Keychron J1 vs K4 HELow Profile or Magnetic Switches
Choose the Keychron J1 for a lighter, low-profile 75% board, or the K4 HE for magnetic-switch gaming features and a numpad.
KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
3.0 (5)3.0 · 5 reviews
from$59at Keychron
4.0 (11)4.0 · 11 reviews
from$118at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron J1
Build quality in the top 40% of 75% boards under $100.
- Compact 75% ANSI layout with a listed weight of 661 g.
- Low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps and low-profile mechanical switches.
- Supports Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connections, with 1000 Hz polling in 2.4 GHz and wired modes.
- Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- No numpad.
Get the
Keychron K4 HE
Hall effect
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $150.
- 96% layout includes a numpad and is offered in ANSI and several ISO layouts.
- Magnetic switches support adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger.
- Dynamic Keystrokes can assign up to four actions per key based on press depth.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Pick the J1 if a low-profile, lighter 75% board matters more than a numpad or magnetic-switch controls. Choose the K4 HE if you want adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and a numpad, and are comfortable with its greater weight and magnetic-switch compatibility limits.
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 K4 HE
Layout size
75%
96%
Hall effect (magnetic)
No
Yes
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Rapid trigger
No
Yes
Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing
Connection
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired, 2.4 GHz
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Battery
2,000 mAh
4,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
- Keychron J1
- Keychron K4 HE
- Performance
- 8292
- Build quality
- 7187
- Productivity
- 8994
- Customizability
- 8689
- Portability
- 8056
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- QMK
- VIA
- Sound dampening
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The K4 HE leads for gaming, office work, and number-heavy content creation, with magnetic-switch controls and a numpad as its main advantages. The J1 is the more travel-friendly choice because it is smaller and lighter. Programming and modding are closer calls, since both offer QMK, VIA, and hot-swap support but use different switch systems. Choose based on whether you prefer a low-profile mechanical board or magnetic-switch customization.
Pick the Keychron K4 HE
- K4 HE magnetic switches support adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger.
- K4 HE also offers Dynamic Keystrokes and Analog Mode.
- Both have 1000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron J1
5 owner reviews
“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…”
“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…”
Keychron K4 HE
11 owner reviews
“So far it have met my expectations for the use i wanted it for, had a small hic up the first day i started ysing it but got easily resolved with the provided user manual”
“The keyboard is smooth to the touch, and has the nice feel. For me, it's almost an ideal keyboard but the one thing that gets me and it's a hard issue is that when connected, it takes away input from my controller when I game, especially for live service…”
Keychron J1 vs K4 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
13 of 28 specs differ
Keychron J1
Keychron K4 HE
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Low profile
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron J1
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron K4 HE
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-CH
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-CH
In stockDoes not ship to you
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 J1 vs K4 HE: your questions
The J1 is a 75% low-profile keyboard with low-profile mechanical switches. The K4 HE is a 96% magnetic-switch board with a numpad, adjustable actuation, and Rapid Trigger.
The K4 HE has the stronger set of gaming-specific features, including adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, Dynamic Keystrokes, and Analog Mode. Both list 1000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes.
Yes, Rapid Trigger is listed as a K4 HE feature. The vendor also describes Dynamic Rapid Trigger, which activates and resets keys based on how far they travel.
Both models are listed as hot-swappable, but their switch compatibility differs. The J1 takes compatible low-profile mechanical switches, while K4 HE compatibility depends on its version and magnetic switch type.
No, the J1's switch sockets require low-profile switches, and standard MX switches are not compatible. The vendor specifies Gateron or Keychron low-profile mechanical switches for the hot-swappable version.
No, the K4 HE accepts compatible magnetic switches rather than standard MX switches. The vendor says each version supports only its specified switch family, either Keychron Ultra-fast Lime or Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches.
Yes, the K4 HE's 96% layout includes a numpad. The J1 uses a 75% layout and does not have one.
The J1 is the lighter option at 661 g, while the K4 HE weighs approximately 1090 g. The J1 also has a smaller 75% layout compared with the K4 HE's 96% layout.
Yes, both support Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connections. The vendor descriptions specify Bluetooth connection to up to three devices for each model.
Both are listed with QMK and VIA support. Their vendor descriptions also identify Keychron Launcher as a tool for remapping keys and setting macros.
Both keyboards have north-facing LEDs, and their compatibility notes warn that Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing. The J1 also requires low-profile keycaps, while the K4 HE's keycap profile varies by version.
The J1 has a 2000 mAh battery, and the K4 HE has a 4000 mAh battery. Keychron lists up to 110 hours of wireless use for the K4 HE, while no comparable runtime is listed for the J1.
Not sold on either?
Still torn?
Answer a few quick questions and the keyboard finder ranks 2,000+ boards by how you will actually use yours.