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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 7, 2026

Redragon EISA K686 HE vs KBDFans Athena 1800

Get the Redragon EISA K686 HE for hall effect and rapid trigger. Get the KBDFans Athena 1800 for hot-swappable.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Redragon EISA K686 HE

Hall effect

Rules this board out

  • Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.

Get the

KBDFans Athena 1800

Hot-swappable

Build quality in the top 15% of 100% boards under $150.

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.

Redragon EISA K686 HE

KBDFans Athena 1800

  • Layout size

    90%

    100%

  • Hall effect (magnetic)

    Yes

    No

    Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing

  • Rapid trigger

    Yes

    No

    Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing

  • Hot-swappable

    No

    Yes

    Switch changes without soldering

  • Ergonomics

    Standard

    Split Backspace

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Redragon EISA K686 HE
  • KBDFans Athena 1800
Performance
98
68
Build quality
57
79
Productivity
62
69
Customizability
48
82
Portability
41
43

What they share

  • Connection: Wired
  • Sound dampening
  • Keycaps: PBT
See every spec side by side

Full specs

Redragon EISA K686 HE vs KBDFans Athena 1800 specs

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

14 of 24 specs differ

Redragon EISA K686 HE

KBDFans Athena 1800

Typing & switches

Switch options

Magnetic
—

Hall effect (magnetic)

Yes
No

Rapid trigger

Yes
No

Hot-swappable

No
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
Top Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

90%
100%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO

Ergonomics

Standard
Split Backspace

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
LED, LCD

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

8,000 HzBetter
1,000 Hz

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Plastic
Aluminum

Plate material

—
Aluminum, Brass, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate, Steel

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

1,200 g
3,000 g

Dimensions

39 x 394 x 144 mm
—

Typing angle

—
9°

Backlight

RGB
RGB

Firmware & software

VIAL

No
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
No

Extras

Released

2025
2025

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Redragon EISA K686 HE

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

KBDFans Athena 1800

  • KBDfans

    ISO

    Out of stockShips to you

  • MonacoKeys

    ISO

    Out of stockDoes not ship to you

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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