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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 31, 2026

Epomaker EK21 vs Keychron K17 Max

Get the Keychron K17 Max for the 2,000 mAh battery.

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EPOMAKER EK21

Epomaker EK21

4.5 · 34 reviews

from$33at Epomaker

90-day low

Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Epomaker EK21

Build quality in the top 25% of Numpad boards under $50.

Rules this board out

  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Numpad only. This is not a full keyboard.

Get the

Keychron K17 Max

Battery

Build quality in the top 20% of 96% boards under $100.

Rules this board out

  • Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
  • North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
  • Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

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.

Epomaker EK21

Keychron K17 Max

  • Layout size

    Numpad

    96%

  • Battery

    1,000 mAh

    2,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Low profile

    No

    Yes

  • Case material

    ABS

    ABS, Aluminum

  • Switch options

    Linear

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Epomaker EK21
  • Keychron K17 Max
Performance
78
83
Build quality
76
81
Productivity
87
93
Customizability
82
91
Portability
88
53

What they share

  • Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Knob
  • VIA
  • Sound dampening
See every spec side by side

From real owners

What owners say

Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.

Epomaker EK21

4.5

34 owner reviews

Praise
“Great wireless connectivity, sounds and feels as good as my 200$ custom keyboard. Great buy especially with the discount, would definitely buy again.”
Jared T.Verified buyer· via Epomaker
Critique
“I have had this thing for years, I have updated to every Json file and firmware file I can find and it has NEVER worked right, Either the Json file or the firmware is jacked up and no one at Epomaker can give me any explanation. This numpad is the reason I…”
Chris· via Epomaker

Keychron K17 Max

4.8

4 owner reviews

Praise
“Wish it was metal but i do love the low profile keyboard”
LyleVerified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Epomaker EK21 vs Keychron K17 Max specs

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

13 of 27 specs differ

Epomaker EK21

Keychron K17 Max

Typing & switches

Switch options

Linear
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
PCB Mount

Low profile

No
Yes

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

Numpad
96%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

No
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

1,000 mAh
2,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS
ABS, Aluminum

Plate material

Polycarbonate
—

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

200 g
750 g

Dimensions

29 x 138 x 93 mm
27 x 119 x 387 mm

Typing angle

—
4°

Backlight

RGB
RGB, north-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2025
2024

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Epomaker EK21

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Keychron K17 Max

  • Keychron

    ISO

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO

    In 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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