Chilkey ND104 vs Keychron K5 ProPremium Build vs Low Profile
Choose the Chilkey ND104 for a premium, moddable desktop experience, or the Keychron K5 Pro for a sleek, low-profile design at a more accessible price.
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5.0 (14)5.0 · 14 reviews
from$174at MK
4.8 (8)4.8 · 8 reviews
from$135at Keychron (DE)
Which one should you get?
Get the
Chilkey ND104
Premium Build
Build quality in the top 5% of 100% boards under $200.
- CNC machined 6063 aluminum case with a gasket mount design for a premium, customizable feel.
- Includes a built-in LCD screen with calculator, clock, and dynamic background modes, plus a configurable hotswap knob.
- Extensive sound dampening with five layers of foam, including plate foam, switch foam, PET acoustic pads, and case foam.
- Missing ISO-DE, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR. The other board is sold in those layouts.
Get the
Keychron K5 Pro
Low Profile
Build quality in the top 15% of 100% boards under $150.
- Ultra-slim low-profile design with a 3° typing angle, described as ergonomic and space-saving.
- Offers a wide array of layout standards including ANSI, ISO, JIS, and multiple European ISO variants.
- Includes keycaps for both macOS and Windows layouts in the box.
- Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
Your budget and primary use case dictate the choice. Invest in the Chilkey ND104 if you want a flagship desktop keyboard for modding, premium acoustics, and unique features like its screen. Opt for the Keychron K5 Pro if you need a sleek, low-profile keyboard for a clean office setup or frequent travel, and prefer to spend less while still getting core features like programmability and wireless connectivity.
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.
Chilkey ND104
Keychron K5 Pro
Connection
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Battery
8,000 mAh
2,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Low profile
No
Yes
Case material
Aluminum
ABS, Aluminum, Plastic
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Silent
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- Chilkey ND104
- Keychron K5 Pro
- Performance
- 7980
- Build quality
- 8979
- Productivity
- 9482
- Customizability
- 9089
- Portability
- 6555
- Layout size: 100%
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- VIA
What will you mostly use it for?
The Chilkey ND104 dominates for users who value deep customization, premium acoustics, and unique multimedia features like its screen and knob. The Keychron K5 Pro wins for office and travel scenarios where a slim, lightweight, and ergonomic low-profile design is paramount. For programming, both are strong contenders due to their full layouts and programmability, making the choice more about preferred typing height and feel.
Pick the Chilkey ND104
- The Chilkey ND104 offers a 1000 Hz polling rate in both wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes.
- Its gasket mount design and five layers of sound dampening foam may provide a more stable, consistent typing feel.
- The vendor description notes a 1000 Hz polling rate is engineered for competitive gaming on the K5 Pro, but only in wired mode.
Chilkey ND104 vs Keychron K5 Pro specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
17 of 28 specs differ
Chilkey ND104
Keychron K5 Pro
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Low profile
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Chilkey ND104
Input Gear
ISO-UK
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron K5 Pro
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Chilkey ND104 vs Keychron K5 Pro: your questions
The Chilkey ND104 has a significantly larger battery capacity at 8000mAh (2x 4000mAh), as stated in its vendor description. The Keychron K5 Pro has a 2000mAh battery. For extended wireless use with lighting enabled, the Chilkey will last longer between charges.
Yes, the Keychron K5 Pro lists QMK and VIA support in its metadata. However, some user reviews note that certain customizations, particularly for non-QWERTY layouts, were easier or only possible through the Keychron Launcher web app instead of VIA.
No. The Chilkey ND104 has a normal profile with a height of 34mm. The Keychron K5 Pro is the low-profile option in this comparison, with a height of 18mm and low-profile switches and keycaps.
The Chilkey ND104 is built for modding. It features a gasket mount, screw-in stabilizers, a flex-cut FR4 plate, and five layers of sound-dampening foam. Its modular design also allows you to physically reconfigure the area above the numpad.
Yes, both the Chilkey ND104 and Keychron K5 Pro offer hot-swappable versions. The K5 Pro's hot-swap version is specifically compatible with Gateron low-profile mechanical switches, according to its manufacturer.
Both are compatible with macOS. The Keychron K5 Pro specifically includes keycaps for a Mac layout and states its multimedia keys mirror Apple keyboard functions. The Chilkey ND104 also lists Mac support but does not detail specific Mac keycaps in the provided description.
The Chilkey ND104 specifies a 1000 Hz polling rate in both its wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes. The Keychron K5 Pro specifies a 1000 Hz polling rate in wired mode, but its wireless polling rate is listed as 90 Hz in the vendor specifications.
Yes. The vendor description states the navigation cluster above the arrow keys can be removed and replaced with a storage tray for items like USB drives or wireless receivers. It also has a hidden storage slot on the underside for the 2.4 GHz receiver.
The Chilkey ND104 uses PBT keycaps, with its Shadow Black colorway featuring MetaPBT keycaps with a metal finish. The Keychron K5 Pro uses low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps on its RGB version, and ABS or PBT options are listed in its metadata.
The Keychron K5 Pro supports a wider array of layout standards according to its metadata, including ANSI, ISO, JIS, and multiple European ISO variants (DE, Nordic, UK, SW, FR, ES). The Chilkey ND104 supports ANSI and ISO layouts, but requires an additional plate for ISO.
The screen is part of a modular component above the numpad. According to the vendor, this module can be reconfigured to be a screen plus knob, two keys plus a knob, or three keys, suggesting the screen assembly is not a permanent, fixed feature.
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