Latest news with #KeychronK4HE
CNET
17-06-2025
- CNET
This Keychron Keyboard Combines One of the Best Technologies in Gaming With a Gorgeous Premium Design
If you've paid any attention to gaming accessories the past few years you've likely heard something about the benefits of Hall Effect joysticks and triggers. Essentially, instead of using a physical connection to sense movement, Hall Effect sensors use magnets. The idea is to reduce wear and tear on components to give you more durability as well as improve the controller's response time. Most gamers probably won't notice the difference between a standard and Hall Effect controller, but for the hardcore gamers, where every millisecond counts, it can make a big difference. Hall Effect controllers have exploded in popularity over the past few years, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before companies started using this same technology in keyboards. Behold the Keychron K4 HE: It's a 96%-sized wireless keyboard from the world-renowned company. As you probably guessed from the intro, it uses uses Hall Effect switches instead of traditional mechanical switches. The result is a combination of superlatives like impressive, enjoyable, annoying and ridiculous overkill, all in one package. What I like about the Keychron K4 HE For starters, the build quality is exceptional, as I've come to expect from Keychron. The K4 HE has a good bit of weight to it, which gives it a premium feel, and the wood sides of the Special Edition version I reviewed add a touch of luxury as well. It's available with either black or white keycaps with slightly different wood tones for each. There's also a Standard version, which has Cherry-profile keycaps instead of OSA-profile and loses the wood side rails, knocking about $10 off the price. CNET/Jason Cockerham The most important feature of the K4 HE, however, is the Hall Effect switches. The use of magnets enables a 0.2 to 3.8mm actuation range with a minimal 0.1 mm sensitivity. The Nebula Gateron switches that came with my K4 HE have a start and end actuation force of 40 gram-force and 60 gram-force, respectively, but you can get other Hall Effect switches with smaller or larger actuation forces. It's worth noting that the K4 HE is only compatible with double-rail magnetic switches. So while you can hot-swap the switches, you cannot use traditional mechanical switches. What's really nuts is the insane levels of software customization available. You can set different actions for different actuation points within each keypress, meaning a shallow, 0.2mm keypress could trigger one action while a deeper, 3.8mm keypress could trigger a different action. There's also Last Key Prioritization, which prioritizes the last key pressed, and Snap Click, where deeper keypresses take precedence when you press two keys at the same time. Basically, this allows you to trigger multiple actions in a game without having to lift your fingers for multiple keypresses. In games that require speed and fast reaction times, this can be huge. CNET/Jason Cockerham The Rapid Trigger feature also gets a speed boost because each keypress is reset the moment the key travel reverses, meaning you can keep firing or moving literally as fast as your finger can move. Honestly, the most surprising thing to me is that you can have up to four distinct actions per key based on how hard you press it. As in, you can program up to four stages per key, which triggers a keypress at each stage. This is my first experience with Hall Effect magnetic keyboard switches and the typing experience is… interesting. Fully aware of the irony, I immediately noticed how firm and tactile the typing experience felt when I first started using it. The design engineers at Keychron deserve a lot of credit for tuning the magnetic resistance so superbly. It feels amazing to type on. The acoustics are also enjoyable. While they don't quite have the crispiness of a traditional mechanical keyboard "thock," they still sound great. I personally enjoy the noise of a mechanical keyboard and the K4 HE sounds nice to my ears. The only exceptions are the spacebar and other longer keys. It's not unusual for these specific keys to sound different than the rest of the keyboard, but it's still annoying when they do, at least for me. CNET/Jason Cockerham HE not for everyone? I never quite got used to the typing experience over my several weeks with it, so I never got back up to my normal typing speed and accuracy while using it. I still haven't decided if I'm going to press on (sorry) and see if I fully adjust or go back to my standard mechanical switches. Part of my frustration lies with the compact layout. It's literally one solid rectangle with no space between the main keyboard and the arrow keys, numpad, or function keys. I personally found it annoying and don't know if I'll get used to it. Also, if you're a big fan of RGB, I'd probably get the Standard edition over the Special Edition because the RGB is much harder to see with the keycaps from the Special Edition. Overall, the Keychron K4 HE is an impressive keyboard. If you are a hard-core FPS player, there's no doubt you can take full advantage of the customization options to up your gameplay, and the solid build quality and wood rails look great on any desk. If you don't need a numpad, I'd probably recommend going for the K2, as the layout is likely closer to what you're used to. Either way, for $135 to $145, depending on if you want the OBS keycaps and wood rails, there's not a lot wrong with the K4 HE. That's a good price for a keyboard this good, and if it sounds interesting to you, you won't be disappointed.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Forbes
Keychron Launches Direct Sales Of K4 HE Mechanical Keyboard For Hyperusers
The Keychron K4 HE has hot-swappable Hall-Effect switches which are customisable with actuation ... More distance, sensitivity and dynamic keystrokes: with 4-in-1 action keys. Following on from the recent launch of the Keychron K2 HE magnetic keyboard, the innovative peripherals brand has announced the launch of an extended 96% layout version with the same Hall Effect precision witches and premium Narra wood option. The announcement of the start of direct sales of the K4 HE will appeal to Windows, macOS and Android users as the new is compatible with all three operating systems and blends Keychron's popular K4 wireless mechanical keyboard but with the precision and customizable nature of Hall Effect switches. The new K4 HE has been designed with hyperusers in mind. These are the power users who game and work from home and need an extended keyboard with a Numpad for spreadsheets, data entry and coding. The K4 HE is ultra-responsive thanks to its hot-swappable Hall Effect switches which provide the K4 HE with adjustable actuation points ranging from 0.2mm to 3.8mm. Hall Effect switches give users the ability to fine-tune key sensitivity for gaming, work or both. The ultra-precise 0.1 mm sensitivity ensures every keystroke is registered with optimal speed and accuracy. The Keychron K4 HE is aimed at gamers and homeworkers and has a 96% layout with a numpad. 'The K4 HE is a game-changer for professionals and gamers who demand precision and flexibility in their keyboard setup,' says Paul Tan, COO of Keychron. 'With Hall Effect technology, users can now customize their typing experience like never before, ensuring every keystroke meets their exact needs.' The K4 HE has multiple connectivity options, including 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth and USB-C wired connections for easy switching across workflows and devices. A 1,000Hz polling rate when used in wireless and wired mode provides a low-latency response that is likely to make the K4 HE extremely popular with gamers and home workers who want something better than a stock membrane keyboard. Each of the switches used in the K4 HE has north-facing RGB backlights which can be programmed with more than 22 lighting modes. The keyboard switches and backlights can be programmed using the QMK Launcher software or website. Individual keys can be remapped and the actuation points and sensitivity can all be customized. The K4 He keyboard from Keychron has QMK firmware and can be customized using Keychron Launcher. The K4 HE is powered by a 4,000mAh rechargeable battery that can power the keyboard with the backlights turned on for up to 110 hours. The keyboard is available with white and black finishes and can be ordered in a Standard Edition or a Special Edition with a rosewood finish. Keychron says the K4 HE is designed for versatility because the keyboard has a selectable hardware switch for selecting native macOS and Windows layouts, complete with system-specific modifier keycaps included in the box. For those who appreciate a touch of luxury in their workspace, the K4 HE is available in a natural rosewood edition which is crafted from Narra wood. The finish offers a sophisticated aesthetic with a touch of luxury. Pricing and Availability: The Keychron K4 HE is available now directly from Keychron priced at $144.99 for the Special Edition or $134.99 for the Standard Edition.
