Keychron V5 vs Lemokey X5Hot-Swap or Shine-Through
Get the Keychron V5 for hot-swappable switches, VIA support and south-facing RGB, or the Lemokey X5 for shine-through keycaps, acoustic foam and a lighter 717g build.
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4.8 (8)4.8 · 8 reviews
from$74at MK
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from$49at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron V5
Hot-swappable
Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $100.
- Hot-swappable sockets support 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches, according to Keychron.
- VIA support, a knob and a DIY kit/barebones option add customization choices.
- Double-shot PBT keycaps and south-facing RGB lighting.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Keychron Lemokey X5
Build quality in the top 30% of 96% boards under $100.
- At 717g, the listed weight is lower than many full-size-style keyboards.
- North-facing red backlighting pairs with shine-through double-shot ABS keycaps.
- The vendor describes an EVA acoustic foam layer and PC plate for dampening keystroke noise.
- 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.
Choose the Keychron V5 if hot-swapping, VIA support, a knob, PBT keycaps or ISO layout options matter to you. Choose the Lemokey X5 if lower weight, shine-through legends and the vendor-described acoustic foam are more useful. Both offer a wired 96% layout and QMK support, but their switch and keycap compatibility differ.
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
Keychron Lemokey X5
Hot-swappable
Yes
No
Switch changes without soldering
Max polling rate
8,000 Hz
1,000 Hz
Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount, Tray Mount
Gasket Mount
Knob
Yes
No
Weight
1,170 g
717 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
- Keychron V5
- Keychron Lemokey X5
- Performance
- 9169
- Build quality
- 8972
- Productivity
- 9885
- Customizability
- 9865
- Portability
- 4546
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Wired
- Case material: ABS, Plastic
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- QMK
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The V5 takes the more flexible route for office work, programming, modding and content creation, particularly for buyers who want switch swaps, a knob or more layout choices. The X5 is the lighter choice for travel and offers illuminated legends that may suit dim workspaces. Both are wired 96% boards with QMK and a listed 1000 Hz polling rate, so those shared basics do not settle the decision. Consider the X5's soldered switches and ANSI-only layout before choosing it.
Pick the Keychron V5
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover.
- The V5 adds hot-swappable switches and a knob, while the X5's switches are soldered.
- The X5 offers shine-through ABS keycaps with north-facing red lighting.
Keychron V5 vs Lemokey X5 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
15 of 26 specs differ
Keychron V5
Keychron Lemokey X5
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron V5
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Lemokey X5
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron V5 vs Lemokey X5: your questions
Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover. The V5 adds hot-swappable switches, while the X5 has shine-through keycaps and north-facing red backlighting.
The V5 has hot-swappable sockets, and Keychron says they support 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches. The X5's switches are soldered, so replacing them requires soldering.
Both list QMK support. Keychron describes the X5's Launcher web app as a way to remap keys and create macros, shortcuts and key combinations.
Yes, VIA support is listed for the V5. The X5 lists QMK support, but VIA is not among its listed features.
The Lemokey X5 is listed at 717g, while the Keychron V5 is listed at 1170g. Both are wired-only keyboards, according to their specifications.
The X5 has shine-through double-shot ABS keycaps with north-facing red lighting. The V5's vendor description specifies non-shine-through double-shot PBT keycaps.
The V5 lists ANSI and several ISO variants, including ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES and ISO-SW. The X5 is listed as ANSI only.
The V5 lists south-facing RGB lighting. The X5's product description and specs describe north-facing red LEDs and red backlight modes.
Keychron describes the fully assembled V5 as including double-shot PBT OSA-profile keycaps, with Mac and Windows keycaps. Its vendor description says those keycaps are not shine-through.
Keychron describes an EVA acoustic foam layer and a PC plate in the X5. The vendor says these components help dampen keystroke noise.
Both are listed as wired-only keyboards with USB-C connectivity. Neither has wireless connectivity listed.
The V5's compatibility note says some sculpted keycaps can clip its south-facing LEDs, while its vendor description says OEM or Cherry-profile alternatives avoid interference. The X5's north-facing LEDs may interfere with Cherry-profile keycaps.
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