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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 2, 2026

Keychron 81 Pro vs V3 Max

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron 81 Pro

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.

Rules this board out

  • 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.
  • No numpad.

Get the

Keychron V3 Max

Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $200.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No 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.

Keychron 81 Pro

Keychron V3 Max

  • Layout size

    75%

    80%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, Wired

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    ABS, Plastic

  • Weight

    1,887 g

    895 g

    Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

  • Layout standard

    ANSI

    ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK

    ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron 81 Pro
  • Keychron V3 Max
Performance
82
82
Build quality
87
86
Productivity
97
98
Customizability
94
98
Portability
82
77

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh
  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • Mount style: Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
  • Knob
See every spec side by side

From real owners

What owners say

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

Keychron 81 Pro

5.0

4 owner reviews

Praise
“Love the sound and feel. Thr kickstand is cool too. Only thing is I wish there were more options for keycap colors, the red doesn't match my stuff.”
T.T.· via Keychron

Keychron V3 Max

3.3

8 owner reviews

Praise
“This keyboard has been great. My first keyboard I've ever had. I had faulty switch, but you guys just gave me a whole new keyboard. Thanks a lot! -Mack”
MackStripes· via Keychron
Critique
“Stopped working in wired mode after a couple months. 2.4 connectivity spotty. I regret buying this keyboard”
NikVerified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron 81 Pro vs V3 Max specs

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

8 of 27 specs differ

Keychron 81 Pro

Keychron V3 Max

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
80%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT
ABS, PBT

Weight

1,887 g
895 g

Dimensions

47 x 338 x 151 mm
24 x 149 x 368 mm

Typing angle

—
4°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2023
2024

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Keychron 81 Pro

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Keychron V3 Max

  • Keychron

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW

    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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