Keychron K4 HE vs V5 UltraMagnetic vs 8K Polling
Choose the K4 HE for magnetic switch advantages like adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger, or the V5 Ultra for a gasket-mounted typing feel and 8K polling.
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4.2 (10)4.2 · 10 reviews
from$118at MK
3.0 (1)3.0 · 1 reviews
from$119at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K4 HE
Magnetic
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $150.
- Magnetic Gateron Double-Rail switches with adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm and 0.1 mm sensitivity.
- Advanced TMR sensors for precise, ultra-low latency input detection.
- Features like Rapid Trigger, LKP, Snap Click, and Dynamic Keystrokes for competitive gaming.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
Get the
Keychron V5 Ultra
8K Polling
Build quality in the top 15% of 96% boards under $150.
- Gasket mount design with PC plate provides a softer, quieter, and more flexible typing feel.
- Industry-leading 8000 Hz polling rate in both wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes.
- Exceptional battery life: up to 660 hours with backlight off, 200 hours with RGB on lowest brightness.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Missing ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic. The other board is sold in those layouts.
Your choice comes down to typing technology versus polling speed. Choose the Keychron K4 HE if you want the unique benefits of magnetic switches including adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and analog input for gaming. Opt for the Keychron V5 Ultra if you prefer a traditional mechanical switch, a softer gasket mount typing feel, and the superior 8000 Hz wireless polling for competitive latency. Both are strong all-rounders, but neither dominates the other across every use case.
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 K4 HE
Keychron V5 Ultra
Hall effect (magnetic)
Yes
No
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Rapid trigger
Yes
No
Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing
Connection
Bluetooth, Wired, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Max polling rate
1,000 Hz
8,000 Hz
Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing
Case material
ABS, Aluminum, Plastic, Wood
ABS, Metal, Plastic
- Keychron K4 HE
- Keychron V5 Ultra
- Performance
- 9291
- Build quality
- 8783
- Productivity
- 9498
- Customizability
- 8994
- Portability
- 5656
- Layout size: 96%
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- QMK
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
For gaming, the K4 HE's magnetic switches and Rapid Trigger technology give it a clear edge, while the V5 Ultra's gasket mount and longer battery life make it the better office and travel companion. Programming and content creation are close ties thanks to similar layouts and firmware flexibility. Modders will favor the V5 Ultra for its standard switch compatibility and gasket construction, whereas the K4 HE's magnetic ecosystem is more locked-in but offers unique analog and actuation features.
Pick the Keychron K4 HE
- Magnetic switches with dynamic Rapid Trigger for faster key resets in fast-paced games.
- Adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm allows customizing sensitivity per key.
- Last Key Priority (LKP) and Snap Click features for competitive advantages in titles like Valorant.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K4 HE
10 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 V5 Ultra
1 owner reviews
“Hi Keychron team, I wanted to share some feedback regarding your new Ultra line of keyboards. While the backlighting is present, the legends on most of your keyboards are not properly illuminated. I don’t quite understand the point of this design—these…”
Keychron K4 HE vs V5 Ultra specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
16 of 29 specs differ
Keychron K4 HE
Keychron V5 Ultra
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
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 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
Keychron V5 Ultra
Keychron (DE)
ISO-ES
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 K4 HE vs V5 Ultra: your questions
No, the K4 HE is only compatible with Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches sold on the Keychron website. It does not support traditional mechanical switches or other magnetic switches like the Gateron Magnetic Jade.
The Keychron K4 HE has a 1000 Hz polling rate in wired and 2.4 GHz mode. The Keychron V5 Ultra supports up to 8000 Hz in both wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes, making it significantly faster for competitive gaming.
The V5 Ultra has far better battery life, rated for up to 660 hours with backlight off and up to 200 hours with RGB on lowest brightness. The K4 HE is rated for up to 110 hours under lab test conditions.
Yes, both are hot-swappable. The K4 HE only works with Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches. The V5 Ultra works with almost all 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches from brands like Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh.
The Keychron V5 Ultra uses a gasket mount design with a PC (polycarbonate) plate for a softer, quieter typing feel. The K4 HE uses a tray mount design with an aluminum plate.
Yes, both keyboards come with a system toggle and include additional keycaps for Windows and macOS. They also support Linux according to their specifications.
The K4 HE features adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm, Rapid Trigger, Last Key Priority (LKP), Snap Click, Dynamic Keystrokes (4 actions per key), and Analog Mode for gamepad-like control.
Yes, the V5 Ultra features an all-new knob design for volume control and media management. The K4 HE does not feature a knob based on the provided specifications.
The V5 Ultra is lighter at approximately 983 g, while the K4 HE weighs about 1090 g. Both have a 4000 mAh battery, but the V5 Ultra's longer battery life also makes it more travel-friendly.
The K4 HE uses OSA double-shot PBT keycaps (Special Edition) or Cherry profile double-shot PBT shine-through keycaps (Standard Version). The V5 Ultra uses OSA profile double-shot PBT non-shine-through keycaps.
The V5 Ultra is better for modding because of its gasket mount design, PC plate, standard MX switch compatibility, and screw-in PCB stabilizers. The K4 HE's magnetic switch platform is more restrictive for switch modding.
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