Many mechanical keyboards cost upwards of $100, and while they’re worth the money, not everyone wants to pay that price. TheKeychron C3 Prois a mechanical keyboard that is much more affordable than much of the competition, with only a few minor drawbacks.
Keychron C3 Pro
If you don’t need fancy RGB lighting or a keyboard built like a tank, the Keychron C3 Pro is the perfect budget mechanical keyboard. The feel of the keyboard is great, it works with both PCs and Macs, and it even handles gaming well.
Pricing and Availability
The Keychron C3 Pro is fully mechanical, 75% keyboard. This is a TKL or “TenKeyLess” keyboard, meaning you won’t find the typical number pad on the right side. Despite being a mechanical keyboard, it retails for $36.99.
The version I’m looking at for this review uses Keychron Mechanical Red switches, but it’s also available withKeychron Mechanical Brownswitches. Regardless of the switches you choose, the keyboard is only available with red backlighting.
Specifications
Basic Build, But a Striking Design
While higher-end mechanical keyboards are often constructed mostly out of aluminum or other heavier materials, the C3 Pro is made almost entirely out of plastic. The switches are mounted to a steel top plate, but aside from that, the build is plastic.
That steel top plate makes for a slightly heavier keyboard than you may expect, with the C3 Pro weighing in at around two pounds. This, combined with the adjustable feet on the bottom of the keyboard, should keep it from moving around on your desk too frequently.
Out of the box, the Keychron C3 Pro features mostly black keycaps, with red Escape, Space, and Enter keys. These add a splash of color, even when the keyboard isn’t active, but the color won’t be for everyone. The good news is that replacement black caps for the red keys are included in the box if you prefer an all-black look.
The keyboard includes gaskets and sound absorbing foam for a quiet typing experience. While you may hear a bit of a spring sound, likely from the steel plate, it shouldn’t be loud enough to bother you.
As you may expect from the low price, this is a wired-only keyboard. That said, Keychron has made some smart decisions. The cable is removable, which is useful for both the overall longevity of the keyboard and for general portability. The keyboard also features channels for the USB-C cable on the bottom to let you route the cable through the top of the keyboard or either side.
You’ll find a key/switch puller in the box, which is handy for using with the included extra keycaps. On the downside, this could give you the impression that you’re able to swap out the switches on the C3 Pro, which isn’t the case.
Simple Lighting Effects and Deep Software
One of the ways Keychron helped the C3 Pro come in at the price point it is at was to cut back on lighting features. The C3 Pro only features red lighting, regardless of switch choice. That said, it is still per-key lighting, so it looks better in person than you may expect.
The keyboard features various built-in lighting effects with various patterns. The good news is that you don’t need any third-party software to switch between these. There are built-in keyboard shortcuts that let you cycle between lighting effects by pressing the Fn + Q key combination.
Instead of opting for a proprietary firmware, Keychron went with the open-source QMK firmware for the C3 Pro. This, combined with theVIA configuration software, means that you’re able to go deep into customization settings, remapping keys and creating macros as you see fit.
It’s worth pointing out that, for many people, you’ll never even need to bother with the VIA software. Most of the aspects you might want to adjust are adjustable from the keyboard itself, and gaming customizations are often better done in the game settings rather than a third-party tool.
Typing on the Keychron C3 Pro
Unlike many manufacturers of mechanical keyboards, the Keychron name may be familiar to Apple fans. Indeed, the C3 Pro features keys labeled for both Windows and PC use, and you can easily switch between Windows and macOS layouts using the Fn + Caps Lock key combination.
I’ve used other Keychron keyboards in the past and have always liked their switches. The red switches in this model felt great for typing, though the slightly more tactile feedback of the brown switches may be better if you’re only planning on using the keyboard for typing. That said, this depends on your own preferences.
Considering the price, I was surprised at how well the gaskets and foam dampened the ring of the switches and top plate. While the C3 Pro wasn’t completely silent, it has less ring than my first-generationRazer Huntsmankeyboard.
While the TKL design isn’t for everyone—especially if you frequently deal with numbers—this type of design is much easier to deal with coming from a traditional keyboard than a 65% model. You shouldn’t notice any missing keys the way you might on smaller keyboards.
Gaming With the Keychron C3 Pro
Keychron doesn’t really market the C3 Pro as a gaming keyboard, but the look certainly says otherwise. Between the red keycaps and the red backlighting, it definitely has the look. It also provides the features to back that look up.
The keyboard features a 1000Hz polling rate for lightning-quick response times. It also features N-Key Rollover, meaning you won’t encounter any ghosting. In my case, the more linear response of the red switches meant this leans a little more toward gaming than the brown switches, but both should work fine.
I wanted to test the C3 Pro with a game I’m relatively familiar with, so I fired up Borderlands 3. The keyboard was as responsive as I could ask for—not much of a surprise considering it’s a wired keyboard. When things got hectic, the keyboard moved under my hand slightly, but in the end, if this was my only gaming keyboard, I’d have no problems.
Should You Buy the Keychron C3 Pro?
The switches, damping, and overall feel of theKeychron C3 Proare impressive, making for a mechanical keyboard that seems like it should cost more than it does. Adding the ability to instantly swap between Windows and macOS layouts makes it an even better value.
The single-color red lighting won’t be for everyone, but this likely won’t be an issue for most people. A bigger issue is the lack of swappable switches, meaning you’re limited in terms of customizability. The plastic build, while more solid than many, will be another drawback for those looking for a more premium product.
Even with the above tradeoffs, the Keychron C3 Pro would still be a good keyboard at twice the price it sells for. Considering the actual price, it’s a fantastic bargain.
