At a lower mid-range, we recommend the Keychron V5 Max. This is an outstanding wireless mechanical keyboard option with an array of surprising features, given its price. First off, it boasts a gasket mount design that provides a somewhat softer, almost springy-feeling typing experience. It has several other features typically found on higher-priced mechanical keyboards, including high-quality PBT keycaps and multiple layers of acoustic materials inside the case to dampen and even out the sound profile.
This keyboard is also noteworthy for its hardware customizability options. You can select from a range of different switch types at purchase, and its hot-swappable PCB allows you to easily pop out and replace the stock switches. It even includes a toolkit to help you completely disassemble your keyboard if you want to adjust the sound-dampening material or replace stabilizers. It’s also compatible with VIA customization software, allowing you to fine-tune your experience further with custom macros and RGB lighting effects. However, this keyboard isn’t entirely without its weaknesses, as it doesn’t include a wrist rest or have shine-through keycap legends like our top pick, the Razer Pro Type Ultra.
This keyboard is also part of a wider V Max series. This lineup has a range of different size options, including a more conventional full-size model and several more compact models. We recommend any size variant in this series, as the basic feature set and build quality remain the same across the entire lineup. You can browse the models in this lineup on Keychron’s website.
