Disclosure: Keychron provided the keyboard to me for free for review purposes. I was not paid, and all opinions are my own.

I posted a detailed review of the Keychron K5 QMK Version 2 ISO layout with Brown switches after about a week of use.

Short version: I’m coming from a Razer Ornata and MacBook Pro keyboards, so I wanted something low-profile, full-size, Mac-friendly and more satisfying than a membrane/mecha-membrane board without going into a huge full-height mechanical keyboard.

I tested it with a Mac mini M4, MacBook Pro, iPad and Windows gaming PC, both wired and over Bluetooth. The biggest positives for me were the build quality, low-profile typing feel, Brown switches, stable Bluetooth switching between devices, Mac/Windows layout support, and the Keychron Launcher web app.

I also included some constructive feedback, mainly around Quick Launch app detection on macOS, the battery indicator shortcut after remapping, Caps Lock indication, the included USB-A to USB-C cable, and the fact that I would love to see this model with Bluetooth + 2.4 GHz + USB-C like the K5 Max.

Full review with photos here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/s/Lwv6XN5AmJ

Disclosure: Keychron sent me this keyboard for review purposes. I was not paid, and Keychron did not tell me what to write or ask to review the post before publishing. This is the normal production model, not a prototype. These are my own thoughts after using it for about a week.

I could not add the gallery directly here because r/Keychron does not allow gallery posts, so the photos are in the original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/s/Lwv6XN5AmJ

I wanted to try the Keychron K5 QMK Version 2 because I was looking for a low-profile mechanical keyboard that would still feel familiar coming from MacBook keyboards.

My previous main keyboard was a Razer Ornata. That is not a real mechanical keyboard, it is a mecha-membrane board, so it has some clicky/tactile feeling, but underneath it is still membrane-based. I liked the feedback of it, but I wanted something cleaner, slimmer and more flexible, especially for Mac use.

I also did not want a huge full-height mechanical keyboard. I like the MacBook Pro keyboard more than most people seem to, so low-profile was very important to me.

The version I tested is the Keychron K5 QMK Version 2, ISO layout, Brown switches.

I used it with:

• Mac mini M4
• MacBook Pro
• iPad
• Windows gaming PC

Mostly for writing, browsing, normal Mac work, some Lightroom/Photoshop use, and casual gaming on Windows.

Setup

I updated the firmware before using it properly. The process was simple and did not feel intimidating, even as someone who is still new to proper mechanical keyboards.

The web-based Keychron Launcher is probably the part that impressed me the most early on. I expected keyboard customization to feel more technical, but the Launcher is actually very easy to understand. It opens in the browser, detects the keyboard, and lets you change keys and layers without installing a large desktop app.

That is a big plus for me on macOS.

Before this, I used Karabiner for some key remapping. It worked, but it always felt like an extra layer sitting on top of the system. With the Keychron, a lot of that can be handled directly on the keyboard, which feels much cleaner.

One of the first things I tried was recreating parts of the Hungarian PC-style layout I am used to. After many years on Windows, I still expect some special characters to be in their old places. I used AI to help generate a custom layout file, loaded it, and now I can use those characters on my Mac without relying on an extra remapping app. That is genuinely one of my favorite things about this keyboard.

Typing feel

The first few minutes felt strange, but not in a bad way. I was just used to a taller keyboard, and the K5 is very slim.

After a short adjustment period, I started typing quickly on it. I still make a few more mistakes when I first sit down, mostly because my fingers are still learning the spacing and height, but after a few minutes it feels natural.

The Brown switches were a good choice for me. They have enough feedback to feel more satisfying than a laptop keyboard, but they are not aggressively tactile. If I could change one thing, I might make them very slightly more tactile, but I also know I would not want a loud or very clicky switch for daily use.

The travel distance feels right. It is not laptop-short, but it is also not the big full-height mechanical feeling I was trying to avoid. For me, this is a good middle ground.

Coming from the Ornata, the difference is noticeable. The Ornata gives you a clicky sensation, but the K5 feels more controlled and more refined. It does not feel like a gaming keyboard trying to imitate a mechanical switch. It feels like a proper low-profile mechanical keyboard.

Build quality and keycaps

The build quality is really good.

