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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 7, 2026

KBDFans Athena vs Agar Micro75% RGB or 40% Alice

Choose the Athena for a fuller 75% layout, RGB, and LCD, or the Agar Micro for a much lighter, compact Alice layout with wireless connectivity.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

KBDFans Athena

Build quality in the top 10% of 75% boards under $200.

If you want

  • 75% ANSI layout with dedicated arrow keys and a function row.
  • Aluminum case and four plate options: aluminum, FR4, polycarbonate, and carbon fiber.
  • Hot-swappable, with VIA and VIAL support.

Rules this board out

  • No numpad.

Get the

KBDFans Agar Micro

Build quality in the top 10% of 40% boards under $150.

If you want

  • Compact 40% ANSI Alice layout.
  • Listed at 280g with the PC case, with an aluminum case option also available from the vendor.
  • Wireless connectivity is listed, alongside wired connectivity.

Rules this board out

  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Bottom line

Choose the KBDFans Athena if you want a fuller 75% layout, RGB, an LCD, and listed VIA and VIAL support, and are comfortable with a wired-only board. Choose the Agar Micro if compactness, its Alice layout, and wireless connectivity matter more than dedicated function and arrow keys. Its listed PC-case weight is 280g, while the Athena is listed at 2200g.

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

KBDFans Agar Micro

  • Layout size

    75%

    40%

  • Connection

    Wired

    Wired, Bluetooth

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Ergonomics

    Standard

    Alice

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    Aluminum, Polycarbonate

  • Mount style

    Top Mount

    Gasket Mount

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • KBDFans Athena
  • KBDFans Agar Micro
Performance
70
46
Build quality
84
82
Productivity
76
65
Customizability
88
72
Portability
63
77

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • VIA
  • Sound dampening
  • Plate material: Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The Athena leads for gaming, office work, programming, modding, and content creation, chiefly because it offers a fuller layout and more listed display, lighting, and firmware features. The Agar Micro is the travel-oriented choice, with a lighter PC-case weight, compact footprint, and wireless connectivity. If a split Alice layout is the priority, the Agar Micro's smaller form may outweigh the Athena's extra keys. Both are hot-swappable DIY kits.

For gaming

Pick the KBDFans Athena

  • The Athena's 75% ANSI layout includes a function row and dedicated arrow keys, unlike the Agar Micro's 40% layout.
  • The Athena has RGB lighting and a wired connection; the Agar Micro has no RGB.

Full specs

KBDFans Athena vs Agar Micro specs

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

11 of 19 specs differ

KBDFans Athena

KBDFans Agar Micro

Typing & switches

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
40%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Alice

Display

LCD
LED

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Wired, Bluetooth

Max polling rate

—
1,000 Hz

USB-C

Yes
No

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum, Polycarbonate

Plate material

Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate
Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate

Weight

2,200 g
280 g

Dimensions

—
31 x 270 x 111 mm

Typing angle

9°
7°

Backlight

RGB
None

Firmware & software

VIA

Yes
Yes

VIAL

Yes
No

Extras

Released

2026
2026

Where to buy

Compare prices

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

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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

FAQ

KBDFans Athena vs Agar Micro: your questions

The Athena is a wired-only 75% ANSI keyboard with RGB and an LCD. The Agar Micro is a compact 40% Alice keyboard with wireless connectivity listed, but no RGB or screen.

The Agar Micro is the smaller board, with a 40% layout compared with the Athena's 75% layout. Its compact layout omits the function row, dedicated arrow keys, and numpad.

Wireless connectivity is listed for the Agar Micro alongside wired connectivity. The vendor also describes a dual-mode hotswap PCB option, so check the specific PCB configuration when ordering.

No, the Athena is listed as wired-only. Its vendor description specifies a USB-C connection.

The Agar Micro is the more travel-oriented option, with a listed PC-case weight of 280g and a compact 40% layout. The Athena weighs 2200g and uses a 75% layout.

Yes, the Athena has an integrated LCD. Its vendor description says the display supports up to five custom GIF uploads.

The Agar Micro is listed without RGB, and its vendor description says the PCB options have no RGB underglow, only an LED indicator. The Athena is listed with RGB.

Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The Agar Micro vendor page describes an MX hotswap PCB option, while the Athena vendor page lists wired hotswap ANSI options.

The Athena's 75% layout has a function row and dedicated arrow keys. The Agar Micro's 40% layout has neither, so buyers should be comfortable using a more compact layout.

Both keyboards list plate options in aluminum, FR4, polycarbonate, and carbon fiber. The Athena vendor also describes a plateless build option.

VIA support is listed for both keyboards. The Athena also lists VIAL support, while the Agar Micro vendor specifies VIA for its MX PCB options.

The Agar Micro is the Alice-layout option, with a 12U Alice layout described by its vendor. The Athena uses a standard ANSI layout rather than an Alice layout.

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