Only $54 and perfect for gamers and typists alike — the Keychron C1 Pro 8K is my new favorite mechanical keyboard

Tom's Guide

5 days ago

The Keychron C1 Pro 8K mechanical keyboard looks exactly like the one that came with my family computer back in the 2000s. But don't worry, it performs like one of the best mechanical keyboards on the market. It feels incredibly nostalgic to type on, but with RGB backlighting, strong ergonomics and some hefty gaming performance, it adds its own modern twist.
It may be wired only, and the Keychron Super switches proved a little tricky to remove in testing, but everything else is ideal. This is the most comfortable I've ever been while typing. The typing angle is adjustable with the board's retractable feet, and the OSA profile keycaps make for an effortless typing experience, so I was typing faster and easier than ever. It's lightweight, too, thanks to its ABS case and wired-only design (meaning no battery), for easy positioning on your desk.
Keychron has typically been a productivity brand, with the sub-brand Lemokey making gaming keyboards. However, with a polling rate of 8,000Hz, the C1 Pro 8K is also perfect for pro-tier gamers, demonstrating Keychron's desire to blend the productivity and gaming spheres more than it ever has.
You can find out more about my experience by reading this full Keychron C1 Pro 8K review.
Price
$54/£75
Switches
Keychron Super Switch
Layout
TKL 80%
Mount type
Tray Mount
Keycap material
Double-Shot PBT
Keycap profile
OSA
Backlight
South-facing RGB LED
Case material
Plastic
Supported operating systems
MacOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux
Connectivity
Wired Type-C
Polling rate
125Hz - 8,000Hz
Measurements
5.15 x 14.07 x 1.13 inches
Weight
1.83lbs
The Keychron C1 Pro 8K mechanical keyboard is perfect for typists and gamers alike. The typing is incredibly smooth, with OSA profile keycaps that rake beautifully out to the edges of the keyboard, making it easy for your fingers to find the right keys. And with a polling rate of up to 8,000Hz, it's perfect for low-latency gaming — as long as your CPU can put up with it.
I'm going to say it. This is the nicest keyboard I have ever typed on. The keycaps are made out of double-shot PBT and use Keychron's OSA profile. OSA key caps have a standard, medium-tall profile with sloped, bevelled tops and rounded edges that cradled my fingers as they hit the keys. This is different from the previous C1 and C1 Pro models that used OEM profile keycaps.
The rake of the keys varies from the back to the front of the keyboard — the top row is the tallest, therefore requiring less stretch to hit them from a neutral typing position. This made it easy for my fingers to quickly find keys, giving me the fastest typing experience of any keyboard I have tested, as you can see below.
MacBook Air M2 built-in
61
96.19%
Lenovo Multi Device Keyboard
59
99.66%
Seenda Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard with Touchpad
54
89.63%
Keychron B2 Pro
60
94.60%
Keychron C1 Pro 8K
64
95.21%
The PBT key caps offered enough grip without stunning my typing, and were smooth but not slippery. If I were Goldilocks, this would be the keyboard that's just right. There are also adjustable feet on the underside of the keyboard that offer ergonomic support. The keyboard can be used at an angle of 4.8°, which is the lowest setting, 8.5° with the small feet deployed and 10.7° at the highest angle. The 10.7° setting was the most comfortable for me.
The keyboard is available with three types of Keychron Super Switches: red (linear), brown (tactile), and banana (tactile, Panda-style). I used the Banana switches, which use a relatively long 21.5mm spring for a bouncy typing experience. I'll discuss the other switches in more detail later.
The C1 Pro 8K uses a tray-mounted PCB, which means the PCB is screwed into the bottom case. This results in a very firm bottom-out when typing, similar to a top-mounted PCB. This is nowhere near as comfortable as softer gasket-mounted keyboards like the Keychron Q1 Pro or Keychron K2 HE.
However, as the C1 Pro is intended to be a responsive, efficient gaming keyboard, it's understandable that Keychron has employed this mount. If you don't mind the firmness, you'll be fine with the red linear switches, although if you prefer a softer experience, I would recommend the longer-sprung banana tactiles, which mitigate this somewhat. If you're mostly using your board for typing, though, I would suggest a gasket-mounted board like the Q1 Pro or, well, most of Keychron's lineup.
There is also a switch on the back to alternate between macOS and Windows with ease if you use different operating systems for games and work like I do. The board comes with macOS keycaps installed, but there are Windows keycaps included in the box that are easy to swap out.
This keyboard has a retro sound to go with its retro styling. It sounds amazing — just like an old-school Macintosh keyboard from the 90s. The case is made from strong ABS plastic to give that retro clack, while two layers of sound-absorbing foam layer and several layers of cushioning foam and film dampen the sound to remove unwanted rattles or pings. Since the metal plate is fixed to the bottom plate, there is also a nice clicking sound when the keys bottom out, although it doesn't sound unpleasantly metallic like the Keychron Q6 or Keychron Q3 Max.
I love the sound of this keyboard, and it takes me right back to playing video games on the shared family computer in the early 2000s — super nostalgic.
The Keychron C1 Pro 8K is perfect for anyone who enjoys customizing their keyboard. With hot-swappable switches, meaning they can be swapped without the need for soldering, I found it incredibly easy to simply pop off the keycaps using the supplied keycap/switch puller, but the switches were a different story entirely (more on that later). It is compatible with most three-pin and five-pin switches on the market.
