Not sure which keyboard to choose? Try the Keyboard Finder now!

Head to head · Prices checked Nov 7, 2026

Jamesdonkey A3 vs Keychron K12

Get the Keychron K12 for the 4,000 mAh battery.

KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Jamesdonkey A3

Build quality in the top 50% of 75% boards under $100.

Rules this board out

  • No numpad.

Get the

Keychron K12

Battery

Build quality in the top 25% of 60% boards under $50.

Rules this board out

  • North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

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.

Jamesdonkey A3

Keychron K12

  • Layout size

    75%

    60%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Bluetooth, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Battery

    3,000 mAh

    4,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Case material

    ABS, PBT, Plastic, Polycarbonate

    ABS, Aluminum, Plastic

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount

    Plate Mount, Tray Mount

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Jamesdonkey A3
  • Keychron K12
Performance
61
58
Build quality
66
73
Productivity
91
68
Customizability
85
73
Portability
79
90

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
See every spec side by side

Full specs

Jamesdonkey A3 vs Keychron K12 specs

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

13 of 24 specs differ

Jamesdonkey A3

Keychron K12

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
Plate Mount, Tray Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
No

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
No

Layout

Layout size

75%
60%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired

Max polling rate

—
1,000 Hz

Battery

3,000 mAh
4,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS, PBT, Plastic, Polycarbonate
ABS, Aluminum, Plastic

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Plastic

Keycaps

PBT
ABS

Weight

1,000 g
—

Dimensions

40 x 136 x 321 mm
—

Backlight

RGB
RGB, north-facing

Firmware & software

N-key rollover

Yes
No

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2022
2021

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.

Keychron K124 stores

Still torn?

Answer a few quick questions and the keyboard finder ranks 2,000+ boards by how you will actually use yours.