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Mechanical Keyboard

Keychron K1 vs Redragon K552

Keychron K1

82 reviews

View Product Details

Redragon K552

59 reviews

View Product Details

#33 most mentioned

Reddit · r/keyboards

#110 most mentioned

Reddit · r/MechanicalKeyboards

#9 most mentioned

Reddit · r/keyboards

Best TenKeyLess Budget Mechanical Keyboard

RTINGS · The 5 Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards

Best Value for a Keyboard with Mechanical Switches

TechGearLab · 10 Best Keyboards of 2022

Great low profile design

RGB lighting

Wireless connectivity

Decent battery life

Sturdy build

Great stabilizers

Customizable RGB options

Hot swappable version available

Solid build quality

Budget friendly

Not all users appreciate the switches

Some users have experienced wobbling

Missing keys for some users

Not water resistant

Loud and clicky Outemu switches may not be suitable for everyone

Possible issues with key actuation over time

Verdict

Overall, the Keychron K1 has received mixed reviews. Some users appreciate its low profile design, RGB lighting, and wireless connectivity, while others have had issues with the switches, wobbling, and missing keys. It is recommended for those looking for an affordable, feature-rich keyboard, but may not be suitable for those who prioritize a mechanical feel or specific key layout.

Verdict

Overall, the Redragon K552 is a solid budget mechanical keyboard with good stabilizers and customizable RGB options. The Outemu switches are loud and clicky, which may not be suitable for everyone. The hot swappable version is a good option for those who want to easily switch out the switches. However, it is not water resistant and may have issues with key actuation over time. It is a good starter keyboard for those new to mechanical keyboards, but there may be better options available for a slightly higher price point.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Backlight

/r/MechanicalKeyboards Ask ANY question, get an answer (August 29, 2021)

I've considered using the K1 with the cable instead as it also goes to sleep every few minutes and takes some time to reconnect. Backlighting for the MX Keys is ok with it automatically enabling when it's dark, however, it doesn't work all the time.

Positive

reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards

A Good Launch Point

The keycaps aren't the worst but they block a lot of the RGB light which getting new keycaps will reveal to you. All the colors are nice on the RGB EXCEPT white, which is almost lavender with the stock keycaps. And probably the worst thing about this keyboard is that it does not have a working driver to customize it's RGB in a program. It just hasn't been fixed by Red Dragon at all

Quality

youtube

Keychron K1 Review: Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard. Switch and Click

Now that we've explained what low profile means, let's just jump right into the review, so you ordered the full size layout for the cable one. It come...

Neutral

Great budget mechanical keyboard.

F1 through F12 are your media controls if thats what you're looking for. Overall, I recommend this board by far if you want something clicky, tactile, and loud. If you want a similar feel but quieter, take a look at Browns and other switches. Oh and it does not bend, quality is top notch for the price, and I'm not saying that as if you should expect a compromise in quality, this is a fine product and worth every dollar

Keycaps

So I had a choice between the SK631, the Keychron K1 and the G915 TKL. Since the other two weren't available in AZERTY I went with the latter. Needless to say, I am VERY pleased with it.

Positive

reddit.com/r/LogitechG

Any uni students with a custom keeb, what do you have??

A Redragon K552 with some chinese pbt keycaps (same colour as the OP's photo actually, but side printed) and the original outemu red switches swapped for green/teal (the board has the outemu hot swap sockets and I bought a tester pack and liked green best). I don't know if you can really call that "custom" but it is "customized" at least. . Super budget compared to most of this sub but it's my first mech board and way ahead of anything else I've used in the past

Neutral

reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards

Build Quality

Not level; Wobbly when typing

I was disappointed with the quality of this keyboard. When I bought it, the switches and keycaps seemed okay, but when I put it on my desk and typed on it, it immediately felt unbalanced. Upon further inspection, I saw that the rubber feet were misaligned, and the aluminum body was bent so that the entire keyboard wobbled when you typed on it. I thought it was just a defective unit, so I ordered a replacement, which was even worse

Great budget mechanical keyboard!

Solid build quality and very customizable. Pretty much everything except for the PCB can be replaced. Blue switches are very clicky, though the larger buttons can feel a little mushy at times. That is perfectly acceptable though, I don't expect high quality stabilizers at this price point

Ergonomics

Excellent RGB, but not totally perfect.

There is a learning curve and a fairly large difference from the magic style keyboards. The keys are also flat and have a little distance in between them so keep that in mind. There isn’t the usual concave dip in the keys. All in all, if its all about feel and typing experience for you, and you don’t like mechanical keyboards, go for something else

For the price, definitely worth it.

If you do not like using wrist rests for your keyboards, then the ergonomics should be fine.

Weight

Blue switch, required bigger force to press with un-even frictions

It seem when I press top-down with right angle, I don't feel it but slightly off angle make additional frictions when I press it. I like the shape and profile but this is very different blue key. If you expect standard size blue key, this maybe quiet heavy (for me, it almost feel like typing black switch). Updated rating

First time buyer here. I love this little thing!

An optional keycap would be awesome seeing as this product works on both systems, but I'm really not all that tore up about it. It is rather hefty in weight, but that makes the experience all that much better seeing as it really holds the keyboard in place if you have to use it in your lap for whatever reason! This is my first Mechanical keyboard, and I have done extensive research that all led back to this being my best starting point. I'll be re-reviewing this one year out to see if my opinions have at all changed. :) Big thank you to this company for putting this product out there

Price Point

Best for the money! Keychron for the win

Best for the money! Like that they are low profile and my kid loves using it for school and light gaming. I have other keychron keyboards as well and they are worth every penny. Only thing I wish is that I purchased the blue switches but can never seem to get them in stock. Keychron, maybe I can get one in for review! Wink wink

Looking for membrane Keyboard with 6 simultaneous keys recognition

Not as quiet as silent reds obviously, but you want inexpensive. Most membrane keyboards don't even mention if they support any kind of rollover.

Positive

reddit.com/r/keyboards

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