I was slightly worried that a low-profile full-size keyboard might feel a bit light or toy-like, but it does not. It feels solid on the desk, and the overall finish is better than I expected.

The keycaps have an interesting texture. The top surface feels slightly soft, almost a little rubbery, but in a pleasant way. It gives a nice grip under the fingers. The only downside is that it seems to pick up smudges a bit. Not a major issue, but I noticed it.

Part of me would prefer the surface to be a little smoother, closer to the MacBook Pro keyboard. But this might also change with use. Keycaps often feel a bit different after some time.

The larger keys feel fine to me. I am not going to pretend I can deeply analyze stabilizers, but nothing felt cheap, rattly or annoying in normal use.

Lighting

The RGB looks good. I usually do not use crazy rainbow effects, but the lighting itself is nice and clean.

There is some light leak around the keys. I noticed it, but it does not bother me. With a low-profile board, I think this is pretty understandable.

I like the colored Escape key. It adds a bit of character without making the keyboard look too gamer-ish. I would have liked a colored Enter key in the box too.

One small thing I would change is the Caps Lock indicator. There is a bright blue LED at the top of the keyboard. It works, but I would prefer if the Caps Lock key itself changed color when active. That would look cleaner and would be easier to notice without adding another bright indicator.

Mac, Windows and iPad

This is where the keyboard makes the most sense for my setup.

I like that it has a Mac/Windows switch. On Windows, I want normal F1 to F12 behavior. On macOS, I want the media keys and system controls to behave like an Apple keyboard. The K5 handles this well.

The media keys worked properly on macOS from the beginning.

Bluetooth pairing was also easy. I tested it with my Mac mini, MacBook and iPad, and switching between them has been smooth. The iPad paired without any issue, and moving between desktop, laptop and tablet feels surprisingly seamless.

I use it wired a lot on the Mac mini, mostly because it is sitting on the desk anyway. But Bluetooth has also been stable for me. I have not had dropouts or random connection problems so far.

I do still wish this model had a 2.4 GHz dongle option like the K5 Max. Not because Bluetooth has been bad, because it has been completely fine for me, but because extra connection options are always useful. For a mixed Mac, Windows and gaming PC setup, Bluetooth plus 2.4 GHz plus USB-C would make the keyboard feel more complete.

Windows gaming

I tried it on my Windows gaming PC too.

For casual gaming, it feels good. I am not a competitive player and I did not do latency measurements, so I am not going to overstate that part. But for normal gaming, I had no issue with it.

If I were playing something where I really cared about consistency, I would use it wired. That is also where the missing 2.4 GHz option comes in. The keyboard works fine as it is, but a dongle would make more sense for people who want wireless on a gaming PC.

Still, I like the fact that it does not feel like a Mac-only keyboard. It fits nicely into a mixed setup.

Keychron Launcher

The Launcher is a big part of why I like the keyboard.

It is easy to use, and the fact that it runs in the browser makes it feel lightweight. I changed keys, checked layers and experimented with layouts without feeling like I had to learn a whole new ecosystem first.

I did run into one issue on macOS.

The Quick Launch Application feature did not show apps that are inside subfolders in the Applications folder. Adobe apps are a good example. Photoshop and Lightroom create their own folders, and I could not select them the way I expected.

It would be useful if the Launcher could scan subfolders, or if there were a manual file picker.

The other thing I noticed was the battery indicator shortcut. When I moved it to another key on Layer 1, it did not seem to work for me. Maybe I set something wrong, but I could not get it to behave the way I expected.

These are not dealbreakers, but they feel like software things that could be improved.

Cable

The included cable feels good. It is braided and looks/feels better than a random cheap cable.

But I would have preferred USB-C to USB-C.

The included cable is USB-A to USB-C. I understand why they include it, but as a Mac user, almost everything on my desk is USB-C now. Ideally, I would like to see both cables in the box, or at least a small adapter.

Small suggestion about switches

I think it would be very useful if Keychron included one sample switch of each available type in the box.

For example: one Red, one Brown and one Banana.

Choosing switches as a first-time mechanical keyboard user is difficult. You can read descriptions and watch videos, but it is still mostly guesswork until you actually press them. Including one of each would probably not add much cost, and it might even encourage people to buy a full switch pack later if they discover they prefer another type.

