Great feel and layout, just no shine-through keycaps
Keychron J3 HE Keyboard - I've been using this as my daily keyboard and it feels great to type on. The magnetic switches are smooth and fairly quiet, and it has enough weight that it doesn't slide around, overall it feels quality like all the Keychron's I've tried in the past.
The 96% layout keeps the numpad and arrow keys without taking up the room of a full size board. I use the volume knob more than I expected, too.
Setup happens in the browser, so there's no extra software to install.
FYI, the keycaps aren't shine-through. The RGB glows from underneath, so the letters are hard to see in a dark room.
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Brayden
★★★★★
An absolute steal at this price!
I absolutely love this keyboard, easily my new daily driver. The keystrokes feel smooth and creamy but the switches aren't overly loud either. I would feel more than comfortable using this keyboard to work my cubicle job with a lot of people sitting and walking around me, and there's very few mechanical keyboards (even ones that are supposed to be quiet) that I can say that about! I also really like having a full size keyboard so this 96% layout is great!
For how much you're paying the quality is IMPECCABLE! The board and keys feel amazing and while it's pretty light, it feels really solid. The color scheme is great and the RGB LEDs seem really hight quality! My only complaint (and this is nitpicking tbh) is that the keycaps are completely solid so the backlight doesn't shine through, but the LEDS are high enough quality and brightness that I don't think this is an issue.
At this price point, the fact you're getting everything I listed above, plus bluetooth/2.4GHz wireless, plus a volume wheel is an absolute steal! If you're on the fence you won't regret this purchase!
Kim H.
★★★★★
Totally changes the way I game!
Whoa! This Keychron J3 HE wireless hall effect magnetic keyboard is mind blowing!
As someone who's exclusively used expensive mechanical keyboards for years for gaming, I totally feel I let magnetic keyboards slip by without a thought and I've so many regrets.
Priced really well for a high quality, ultra responsive gaming keyboard, this keyboard is like no other. If you're after the familiar clickety-clack sounds reminiscence of urgent wartime coded messages that informs everyone within a 50 foot radius that you know how to quickly stroke your keyboard, well, you're out of luck. But if you want a keyboard that has instantaneous keystroke response with major lag reduction and taking your gaming skills to the next level, yeah, this is the one!
The 96% keyboard has the same layout as a full size keyboard, but just a little smaller, but is weighty, like surprisingly really weighty. It's a nice blend of black, stone gray, and teal blue and includes additional keycaps and a metal metal keycap puller.
Compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac, the Keychron app always you customize the keyboard to your personal needs and includes key remapping, adjusting the actuation points for every single key, let's you assign multiple commands to an individual key, enter game controller mode, macros, dynamic light effects with over 22 effect options and yeah, there's even more!
The keyboard also comes with a receiver to help reduce signal interference and lower latency.
You've just got to try it to believe it!
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tbr128
★★★★★
No other keyboard I'd rather have right now
Bought this to replace a older wireless clicky logitech 915. Loved this immediately upon receipt. Love the teal-accent color scheme. The hall effect switches are quiet and feel amazing. The 96% layout is perfect, it has all the keys I use and none of the ones that I don't. Nice and compact for a keyboard that still has a numpad. Build is extremely solid, feels of genuine quality. No software install required, just have to use the website to customize the board. RGB backlight is a nice touch. One thing to note is the backlight does not illuminate through the keycaps, just underneath. Battery life is great. At the ~$100 price, this is an amazing value, and honestly there's no other keyboard at any price out there right now I've seen that I would have rather picked up than this one.
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M
★★★★★
Finally see what the hype about Keychron is all about. Great keyboard.
This is my first Keychron keyboard, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about them, so I was happy to be able to grab one.
I’ve used quite a few mechanical keyboard in the past, and they were always too clicky for me. This one actually feels much better. It’s still just a little clicky, but it does help with confirming input and can’t hear it at all with noise-cancelling headphones.
Love the RGB feature, and the ability to replace key caps easily. Even comes with the key grabber, and Mac keys for those who use a Mac.
I tried BT, receiver and wired connectivity, and can’t notice any delay between the three.
