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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

Keychron V3 Max vs V4Wireless or 60%

Choose the V3 Max for wireless flexibility and a fuller TKL layout, or the V4 for a smaller wired-only 60% design.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron V3 Max

Build quality in the top 10% of 80% boards under $200.

If you want

  • Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity, with a 4000 mAh battery.
  • 80% layout with knob support and a wider selection of listed ISO variants.
  • Gasket mount design with a polycarbonate plate and sound-absorbing foam.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No numpad.

Get the

Keychron V4

Build quality in the top 5% of 60% boards under $50.

If you want

  • Compact 60% layout in a 730 g, 20 x 117 x 304 mm body.
  • Hot-swappable sockets support 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches.
  • QMK and VIA support, with screw-in stabilizers.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Missing ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR. The other board is sold in those layouts.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Bottom line

Pick the V3 Max if you want wireless use, a 4000 mAh battery, and the more complete 80% layout. Choose the V4 if a smaller, lighter 60% keyboard and wired connection suit your setup better. Both are customizable through hot-swap switches and QMK and VIA support.

What actually differs

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 V3 Max

Keychron V4

  • Layout size

    80%

    60%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

    Plate Mount, Tray Mount

  • Weight

    895 g

    730 g

    Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

  • Layout standard

    ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK

    ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, JIS

    ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron V3 Max
  • Keychron V4
Performance
82
68
Build quality
86
87
Productivity
98
95
Customizability
98
98
Portability
76
75

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Case material: ABS, Plastic
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • Knob
  • QMK
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The V3 Max is the more flexible fit for gaming, office work, programming, and content creation, primarily because it combines wireless modes with an 80% layout. The V4 takes the travel pick with its smaller dimensions and lower weight. Modding is a close match: both provide hot-swap sockets, QMK and VIA support, and screw-in stabilizers, but use different mounting and plate designs.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron V3 Max

  • The V3 Max offers both 2.4 GHz wireless and wired connectivity at 1000 Hz polling.
  • Its 80% layout includes more keys than the V4's 60% layout.
  • The V4 also has 1000 Hz polling, but is wired only.

From real owners

What owners say

Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.

Keychron V3 Max

4.8

4 owner reviews

Praise
“This keyboard has been great. My first keyboard I've ever had. I had faulty switch, but you guys just gave me a whole new keyboard. Thanks a lot! -Mack”
MackStripes· via Keychron

Keychron V4

5.0

14 owner reviews

Praise
“Definitely the best 80 dollar keyboard out right now. Very well lubed and stabbed are tooned well. Unfortunately can't get via to work (VIA isn't accepting the json file)”
Elsa P.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron V3 Max vs V4 specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

9 of 27 specs differ

Keychron V3 Max

Keychron V4

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Plate Mount, Tray Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

80%
60%

Layout standard

ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, JIS

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
Wired only

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS, Plastic
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Steel

Keycaps

ABS, PBT
ABS, PBT

Weight

895 g
730 g

Dimensions

24 x 149 x 368 mm
20 x 117 x 304 mm

Typing angle

4°
4°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
No

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2024
2022

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.

Keychron V3 Max

  • Keychron

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW

    In stockDoes not ship to you

Keychron V4

  • Keychron

    ISO-DE

    In stockShips to you

  • Input Gear

    ISO-DE

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE

    In stockDoes not ship to you

Where to buy

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 V45 stores

FAQ

Keychron V3 Max vs V4: your questions

The V3 Max is an 80% keyboard with Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity. The V4 is a smaller 60% model with wired-only connectivity.

Yes. The V3 Max supports Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired use, and has a 4000 mAh battery. Keychron lists up to 190 hours of wireless use with the backlight off, with actual results varying by use.

No, the V4 is listed as wired only, using USB-C connectivity. The V3 Max is the option between these two models with Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless.

The V4 is smaller at 20 x 117 x 304 mm, compared with 24 x 149 x 368 mm for the V3 Max. It is also lighter at 730 g versus 895 g.

The V4's 60% layout has no dedicated arrow keys, function row, or numpad. The V3 Max uses an 80% layout instead.

Yes, both models have hot-swappable sockets that support 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. This allows switch changes without soldering, according to Keychron.

Both models list QMK and VIA support. Keychron also describes using its Launcher web app for key remapping and macros, with the keyboard connected in wired mode.

The V3 Max has a gasket mount with a polycarbonate plate, while the V4 has a tray mount with a steel plate. Keychron also lists sound-absorbing foam for the V3 Max and an acoustic silicone pad for the V4.

Both have south-facing RGB LEDs, and their listed stock PBT keycaps are not shine-through. Their compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends may stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps may clip the LEDs.

The V3 Max lists ISO-UK and ISO-Nordic among its layout variants, while the V4 compatibility notes identify both as missing. The V4 also lacks ISO-FR.

Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate, but the V3 Max adds 2.4 GHz wireless and has an 80% layout. The V4 is wired only and uses a compact 60% layout.

Knob support is listed for both keyboards. The V3 Max vendor listing specifically offers a fully assembled knob version, while the V4 metadata lists knob support.

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