Thoughts on Keychron V2 (the knobby one)

I’ve written about Keychron before. In fact, this is my second Keychron keyboard after the Q7. As much as I love that keyboard, and want more ISO keyboards, I wanted to see how Keychron’s more budget-minded keyboards felt in comparison to the more premium Q line. Thus enters the V2, a 65% keyboard with a polycarbonate case. And a knob! I find it funny how much people make a big deal out of knobs on keyboards, but I can also appreciate that they are handy as a different method of input for computers as well. I think part of why it’s not as big a deal for me is that they default to volume which is something my Sennheiser GSX1000 already does as an external sound controller. However, having keyboards that now can have the rotary encoder reprogrammed like any other switch makes them much more interesting.

The V2 features a wholly polycarbonate body rather than aluminium like the Q series. They feature the same layout options but utilise less-premium materials to make them more affordable. In this case, they changed from anodised aluminium for the case to polycarbonate. They’re offered in two colours, opaque black and smoky semi-transparent black. As someone who refuses to let the 90s die, I opted for the semi-transparent keyboard. I’ve always liked seeing the internal workings of electronics and I’m happy to see that as an option. While it’s not as transparent as I would personally like to see, I’m glad to see it as an option with how many bog-standard keyboards there are that are grey, black, or silver. 

I’ve also written before about my preference of sound with my keyboards. I don’t like the resonance of aluminium as much as other materials. It is prone to accentuating those higher pitched sounds and pings, leading me to rely more heavily on dampening the sound of the keyboard using various forms of foam and such. It works, but it also gives them a very “samey” sound to each other. There are ways to help but if you are particularly sensitive to pinging sounds, aluminium cases will always sound less enjoyable for you than other materials. That’s where the V2 is a good option. Plastic is an acoustic insulator; it absorbs sounds and doesn’t resonate sounds as well as metal. If you like softer sounds, sounds that are described as deeper and more marbled, plastic is a better option for you.

Not to say the V2 is entirely plastic. It does feature a steel mounting plate for the switches. Steel is denser and harder than aluminium giving it a different sound profile to aluminium plates as well. That heaviness makes it more muted and less reverberant. But it also means that the feel of the keyboard is stiffer because of those qualities of being heavy and dense. That makes the V2 a remarkably stiff keyboard for one made almost entirely of plastic. Because it is plate mounted tightly between the housings the keyboard has almost no flex whatsoever. If you’re not keen of keyboard flex, this is a great option for you, especially as an inexpensive product. But, if you’re used to softer plate materials, like polycarbonate, POM, or even carbon fibre, it’s going to feel noticeably stiffer to those other options. In fact, with a lack of any sort of dampening for mounting of the keyboard it’s stiffer feeling than my Tofu 60 that is case mounted with no dampening. Where that gains some of its flexibility is that I have it paired with a very soft polycarbonate plate. It’s not much softer, but it does have slightly more give. That said, both keyboards are extremely stiff compared to my other keyboards, even compared to the tanky Keychron Q7.

I think that’s an area where truly custom keyboards, and more expensive prebuilt options such as those from Keychron, have moved towards a softer typing feel over the past few years. Different mounting techniques that allow the plate and PCB to flex and sink when typing have become very popular, with techniques like hamburger mount, sandwich mount, and such. In that regard, this does feel less giving and more fatiguing than the softer typing feel of those designs. I refuse to call it a bad typing experience, or even tiring. It is simply noticeably harder compared to other keyboards I own that are designed to offer more give to the typing experience. If you’re particularly heavy with your typing, with hard bottoming out, you’ll notice the stiffer board than if you’re less prone to bottoming out and have a softer typing technique. If that’s the case for you, you may find the board less pleasant to type on but given the popularity of lighter linear switches there’s even less need to be so heavy handed with typing as they actuate so softly and quickly with only minor force. Ultimately, keyboards are such a subjective experience because everyone has such wildly varying preferences for typing that what I can do is state these aspects and help you determine your preferences based upon previous experiences.

Continuing with the construction of the keyboard, it does include dampening. Between the plate and PCB is some fitted foam to help dampen the switch sounds between plate and PCB. Under the PCB is a large silicone pad that fits to the bottom cavity of the case and dramatically reduces the sound of any reverberation under the keyboard. I find that the combination helps give the board that classic polycarbonate keyboard sound profile that is softer and marblier. I rather like that sound and appreciate that I can easily get it with this keyboard with relative ease. I don’t see any need to add additional foam or dampening to the keyboard as I think the setup from the factory is thoughtfully designed. It would also make the keyboard even stiffer from compressing it together and I think that would be a mistake with this board. While making a particularly soft board stiffer may be a good option in an already stiff board it makes much less sense.