The quality speaks for itself I guess. I’m happy that my friends recommended this brand to me. I think the price is worth it for how good the keys feel, the looks of it, and the responsiveness.
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Randall
★★★★★
Solid 96% board. Hall Effect is the main differentiator.
I’ve used multiple Keychron keyboards and mice over the years and still keep several of them in rotation, along with their and . I also rotate through a lot of other mechanical and Hall Effect boards, so this one is being judged against a pretty wide field.
Keychron J3 HE. Compact layout that still keeps the numpad and a volume knob. The 0 key is the proper double-width 2u under the 1 and 2, which I prefer over the single-width versions some 96% boards use. Auxiliary keys around the numpad are PgUp, PgDn, Home, End, and Delete. Sensible placement. I don’t like boards that put Scroll Lock or Calculator keys there instead. They're easy enough to remap nowadays, but then you have to find additional keycaps that might not match.
Connectivity is straightforward. It supports 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-C, and switching between them is simple. Pairing was quick and stable in my testing. The web-based Keychron Launcher is easy to use and does not require installing desktop software, which is a real plus.
Typing feel is smooth and the switches are responsive. Build is solid and it stays put on the desk. RGB is present but subtle under the stock opaque keycaps.
One issue for me is the bottom-out. It’s sharper than I like. Not the worst I’ve used, but I’m sensitive to that feeling during longer sessions.
I don’t do a lot of twitch gaming anymore, so the Hall Effect advantages (Rapid Trigger, adjustable actuation points) don’t add much value for me personally. The board still feels good for regular typing and general use. It’s a strong overall package and consistent with the quality I’ve come to expect from Keychron, just a better value for someone who actually wants that magnetic switch speed and per-key customization.
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pog
★★★★★
this is great, not just for gaming
UPDATE: after a lot more time of heavy usage, I still love this keyboard. However, the 96% layout's placement of the delete key was a huge issue for me. Anyone else experiencing this might try what I did, which is to swap the End and Delete keys. The Keychron Launcher app makes it easy to reassign the keys, and then you just need to swap the the key caps. Now, my muscle memory just finds the delete key without looking.
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This is among the very best keyboards I have used so far, and I would be comfortable buying it at the normal $109.99 price.
I mainly use a keyboard for typing rather than gaming, so I do not need extreme Rapid Trigger tuning or elaborate per-key setups. Even with the default settings, the J3 HE feels excellent. The magnetic switches have a smooth, somewhat creamy action with a firm bottom-out, but they do not produce a sharp click or loud case resonance. The sound is reserved rather than quiet, and the overall feel is unusually polished.
This replaces another brand's full size elite mechanical keyboard, which was already very good for me. The Keychron is noticeably lighter, but it is not a featherweight and does not move around while typing. The 96% layout also saves meaningful desk space. It measures just under 16 inches wide while retaining the numpad, function row, arrow keys, and volume knob.
The compact layout has required very little adjustment. The main key spacing feels normal, so my typing placement did not need to change. Home, End, Delete, Page Up, and Page Down are arranged more tightly than on a traditional full-size board, but that is the main compromise. I did not use the dedicated media keys on the other keyboard anyway, so keeping the volume knob while losing that extra width works well for me.
The web-based Keychron Launcher is another strong point. It connects through a supported browser after permission is granted, so there is no large desktop utility to install or leave running. The interface is extremely detailed and often explains the feature in the same area where it is adjusted. There is also a controlled test environment for experimenting with actuation and related settings before relying on them in normal use.
The level of control is impressive. Actuation and other Hall-effect behavior can be adjusted on a per-key basis, even though I have not needed to change much yet. The defaults are already sensible for typing, which I prefer to a keyboard that only becomes good after extensive configuration.
The optional AI assistant inside Launcher is responsive and can make changes directly, but it is not completely reliable. When I asked about combining a base lighting effect with a reactive splash effect, it tried several incorrect approaches before later confirming that true layered lighting is not supported. The lighting effects can be selected or looped, but they cannot be composited on top of one another.
