Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding vs Keychron V5 Max
Choose the Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding for its full-size 100% layout and translucent-sided pudding keycaps, or the Keychron V5 Max for wireless connections, hot-swappable switches, and QMK/VIA support.
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding
Build quality in the bottom 25% of 100% boards under $100.
- Full-size 100% ANSI layout with 108 keys.
- Double-shot PBT pudding keycaps have translucent sides and opaque tops.
- Aluminum plate and Quack Mechanics EVA sound dampener with Q-Bounce synthetic padding.
- Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.
- 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.
Get the
Keychron V5 Max
Hot-swappable
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $100.
- Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, alongside wired USB-C.
- Hot-swappable sockets support 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches.
- QMK and VIA support enable key remapping and macros.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding for a full-size 100% ANSI layout, aluminum plate, and double-shot pudding keycaps. Choose the Keychron V5 Max for Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, hot-swappable switches, and QMK/VIA customization, features the Ducky does not offer.
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.
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding
Keychron V5 Max
Layout size
100%
96%
Connection
Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Hot-swappable
No
Yes
Switch changes without soldering
Case material
ABS
ABS, Plastic
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Silent, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding
- Keychron V5 Max
- Performance
- 7283
- Build quality
- 4786
- Productivity
- 5697
- Customizability
- 4898
- Portability
- 4253
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The V5 Max is the more flexible pick for gaming setups that use 2.4 GHz, wireless work, travel, programming, and switch customization. Its 96% format retains a numpad but reduces the gaps of a full-size layout, which may not suit everyone. The Ducky's more traditional 100% ANSI layout and pudding keycaps make it a distinct choice for buyers who value those details. For content creation, both have a numpad and multimedia keys, so preferences around layout and customization decide the fit.
Pick the Keychron V5 Max
- The V5 Max supports 2.4 GHz wireless and wired connections, with a stated 1000 Hz polling rate for those modes.
- The Ducky is wired only, while the V5 Max also supports Bluetooth for less latency-sensitive use.
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding vs Keychron V5 Max specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
15 of 27 specs differ
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding
Keychron V5 Max
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
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
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron V5 Max
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
Out of stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding vs Keychron V5 Max: your questions
The V5 Max is the more flexible choice if you want 2.4 GHz wireless, and its vendor lists a 1000 Hz polling rate in 2.4 GHz and wired modes. The Ducky is wired only, though it offers a full-size 100% layout.
Yes. It supports Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired USB-C. The vendor describes Bluetooth 5.1 and a 4000 mAh battery.
No, its listed connectivity is wired only. The vendor description specifies a detachable USB-C cable.
The Keychron V5 Max has hot-swappable sockets for compatible 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. The Ducky's switches are soldered, so changing them requires soldering.
The V5 Max supports QMK and VIA, which the vendor says can be used for key remapping and macros. The Ducky listing says it is not QMK- or VIA-compatible.
The Ducky One 2 Pro Pudding is listed as a 100% full-size ANSI board with 108 keys. The V5 Max has a compact 96% layout that retains a numpad but has fewer gaps than a conventional full-size layout.
Yes. Its double-shot PBT keycaps have translucent sides and opaque tops, giving them the pudding-style appearance. The board has south-facing RGB lighting.
No. The fully assembled V5 Max includes double-shot PBT keycaps that are not shine-through. Its south-facing RGB is intended to illuminate the board from the typist's angle.
The V5 Max is listed with ANSI and several ISO options, including ISO-UK and ISO-DE. The Ducky is ANSI only, with no ISO layout options.
Yes. The V5 Max listing includes Mac/Windows support, a system toggle, and keycaps for both systems. The vendor also lists compatibility with Linux.
The vendor names a Quack Mechanics EVA sound dampener and Q-Bounce synthetic padding. The keyboard also has an aluminum plate and an ABS case.
The V5 Max uses a gasket mount design with a polycarbonate plate. Keychron says this combination reduces acoustic resonance and provides a softer, quieter typing experience.
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