Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

Keychron J5 vs V1 Max

Get the Keychron V1 Max for the 4,000 mAh battery and knob.

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Keychron J5

5.0 (2)5.0 · 2 reviews

from$59at Keychron

Compare 3 stores

Battery

Keychron V1 Max

4.9 (14)4.9 · 14 reviews

from$94at MK

Compare 4 stores

Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron J5

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

Rules this board out

North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.

$59 at Keychron

Get the

Keychron V1 Max

Battery

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $100.

Rules this board out

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

$94 at MK

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 J5

Keychron V1 Max

Layout size
100%
75%
Battery
3,750 mAh
4,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Case material
ABS
ABS, Plastic
Knob
No
Yes
Weight
1,100 g
770 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

KeebFinder scores

How we score

Keychron J5
Keychron V1 Max

Performance: 82
83
Build quality: 71
86
Productivity: 89
97
Customizability: 88
98
Portability: 54
78

What they share

Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Hot-swappable
Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
QMK
VIA

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 J5

5.0

2 owner reviews

Praise

“Totally enjoying this keyboard. Weight gives a quality feel. Love north facing RGB and effects. Price is in a sweet spot. Happy that I didn’t allow lack of reviews to affect my decision. Highly recommended.”

M.T.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Keychron V1 Max

4.9

14 owner reviews

Praise

“Feels great, haven't got a new KB since my Novatouch. Great high end features and feel, DSA caps on it feel good.”

Paul B.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron J5 vs V1 Max specs

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

13 of 27 specs differ

Spec

Keychron J5

Keychron V1 Max

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes

Mount style

—

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

Sound dampening

Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes

Layout

Layout size

100%

75%

Layout standard

ANSI

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

Ergonomics

Standard

Knob

Yes

Display

None

Media keys

Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz

Battery

3,750 mAh

4,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS

ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Steel

Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT

ABS, PBT

Weight

1,100 g

770 g

Dimensions

35 x 436 x 129 mm

22 x 149 x 329 mm

Typing angle

2°

4°

Backlight

RGB, north-facing

RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes

VIA

Yes

N-key rollover

Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes

Extras

Released

2025

2023

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Keychron J5

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Keychron V1 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-IT, ISO-SW, ISO-PT
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 J53 stores