Keychron V5 Max vs MelGeek O2Numpad or Low Profile
Choose the Keychron V5 Max for a full numpad and switch customization, or the MelGeek O2 for a lighter, low-profile 83-key design.
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4.8 (5)4.8 · 5 reviews
from$99at MK
No reviews
from$109at MelGeek
90-day lowLowest price in 90 days
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron V5 Max
Hot-swappable
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $100.
- 96% layout includes a numpad and multi-media keys.
- Hot-swappable switches, with the vendor specifying compatibility with 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches.
- QMK and VIA support, with the vendor describing key remapping and macros through Keychron Launcher.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the
MelGeek O2
Build quality in the top 50% of Numpad boards under $150.
- 650g weight and 135 x 326 x 27 mm dimensions.
- Low-profile Kailh Sunshine linear switches and MIA custom-height PBT keycaps.
- Aluminum, polycarbonate and ABS construction, with a PC plate and PCB leaf gasket mount.
- Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- Numpad only. This is not a full keyboard.
Choose the Keychron V5 Max if you need a numpad or expect to remap keys and swap MX-style switches. Pick the MelGeek O2 if lower weight, a low-profile design and an 83-key footprint matter more than numpad access or switch modding. For gaming, both list 1000 Hz polling on wired and 2.4 GHz connections, so base the decision on layout and customization rather than that shared figure.
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 V5 Max
MelGeek O2
Layout size
96%
Numpad
Hot-swappable
Yes
No
Switch changes without soldering
Battery
4,000 mAh
2,500 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Case material
ABS, Plastic
ABS, Aluminum, Polycarbonate
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
- Keychron V5 Max
- MelGeek O2
- Performance
- 8354
- Build quality
- 8665
- Productivity
- 9753
- Customizability
- 9850
- Portability
- 5382
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Sound dampening
- Plate material: Polycarbonate
What will you mostly use it for?
The V5 Max takes the lead for buyers who want a numpad, macro and key remapping options, or room to change switches. The O2 is the more travel-oriented choice, with lower weight, smaller listed dimensions and support for switching among multiple devices. Office use is a close call: the V5 Max favors dedicated keys and customization, while the O2 favors low-profile typing and a smaller footprint. Both include gasket mounts, sound dampening and three connection modes.
Pick the Keychron V5 Max
- Both keyboards specify 1000 Hz polling over 2.4 GHz and wired connections.
- The V5 Max offers hot-swappable switches and QMK support for key customization.
- Its compact full-size layout retains a numpad, while the O2 uses an 83-key layout.
Keychron V5 Max vs MelGeek O2 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
18 of 27 specs differ
Keychron V5 Max
MelGeek O2
Switch options
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 V5 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
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
MelGeek O2
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 V5 Max vs MelGeek O2: your questions
Yes. The V5 Max is a 96% compact full-size keyboard with a numpad and multi-media keys. The MelGeek O2 has 83 keys and does not provide a full keyboard layout.
No. The O2 uses an 83-key ANSI layout, which leaves out a numpad. Choose the V5 Max if you regularly enter numbers using dedicated keys.
The MelGeek O2 weighs 650g, while the Keychron V5 Max weighs 925g. The O2 is the lighter option for a setup that moves between locations.
Yes. Keychron lists the V5 Max as hot-swappable, and its product description says the PCB supports 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. The MelGeek O2's switches are soldered, so swapping them requires soldering.
The O2's switches are soldered, so changing them requires soldering. Its product description specifies support for Kailh low-profile mechanical switches only.
The Keychron V5 Max lists both QMK and VIA support, and Keychron describes remapping keys and setting macros through its Launcher web app. The MelGeek O2 lists MelGeek Hive as its software solution instead.
Both support Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired connectivity. Keychron also describes two 2.4 GHz receivers for the V5 Max, while MelGeek says the O2 can connect to up to eight devices.
The Keychron V5 Max has a 4000mAh battery, and the MelGeek O2 has a 2500mAh battery. Keychron lists up to 190 hours for the V5 Max with backlighting off, while MelGeek lists up to about seven months for the O2 under a low-power use scenario.
The V5 Max has south-facing LEDs, and Keychron says they avoid interference with OEM or Cherry-profile alternatives, though the compatibility notes warn that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED. The O2 has north-facing LEDs, which can interfere with Cherry-profile keycaps.
The V5 Max listing includes ISO variants such as ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR and ISO-Nordic, as well as ANSI. The MelGeek O2 is listed as ANSI only, with no ISO variants.
The MelGeek O2 measures 135 x 326 x 27 mm and weighs 650g. The V5 Max is listed at 22 x 149 x 392 mm and 925g, so the O2 is smaller and lighter by those listed measurements.
MelGeek lists aluminum alloy, polycarbonate and ABS for the O2, along with a PC plate and PCB leaf gasket mount. Its internal damping includes a Poron switch pad, IXPE foam and bottom Poron damping foam.
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