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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

8BitDo Retro S Edition vs Keychron Lemokey L4

Get the 8BitDo Retro S Edition for knob. Get the Keychron Lemokey L4 for the 4,000 mAh battery.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

8BitDo Retro S Edition

Knob

Build quality in the top 30% of 80% boards under $150.

Get the

Keychron Lemokey L4

Battery

Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $200.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.

What actually differs

The differences that matter

Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.

8BitDo Retro S Edition

Keychron Lemokey L4

  • Battery

    2,000 mAh

    4,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Switch options

    Clicky, Tactile

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

  • Mount style

    Top Mount

    Gasket Mount

  • Knob

    Yes

    No

  • Weight

    1,050 g

    1,858 g

    Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • 8BitDo Retro S Edition
  • Keychron Lemokey L4
Performance
66
80
Build quality
65
87
Productivity
74
95
Customizability
58
94
Portability
77
77

What they share

  • Layout size: 80%
  • Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Case material: Aluminum
  • Keycaps: PBT
See every spec side by side

Full specs

8BitDo Retro S Edition vs Keychron Lemokey L4 specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

11 of 26 specs differ

8BitDo Retro S Edition

Keychron Lemokey L4

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

80%
80%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
None

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

—
1,000 Hz

Battery

2,000 mAh
4,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

—
Aluminum

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

1,050 g
1,858 g

Dimensions

47 x 170 x 377 mm
21 x 142 x 356 mm

Typing angle

—
5°

Backlight

None
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

No
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2024
2024

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

Prices in USD are converted to your currency and can change at any time. KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

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