I switched to a Hall Effect keyboard to see if magnets make all the difference, and I have to admit

Keychron has earned a reputation among keyboard aficionados for producing high-quality mechanical keyboards.

The K4 HE, a cutting-edge premium custom keyboard offering from the company, distinguishes itself by utilizing magnetic Hall Effect switches, a technology often seen in controllers. This technology significantly broadens the functionalities of the K4 HE.”

By using simpler and more conversational language, I aimed to make the text easier to read while preserving its original meaning.

Currently, you have the opportunity to customize your very own keyboard boasting adjustable actuation, swift triggers, priority for keystrokes, and the ability to set up four-level macros. The impressive collection of features is housed within an appealing casing, but at its heart lies a truly exceptional keyboard.

The Keychron K4 HE offers a 96% layout that feels both comfortable and intuitive, providing an exceptional typing experience. Needless to say, proficiency in typing sounds is essential in this class, and the K4 HE excels in this aspect as well, achieving top marks.

Although I encounter some minor issues, like the limited reach of the cable for the wired-only software when using it on my PC, and finding navigation a bit tricky, I still rank the K4 HE among the top keyboards I’ve experienced.

Keychron K4 HE review: Cheat sheet

What is it? A premium, custom keyboard using magnetic Hall Effect switches.
Who is it for? Those who value ultimate control over every element of their keyboard’s software and hardware.
How much does it cost? The Keychron K4 HE goes $134.99 at Amazon for the fully assembled Standard Edition, $144.99 at Amazon for the Special Edition, or from $134.99 at Keychron if you want more options and add-ons.
What did I like? The wonderful typing experience, attractive and customizable design, and absurd number of features.
What did I not like? The software requiring a wired connection, and the included cable being woefully short.

Keychron K4 HE review: Specifications

No matter which Keychron K4 HE model you choose, your purchase will come with a fully assembled keyboard (consisting of the case, PCB, switches, and pre-installed macOS keys), a full set of Windows keys, a braided USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable, a USB Type-C to USB Type-A extension adapter, a USB Type-A wireless dongle (2.4GHz), a keycap and switch removal tool, a screwdriver, and a hex key, all included in the box.

Keychron K4 HE review: What I like

Unique keyboards, while not yet mainstream, continue to attract a dedicated and fervent following of aficionados who appreciate tailored components and superior sound quality.

Among the larger players in the market, Keychron stands out, and their newest model, the K4 HE, aims to be a versatile all-rounder. It’s designed to shine whether you’re using it for high-productivity tasks, gaming sessions, cross-device connectivity, or personal customization.

This design offers a compact workspace, providing the numeric keypad typically found on a full-sized keyboard in a smaller area, making up approximately 96% of the total layout.

This device is compatible with both Windows and macOS straight out of the box. Notably, Keychron provides interchangeable keycaps that cater to your preferred operating system, along with some aesthetic variations such as differently-colored Escape and Enter keys.

This design boasts a remarkably ergonomic setup, where every single key has been meticulously shaped to enhance typing efficiency. These keys are robust double-shot PBT types, ensuring long-lasting quality, and the font is clean and easy to read.

Overall, I find this design quite appealing. Although there are keyboards that are more streamlined, the K4 HE boasts a plastic body with an aluminum frame. Yet, it comes in both pristine white and black versions which give it a very clean look. Moreover, its per-key, top-facing RGB lighting offers a good level of brightness and can be tailored to your preference.

Should you be seeking a touch of elegance, the Special Edition I got sports attractive rosewood detailing on both sides. Compared to the Standard Edition, it has slightly varied dimensions, yet its functionality regarding the keyboard remains unchanged.

The K4 HE keyboard performs exceptionally well, much like a reliable workhorse. Its unique feature, the Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Switches, leverage Hall Effect technology to deliver a smooth, swift, and responsive linear performance, ensuring quick response times.

Keychron’s skill in creating tactile typing sounds is evident in the K4 HE as well. It features a silicon acoustic pad and double layers of sound-absorbing foam, resulting in a soft, consistent, and warm sound quality, even though it uses a tray-mounted design (unlike the pricier gasket-mounted designs preferred by high-end keyboards).

It’s not truthful to assert that I favor the K4 HE over the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% I assessed, as the latter comes at a price nearly double. Despite its higher cost, the K4 HE is exceptional value for money and boasts an impressive array of features.

Instead of relying on conventional mechanical switches, opting for magnetic ones offers much finer, incremental control over the input signals. Essentially, it provides an adjustable threshold, enabling users to decide at what point during a key press the input is recorded.

Historically, high-end keyboards utilizing custom analog optical switches, such as the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro, were only available for very costly keyboards. However, we’re now noticing an increasing trend of keyboards incorporating Hall Effect technology instead.

