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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 7, 2026

Keychron B35 vs V3 UltraBudget 96% vs Premium TKL Gaming

Choose the Keychron B35 for a budget-friendly, compact layout, or the V3 Ultra for premium performance and extensive customization.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron B35

Budget 96%

Build quality in the bottom 15% of 96% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Compact 96% layout includes a numpad.
  • Very affordable price point.
  • Silent scissor mechanism designed for quiet typing.

Rules this board out

  • Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.
  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

Get the

Keychron V3 Ultra

Premium TKL Gaming

Build quality in the top 10% of 80% boards under $150.

If you want

  • Extremely high 8000 Hz polling rate for competitive gaming.
  • Fully hot-swappable PCB for easy switch changes.
  • Premium features include gasket mount, polycarbonate plate, and multiple foam layers.

Rules this board out

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

Bottom line

Your budget and core needs dictate the choice. If you require a full numpad in a compact, quiet, and affordable package for general use, the Keychron B35 is a compelling option. If you are a gamer or enthusiast who values maximum performance, deep customization via hot-swap and firmware, and premium acoustics, the Keychron V3 Ultra is worth the investment.

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 B35

Keychron V3 Ultra

  • Layout size

    96%

    80%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Hot-swappable

    No

    Yes

    Switch changes without soldering

  • Battery

    800 mAh

    4,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Max polling rate

    1,000 Hz

    8,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron B35
  • Keychron V3 Ultra
Performance
60
91
Build quality
44
83
Productivity
71
98
Customizability
49
94
Portability
53
76

What they share

  • Case material: ABS, Plastic
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The V3 Ultra dominates for gaming and modding due to its high-performance specs and open design. The B35 is the practical choice for office use and travel, offering key functionality at a lower weight and cost. For programming, both have merits, with the B35's numpad balancing the V3 Ultra's superior software customization.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron V3 Ultra

  • The V3 Ultra has an 8000 Hz polling rate for minimal input lag.
  • It features N-key rollover in wireless mode for reliable simultaneous key presses.
  • Its gasket mount and foam layers provide a stable, consistent typing feel.

Full specs

Keychron B35 vs V3 Ultra specs

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

17 of 27 specs differ

Keychron B35

Keychron V3 Ultra

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

No
Yes

Mount style

—
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

96%
80%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO, ISO-CH, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-UK, JIS

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

No
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

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

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
8,000 HzBetter

Battery

800 mAh
4,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS, Plastic
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

—
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

ABS
PBT

Weight

510 g
960 g

Dimensions

26 x 136 x 381 mm
33 x 368 x 149 mm

Typing angle

7°
4°

Backlight

None
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

No
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2025
2026

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Keychron B35

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Keychron V3 Ultra

  • Input Gear

    ISO-DE

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-FR, ISO-ES

    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.

Keychron B353 stores

FAQ

Keychron B35 vs V3 Ultra: your questions

The Keychron V3 Ultra is better for competitive gaming. It features an 8000 Hz polling rate in both wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes for minimal latency, alongside N-key rollover to ensure all key presses are registered accurately during fast sequences.

No, the Keychron B35 is not hot-swappable. Its switches are soldered to the PCB, so changing them would require desoldering and soldering new switches, which is a more advanced modification.

According to Keychron, the V3 Ultra's 4000mAh battery can last up to 660 hours with the backlight turned off, or up to 200 hours with RGB lighting at its lowest brightness setting. Actual results will vary with usage.

No, the Keychron B35 is listed as non-backlit in its specifications. It does not feature any form of key backlighting.

The Keychron V3 Ultra comes with OSA profile double-shot PBT keycaps. The manufacturer states this profile has a similar height to OEM with an SA-like spherical shape.

The Keychron B35 is more portable. It weighs 510g compared to the V3 Ultra's 960g, and its 96% layout offers a more compact footprint than the TKL layout of the V3 Ultra while still including a numpad.

Yes, both the Keychron B35 and V3 Ultra have a system toggle to switch between macOS and Windows layouts. The V3 Ultra also includes an extra set of keycaps for both operating systems.

The Keychron B35 offers adjustable angles of 5°, 6.5°, and 9°. The Keychron V3 Ultra offers adjustable angles of 4°, 7°, and 10°.

Both keyboards can be customized using the web-based Keychron Launcher app for remapping keys and creating macros. The V3 Ultra also supports the open-source ZMK firmware and is listed as having QMK/VIA support for deeper customization.

The V3 Ultra uses a more advanced construction with a gasket mount, polycarbonate plate, and multiple internal foam layers (sound absorbing, EPDM, PET) for a premium sound and feel. The B35 uses a standard scissor mechanism in an ABS plastic case.

The Keychron B35 is designed specifically for silent typing with its scissor mechanism and pre-lubed keys, making it the quieter option for shared office spaces. The V3 Ultra, while having foam dampening, uses mechanical switches which are inherently louder.

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