I chose Brown and I think I chose correctly, but I would still love to physically try the other options.

After a week

After a week, I am already sure this keyboard will stay on my desk.

That is probably the simplest summary. I wanted something that felt like an upgrade from my Ornata, but not something so tall and mechanical that it would feel alien after years of MacBook keyboards. The K5 QMK V2 fits that very well.

It feels slim, fast and comfortable, but still more satisfying than a laptop keyboard. The full-size layout is also important for me. I know a lot of people like compact boards, but I still use the numpad, and I am glad I did not give that up.

As a photographer and creative user, I also like how it looks. It is clean enough for a normal desk setup, but the lighting and accent key give it a bit of personality.

It also made me curious about Keychron’s mice. If their mouse experience is as polished as this keyboard, I would definitely be interested in trying one in the future.

Things I liked

• Very good build quality
• Comfortable low-profile typing feel
• Brown switches feel like a good middle ground
• Full-size layout with numpad
• Easy firmware update
• Keychron Launcher is actually useful
• Key remapping without relying on Karabiner
• Works well across Mac, Windows and iPad
• Bluetooth switching between devices has been smooth
• Bluetooth connection has been stable
• Media keys worked properly on macOS
• RGB looks good
• Nice braided cable
• Good for casual Windows gaming when wired

Things I would change

• Quick Launch should detect apps inside subfolders on macOS
• Battery indicator shortcut did not work for me after remapping it
• I would prefer Caps Lock to change the key color instead of using the bright top LED
• USB-C to USB-C cable would be better for Mac users
• The keycaps can look a little smudgy
• A colored Enter key would be nice
• Including sample switches in the box would be very helpful
• A version with Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz dongle and USB-C would be even better

Final thoughts

The K5 QMK Version 2 is a very suitable keyboard for me to like.

It does not feel like a niche enthusiast board that I have to adapt my whole setup around. It feels like a practical, well-built low-profile keyboard that happens to be much more customizable than the usual Apple or Logitech-style productivity keyboards.

If you are coming from a MacBook keyboard, Apple Magic Keyboard, Logitech MX Keys or a mecha-membrane keyboard like the Razer Ornata, and you want to try a proper mechanical keyboard without going full chunky mechanical keyboard mode, I think this is a very strong option.

Quick disclosure: ESR sent me this unit for testing. They did not tell me what to write, these are just my own thoughts after using it daily for about a week.

I had been looking at this charger for a while, but it was not available in the EU for some time. So when I finally had the chance to test it here, I was pretty happy about it.

First small surprise: the included cable is L-shaped. That sounds like a small thing, but on a desk it actually makes a lot of sense, because the cable is easier to hide behind the charger. The included 50W brick also feels better than I expected. It does not feel like a random cheap charger thrown into the box.

https://preview.redd.it/379zdxi1bi5h1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a5a72b0256e5cc84bea93c71a90f606727134b7

The main reason I was interested in this charger is that I wanted a third-party 3-in-1 charger without too many annoying compromises. I use an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods daily, and I wanted something that looks clean on a desk, folds down for travel, and does not make the Apple Watch charging painfully slow.

I tested it with an iPhone 12 Pro in a thin MagSafe-compatible case, an Apple Watch, and AirPods.

https://preview.redd.it/ng3rad4gbi5h1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64c88d0ad09ddeb23cf751d5fae911472de4354d

Build quality is solid. The main hinge is tight, and the phone stays stable at different angles. It also does not slide around on my desk, which is something I always notice with smaller chargers. Folded down, it is only slightly thicker than an iPhone, so I can definitely see myself traveling with it. I have not traveled with it yet, but I will soon, and this is probably where the foldable design will make the most sense.

The fan was the part I was most unsure about. I do not really like the idea of tiny fans in desk accessories, because I expected it to be annoying. But in normal use, I basically cannot hear it. If I put my ear close to the charger, yes, I can hear it. But sitting next to my Mac, it just disappears.