With the Keychron Launcher software, you’re able to adjust the travel distance for each key separately, ranging from 0.2mm to 3.8mm in increments of 0.1mm. This tool also allows you to activate the rapid trigger feature, which significantly reduces the time between key presses and inputs, allowing for faster typing without missing any keystrokes.

1. You have the option to adjust keys so they always give priority to the most recent or the data from the deepest input.

2. Each key can be configured to mimic a gamepad’s analog triggers or thumbsticks, offering precise control with detailed input.

3. Moreover, every key can support up to four distinct functions, depending on how deeply it is pressed and in what specific combinations.

This keyboard, the Keychron K4 HE, offers an exceptionally detailed level of personalization that’s not common among many keyboards. It also has onboard memory to save your distinct profiles for both Windows and macOS systems, along with a rich collection of pre-installed shortcuts and functions.

The K4 HE stands out among many custom keyboards, including those offered by Keychron, as it excels not only for its versatility in daily use but also delivers impressive performance during gaming sessions, offering additional benefits through its adjustable actuation feature.

Non-gaming wireless keyboards often suffer from significant delay due to the fact that speedy response isn’t as vital for regular typing or office tasks. However, the K4 HE reduces this delay to an impressively low 3.4ms in 2.4GHz mode and offers a rapid polling rate of up to 1000 times per second (1kHz) in both wired and wireless operations.

Equipped with Bluetooth compatibility, the Keychron K4 HE offers seamless transitions between gaming, productivity, and creative tasks across various devices. Its impressive battery life, even when using RGB illumination and in wireless mode, has been reliable for me. Additionally, its energy-efficient standby function means I rarely feel the need to shut it down during overnight hours.

Keychron K4 HE review: What I don’t like

I’ve got a few small issues with the design of the Keychron K4 HE, such as its somewhat bulky build and tendency to rest at an angle, which might not suit everyone’s preferences.

The switches located on the side for altering connection types or operating systems seem less durable compared to the rest of the keyboard, and their labels are minuscule and almost indistinguishable from the case, requiring bright, focused light to decipher them at all.

The perks of using Hall Effect switches do come paired with a single drawback: they are solely compatible with other Hall Effect switches, which can only be procured from Keychron. However, it’s worth noting that the K4 HE keyboard is hot-swappable and comes equipped with necessary customization tools within the package.

Primarily, there are two main issues with the Keychron K4 HE. While the Keychron Launcher is jam-packed with numerous features, it’s somewhat inconvenient as it functions better when connected wirelessly to the K4 HE.

As an observer, I find it apparent that the Keychron K4 HE is primarily intended for wireless usage, which becomes more evident when one encounters the rather limited angled, braided cable provided in the package. In situations where I need to recharge the K4 HE, it necessitates placing it on my mousepad to reach the cable, as my desktop is not positioned lower or elsewhere, making a direct connection challenging due to proximity.

In the future, a potential solution for the former problem might arise with a firmware upgrade. As for the latter, it seems Keychron could address it by providing a longer cable in their packaging, or perhaps users like myself can opt for our own cables. Yet, even with such minor concerns, this keyboard I’m using stands out as exceptional enough to warrant such scrutiny.

Keychron K4 HE review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if …

You want a wireless, custom keyboard that can also do gaming.
You want to be on the cutting edge with adjustable Hall Effect switches.
You value being able to customize every part of your keyboard.

❌You should not buy this if …

You want to be able to use any key switches you want.
You won’t use any of the Hall Effect features and options.

Controllers with thumbsticks and triggers are increasingly adopting magnetic switch technology such as Hall Effect and Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR), offering enhanced reliability, precision, and customization. Similarly, this technology is now making its way into keyboards.

This Keychron K4 HE model doesn’t hold the title as the first to utilize this technology, nor will it claim it in the future. However, among the top-notch custom wireless keyboards currently available, it stands out as one of the best due to its exceptional performance across all typing domains – whether for gaming, productivity tasks, or creative pursuits.

Exceptional sound quality for typing, good options for hardware personalization, an affordable cost, and an incredible array of software features thanks to its distinctive Hall Effect switches make the K4 HE an extremely appealing suggestion.

As a tech enthusiast, I must admit that not everyone might find use for the Hall Effect-specific features in this keyboard, but let’s face it, the frustratingly short cable included in the package can really trip up the wired-only launcher. However, these are minor issues compared to the fact that this is an exceptional keyboard, truly a game-changer.

You might find the Keychron K4 HE available for purchase directly from the manufacturer at $134.99, though it’s also on sale at Amazon. I should also mention the compact Keychron K2 HE model, which retails for $135.99 on Amazon.

2025-04-12 15:10

I switched to a Hall Effect keyboard to see if magnets make all the difference, and I have to admit — I’m impressed