Keychron K1 Max vs K3 Ultra80% or 8K
Choose the K1 Max for its 80% layout and QMK, or the K3 Ultra for 8000 Hz polling and its wood-and-metal build.
KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
4.6 (10)4.6 · 10 reviews
from$89at Keychron
90-day lowLowest price in 90 days
4.3 (9)4.3 · 9 reviews
from$109at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K1 Max
Battery
Build quality in the top 10% of 80% boards under $100.
- 80% layout with ANSI and multiple listed ISO options, including ISO-DE, ISO-Nordic, and ISO-UK.
- QMK and VIA support, plus Keychron Launcher remapping and macros described by the vendor.
- Listed 4000mAh battery and 1000 Hz polling rate.
- Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- No numpad.
Get the
Keychron K3 Ultra
polling rate
Build quality in the top 30% of 75% boards under $150.
- 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, according to Keychron.
- 75% layout, with listed weight of 566 g ± 10 g.
- Aluminum-and-wood body and anodized aluminum alloy plate in the vendor specifications.
- Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- Missing ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- No numpad.
Choose the K1 Max if an 80% layout, QMK and VIA support, and its listed 4000mAh battery matter most. Pick the K3 Ultra if you want 8000 Hz polling, a lighter listed weight, and an aluminum-and-wood frame. Check the K1 Max version carefully if switch swapping is important, since the vendor describes hot-swap as an optional version.
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 K1 Max
Keychron K3 Ultra
Layout size
80%
75%
Battery
4,000 mAh
2,600 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
Case material
ABS, Aluminum, Plastic
ABS, Wood
Mount style
PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Plate Mount
- Keychron K1 Max
- Keychron K3 Ultra
- Performance
- 8286
- Build quality
- 8175
- Productivity
- 9089
- Customizability
- 8986
- Portability
- 7382
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Low profile
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- QMK
- VIA
What will you mostly use it for?
The K3 Ultra has the clearer edge for gaming on polling rate and for travel on listed weight. The K1 Max is a practical office and content-creation pick if you prefer its larger layout and multimedia keys. Programming is a close match because both offer Launcher remapping and macros, with QMK on one and ZMK on the other. For modding, the K3 Ultra’s vendor-described component assembly is a differentiator, while the K1 Max’s switch compatibility depends on its version.
Pick the Keychron K3 Ultra
- The K3 Ultra lists 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, compared with 1000 Hz for the K1 Max.
- Both models offer 2.4 GHz and wired connections, plus N-key rollover.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K1 Max
10 owner reviews
“My first better keyboard and I am absolutely satisfied. We'll see how it works after a longer time. I just thought of one small thing, I have nowhere to hide the receiver when I leave with just the laptop and I want to leave the keyboard at home. Like you can…”
Keychron K3 Ultra
9 owner reviews
“Portable, match my minimalist setup, great feeling, high quality, durable”
“Meh. I dont like the wood grain and they make it difficult to return or exchange”
Keychron K1 Max vs K3 Ultra specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 26 specs differ
Keychron K1 Max
Keychron K3 Ultra
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Low profile
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Display
Media keys
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 K1 Max
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron K3 Ultra
Keychron
ISO
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO
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 K1 Max vs K3 Ultra: your questions
The K3 Ultra lists 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, compared with 1000 Hz for the K1 Max. Both offer 2.4 GHz and wired connections, as well as N-key rollover.
The K1 Max is an 80% keyboard, while the K3 Ultra is a 75% model. The K1 Max lists several ISO options, including ISO-DE, ISO-Nordic, and ISO-UK, while the K3 Ultra lists ANSI and ISO.
Keychron advertises up to 550 hours for the K3 Ultra with the backlight off. The K1 Max metadata lists a 4000mAh battery, but its vendor description gives a different capacity and runtime, so confirm the details for the version you are considering.
Both are listed as hot-swappable, but the K1 Max vendor description says this applies to its hot-swappable version. The K3 Ultra supports Keychron Milk POM switches, while the K1 Max vendor description specifies Gateron or Keychron low-profile mechanical switches.
Keychron lists Milk POM Red, Brown, and Banana switch options for the K3 Ultra. The vendor describes Red as linear and Brown or Banana as tactile.
The K1 Max metadata lists both QMK and VIA support, and Keychron describes its firmware as QMK. Keychron Launcher is also described as supporting key remapping and macros.
The K3 Ultra vendor specifications list ZMK firmware, not QMK. Keychron also describes its Launcher web app as a tool for remapping keys and creating macros.
The K3 Ultra is listed at 566 g ± 10 g, while the K1 Max is listed at 608 g. The K3 Ultra is also listed with a 75% layout, compared with the K1 Max’s 80% layout.
Both keyboards list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity. The K1 Max vendor description says Bluetooth can connect to three devices, and the K3 Ultra vendor description also advertises connection to up to three devices.
The K3 Ultra vendor specifications list an aluminum-and-wood body and an anodized aluminum alloy plate. The K1 Max vendor description lists an ABS-plus-aluminum frame and low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps.
Both models list Mac and Windows support, and the vendors describe keycaps or layouts for those operating systems. Keychron also lists Linux compatibility for both models in their product descriptions.
Both models list RGB lighting, and their vendor descriptions mention more than 22 RGB lighting settings. Both also have non-shine-through PBT keycaps, so the key legends are not described as backlit.
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.