The cooling also seems to matter a lot. With the fan on, my iPhone stayed completely cool during charging. With the fan off, the phone got noticeably warm, not just “a bit warm”, but uncomfortably warm to the touch. Charging was also much slower with the fan off.

https://preview.redd.it/jjn977lyai5h1.png?width=1122&format=png&auto=webp&s=0a60ca2f76653f56c31c5e0dfbf0ffad5f55f643

I focused on 0 to 80%, because after 80% charging usually slows down anyway, and for everyday use 0 to 80% is the part I care about most.

My results:

iPhone 12 Pro

• iPhone + USB charging: 80% in 62 min
• iPhone + ESR, fan on: 80% in 79 min
• iPhone + ESR, fan off: 80% in 120 min

Apple Watch (Series 10)

• Apple Watch + original Apple charger: 80% in 30 min
• Apple Watch + ESR: 80% in 38 min

The Apple Watch result was probably the biggest positive surprise for me. It is a little slower than the original charger, but not by much. I have tried third-party setups before where the Watch charging felt like the weak point, but here it is close enough that I would not really think about it in daily use.

AirPods (Pro 2) charging also works fine. No real issue there. The only small thing I would like is if the AirPods area had some kind of magnetic positioning too, just to make placement feel a bit more automatic. But in practice, it charged my AirPods normally.

https://preview.redd.it/gi93kvdubi5h1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4f58c9b781ca60e940f16adca6a383ed66292d2

A few small downsides:

The Apple Watch charging part has a looser hinge than the main phone hinge. It still works, but it does not feel as firm as the main folding mechanism. On the positive side, even if I accidentally fold the charger while the Watch part is still open, it does not feel like I could easily snap it off.

The other thing is more of a wishlist than a real con. I use an ESR Geo Wallet too, and it would be great if I could somehow charge that on the same setup. That is not really this charger’s fault though. It just makes me wish there was a MagSafe or Qi-compatible version of the ESR Geo Wallet.

https://preview.redd.it/fyl5y2cobi5h1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e8b44ebeadcfe400f0a733483df958f60096531

Overall, I like it a lot more than I expected.

It works well as a desk charger, it is quiet, it folds down nicely, and the Apple Watch charging is much closer to the original charger than I expected. The CryoBoost fan is not just a gimmick either. In my test, fan on vs fan off made a huge difference, both in charging speed and heat.

For me, this feels like one of those accessories that makes the most sense if you use the full Apple setup: iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. At home, it cleans up the desk. For travel, it should replace multiple separate chargers.

After a week of daily use, I would say it is a pretty practical 3-in-1 charger, especially if you care about portability but still want something that looks decent on a desk.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Amióta elkezdték átalakítani, azóta teljes káosz az egész. Egyrészt semmi logikát nem látok az elrendezésben, még akkor sem, ha ez csak átmeneti(?). Kutyakaja a betétek mellett, szénsavas ásványvizek két eltérő helyen, müzlik és édességek teljesen máshol, a tojás a hűtőpulttól a legmesszebb ponton (mire ezt megtaláltam omg.)

Rendszeresen üres polcokat találok, és totál alapvető dolgokat nem tudok megvenni.

Az elmúlt 1-2 hétben előfordult, hogy nem volt:

- Bio tojás
- Banán
- Sovány túró
- Sajátmárkás proteines tejital
- High protein szeletelt sajtok (mindig szokott lenni egy csomó)
- High protein gyümölcsjoghurt (ebből is)
- Sajátmárkás light vagy sima mozzarella
- Zöldségtészta (vagyis van, de valami prémium márka, 250g 900ft-ért. Korábban volt ennél olcsóbban 500g)
- Light cottage cheese (ki van írva, de csak simát találtam)
- Cheddar sajtszósz (ki van írva, de csak salsa szósz van az összes dobozban)
- Uborka
- Szeletelt rozskenyér

Ezeket rendszeresen veszem, és korábban nem futottam bele ilyenbe.

Nagyon zavar, hogy lemegyek bevásárolni egy konkrét listával vagy tervvel, de felét se kapom meg, vagy drágább alternatívára kényszerülök. Az is tök zavaró, hogy csak human-only kassza van, de az is rendszerint csak egy. Várható végre self-checkout?

Az árakban pedig semennyire sem látszik a sokkal kedvezőbb EUR/HUF árfolyam.

Valaki tudja, hogy ez esetleg átmeneti, vagy ez már így marad? Nektek mi a tapasztalatotok mostanában?