Keyboards | The Verge

Marathon battery life makes Keychron’s Ultra 8K keyboards its best yet

2026-04-19T23:01:29-04:00

Keychron's expansive keyboard catalog covers everything from basic full-size mechanical boards to niche layouts like southpaw Alice or a one-handed half-keyboard for gaming. Its Q and V series are among our go-to recommendations for off-the-shelf keyboards, and the latest iterations - the Q and V Ultra models - are a straightforward upgrade to the lineup, with benefits for regular users and deep-in-the-weeds keyboard nerds alike.

I've been testing two Ultra keyboards: the Keychron V5 Ultra 8K and Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K. The $119.99 V5 Ultra is a near-full-size 1800-layout board with a number pad in a plastic case, while the $229.99 Q1 Ultra i …

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Razer’s first split ergonomic keyboard puts extra keys in reach of your thumbs

2026-04-08T12:01:18-04:00

Razer has announced its first keyboard with a split and curved ergonomic layout. The new Pro Type Ergo is available starting today, which at $189.99, is slightly more expensive than the more traditional $159.99 Pro Type Ultra that launched in 2021. Like its predecessor, Razer's new Pro Type Ergo is being positioned as a productivity tool instead of a gaming accessory, but still includes the company's signature colorful LED lighting broken up into 19 zones that can be customized or disabled.

The Pro Type Ergo features ultra-low-profile, laser-etched ABS keys with a fingertip-shaped design and sound-dampening layers beneath, so you're not dis …

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Keychron’s mechanical keyboards are up to 60 percent off

2026-03-25T10:07:01-04:00

Keychron makes some of the best mechanical keyboards available, whether you’re something of an enthusiast who intends to hotswap switches or someone who doesn’t want to pay a lot to get a well-built clickity, clackity board. Thankfully, Keychron, Walmart, and Amazon are all discounting a swath of Keychron keyboards through March 31st as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Keyboards of many sizes (including both 65 and 100 percent boards) are on sale, with the more recent models receiving a 10 to 20 percent discount.

For some even bigger discounts, Woot is offering a selection of wired and wireless Keychron keyboards on a first-come, first-served basis (including a unique ergonomic model mentioned below) through April 4th. In case you didn’t know, Amazon Prime members get free shipping when logged in at Woot.

There are a bunch of excellent models available, but we have a few favorites to recommend.

If you’re looking for a great, entry-level wired mechanical keyboard, there might be no need to look further than Keychron’s V1, which is just $44.99 at Woot (originally $74.99). Like pricier options below, this model features remappable keys through the Via web-based software, plus customizable RGB backlights, and hot swappable switches if you want a different click feel and sound than what comes with the keyboard. If all you want is a solid, wired-only keyboard, this is a fantastic pick.

Keychron V1

Where to Buy:

If you like the look of the V1, but want the flexibility of going wireless, Keychron’s V1 Max is a great bang-for-your-buck pick that costs a bit more. It comes in various sizes (though, only the 75 and 100 percent layouts are discounted) and supports Bluetooth, wired connectivity via USB-C, and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity — with one USB-C receiver and one USB-A receiver included. My colleague Antonio G. Di Benedetto lovingly referred to the V1 Max as the “Toyota Corolla of keyboards” in The Verge’s buying guide because it’s reliable and likely to be good enough for most people. It now starts at $84.99, down from $115, at Amazon and $97.99 from Keychron’s online storefront.

Keychron V1 Max keyboard

Where to Buy:

If you’re curious about the handful of perks that Hall effect switches bring to a keyboard, Keychron’s K2 HE is available for 20 percent off from Keychron, dropping the starting price to $103.99 ($26 off). It’s slightly pricier at Amazon, where it costs $110.99. That’s the cost for the all-plastic model; the model with wood panels on its side is $111.99. Although the 75 percent board was already somewhat affordable given its specs, the barrier to entry is now even lower.

The aforementioned switches allow for adjustable, per-key actuation points and rapid trigger support, letting you execute commands incredibly quickly. You can also set dynamic keystrokes (the ability to trigger several different functions depending on how far you press or release a key) and RGB backlighting through Keychron’s browser-based app (or with the open-source QMK firmware). The good-looking keyboard also supports 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired connectivity.

It’s worth noting that, while the K2 HE supports hot-swappable switches, there aren’t many candidates out there that you can swap into this model. As of right now, it’s only compatible with the double-rail magnetic switches sold through Keychron.

Keychron K2 HE keyboard

Where to Buy:

The aluminum-clad Keychron Q Max is one of the company’s nicest — and priciest — models, as it typically sells for over $200. The smaller 75 percent option is selling for 20 percent off at Keychron’s online storefront, where you can grab one for $183.90. It costs $195.49 at Amazon. While the aesthetics of the Q Max look similar to the company’s other keyboards, its all-metal design feels like it’s built a bit better. No matter which Gateron switch you opt for, the Q Max lineup is hot-swappable with other three- and five-pin switches on the market. No soldering experience is required, either; just pull them out and slot in your preferred switches.

