Keychron K4 Max vs K4 Ultra1K vs 8K Polling
Choose the K4 Ultra for its 8000 Hz polling and longer stated battery life, or the K4 Max for QMK, VIA, and ISO layout availability.
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5.0 (1)5.0 · 1 reviews
from$99at Keychron
5.0 (2)5.0 · 2 reviews
from$114at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K4 Max
1K
Build quality in the top 20% of 96% boards under $100.
- 96% layout listed in both ANSI and ISO standards.
- QMK and VIA support, plus vendor-described Keychron Launcher remapping and macros.
- Hot-swappable switches and screw-in stabilizers.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Keychron K4 Ultra
8K Polling
Build quality in the bottom 40% of 96% boards under $150.
- 8000 Hz polling rate in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, according to Keychron.
- 4000 mAh battery with vendor-stated use up to 600 hours with the backlight off.
- Hot-swappable switches and screw-in stabilizers.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Pick the K4 Ultra if 8000 Hz polling or its longer stated backlight-off battery life is your priority. Choose the K4 Max if you need ISO layout availability or want its listed QMK and VIA support. Both provide a 96% layout, tri-mode connectivity, and hot-swappable switches.
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 Max
Keychron K4 Ultra
Max polling rate
1,000 Hz
8,000 Hz
Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing
Mount style
PCB Mount
Plate Mount
Weight
1,290 g
1,241 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
QMK
Yes
No
The deep option when you want to remap every key
VIA
Yes
No
GUI remapping without compiling firmware
- Keychron K4 Max
- Keychron K4 Ultra
- Performance
- 8288
- Build quality
- 8063
- Productivity
- 8987
- Customizability
- 9275
- Portability
- 5157
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Case material: ABS
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
What will you mostly use it for?
The K4 Ultra has the edge for gaming and travel based on its higher polling rate, lower listed weight, and longer stated battery life. The K4 Max is a more flexible fit for buyers who need ISO layout availability or prefer its QMK and VIA support. The Ultra's per-key and Mix RGB controls give it an added lighting option for setup-focused use. For general office work, both offer a compact 96% layout with a numeric keypad, but the Max has the broader layout choice.
Pick the Keychron K4 Ultra
- The K4 Ultra lists 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, compared with 1000 Hz for the K4 Max.
- Both offer 2.4 GHz connectivity and hot-swappable switches.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K4 Max
1 owner reviews
Keychron K4 Ultra
2 owner reviews
“Quality keyboard. I just wish the indicator lights for caps lock and num lock was brighter. Even tried increasing it on the software but it isn't enough.”
Keychron K4 Max vs K4 Ultra specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
8 of 26 specs differ
Keychron K4 Max
Keychron K4 Ultra
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
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 K4 Max
Keychron
ISO
In stockShips to you
Keychron K4 Ultra
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 K4 Max vs K4 Ultra: your questions
The K4 Ultra lists 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, while the K4 Max lists 1000 Hz. The K4 Max also lists QMK and VIA support and ISO as well as ANSI layout options.
The K4 Ultra has an 8000 Hz polling rate in wired and 2.4 GHz modes, according to Keychron. The K4 Max lists 1000 Hz polling.
Keychron states up to 190 hours for the K4 Max and up to 600 hours for the K4 Ultra. The Ultra's figure is specified with its backlight off, and both keyboards have a 4000 mAh battery.
No. The K4 Ultra is listed as ANSI only, and ISO variants are not offered.
The K4 Max metadata lists both ISO and ANSI standards. Keychron's vendor description also mentions an ISO collection.
Yes, both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. Keychron describes switch replacement without soldering for both models.
Both support Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired connectivity. The K4 Max vendor description says Bluetooth can connect to up to three devices.
The K4 Max lists QMK support, and its vendor description also names QMK firmware and Keychron Launcher. The K4 Ultra uses ZMK firmware with Keychron Launcher for remapping and macros.
Keychron describes more than 22 RGB settings, per-key RGB, and Mix RGB for the K4 Ultra. Its lighting is south-facing.
Both keyboards list Mac and Windows support. Keychron's vendor descriptions also say each works with macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Both use PBT keycaps, and both have south-facing LEDs. The compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
The K4 Ultra is listed at 1241 g, while the K4 Max is listed at 1290 g. Both have the same listed dimensions of 31 x 391 x 140 mm.
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