The case itself is subtle, but nice. The plastic is lightly textured and has no sharp edges, instead offering curved bevels at all the points where the case has corners or joins the two halves. The small brass-plated screws that screw the two halves together offer a subtle, but I daresay classy, look. Brass and black is a classic combination and they work well together as subtle accents in addition to their function of holding the board together. They’re standard 2.5mm hex screws which makes getting into the board simple and easy. Once inside the plate and PCB are held together using Philips PH0 screws, again making working on the board easy. I appreciate that you only need two screw heads for the board and that none of them are long screws, making the process quick and without the need for extra torquing. Keychron clearly designed the board to be easily worked on and includes their usual list of tools with the keyboard: screwdriver, keycap puller, key switch puller, hex wrench, and 4 spare Philips screws and 2 spare brass hex screws. The one tool I do like the feel of that is included is the keycap puller. I’ve come to really like the Keychron wire keycap pullers. However, the screwdriver and key switch puller are both extremely cheap, with the driver being particularly tiny. I went over them with my Q7 review, and these are identical to the ones found in that keyboard. The hex wrench is serviceable, but I find a proper screwdriver with replaceable heads is such a ubiquitous tool for anyone who works on electronics that I suggest not bothering with the included wrench or driver. The tools do work, but they’re lacklustre. I think leaving them out would be a better option unless Keychron decides to include better tools.

Ergonomically, the case is rather flat. It’s not completely flat, like the KBDCraft Adam, but it’s a shallow angle, 3.5° without the feet. Thankfully, it has two sets of flip-out feet for three typing angles. The inner set of small feet increase the typing angle to 7.91° and the larger set that surround those feet increases the angle further to 10.88°. I find that angle too harsh and uncomfortable to use as it tilts my hands upward and back. The middle position is more comfortable; however, the feet are very small and can catch on my desk mat. When that happens, it causes the feet to retract back into the case. It’s problematic because the feet are small, and their rubber padding is even smaller. Simply pushing the keyboard back into a different position is prone to making the feet snap and retract. The larger feet don’t have that issue but that comes at the cost of a steep typing angle. The edges of the feet are also quite sharp, the only part of the keyboard that has such sharp plastic edges. That makes pulling them out or putting them back in uncomfortable compared to handling the rest of the keyboard. In the end, I prefer to keep the very shallow typing angle that it has at stock rather than mess around with the feet. The base also has the best rubber feet making the board least slippery when the feet aren’t extended. Shallower typing angles are what I prefer so that’s fine for me but if you do prefer sharper typing angles you may find the experience more annoying with the V2 over other options.

Speaking of imperfect executions, the stabilisers are so close but still in need of some tweaking to get them to sound ideal. At stock, they are prone to some noticeable ticking sounds, particularly the spacebar and backspace on my board. They are factory lubricated and feel fairly smooth, but they didn’t have enough lubrication inside the stabiliser housings around the stems. I found I didn’t need to disassemble them entirely, simply adding some lubrication to the sides of the stems and walls solved the ticking and made them smooth and pleasant. I also used a brush to brush some of the excess lubricant that was on them at the wire mounts to inside the housing with the wire ends also proved beneficial. For a barebones kit, they were better than most keyboards in the same price range, but they felt so close to not needing that additional tweaking that it feels like a shame. They were almost at the end then fumbled it up just before the finish and that’s unfortunate. An important note about the stabilisers is that they are screw-in rather than plate mount. If you do want to install another type of stabiliser, such as Durock or Cherry, they should fit right in and screw in for you. But, again, the issue with them stock isn’t that they’re necessarily bad stabilisers, just not lubricated ideally. I suggest lubricating them and tuning them before replacing them altogether.

One of the more stand-out features for the board, given its price point, is the knob. It’s on its own PCB and has its own aluminium cover and knob, both of which feature black anodization. The turning actuation is tactile, but also very quiet. There’s no clicking, only a soft tock between each turn. It does work as a button as well, which is both highly tactile and clicky. It’s not a metallic click but a softer click that is audible but not distracting. The knob itself features a smooth, slightly domed top and diamond knurled sides. There is no zero marker on the knob as it is freely rotating, both in positive and negative directions. It is also fully programmable using VIA like the rest of the keys on the keyboard. It has three programmable features: rotate counterclockwise (anticlockwise), rotate clockwise, and pressing the encoder. You can set those to be different functions on different layers just like the switches. In my case, I have set one of the layer options so that if I hold the secondary function key it changes from volume up, down, and mute, to page up, down, and toggling between RGB modes. I frequently use page up and down when browsing online or looking through file directories and having it on a scrolling knob is intuitive as it is useful. Radial encoders, knobs if you want, are very useful beyond their basic volume function that they offer by default and the one implemented here on the V2 is well done.

Also well done is the layout for this board. I keep coming back to the 65% layout for my keyboards. Having a dedicated arrow cluster is so useful in day-to-day computing that as much as I love the look of 60% keyboards, I’m not sure if I really would want to go back without the arrows or the additional input keys, such as home and end and delete. That said, this board does give up one key for the encoder as well as a $10 price jump. I’m unsure whether I would consider an encoder worth a $10 premium, but it does have more potential functionality than a single key. If you are looking at Keychron’s keyboard options that’s a question for you to determine the answer to as so many of their keyboards do offer encoder knobs for $10 more and at the cost of a single key.

