinavian high quality to it, and are available to consider it, would pair superbly with a Fractal Design North, the makers of whom are, after all, Swedish—hej to you, too.
Moreover the beautiful rosewood edges, the K2 HE’s construct high quality is classy. It’s in any other case plastic, however gives among the sturdiest I’ve examined on a keyboard at its worth level. It’s stable and inflexible, whereas additionally coming with no deck flex even should you tried to tear it to items. A 966g weight additionally retains it particularly hefty for a board with this small of a type issue, and it dwarfs the older K2’s sub 700g mass.
K2 HE specs
Swap sort: Gateron HE Double Rail
Keycaps: PBT, double-shot
Lighting: RGB, dimmable on keyboard and controllable in software program
Onboard storage: None
Additional ports: USB-C for charging
Connection sort: Wi-fi – Bluetooth/2.4 GHz receiver
Cable: USB Kind-C/USB Kind-A, removable
Weight: 966 g/2.13 lbs
Value: $140
The keycaps listed below are additionally pretty, with their taller OSA profile leaning right into a extra retro aesthetic that matches the rosewood ending properly. They’re snug to sort on, being barely rounded, and are comprised of doubleshot-moulded PBT plastic for an additional dose of high quality ending. I also needs to shout out the beige accent keycaps for the Esc and Return keys, that are a stunning contact, and the handy I/O on the left aspect with selector switches for Home windows or Mac operation and for connectivity technique between Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wi-fi, or wired.
And now to deal within the second a part of that odd combo: the magnetic switches. These are proper on pattern with what we’re seeing with different keyboards from an array of producers, with Keychron opting to go for Gateron Corridor impact switches within the identify of offering as snappy inputs as doable. These are Gateron’s new double rail Corridor impact switches, which supply no actual key wobble and profit from being more and more secure underneath finger.
For these unaware, Corridor impact magnetic switches are barely totally different to your commonplace mechanical choices. In essence, it means they work through a magnet versus extra commonplace means. A magnet is shipped down the swap’s stem to a sensor, the place an enter is then registered—there isn’t an outlined actuation level with them, as such. This implies that you would be able to change the actuation level for every swap, so you may have snappy inputs for video games, as an example, to give you a little bit of a aggressive edge.
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Customisation of mentioned actuation factors is dealt with with Keychron’s Launcher software program which is definitely a web-based configurator that runs in a browser window. This retains life particularly straightforward, and means the K2 HE will be customised on each Home windows and macOS with out a hitch. Right here you can’t solely fiddle with actuation factors on a scale from 0.5 mm to three.8 mm of the swap’s whole journey in super-precise 0.1 mm increments on a per-key foundation, however it’s also possible to regulate RGB lighting to single color and select from a variety of different presets. You may also remap keys and report macros, too. It’s particularly straightforward to make use of, and splendidly refreshing to see in a world the place peripherals software program in some circumstances would possibly as nicely equate to bloatware at occasions.
Again to the switches themselves, although. The switches felt responsive for each day-to-day productiveness workloads and for messing round with bots in Counter Strike 2, the place you definitely really feel the velocity of adjustable actuation factors. For the WASD keys and weapon choose keys, I set the actuation level as excessive as doable (0.5 mm), and it’s virtually as should you barely must breathe to register the enter.That’s particularly helpful in fast draw situations the place it is advisable to carry a weapon out or throw a grenade as rapidly as doable.
They’re additionally pre-lubricated, so profit from being as easy as you want. It additionally has the knock-on impact of which means that the K2 HE, very like the dearer Keychron Q3 Max, sounds beautiful. It’s in all probability one of many best-sounding keyboards I’ve used with a creamy sound profile (God, I hate saying that) accompanied by no case rattle or ping.
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Purchase if…
✅ You need a keyboard with fashion: Keychron’s K2 HE impresses with its unbelievable construct high quality and its ounces of favor, helped alongside by its use of rosewood within the particular version mannequin.
Do not buy if…
❌ You don’t need Corridor impact switches: If the speediness of HE switches aren’t what you want, then the usual K2 is a unbelievable selection for simply shy of half of this HE mannequin.
Technically, the K2 HE can be hot-swappable, though very like the Endgame Gear KB65HE and Wooting 60HE+, the selection of switches you may swap in is minuscule. Not even all of Gateron’s different Corridor impact swap fashions are appropriate.
Elsewhere, the K2 HE additionally advantages from wonderful wi-fi connectivity throughout each Bluetooth and its bundled 2.4 GHz wi-fi receiver. It labored on both technique with out a problem on each Home windows and macOS, whereas pairing with the Fn key and 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the quantity row is handy. The 4000 mAh battery inside can be relatively giant for a keyboard of this dimension, and powers the K2 HE for as much as 72 hours with the vivid backlighting on. Flip it off, and that rises to 240 hours, which is great endurance.
So, the Keychron K2 HE then. This is a wonderful keyboard that brings a number of fashion to proceedings whereas additionally feeling responsive with its Corridor impact switches. It brings a number of noteworthy enhancements towards the usual K2 that has lived on our listing of the most effective gaming keyboards for a number of years. At $140 for this particular version, it’s a compelling selection for many who need a mix of favor and substance, versus the normal dilemma of selecting one over the opposite. In opposition to different HE boards too, you’re getting the advantage of extra attention-grabbing seems to be, handy wi-fi connectivity and easy software program. That looks as if greater than a good deal.
