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

Head to head · Prices checked Oct 28, 2026

Keychron B5 Pro vs K12

Get the Keychron K12 for hot-swappable and 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

Keychron B5 Pro

Build quality in the bottom 10% of 100% boards under $100.

Rules this board out

  • Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.

Get the

Keychron K12

Hot-swappable

Build quality in the top 20% of 60% boards under $100.

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.

Keychron B5 Pro

Keychron K12

  • Layout size

    100%

    60%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Bluetooth, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Hot-swappable

    No

    Yes

    Switch changes without soldering

  • Battery

    1,200 mAh

    4,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Case material

    ABS

    ABS, Aluminum, Plastic

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron B5 Pro
  • Keychron K12
Performance
51
58
Build quality
43
74
Productivity
70
69
Customizability
49
73
Portability
52
90

What they share

  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • Keycaps: ABS
See every spec side by side

Full specs

Keychron B5 Pro vs K12 specs

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

7 of 21 specs differ

Keychron B5 Pro

Keychron K12

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

No
Yes

Mount style

—
Plate Mount, Tray Mount

Layout

Layout size

100%
60%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

1,200 mAh
4,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS
ABS, Aluminum, Plastic

Plate material

—
Plastic

Keycaps

ABS
ABS

Weight

623 g
—

Dimensions

10 x 438 x 121 mm
—

Typing angle

3°
—

Backlight

None
RGB, north-facing

Firmware & software

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2025
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.