The board itself, like most of Keychron’s boards now, is hot swap. They utilise Gateron hot swap sockets with 5-pin compatibility so that both 3-pin and 5-pin switches fit. This makes the board very easy to use and to change up if you like changing what switches you use. The sockets are fairly forgiving but if you force a broken switch, or a switch with bent pins, into the board it is possible to break off the socket from the PCB. Always utilise care when changing out switches and ensure the pins aren’t bent before installing them. They’re also south-facing which means less intense RGB for shine-through keycaps but better compatibility with shorter keycaps such as Cherry profile. I prefer south-facing switches specifically for Cherry profile compatibility as the sound and feel can be negatively affected if the caps end up hitting the switch housings. The RGB lighting is bright and smooth, with no flickering or aesthetic issues when cycling through the colour spectrum. They also reflect into the translucent case housing which produces a fun blending that isn’t distracting. Overall, it's implemented well and has the veritable slew of animations that are so frequent in keyboards now. And they can be turned off entirely as well if that’s your desire.

As such, I of course wanted to test out changing out the switches and keycaps to see how they affect the sound and feel of the keyboard. I initially started testing with the Gateron Cap Yellow switches and Keychron WoB double-shot PBT Cherry profile keycaps. I’ve now switched over to the Durock Black Lotus switches and NovelKeys Olivia Cherry profile PBT keycaps. The process was easy and simple, with switches being easy to remove from the plate. I still really like these switches for how smooth they are and there were no compatibility issues with switch fitting. As for how it has affected sound, this combination has a slightly higher pitch but still retains a very smooth and marbly quality that plays well with deeper pitched sounds, a classic thocky profile. Aesthetically, I think the Olivia colourway works phenomenally well with the smoky black case of the V2. The combination of black and white with pale pink accents and the brass peaking out from lower on the keyboard is quite pleasing. Black keyboards tend to work well with most keycap sets because black is such a neutral colour, but it looks especially nice with white. I think I’ll eventually have to try out those knockoff 8008 keycaps I have used before as they also have an interesting combination that I think will work well with this keyboard. I love more varied case colours, such as purple and green, but they do limit keycap choices to prevent clashing. That’s where the V2 makes a good choice as a neutral base to build upon. It’s not exciting like other colours but black, and smoky translucent black, are a great choice to build upon without distracting from the keycaps.

Finally, that brings us to the price for this keyboard. I have the barebones kit with knob which comes in at $74. If you eschew the rotary encoder that drops to $64. However, you can also opt to get the full keyboard kit which will include Gateron Pro switches, under the Keychron K Pro name, and in Red, Brown, and Blue flavours. The Blue and Red switches come factory lubricated with the Blue switches not lubricated to maintain their clicky nature. The board would then also come with double-shot PBT OSA profile keycaps for ANSI or ABS shine-through keycaps for ISO boards. Choosing fully built that increases the board without encoder to $84 and with the encoder to $94. The ISO variant is only available with knob. I did purchase mine on sale which brought the barebones with encoder down to $64. Regardless of how you purchase I think that all of the options are at a good price point for what you get. A barebones, hot swap keyboard with full VIA/QMK programmability and RGB is a great buy at $64. Paying $10 more for the rotary encoder I can easily see as an easy choice as well. If you want a keyboard that you can literally plug in and use, with a lovely black, braided cable all at under $100 even for the most expensive model is right in the price range of where it should be. It also goes to show that you can absolutely get into mechanical keyboards without paying hundreds of dollars and still get a wonderful typing experience with great customisability. And while the Keychron V2 won’t offer the niceties of more expensive kits, it is a solid option in the sub-$100 bracket for fully built and the sub-$75 bracket for barebones kits. If you’re a Mac user, it’s also designed to work with a Mac layout as well via a simple switch on the rear of the board which essentially inverts the Alt and Super (Windows) keys to mirror the Option and Command keys used on Mac systems. That’s a nice feature, especially if you go between Mac and Windows or Linux environments.

And that’s really the best summary for the V2. It’s a nice keyboard with a decent list of features for a reasonable price. It’s inexpensive but not cheaply made. It is featureful but not outlandishly so. It’s customisable, but not into the minutiae like more expensive options. It’s just a solid, good keyboard at a reasonable price for what you get. I think calling it a starter keyboard does it a disservice as well. I can easily see people who are deeper into the mechanical keyboard hobby enjoying it and tinkering with it. It’s fun and solid and very easily found in stock. Having said that, I’m even more curious now about the Portico75 from The Key dot Company. I still love my Portico that I bought a couple years ago and would love to put the V2 against the Portico75 that also comes in at the $70 price point. Perhaps if they bring back some other colours, I’ll look back into that. As for right now, I’ll enjoy spending more time with my V2 and seeing how it behaves with other switches and keycaps, something that I’m sure most people who tinker with keyboards would do with this keyboard.