Although the setup of the keyboard when you get it is slightly better suited to productivity — OSA keycaps, Keychron Super switches — the switch compatibility and 8K polling give the C1 Pro a lot of potential for enthusiasts looking for a solid platform to build a custom high-performance gaming/productivity hybrid deck.
And it isn't just about hardware. The C1 Pro 8K uses open-source QMK firmware, which is customizable via the fantastic Keychron Launcher web app. Launcher can be used to remap the keyboard and assign macros to streamline workflow, or create essential binds and shortcuts. And there's no need to download companion software to your computer, so you can tweak your board from any computer, as long as you have access to a browser.
Keychron also offers 3D printing diagrams of the C1 Pro 8K's plate on its website, so modders can print their own if they have a preferred plate material. The C1 Pro uses a metal plate by default.
There are three switch options from Keychron at checkout. The C1 Pro uses Keychron's Super pre-lubed switches: red (linear), brown (tactile) and banana (tactile, panda-style), with varying characteristics to choose from when ordering the keyboard.
The red linear switches have the lightest operating force and a 19.5mm spring, so they are great for responsive, fast gaming performance.
As for the brown tactile switches, expect 'bump' feedback when typing. These have a gentle sound but use a very short 15.2mm single-stage spring and require a firm 55g actuation force, so this won't be as comfortable as the banana.
The banana super switches are the ones I tested and, as someone who spends all-day-every-day typing, I can say with certainty that they are great to work with. These switches have a much lighter operating force of 47g versus the browns, and a longer two-stage spring, for a bouncy, comfortable feel that somewhat mitigates the firm tray-mounted PCB.
While the previous C1 and C1 Pro boards polled at 1,000Hz, the Keychron C1 Pro 8K has a polling rate of up to 8,000Hz, reducing latency and making this a viable keyboard for serious gaming.
Although the high polling rate is an option, it can prove a drain on system resources. Luckily, you can customize it for your preferred typing or gaming experience. The polling rate can be altered from 125Hz to 8,000Hz in Keychron Launcher. It means you don't need a keyboard specifically for typing or gaming; this one can do it all. You can also set different profiles in the Keychron Launcher, so you could have one configuration for gaming, and one for work. I played Counter-Strike 2 using the keyboard, and I didn't notice any latency issues.
The C1 Pro 8K is incredibly lightweight, which isn't necessarily a must for a mechanical keyboard, but I was able to take it with me on the train in my work bag, and it didn't weigh me down at all. It weighs just 1.83 pounds, which is far lighter than the 3.91-pound Keychron Q3 HE that I usually use.
The lightweight nature of the board means you can move it around your desk with ease and get the best positioning super quickly. But this difference in weight is down to the C1 Pro 8K's ABS case and having no battery or wireless hardware, as it's wired-only.
As if it weren't already good enough, priced at only $54, the Keychron C1 Pro 8K is a total budget dream. For the money, this keyboard is a great starting point for customization. It has all the potential to be an ideal gaming keyboard with the right switches and keys. But equally, it could be kitted out to be one of the best productivity keyboards.
The downs of this keyboard are very minor, but the wired-only connection may prove annoying to anyone who enjoys a wire-free workspace. The switches can also be hard to remove without the right technique.
The Keychron C1 Pro 8K is a wired-only keyboard, which can prove slightly cumbersome. One of the perks of having a wireless keyboard such as the Keychron Q1 Pro is that you don't have wires cluttering your desk.
That being said, this does have its perks, such as the lack of battery, helping make the C1 Pro 8K a lighter keyboard. And you don't have to worry about polling rates decreasing over wireless connections (as there are none).
Despite being hot swappable, the C1 Pro 8K's switches were tricky for me to remove, to say the least. After pulling for 15 minutes, I could not get the switches to budge. Tom's Guide Staff Writer Nikita Achanta, who is well-versed in the world of keyboards, also had trouble with these switches, so it's not just my lack of muscle. Just to make sure we weren't losing our minds, we removed the switches of the Gamakay TK75 Pro, and they came out with ease.
However, our Reviews Editor, Peter (who I'm sure is a keyboard whisperer), got the switches off without a hitch — this required him to unclick one of the fastening clips, then lever the switches down before the second fastening clip could be undone. In his words, it was fiddly.
I scratched the plate slightly in my attempts, and while this doesn't affect the performance or look of the keyboard itself, it was annoying.
The Keychron C1 Pro 8K has very easily become my favorite mechanical keyboard. Once you look past the wired-only design and the slightly fiddly switches, it's totally dreamy.
It's perfect for any typist, with an ergonomic key rake and adjustable angle. My wrists weren't straining when I was typing, and the OSA keycaps guided my fingertips to each key with ease. This is the fastest typing result I have had with any keyboard, and that is also largely down to the bouncy and responsive switches.
With 8,000Hz polling, it's also ideal for anyone who wants to use the same keyboard for office work and serious gaming. And since there is no battery, the keyboard is extremely light, meaning it can be positioned on any gaming desk with ease.
For the price, the customization potential is insane. With Keychron Launcher, it is easy to get the right setup for your ideal productivity use, but the hot swappable switches mean this could become one of the best gaming keyboards, too. I would recommend this keyboard to literally anyone, and the retro look with the signature Keychron lighting is the cherry on top of the cake for me.