OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
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REVIEWS
Scored using Keyboards Methodology v1.0
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Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are evaluated mathematically under Frontumo Keyboards Methodology v1.0 using verified laboratory benchmarks, technical specifications, and authentic consumer ratings with 0% commercial bias.
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Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless Review | 64 Data compared

Avg. price:~£110Layout size:Full-sizeConnection type:USB / 2.4GHz / BluetoothSwitch type:mechanicalPolling rate:1000 Hz

Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless Review: Compare 64 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Keyboards category and whether it is worth buying.

7.6

Overall score

Score
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the keyboard's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best keyboards on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 83% of models
Score components

80%

7.5

Technical score

20%

8.2

User score

â–²Better than 83% of keyboards
7.5

Technical score

Technical score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Keyboards category across these key areas: Switches, Design, Connectivity & Power, Features, Materials.
When it matters
When you want to compare keyboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 80% of models
Score components

34%

7.8

Connectivity & Power

28%

5.7

Switches

20%

8.9

Materials

12%

7.4

Features

6%

9.6

Design

â–²Better than 80% of keyboards
8.2

User score

User score
8.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the keyboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a keyboard performs in daily use or gaming and how reliable it is in terms of typing feel, noise level, comfort, and long-term durability.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 63% of models
Score components

70%

8.7

User ratings

30%

7.2

Number of reviews

Based on 338 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
â–²Better than 63% of keyboards
  • keychron-k5-max-qmk-via-wireless
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Best prices

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Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of keyboard Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless

Technical score
Technical score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Keyboards category across these key areas: Switches, Design, Connectivity & Power, Features, Materials.
When it matters
When you want to compare keyboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 80% of models
Score components:

34%

7.8

Connectivity & Power

28%

5.7

Switches

20%

8.9

Materials

12%

7.4

Features

6%

9.6

Design

7.5
User score
User score
8.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the keyboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a keyboard performs in daily use or gaming and how reliable it is in terms of typing feel, noise level, comfort, and long-term durability.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 63% of models
Score components

70%

8.7

User ratings

30%

7.2

Number of reviews

Based on 338 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
8.2
Popularity
Popularity
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the keyboard.
When it matters
When you prefer a keyboard that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 61% of models
Popularity:
Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless has a popularity score of 7.2 points, which is higher than that of 60.8% of products in this category.
7.2
Value for money
Value for money
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the keyboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a keyboard that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 84% of models
Score components:

60%

7.6

Overall score

40%

9.9

Price

8.3
Switch type
mechanical
Switch feel
linear / tactile
Switch name
?
Actuation force
50 g
Min actuation distance
?
Show more
Keyboard type
mechanical
Layout size
Full-size
Layout standard
?
N. of keys
108
N. of keys
108
â–² Better than 89% of models
Market range: <64 – >108
This keyboard has 108 keys, which is more than 89% of keyboards and equal to 8.4% of keyboards.
Profile
low-profile
Show more
Connection type
USB / 2.4GHz / Bluetooth
Connection type
USB / 2.4GHz / Bluetooth
â–² Better than 57% of models
This keyboard offers USB / 2.4GHz / Bluetooth connectivity, which is more versatile than 57.3% of keyboards and equal to 42.7% of keyboards.
Multi-device pairing
yes
Multi-device pairing
yes
â–² Better than 4% of models
This keyboard supports multi-device pairing. 4.5% of keyboards support multi-device pairing.
Bluetooth version
5.1
Bluetooth version
5.1
â–² Better than 67% of models
This keyboard uses Bluetooth 5.1, which is newer than 67% of keyboards and equal to 23.5% of keyboards.
Mac compatibility
yes
Mac compatibility
yes
â–² Better than 58% of models
This keyboard is Mac compatible. 58% of keyboards are Mac compatible.
Battery life
110 h
Battery life
110 h
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Market range: <30 h – >512 h
This keyboard lasts 110 h on a charge, which is shorter than 61.2% of keyboards and equal to 1.8% of keyboards.
Show more
RGB lighting
yes
RGB lighting
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This keyboard has RGB lighting. 12.4% of keyboards have RGB lighting.
Per-key RGB
yes
Per-key RGB
yes
â–² Better than 28% of models
This keyboard has per-key RGB lighting. 27.6% of keyboards have per-key RGB lighting.
RGB zones
108
RGB zones
108
★ Better than 92% of models
Market range: <0 – >104
This keyboard has 108 RGB zones, which is more than 92.4% of keyboards and equal to 6.4% of keyboards.
Underglow / side lighting
no
Underglow / side lighting
no
â–¼ Worse than 8% of models
This keyboard does not include underglow lighting. 8% of keyboards include underglow lighting.
Backlight direction
north-facing
Show more
Case material
?
Plate material
polycarbonate
Keycap material
PBT
Keycap profile
LSA
Legend method
double-shot
Legend method
double-shot
â–² Better than 25% of models
This keyboard uses double-shot legends, which are more durable than 25.1% of keyboards and equal to 74.9% of keyboards.
Show more

Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless vs the average keyboard

246810TotalDesignConnectivity & PowerSwitchesMaterialsFeatures
  • 1 mm shorter key travel
    Total travel distance
    3 mm
    ★ Better than 95% of models
    Market range: <3.2 mm – >4 mm
    This keyboard has 3 mm of total travel, while the average keyboard has 4 mm.
    3 mm vs 4 mm
  • 2 h shorter charging time
    Charging time
    3 h
    â–² Better than 58% of models
    Market range: <2.5 h – >6 h
    This keyboard charges faster than the average keyboard (3 h vs 5 h). The average keyboard takes 5 h to charge.
    3 h vs 5 h
  • Works with Mac
    Mac compatibility
    yes
    â–² Better than 58% of models
    This keyboard is Mac compatible, the average keyboard is not. 42.3% of keyboards are Mac compatible.
  • 21 more keys
    N. of keys
    108
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    Market range: <64 – >108
    This keyboard has more keys than the average keyboard (108 vs 87). The average keyboard has 87 keys.
    108 vs 87
  • 0.3 mm shorter actuation distance
    Max actuation distance
    1.7 mm
    â–² Better than 83% of models
    Market range: <1.6 mm – >4 mm
    This keyboard has a longer maximum actuation distance than the average keyboard (1.7 mm vs 2 mm). The average keyboard has a maximum actuation distance of 2 mm.
    1.7 mm vs 2 mm
  • Supports QMK
    QMK support
    yes
    â–² Better than 71% of models
    This keyboard supports QMK, the average keyboard does not. 28.8% of keyboards support QMK.
  • 25 more RGB zones
    RGB zones
    108
    ★ Better than 92% of models
    Market range: <0 – >104
    This keyboard has more RGB zones than the average keyboard (108 vs 83). The average keyboard has 83 RGB zones.
    108 vs 83
  • Supports VIA
    VIA support
    yes
    â–² Better than 74% of models
    This keyboard supports VIA, the average keyboard does not. 26.3% of keyboards support VIA.
  • 6.1% better value for money
    Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless has better value for money than the average keyboard (8.31 vs 7.8).
    8.31 vs 7.84
  • 21 more keys
    N. of keys
    108
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    Market range: <64 – >108
    This keyboard has more keys than the average keyboard (108 vs 87). The average keyboard has 87 keys.
    108 vs 87
  • 26.4% lower weight
    Weight
    720 g
    â–² Better than 76% of models
    Market range: <605 g – >1.6k g
    This keyboard weighs less than the average keyboard (720 g vs 978 g). The average keyboard weighs 978 g.
    720 g vs 978 g
  • 1.6 ° lower typing angle
    Typing angle
    3.4 °
    â–² Better than 74% of models
    Market range: <3 ° – >7 °
    This keyboard has a lower typing angle than the average keyboard (3.4 ° vs 5 °). The average keyboard has a typing angle of 5 °.
    3.4 ° vs 5 °
  • 14.75 mm lower keyboard height
    Height
    23.5 mm
    ★ Better than 91% of models
    Market range: <24.1 mm – >44 mm
    This keyboard is lower than the average keyboard (23.5 mm vs 38.25 mm). The average keyboard height is 38.25 mm.
    23.5 mm vs 38.25 mm
  • 2 newer release date
    Release date
    2025
    â–² Better than 79% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This keyboard is newer than the average keyboard (2025 vs 2023). The average keyboard was released in 2023.
    February 2025
    2025 vs 2023
  • 2 h shorter charging time
    Charging time
    3 h
    â–² Better than 58% of models
    Market range: <2.5 h – >6 h
    This keyboard charges faster than the average keyboard (3 h vs 5 h). The average keyboard takes 5 h to charge.