That limitation does not matter much to me because reactive effects tend to get old quickly. The stock keycaps are opaque, including the legends, so the RGB shines mainly through the spaces between the keys. In bright light it is barely visible. In moderately low light it creates a subtle glow that suits the restrained design. People who want brightly illuminated lettering may prefer compatible shine-through keycaps.
The keyboard arrives set up for Windows and includes replacement Mac keycaps. It supports USB-C, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz wireless, with a built-in 4000 mAh battery. I do not particularly need wireless operation, so I may simply leave it connected by cable.
This is marketed heavily as a gaming keyboard, but its success is not limited to gaming. The Hall-effect controls provide substantial flexibility, while the typing feel, acoustics, compact full layout, volume knob, keycaps, and software all work well without requiring much intervention.
Over $100 is expensive compared with a basic keyboard, but the price feels justified here. A cheaper keyboard can perform the same basic task, but this one feels better every time I use it. The quality and overall polish are high enough that I really would buy it with my own money.
Customer
★★★★★
Built solid and extremely responsive with extensive customization options
The sound of this is lightweight like the pitter-patter of rain falling softly onto a hard surface —— it’s really gentle and unlikely to distract others. If you enjoy the heavier sounds associated with mechanical keyboards, it's a pretty big change and potentially less satisfying acoustically though I've warmed up to it with use. It's different, but oddly soothing.
Pressing down on the keys requires little effort and isn't fatiguing to use over the course of a day. It's easy to type quickly, though if you're not used to a 96% keyboard the location of the arrow keys does take some acclimating to as they're shifted a bit southwest. Customizing with the Keychron Launcher is easy enough (and extensive!) and while it doesn't support Firefox, you can get away with Chromium-based browsers like Brave if you don't use Chrome, Edge, or Opera.
Loads of lighting options, though in a bright room it's on the more subtle side especially if you’re shameless about your love of RGB like me. The keycaps are easy to swap and could be switched to pudding if you'd like more light coming through. Its size and heft remind me of the Aula F99 as it feels like a solid, substantial build.
Overall, I’m enjoying using this, and my biggest disappointment was finding out there’s a pink version out in the world but not here yet.
Neodymium Bean
★★★★★
Absolutely incredible feeling keyboard with a pleasant soft sound.
I found the keyboard to be very pleasant and wonderful to type on. Seems to be meant to be paired with a Playstation because of the key caps, but I'm testing it on a pc. Love the sound of the keys as they are quiet but still have that beautiful mechanical feel.
Connectivity is great and very easy to do. It can be connected to multiple devices via USB, 2.4ghz, and Bluetooth. The bluetooth option can connect to multiple devices.
There is a good bit of adjustability with keys and height. I love how despite it being a little smaller, it still has full access to a lot of the keys I use regularly.
The keyboard is a little pricier than comparable keyboards, but I feel the price is worth it. It sounds and feels incredible, and will probably be my daily typer for the vines laptop. Writing reviews on it has been very very pleasent.
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Customer
★★★★★
96% gets you a numpad without the full size footprint, and hall effect on top of that!
Keychron is at the top of the quality level, and this keyboard is at a decent price, and gives you everything but a little programmable screen. The RGB is really nice, and you can customize this thing however you like. Hall effect is usually extra money on top, but this one is reasonable. What hall effect changes, and it took me a minute to appreciate it, is that the board reads how far down the key has traveled instead of waiting for a contact to close. Magnets, nothing touching. The feature they sell it on is rapid trigger, which resets the key the instant you start lifting off it, and that is a gaming thing. It sits down on the desk instead of skating around when you get moving, and the noise is right in the middle, not silenced and not clacking at everybody in the room. The knob is the kind of thing you do not ask for and then use constantly. Typing on it is full size, you are not really sacrificing anything.
The 96 percent layout is the whole reason it is shaped like this. You keep the numpad, the function row, and the arrows in a footprint smaller than a full size board, and the way 96 percent buys that space back is by deleting the little cluster above the arrows. Print screen, scroll lock, pause. So, where the heck is print screen. It is buried on a function layer, and you can put it back wherever you want with Keychron's browser configurator. Fine. But a keyboard with a full numpad on it ought to have a print screen key, and I should not have to go build one. That is my only gripe, but this is a really good keyboard to type on.
