A week with Keychron K3 Pro
Over the last 16 years, I have been using Apple computers. Also, since then, I have used only a few generations of Apple keyboards. As I started experiencing connectivity issues with my Magic Apple Keyboard a few weeks ago, I thought it was time for a new one. Instead of blindly getting one from the Apple store, I decided to try something new. Less than a week after placing an order, I received my Keychrone K3 Pro with a white backlight and brown switches. I have some thoughts that I would love to share with you.
Here is a heads-up for all die-hard mechanic keyboard enthusiasts out there. I could be a better touch typist. I have no clue about hot-swappable switches and PBT keycaps. I couldn’t care less about the patterns of RGB backlights syncing with your soul or whateva. I am just an ordinary bloke trying one of the most frequently recommended keyboards by YouTubers and having some fun.
Quality
The quality of this keyboard exceeded my expectations. The aluminium housing adds a premium feel to it, and due to its weight, it sits rock-solid when placed on a desk. Slightly angled keycaps are well-sized and are very pleasant to type on. The height of it is just right so I feel comfortable using it without the palm rest.
If you allow me to be picky, the only thing I found disappointing was Type-A to Type-C cable in the box. But, again, no biggie, but having Type-C to Type-C would be my preference.
Typing experience
After my first day using this keyboard, I was frustrated and nearly switched to the old and familiar Apple Magic Keyboard. However, I am glad I persisted because only a few days later, I consider typing on this keyboard very joyful. In addition, the physical feedback of mechanical switches and the apparent gaps between them make typing much easier than I have ever experienced using other keyboards.
Thanks to this keyboard, I became a better typist. Since the day I got it, I spent 10 minutes daily on keybr.com, and to my surprise, I see a significant improvement in WPM (words per minute) count and accuracy.
Customizability
Customizability is where this product shines! Every single key on Keychrone K3 Pro can be customizable using VIA. Thanks to the WebHID API, a Chromium-based browser is everything you need to make your keyboard really yours. Key-remapping, custom macros and functions keys responsible for backlight adjustments can be changed to your preference in no time.
I remapped Caps Lock to Cmd ⌘ + Spacebar, which opens my beloved Raycast. The right Cmd ⌘ works as an Option ⌥ to allow me to use diacritics popular in the polish alphabet (“ą”, “ć”, “ę”, “ł”, “ń”, “ó”, “ś”, “ż” and “ź”). Right Control ⌃ works as an input switch between English and Polish keyboards.
Well-spent money
Thorough review and going through every single feature of this keyboard was not my intention. Instead, I wanted to share my very early impressions and a few outstanding features I liked the most.
Considering that the Keychron K3 Pro goes for the same money as the basic version of the Apple Magic Keyboard, I have absolutely no regrets about buying it.