Keychron Q1 Max

Where to Buy:

One of Keychron’s most unique-looking keyboards, the Q8, is a 65 percent wired mechanical model with the Alice layout. It has an ergonomic key arrangement; Instead of lining up keys in even rows, there’s a slant that might work great for people who regularly experience wrist pain from typing. This model ships with Gateron G Pro switches, but it’s hot-swappable with many 3- or 5-pin mechanical switches. You can grab this model from Keychron for $79.99, or $89.99 from Woot for $89.99.

Keychron Q8 keyboard

Where to Buy:

This DIY kit turned my favorite mechanical keyboard into my favorite electrocapacitive keyboard

2026-02-23T12:00:43-05:00

For my money, you simply cannot get a better electrocapacitive keyboard than the Bauer Lite with a DynaCap kit.

[Editor's note: Huh?]

You can get a nicer EC keyboard, without having to build it yourself, by simply spending $3,600 on a Norbauer Seneca. Or you can get a Happy Hacking Keyboard or a Realforce for south of $300, also without having to build it yourself, with genuine Topre switches, Bluetooth if you want it, and decent - but not great - remapping capability.

Or, for about $250, a set of keycaps, and a couple of hours of assembly, you can design a Bauer Lite in any of a zillion color combinations and use DynaCap parts to turn …

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Razer’s testing a new tool for customizing its keyboards in your browser

2026-02-27T09:05:43-05:00

Razer’s new browser-based customization tool is now available in beta. | Image: Razer

Razer has announced the beta release of a new online customization tool compatible with several versions of its Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards at launch. Razer Synapse Web isn't a full replacement for the company's Synapse 4 desktop app. It's instead designed to be a streamlined alternative accessible through a browser for situations where you're not able, or don't have the time, to download and install Razer's desktop software.

Razer Synapse Web is now available for testing but is only compatible with Chromium-based browsers including Google Chrome, Opera, Brave, and Microsoft Edge. It currently supports the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz, Huntsman …

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Naya Connect is a modular mechanical keyboard system for the indecisive

2026-01-15T05:46:13-05:00

Naya has already shipped one successful Kickstarter for a weird keyboard. The Naya Create was an ergonomic split deck with four swappable controller add-ons: a touchpad, a trackball, a rotary encoder, or a 6DoF spatial mouse. The Connect takes that modular concept, applies it to a more traditional flat keyboard form factor, and expands the ecosystem to be even more flexible. And clearly, people are into the idea, because it hit its minuscule funding goal in just six minutes.

The Naya Connect has four main components: a low-profile 75% mechanical keyboard called the Naya Type, a 24-key multipad, a six-key programmable strip, and a dock. The …

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I’ve never used a trackball, but Keychron’s Nape Pro looks like the perfect one

2026-01-12T12:04:34-05:00

Put this ball under your board.

Keychron announced new mechanical keyboards with marathon battery life at CES, but this trackball stole the spotlight. The Nape Pro is Keychron's first trackball, and its slender frame means it can work on your desk in multiple ways. You can keep it to the right or left of a keyboard like a traditional trackball, or you can tuck it in front and use it without moving your hands from the keys.

That positioning makes it a bit like a giant Lenovo TrackPoint, typically found on ThinkPad laptops but sometimes used on dedicated keyboards. And it should allow you to move your cursor, turn the Nape Pro's rotary dial, or press one of its six fully pr …

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The best tech announced at CES 2026 so far

2026-01-09T10:01:23-05:00

The CES show floor officially closes its doors at the end of the day, but there's still a trickle of announcements and reveals coming out of Las Vegas. If you're struggling to stay on top of all the new tech, gadgets, concepts, and AI-powered devices as the final day of CES gets underway, we're still rounding up the best hardware and upgrades that have debuted so far so you can quickly get up to speed.

As the show draws to a close for another year, you can still catch up on all of The Verge's CES 2026 coverage here.

Philips Hue SpatialAware

Preset scenes are the easiest way to take advantage of color-changing smart lights in a room, but t …

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Satechi’s new Slim EX keyboards have a replaceable battery

2026-01-07T08:47:30-05:00

The Satechi EX3 Wireless Keyboard comes with a number pad and navigation keys.

Satechi is launching a new pair of wireless keyboards with a rechargeable battery designed for easy replacement. Despite their ultrathin profiles, the compact Slim EX1 and full-size Slim EX3 both stow the removable battery in a compartment on their undersides.

A wireless keyboard with an easily replaceable and rechargeable battery is hard to come by, especially one as thin as the Slim EX1 and Slim EX3. Satechi says you can access the lithium battery by removing the Phillips head screw on the battery compartment on the back of the device and then sliding off the access door. Lithium batteries don't last forever, and this design change should …

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HP crammed an entire desktop computer into this keyboard

2026-01-07T11:59:15-05:00

There’s a whole computer in there. This kind of rules?

HP is announcing a new mini desktop computer at CES 2026, and the whole thing is housed in a compact keyboard. The Eliteboard G1a looks like a normal office keyboard with either a captive or detachable USB-C cable, but inside it is an AMD Ryzen AI 300-series chip, stereo speakers, RAM, storage, a fan, and ports - all the things that make up a computer. You just plug this keyboard into a monitor (up to dual 4K displays via daisy-chain connection), turn on the included and pre-paired Bluetooth mouse, and you're good to go.

Pretty nifty, eh? This isn't a totally new idea, as the similar Raspberry Pi 500 exists. But that's a single-board comput …

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