The Keychain K15 Max is an effective low-profile Alice-layout keyboard for Mac customers, albeit with no actual shade choices.
It is 2025 and you may’t throw a mechanical change with out hitting a brand new keyboard producer, and the choices are almost limitless. Starting from giant to small, light-weight to heavy, and boasting a staggering array of bells and whistles, shoppers are spoiled for alternative.
Corporations compete for the eye and {dollars} of shoppers by producing wonderful keyboards. Whereas many have turn out to be acknowledged manufacturers around the globe, Keychron continues to face out as an organization decided to overwhelm shoppers with choices.
The Keychron K15 Max is likely one of the newest releases, and has undergone an prolonged check drive, auditioning for a everlasting place in my workspace.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation: Contained in the field
The K15 is a 75-percent low-profile mechanical keyboard with an Alice structure. Connectivity features a 2.4 GHz dongle, and wired connections.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – The field
The keyboard ships in a black field with a metallic emblem. The keyboard and equipment are packaged in heavy foam cutouts for optimum journey security.
Contained in the field:
- K15 Max keyboard
- Fast begin information
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Extension Adapter
- USB 2.4 GHz dongle
- Hex driver
- Keycap and puller software
- Further keycaps (for Mac or Home windows configurations)
- PCB Stabilizers
- Guide
Keychron K15 Max evaluation: Construct High quality
The K15 is a 75 p.c low-profile mechanical keyboard with a steel case. Even on the diminished dimension, the load is noticeable.
Like with all Keychron keyboards, the K15 is beefy and extremely examine. There may be nothing in regards to the keyboard, switches, cables, or instruments that conveys slicing corners on supplies or building.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – The knob and macro keys
Keychron solely gives the K15 in black, and this looks like a missed alternative. With the big variety of shade choices throughout different Keychron keyboards, it is stunning to evaluation one that doesn’t supply black or white choices at a minimal.
The K15 ships with low-profile Gateron MX 2.0 Magnetic Nebula switches as customary, and these are the one switches obtainable for the K15 on the Keychron web site.
The again of the keyboard contains a single USB-C port for charging the inner battery or utilizing the keyboard in wired mode.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – Rear choice switches
There are two switches on the again left aspect of the keyboard. One change permits you to change between Bluetooth and cable connection varieties, whereas a second change toggles between default Mac and Home windows configurations.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation: Customization
The K15 gives Keychron’s low-profile double-shot PBT keycaps. There are three colours for change choices: Purple, Blue, and Brown.
Purple refers back to the linear switches, whereas the Brown and Blue variants consult with “Tactile” and “Clicky” profiles. Your alternative of change is determined by the way you need your typing expertise to really feel and to sound.
Keychron additionally gives three variations for backlighting on the K15: White, RGB, and RGB (Sizzling-swappable).
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – RGB is on the market, and customizable
The lights are vivid and clear, making their use a nice expertise. No less than, in comparison with some producers’ keyboard backlighting, which radiates sufficient mild to light up a small city.
There’s additionally the Keychron Launcher, a web-based software that permits you to change every thing from key-mapping to the inner RGB lights. It is also the place you arrange customized macros.
The Keychron Launcher requires you to attach the K15 to your pc with the supplied USB-C cable for customizations. As soon as arrange and configured, you possibly can return to the liberty of wi-fi use.
Earlier variations of the Keychron Launcher didn’t play nicely with Mac and a number of other browsers in any respect. The newest model of the Keychron Launcher works very nicely with macOS and browsers.
It’s good to see a producer tackle high quality of life points and take steps to make their merchandise work throughout a number of platforms.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation: In use
The K15 was used for 10 days previous to penning this evaluation, and it was a difficult expertise. That is primarily attributable to the usage of an Alice type structure which divides the keyboard in half, separates them, and angles them inward.
This isn’t my each day use type of keyboard, and I admit that I struggled in opposition to a few years of muscle reminiscence.
I’m a fast typist on any given day, and I exploit key instructions for Adobe apps and the Mac OS as second nature. The moments the place I reached for letters with out trying, or allowed my hand to autopilot key combos in speedy succession solely to overlook the suitable keys, had been a problem.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – Alice structure can take time to grasp.
This isn’t the keyboard’s fault. It’s merely years of muscle reminiscence changing into an impediment that might be overcome with time.
I really like low-profile keyboards, and the K15 is likely one of the quietest mechanical keyboards I’ve ever used. This can be a compact keyboard, and I completely love the tactile really feel of the keys and the satisfying non-sound from the keys whereas typing.
The amount adjustment push knob on the K15 is a straightforward high quality of life function that is unexpectedly beautiful. The clickable knob made muting fast and straightforward.
The compact dimension of the K15 has the identical footprint as a Mac Magic Keyboard. The heavier weight of the keyboard additionally prevented motion whereas working.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation: A great area of interest keyboard
The general high quality of the K15 is wonderful, and it’s a good low-profile mechanical keyboard.
The retail worth of $109 falls into the vary of most elementary mechanical keyboards in the marketplace. Anybody curious in regards to the K15 shouldn’t be taking an enormous monetary danger with their buy, in the way in which they’d with a $200 or greater keyboard.
Keychron K15 Max evaluation – You get some top adjustment with this launch.
I’ve examined many Keychron mechanical keyboards, and I really like the constant construct high quality, weight, and potential for personalization in its merchandise. Nonetheless, the K15 lacks case choices past black, the identical disadvantage Keychron has with most of its keyboards.
The Alice type structure can be an issue for me, personally. However should you love that structure, the K15 is a wonderful keyboard that deserves your consideration.
Keychron K15 Professionals
- Quiet tactile keys
- Small workspace footprint
- Excessive construct high quality
- Wonderful customization choices in software program
Keychron K15 Cons
- Alice-style key structure
- Case shade choices are restricted
Scores are onerous. For those who hate the Alice structure, this keyboard is totally not for you. Critically, in that case, it is a 2 out of 5, tops.
However, should you’re searching for the sometimes-spendy ergomonic match that the K15 Max offers, this is a wonderful keyboard at an incredible pricepoint.
Ranking 4 out of 5 – assuming that you just want an Alice structure. Keep away from should you do not.
The place to purchase the Keychron K15 Max
The Keychron K15 is on the market on the Keychron web site for $109.99 with RGB backlighting. White backlighting is on the market for $99.99, whereas hot-swappable RGB is $119.99.
