Keychron K3 HE vs K8 HELow Profile or TKL?
Choose the K3 HE for a lighter, low-profile 75% board, or the K8 HE for a larger 80% layout and a higher listed battery capacity.
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4.4 · 8 reviews
from$119at Keychron
5.0 · 5 reviews
from$129at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K3 HE
Build quality in the top 10% of 75% boards under $150.
- 75% low-profile layout with a listed weight of 580 g.
- Tri-mode connectivity through Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired USB-C.
- Vendor lists adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 2.9 mm, Rapid Trigger, and analog mode.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- 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 K8 HE
Battery
Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $150.
- 80% layout with a listed 4000 mAh battery.
- Tri-mode connectivity through Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired USB-C.
- Vendor lists adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm, Rapid Trigger, and analog mode.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- Missing ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- No numpad.
Pick the K3 HE if a lighter 75% board, low-profile keycaps, and regional layout options such as ISO-DE, ISO-FR, or ISO-ES matter most. Choose the K8 HE if you want an 80% layout and its higher listed battery capacity, and are comfortable with its Gateron double-rail magnetic switch compatibility. Both offer Rapid Trigger and wireless connectivity, so layout and switch fit are the deciding factors.
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 K3 HE
Keychron K8 HE
Layout size
75%
80%
Connection
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Battery
2,600 mAh
4,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Low profile
Yes
No
Display
LED
None
A case display rather than a typing feature
- Keychron K3 HE
- Keychron K8 HE
- Performance
- 9292
- Build quality
- 8687
- Productivity
- 8894
- Customizability
- 8989
- Portability
- 8276
- Hall effect (magnetic)
- Rapid trigger
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: ABS, Aluminum, Wood
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
What will you mostly use it for?
The K3 HE is the more travel-oriented pick because it is lighter and has a low-profile design. The K8 HE has an edge for office work and content creation if you prefer its larger layout and higher listed battery capacity. Gaming and programming are closer calls, since both share key magnetic gaming features and customization options. For modding, choose based on the compatible magnetic switch family and the K3 HE's low-profile keycap requirements.
It's a tie
- Both list Hall Effect switches, Rapid Trigger, and 1000 Hz polling over wired and 2.4 GHz connections.
- Both vendor descriptions include analog mode, adjustable actuation, and up to four actions per key.
- The K3 HE offers a low-profile 75% layout, while the K8 HE provides a larger 80% layout.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K3 HE
8 owner reviews
“I am happy with this keyboard! I needed some time to adjust my typing habits, but so far so good.”
“please add a custom firmware file in your as the app can not recognize the keyboard and apparently doesn't have a correct firmware. the reset buttons do not work as well”
Keychron K8 HE
5 owner reviews
“Order arrived quickly with no damage to the packaging. Has a very premium feel and overall excellent piece of hardware.”
Keychron K3 HE vs K8 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 28 specs differ
Keychron K3 HE
Keychron K8 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 K3 HE
Keychron
ISO-DE
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron K8 HE
Keychron (DE)
ISO
In stockDoes not ship to you
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 K3 HE vs K8 HE: your questions
The K3 HE is a 75% low-profile keyboard, while the K8 HE is an 80% keyboard with a normal profile. The K8 HE also lists a 4000 mAh battery, compared with 2600 mAh for the K3 HE.
Both list Hall Effect magnetic switches, Rapid Trigger, and a 1000 Hz polling rate over wired and 2.4 GHz connections. Their vendor descriptions also include analog mode and adjustable actuation.
Yes, both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity. Keychron describes Bluetooth connections for up to three devices for each model.
The K3 HE weighs 580 g in its metadata, while the K8 HE weighs 1009 g. The K3 HE also has a low-profile design and 75% layout, making it the lighter, more compact choice by the listed size category.
No, both keyboards require compatible magnetic switches, and standard MX switches will not fit. The K3 HE takes Keychron Ultra-Fast Lime low-profile magnetic switches, while the K8 HE is limited to compatible Gateron double-rail magnetic switches.
No, the K3 HE requires low-profile switches and keycaps, and standard MX keycaps will not fit. Its north-facing LEDs can also interfere with Cherry-profile keycaps.
The K8 HE has north-facing LEDs, and its compatibility rules warn that Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing. The vendor lists Cherry-profile keycaps for the standard version, so check the specific keycap and version before choosing a set.
The K8 HE has the larger listed battery capacity at 4000 mAh, while the K3 HE lists 2600 mAh. The K3 HE vendor description lists up to 55 hours, and the K8 HE vendor description lists up to 110 hours, with actual results dependent on use.
Both list QMK support and VIA support in their product features. Keychron's descriptions also identify QMK firmware and Launcher web app customization for key remapping and macros.
The K3 HE lists ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ANSI, and JIS layouts. The K8 HE lists ISO, ANSI, and JIS, so the K3 HE includes the additional regional layouts named here.
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