KeychronC3 Pro QMK/VIA Custom Mechanical Keyboard, Hot Swappable Programmable 87 Keys Compact TKL Layout Gasket Mount, RGB Backlight Wired Gaming Keyboard with Brown Switches for Mac/Windows/Linux

I think the price on these C3 Pro keyboards has been creeping up. I bought mine on sale, but even if it were a bit more than what I paid it's really hard not to like this keyboard.(The full-size hot-swappable C2 Pro seems to be climbing to nearly twice the price of this keyboard... at that price you should be looking at the K10 Pro or K10 Max, which come with much nicer keycaps. But for TKL-size keyboards, this C3 Pro is a great deal).The keyboard is all plastic, but it feels solid. No creaky plastic sounds, and it doesn't feel flimsy. I think it has sound absorbing foam inside because it doesn't feel or sound hollow.The hot-swap sockets work well. The included keycaps are just OK, but any better keycap set I have cost far more than this entire keyboard.If you don't know what QMK/VIA is, and you want to reprogram the keyboard, you should know this: With QMK/VIA you can do any programming you want, on a PC or Mac, and you don't need to keep any crappy software running to keep your programming. You actually change the programming inside the keyboard. It's fantastic. This is the way programmable keyboards should be done. The software is also easy to use and runs in your browser (not Safari, but works in Chrome) so there isn't anything to install.

Yes, it really is an RGB hotswap keyboard for $30 (Prime Day price). To customize the layout with VIA, you need to find a .json file floating around on GitHub, but layout customization does work. The RGB does not seem to be per-key adjustable. I just want a solid backlight with the ability to change the color for bright and dark rooms (which can be done directly with function key commands), but there are a variety of effects if you want something showy. There are also RGB lights on the left and right sides of the keyboard. I replaced the switches with Kailh Box Whites and they all immediately worked on the first insertion. A combination keycap and switch puller similar to the cheap ones is included and did not break any switches or itself when I used it. The USB-C to USB-A cable is long enough for most desktop setups, and the USB-C end has stress-relief tabs that mate with matching slots on the keyboard, which is a neat design. The small printed manual explains the default function-key combinations and how to perform a factory reset, which is good.To hit that price point, there are some compromises on design and quality. The biggest issue is the PCB is only supported in the center, so it sags at the edges, especially in the corners. This is the cause of the sagging right arrow key mentioned in another review. It doesn't bother me for general typing use, but it does make replacing switches more difficult. It's also aesthetically displeasing, which you probably care about if you're buying an RGB keyboard. The Keychron-branded brown switches it came with are just okay, not very tactile, but I typed on them for a couple hours without major complaints. The keyboard body itself is tall in the front and very tall in the back, so a wrist rest is mandatory. The height at the back is compounded by the escape/function key row being very clearly separated from the number row; you may want to remap escape to backtick/tilde or caps lock. Next to the caps lock LED above the arrow keys are 'Mac' and 'Win' LEDs, one of which is always lit, which is kind of annoying but I guess helps prevent returns from Mac users who don't read the manual to find out how to put the command key in the right spot.But again, I paid $30. At that price, the complaints are minor.

I bought this as I was beginning to explore the world of mechanical keyboards once again (they're what I grew up with and subsequently forgot about until recently). I've tried a few now, most far more expensive than this one, and I keep coming back to the C3 Pro - it's kind of minimalist with an RGB flair, the brown switches have a nice feel and sound, and it doesn't break the bank. I think it's the perfect starter keyboard...it's hot swappable so you can mess with switches later if you like, but it's also a really solid keyboard in stock form. I do wish there was a version with the number pad but I may have to bump up to the V6 if I can't eventually get over missing my trusty numbers.

I purchased the RGB version of this keyboard with brown switches to connect it with a second computer that I don't use as often as my main system. I already owned a Keychron V6 also with brown switches so it's inevitable for me to compare the two.Given that the Keychron V6 is nearly 3 times the price I paid for this C3, this keyboard is nearly 70% of what the V6 is. I wouldn't pay full price for the C3, but on sale it's an absolute bargain.From a typing experience, the V6 is clearly more "buttery" even with the same type of brown switches, but if I had purchased this C3 as my very first mechanical keyboard I would have been mighty impressed. It still feels great to type with it, and if you are into brown switches I don't think the C3 would disappoint you.It even has features I wished my more expensive V6 did! The see-through keycaps are awesome. The RGB on the sides is pretty cool, and I LOVE that I have an indicator light to let me know if CAPS are enabled or not.Of course it has more plastic than more expensive models, but that's to be expected at this price point, and unless you are REALLY looking for faults you will not have the impression that you are using a low quality keyboard.The sound is very pleasant, almost as good as the V6. Actually, on the V6 the sound of the spacebar was atrocious (I had to pad it quite severely to improve it) while on the C3 is quite good out of the box. I still added a bit of padding since I had some left over, but if you don't have padding around you may not even miss it.As with every chunky Keychron keyboard, a wrist rest is a must. The wrist rest will be the make-or-break experience with using these Keychron mechanical keyboards, so make sure you budget for one.