    3 h vs 5 h
  • Works with Mac
    Mac compatibility
    yes
    â–² Better than 58% of models
    This keyboard is Mac compatible, the average keyboard is not. 42.3% of keyboards are Mac compatible.
  • 1 mm shorter key travel
    Total travel distance
    3 mm
    ★ Better than 95% of models
    Market range: <3.2 mm – >4 mm
    This keyboard has 3 mm of total travel, while the average keyboard has 4 mm.
    3 mm vs 4 mm
  • 0.3 mm shorter actuation distance
    Max actuation distance
    1.7 mm
    â–² Better than 83% of models
    Market range: <1.6 mm – >4 mm
    This keyboard has a longer maximum actuation distance than the average keyboard (1.7 mm vs 2 mm). The average keyboard has a maximum actuation distance of 2 mm.
    1.7 mm vs 2 mm
  • Supports QMK
    QMK support
    yes
    â–² Better than 71% of models
    This keyboard supports QMK, the average keyboard does not. 28.8% of keyboards support QMK.
  • 25 more RGB zones
    RGB zones
    108
    ★ Better than 92% of models
    Market range: <0 – >104
    This keyboard has more RGB zones than the average keyboard (108 vs 83). The average keyboard has 83 RGB zones.
    108 vs 83
  • Supports VIA
    VIA support
    yes
    â–² Better than 74% of models
    This keyboard supports VIA, the average keyboard does not. 26.3% of keyboards support VIA.
  • 50% smaller battery capacity
    Battery capacity
    2000 mAh
    â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
    Market range: <2k mAh – >5.9k mAh
    This keyboard has a smaller battery than the average keyboard (2000 mAh vs 4000 mAh). The average keyboard has a battery capacity of 4000 mAh.
    2,000 mAh vs 4,000 mAh
  • 70 h shorter battery life
    Battery life
    110 h
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <30 h – >512 h
    This keyboard lasts less long on a charge than the average keyboard (110 h vs 180 h). The average keyboard lasts 180 h on a charge.
    110 h vs 180 h
  • Older Bluetooth version
    Bluetooth version
    5.1
    â–² Better than 67% of models
    This keyboard uses an older Bluetooth version than the average keyboard (5.1 vs 5.2). The average keyboard uses Bluetooth 5.2.
    5.1 vs 5.2
  • 67.7 mm wider width
    Width
    424 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 76% of models
    Market range: <290 mm – >442 mm
    This keyboard is wider than the average keyboard (424 mm vs 356.3 mm). The average keyboard width is 356.3 mm.
    424 mm vs 356.3 mm
  • 67.7 mm wider width
    Width
    424 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 76% of models
    Market range: <290 mm – >442 mm
    This keyboard is wider than the average keyboard (424 mm vs 356.3 mm). The average keyboard width is 356.3 mm.
    424 mm vs 356.3 mm
  • 50% smaller battery capacity
    Battery capacity
    2000 mAh
    â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
    Market range: <2k mAh – >5.9k mAh
    This keyboard has a smaller battery than the average keyboard (2000 mAh vs 4000 mAh). The average keyboard has a battery capacity of 4000 mAh.
    2,000 mAh vs 4,000 mAh
  • 70 h shorter battery life
    Battery life
    110 h
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <30 h – >512 h
    This keyboard lasts less long on a charge than the average keyboard (110 h vs 180 h). The average keyboard lasts 180 h on a charge.
    110 h vs 180 h
  • Older Bluetooth version
    Bluetooth version
    5.1
    â–² Better than 67% of models
    This keyboard uses an older Bluetooth version than the average keyboard (5.1 vs 5.2). The average keyboard uses Bluetooth 5.2.
    5.1 vs 5.2

