Keychron K10 Max vs K9 MaxFull-Size or Compact
Choose the K10 Max for its full-size layout and larger battery, or the K9 Max for a lighter, more compact low-profile design.
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4.7 (9)4.7 · 9 reviews
from$99at MK
5.0 (2)5.0 · 2 reviews
from$137at Keychron (DE)
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K10 Max
Battery
Build quality in the top 10% of 100% boards under $100.
- 100% layout with 108 keys and 12 multimedia keys.
- 4000mAh battery, with Keychron listing up to 190 hours with backlighting off.
- Hot-swappable version supports almost all 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches, according to Keychron.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Keychron K9 Max
Build quality in the top 25% of 60% boards under $150.
- Compact 60% layout with 61 keys and a 287 x 97.5 mm footprint.
- Weighs 426 g, making it much lighter than the K10 Max.
- Low-profile Milk POM switches and low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps.
- 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.
- Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.
Choose the K10 Max if you rely on a full-size layout, want ISO options, or plan to try a wider range of MX-style switches. Choose the K9 Max if low weight, compact dimensions, and a low-profile design matter more than a full set of keys. Both provide QMK customization and the same listed 1000 Hz polling rate.
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 K10 Max
Keychron K9 Max
Layout size
100%
60%
Battery
4,000 mAh
1,550 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Low profile
No
Yes
Weight
1,530 g
426 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
Layout standard
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-UK
ANSI
ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit
- Keychron K10 Max
- Keychron K9 Max
- Performance
- 8275
- Build quality
- 8175
- Productivity
- 9591
- Customizability
- 9192
- Portability
- 5487
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: ABS
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- QMK
What will you mostly use it for?
The K10 Max has the clearest advantage for office work, programming, and content creation if you want a full-size key set or ISO layout choices. The K9 Max is the more practical pick when carrying weight and desk footprint matter more than having a full-size layout. Gaming is a draw on the stated polling rate and connection options. For switch experimentation, the K10 Max has broader explicitly described compatibility, while the K9 Max's hot-swap support is limited to Milk POM switches in Keychron's listing.
It's a tie
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and support 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and wired connections.
- Both include N-key rollover for wired and wireless modes.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K10 Max
9 owner reviews
“Bought with super banana switches (awesome if you like panda switches!). The only complaint I have is having to plug it in to change any settings. Why?”
Keychron K9 Max
2 owner reviews
“The keyboard sounds and looks good on my desk. It works with my Mac.”
Keychron K10 Max vs K9 Max specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
10 of 27 specs differ
Keychron K10 Max
Keychron K9 Max
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Low profile
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
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 K10 Max
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron K9 Max
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Keychron K10 Max vs K9 Max: your questions
The K10 Max is a 100% keyboard with 108 keys, while the K9 Max is a 60% keyboard with 61 keys. The K9 Max is also low-profile and weighs 426 g, compared with 1530 g for the K10 Max.
The K9 Max is the more travel-friendly choice based on its listed weight of 426 g and dimensions of 287 x 97.5 mm. The K10 Max weighs 1530 g and measures 447.37 x 139.82 mm.
The K10 Max has a 4000mAh battery, while the K9 Max has a 1550mAh battery. Keychron lists up to 190 hours for the K10 Max with backlighting off and up to 73 hours for the K9 Max.
Both support 2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired connections. Keychron says each can connect to up to three devices over Bluetooth.
Both keyboards list a 1000 Hz polling rate in 2.4 GHz and wired modes. Their vendor descriptions list lower polling rates in Bluetooth mode, 90 Hz for the K10 Max and 120 Hz for the K9 Max.
Both are listed as having hot-swappable versions. Keychron says the K10 Max hot-swappable version supports almost all 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches, while the K9 Max listing says it is currently compatible with Milk POM switches only.
The K10 Max is the more straightforward choice if you want a full-size 108-key layout. Both support QMK and Keychron Launcher for remapping keys and setting up macros.
Yes, Keychron describes the K9 Max as a low-profile wireless keyboard with low-profile Milk POM switches and LSA-profile keycaps. The K10 Max uses a standard-profile design.
The K10 Max is listed with ANSI and ISO layout options, including ISO-UK, ISO-DE, ISO-FR, and ISO-ES. The K9 Max is listed as ANSI.
Both the K10 Max and K9 Max support QMK and Keychron Launcher. Keychron describes Launcher as a tool for key remapping and macros on both models.
Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate in 2.4 GHz and wired modes, and both support N-key rollover in wired and wireless modes. The stated specs do not give either model a clear advantage on those features.
The K10 Max has double-shot PBT keycaps in an OSA profile, while the K9 Max has low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps in an LSA profile. Keychron describes the K9 Max keycaps as non-backlight shine-through.
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