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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 28, 2026

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator vs Keychron 81 Pro

Get the Keychron 81 Pro for knob.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

Get the

Keychron 81 Pro

Knob

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • No numpad.

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.

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

Keychron 81 Pro

  • Layout size

    95%

    75%

  • Ergonomics

    Split Backspace

    Standard

  • Mount style

    Top Mount

    Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

  • Knob

    No

    Yes

  • Display

    LED

    None

    A case display rather than a typing feature

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator
  • Keychron 81 Pro
Performance
45
82
Build quality
73
87
Productivity
54
97
Customizability
63
94
Portability
42
82

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Case material: Aluminum
  • Sound dampening
  • Keycaps: PBT
See every spec side by side

Full specs

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator vs Keychron 81 Pro specs

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

16 of 26 specs differ

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

Keychron 81 Pro

Typing & switches

Switch options

—
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

95%
75%

Layout standard

ANSI, ISO
ANSI

Ergonomics

Split Backspace
Standard

Knob

No
Yes

Display

LED
None

Media keys

No
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

—
Bluetooth, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

—
4,000 mAh

USB-C

No
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

—
1,887 g

Dimensions

—
47 x 338 x 151 mm

Backlight

None
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

No
Yes

N-key rollover

No
Yes

Mac & Windows

No
Yes

Extras

Released

2026
2023

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

  • KBDfans

    ISO

    Out of stockShips to you

Keychron 81 Pro

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

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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