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

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tech-fairy.com
22/08/2025
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D
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29/10/2024
Summary of the review
Keychron K5 Max Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard Review
P
phandroid.com
22/05/2025
Summary of the review
Keychron K5 Max: A Solid Step Forward for Low-Profile Mechanical Keyboards
R
rtings.com
24/04/2025
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Keychron K5 Max [K1 Max, K3 Max, etc.] Review - RTINGS.com
K
korben.info
10/07/2025
Summary of the review
Keychron K5 Max Review - It will bury your current keyboard
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javipas.com
05/02/2025
Summary of the review
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startupitalia.eu
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Third-party reviews

Based on 338 buyer reviews from online shops.
Reviews last updated: June 2026 · How we calculate this
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →

What we like about Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless

  • Exceptional typing experience with a tactile feel that bridges the gap between laptop and mechanical keyboards.
  • Versatile tri-mode connectivity supporting 2.4 GHz wireless (1000Hz polling rate), Bluetooth 5.1 (up to 3 devices), and USB-C wired modes.
  • High build quality featuring a sturdy aluminum body and slim profile that is comfortable to use without a wrist rest.
  • Advanced acoustic foam (IXPE) provides a 'thocky', quiet, and refined sound compared to previous low-profile models.
  • Full QMK/VIA support allows for extensive key remapping and macro customization via a web-based launcher.
  • Includes dedicated Mac and Windows keycaps and a physical toggle for seamless OS switching.
  • Hot-swappable PCB option available for easy switch customization without soldering.

What we don't like about Keychron K5 Max QMK VIA Wireless

  • Stock PBT keycaps are not shine-through, making the legends nearly impossible to read in dark environments.
  • Backlighting (both white and RGB) is reported to be relatively dim and mostly visible only between the keys.
  • Limited aftermarket keycap and switch options due to the specialized low-profile Gateron/Keychron mount.
  • Battery life drains significantly faster when using the backlight, lasting roughly 70 hours with RGB on compared to 110 hours with it off.
  • Occasional reports of Bluetooth connectivity instability or random disconnections.
  • The 2.4 GHz receiver is USB-A, which may require an adapter for modern USB-C only laptops like MacBooks.
  • Full-size 100% layout may feel bulky for travel compared to smaller compact variants.

Verdict

The Keychron K5 Max is an ultra-slim, full-size (100% layout) wireless mechanical keyboard featuring triple-mode connectivity (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.1, and USB-C wired) with a 1000 Hz polling rate in 2.4 GHz and wired modes. It is powered by an ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit MCU with 256K Flash, offering full QMK and VIA support for extensive key remapping and macro customization. Key characteristics include its low-profile Gateron mechanical switches, double-shot PBT keycaps, and a sturdy aluminum frame. Main pros include its versatile connectivity, excellent typing feel for an ultra-thin design, and comprehensive compatibility with macOS, Windows, and Linux. However, notable cons include stock keycaps that lack shine-through legends, making it difficult to read in the dark despite the RGB backlighting, and occasional reports of laggy Bluetooth performance compared to the more stable 2.4 GHz connection.

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