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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 21, 2026

Keychron J1 vs K1 SE V5

Get the Keychron J1 for qmk and via.

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 J1

Keychron K1 SE V5

  • Layout size

    75%

    80%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Bluetooth, Wired

  • Case material

    ABS

    Aluminum, Plastic

  • QMK

    Yes

    No

  • VIA

    Yes

    No

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron J1
  • Keychron K1 SE V5
Performance
82
65
Build quality
71
68
Productivity
89
68
Customizability
86
71
Portability
80
74

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 2,000 mAh
  • Low profile
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
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 J1

3.0

5 owner reviews

Praise
“I like everything about this keyboard: the keys, their profile, the typing sound of the banana switch, the shape of the keyboard itself, and its size. There are no battery issues either; it holds a charge surprisingly long, and I don't remember the last time…”
Maks B.· via Keychron
Critique
“Almost perfect keyboard for me, low profile, etc., but battery dies too fast, i'd say 2-3 days max. and when it dies it does not reconnect when charging cable is plugged in, you have to toggle wired mode, plug in the cable and then toggle wireless mode for it…”
TadasVerified buyer· via Keychron

Keychron K1 SE V5

4.8

166 owner reviews

Praise
“I got the optical banana switches, they feel very comfortable. Good job on the background lighting! Would give five stars if it came back from sleep a bit quicker...”
Karl F.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron J1 vs K1 SE V5 specs

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

11 of 25 specs differ

Keychron J1

Keychron K1 SE V5

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

—
Tray Mount

Low profile

Yes
Yes

Sound dampening

Yes
No

Layout

Layout size

75%
80%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, JIS

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Display

None
None

Media keys

No
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
—

Battery

2,000 mAh
2,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS
Aluminum, Plastic

Keycaps

PBT
ABS

Weight

661 g
—

Dimensions

23 x 327 x 144 mm
—

Typing angle

19°
—

Backlight

RGB, north-facing
RGB, north-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
No

VIA

Yes
No

N-key rollover

Yes
No

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.

Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

Keychron J13 stores
  • KeychronHK

    In stock
    $59Visit
  • Keychron (DE)DE

    In stock
    $105Visit
  • AmazonGlobal

    Check price
    Visit
  • AmazonGlobal

    Check price
    ~$59Visit
  • KeychronHK

    Out of stock
    $59Visit

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