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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 10, 2026

sam Notfromsam S46 R3 vs KBDFans Athena 1800

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

sam Notfromsam S46 R3

Build quality in the top 15% of 40% boards under $150.

Rules this board out

  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Get the

KBDFans Athena 1800

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.

sam Notfromsam S46 R3

KBDFans Athena 1800

  • Layout size

    40%

    100%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Ergonomics

    Standard

    Split Backspace

  • Case material

    Aluminum, Copper, Polycarbonate

    Aluminum

  • Display

    None

    LED, LCD

    A case display rather than a typing feature

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • sam Notfromsam S46 R3
  • KBDFans Athena 1800
Performance
62
68
Build quality
82
78
Productivity
60
69
Customizability
79
82
Portability
81
43

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Mount style: Top Mount
  • Sound dampening
See every spec side by side

Full specs

sam Notfromsam S46 R3 vs KBDFans Athena 1800 specs

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

13 of 20 specs differ

sam Notfromsam S46 R3

KBDFans Athena 1800

Typing & switches

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Top Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

40%
100%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO

Ergonomics

Standard
Split Backspace

Display

None
LED, LCD

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

—
1,000 Hz

USB-C

No
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum, Copper, Polycarbonate
Aluminum

Plate material

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

Keycaps

—
PBT

Weight

600 g
3,000 g

Dimensions

28 x 264 x 98 mm
—

Typing angle

7°
9°

Backlight

RGB
RGB

Firmware & software

VIA

Yes
No

VIAL

No
Yes

Extras

Released

2026
2025

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

sam Notfromsam S46 R3

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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