{"id":480683,"date":"2023-02-17T11:12:46","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T09:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=480683"},"modified":"2023-02-23T15:20:08","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T13:20:08","slug":"the-last-keyboard-youll-ever-need-keychron-k8-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/reviews\/480683-the-last-keyboard-youll-ever-need-keychron-k8-pro.html","title":{"rendered":"The last keyboard you’ll ever need \u2014 Keychron K8 Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heresy! Blasphemy!<\/p>\n

I hear you, but before you fetch a pitchfork from your wendy house and bamboo torches from the lapa, understand this isn\u2019t lightly-offered praise.<\/p>\n

First, my credentials. On what basis dare I trespass upon the holy domain of keyboardism and speak the sacred words of thockology?<\/p>\n

Simple: I own a Unicomp Model M, a modernised version of the original IBM Model M powered by the archduke of keyswitches \u2014 the buckling spring.<\/p>\n

(I own many other mechanical keyboards and have used all sorts of different switches, but they are irrelevant beside the Mighty Model M.)<\/p>\n

There were only two major problems with my Model M. The escape key was starting to act up (figuring out what happened there is left as an exercise for the reader), and switching between a Windows gaming PC and work MacBook was an inconvenience.<\/p>\n

I tried tools like Synergy<\/a><\/strong>. In fact, I\u2019m an \u201cInnovator\u201d-tier backer with the option of displaying my name on its website\u2019s credits page. I don\u2019t<\/em> because I\u2019m incredibly modest, but I can<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, there were small, infrequent lag spikes when using the Mac on Wi-Fi that seemed to always happen at precisely the worst time.<\/p>\n

I also tried hardware switchers but hated the clutter they cause.<\/p>\n

As a result, I ended up manually unplugging the Model M\u2019s USB cable and plugging it back in every time I needed to switch between machines.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Rubik\u2019s Cube for scale<\/p><\/div>\n

Enter Keychron, purveyors of mechanical keyboards specifically designed for the cross-platform warrior.<\/p>\n

They are hybrid Bluetooth and wired, allowing up to three devices to be wirelessly paired with the keyboard. You switch between paired devices by pressing Fn and 1, 2, or 3.<\/p>\n

You can also switch between Windows\/Android and Mac\/iOS modes.<\/p>\n

In both cases, mode switching happens through honest and proper physical switches on the side of the board.<\/p>\n

One switch toggles between Windows\/Android and Mac\/iOS keymaps, and the other switches it between Bluetooth, cable, or off.<\/p>\n

To replace the Model M, I bought a Keychron K1 with low-profile Gateron Brown switches. It\u2019s a lovely board, but I was never completely happy with the low-profile chiclet-style keycaps.<\/p>\n

Not that there is anything wrong with island-style keyboards or low-profile keys.<\/p>\n

Since I\u2019m a humanitarian, I used an old penlight battery-powered Apple Magic Keyboard at work rather than a board with mechanical switches.<\/p>\n

Apparently, the thock<\/em> of a good mechanical keyboard is not a universally soul-stirring experience.<\/p>\n

The Magic Keyboard has a chiclet design, and I type fast and accurately on it. I thought that would translate to the Keychron K1, but sadly it didn\u2019t. Maybe it was the keycaps, or perhaps the slightly raised keyswitches \u2014 all I know is my typing speed and accuracy were much lower.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Keychron K8 Pro left side \u2014\u00a0USB-C charging port and mode selector switches<\/p><\/div>\n

Then, last year, Keychron launched the Keychron K8 Pro after a successful Kickstarter campaign.<\/p>\n

Distributor Syntech received some stock late last year, and I\u2019ve been reviewing a plastic body model for almost three weeks on Mac and Windows, cabled and wireless, for writing and gaming.<\/p>\n

It is a near-perfect tenkeyless keyboard for the aficionado who wants customisability but doesn\u2019t necessarily want to build their whole board from scratch.<\/p>\n

Keychron does offer a barebones version on its website that ships without keycaps, but it is better value for money to get the fully-assembled K8 Pro.<\/p>\n

Although the default keycaps don\u2019t allow much of the keyboard\u2019s RGB lighting through, they are otherwise fantastic. Double-shot PBT and with an OSA profile, the keycaps are sturdy, durable, and satisfying to type on.<\/p>\n

Like other Keychron boards, the K8 Pro comes with keycaps for Mac and Windows, allowing you to swap Option and Command for Windows and ALT.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Switch comparison<\/h2>\n

The actual keyswitches on the Keychron K8 Pro are also hot-swappable.<\/p>\n

I requested a keyboard with Gateron G Pro Brown switches, and Syntech kindly provided samples of several other switch types to try.<\/p>\n

These included Gateron G Pro Blue, Red, Black, White, Green, and Red.<\/p>\n

After trying them all on a few keys, I returned to the browns. This is purely personal preference, and your mileage may most certainly vary, especially if you don\u2019t like tactile switches.<\/p>\n

In my testing, I found little discernible difference between the blue and green switches, both of which make an audible, satisfying *click*<\/em> when actuating.<\/p>\n

According to Keychron\u2019s website<\/a><\/strong>, the green switches require more force to actuate. Perhaps I couldn\u2019t tell them apart from the blues because of my heavy fingers.<\/p>\n

As the spec sheets suggest, the Gateron G Pro white switches felt like extremely light black switches. They sounded almost identical.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the red switches sounded slightly different from the black and white ones, even though all three are linear-type. According to the specifications, the reds need slightly more force to press than the white switches.<\/p>\n

A video showcasing what these switches sound like when installed in the Keychron K8 Pro is embedded below.<\/p>\n