Keychron K2 HE Review

The Keychron K2 HE combines two fascinating things in a keyboard: magnetic switches and wood. Okay, that may seem like an odd combination, but that’s at least part of what makes this board such a compelling choice at its $140 price point.

First of all, let me address the wood on the sides of the K2 HE. It’s part of the special edition I have here, and by Jove, it’s gorgeous. It’s a natural rosewood, which is great if you’re weird and caress the sides of your keyboard, and it adds an aesthetic I didn’t know I needed. Too often, mechanical boards offer a very similar design with a black metal or plastic casing, so seeing something different in this K2 HE is especially welcome.

There’s something Scandinavian about it, and if you think about it, it would fit in really well with Fractal Design North, whose creators are of course Swedish – hello to you too.

Aside from the gorgeous rosewood edges, the build quality of the K2 HE is sublime. It’s also plastic, but it offers one of the most solid keyboards I’ve tested at this price. It’s solid and stiff, yet there’s no flex in the deck, even if you tried to rip it apart. At 966g, it’s notably weighty for a board with such a diminutive form factor, dwarfing the weight of the older K2 at under 700g.

The keycaps are also lovely, with the OSA’s higher profile leaning towards a more retro aesthetic that nicely complements the rosewood finish. They’re comfortable to type on, slightly rounded, and made from double-shot molded PBT plastic for an extra dose of quality finish. I should also shout out the beige accent keycaps for the Esc and Return keys, which are a lovely touch, and the convenient Input/Output on the left with selector switches for Windows or Mac and for the connection method between Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, or wired.

Now let’s tackle the other part of this strange combination: magnetic switches. Following a trend we’re seeing in other keyboards from many manufacturers, Keychron has opted for Gateron Hall switches in the name of providing the fastest possible inputs. These are Gateron’s modern dual-rail Hall switches, which don’t cause any real key shake and are more stable under the finger.

For those who don’t know, magnetic Hall effect switches are a bit different to your standard mechanical options. Essentially, this means they operate via a magnet, as opposed to more standard means. The magnet is sent through the switch stem to a sensor, where the input signal is then registered – there’s no defined actuation point with them. This means you can change the actuation point for each switch, so you can have things like rapid inputs for gaming to give yourself a bit of a competitive edge.

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Customizing said actuation points is handled by Keychron’s Launcher software, which is essentially a web configurator that runs in a browser window. This makes life exceptionally effortless, and the K2 HE can be customized on both Windows and macOS without a hitch. Here, not only can you tinker with actuation points ranging from 0.5mm to 3.8mm of total switch travel in super-precise 0.1mm increments for each key, but you can also adjust the RGB lighting to a single color and choose from a range of other presets. You can also remap keys and record macros. It’s particularly effortless to employ, and wonderfully refreshing to see in a world where peripheral software can, in some cases, amount to bloatware.

Back to the switches themselves, though. The switches proved responsive both in everyday productivity workloads and when playing with bots in Counter Strike 2, where you’ll definitely feel the speed of the adjustable actuation points. For the WASD and weapon keys, I set the actuation point as high as possible (0.5mm), and it’s almost like you barely need to take a breath to register the input. This is especially useful in quick-draw scenarios where you need to draw a weapon or throw a grenade as quickly as possible.

They’re also pre-lubricated, so you can enjoy them as sleek as you like. This also has the side effect of making the K2 HE, like the more high-priced Keychron Q3 Max, sound great. It’s probably one of the best-sounding keyboards I’ve ever used, with a creamy sound profile (God, I hate to say that) without any case rattle or pinging.

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Technically, the K2 HE is also hot-swappable, although like the Endgame Gear KB65HE and Wooting 60HE+, the selection of switches that can be swapped is slim. Not even all of Gateron’s other Hall switch models are compatible.

Elsewhere, the K2 HE also benefits from excellent wireless connectivity, via both Bluetooth and the included 2.4GHz wireless receiver. It worked flawlessly with both methods on both Windows and macOS, and pairing with the Fn key and the 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the number pad is convenient. The 4,000mAh battery inside is also quite immense for a keyboard this size, powering the K2 HE for up to 72 hours with the glowing backlight on. Turn it off, and that increases to 240 hours, which is excellent endurance.

So, here’s the Keychron K2 HE. It’s an excellent keyboard that brings a lot of style to your gaming experience while also being responsive thanks to its Hall switches. It brings a number of noteworthy improvements over the standard K2, which has been on our list of the best gaming keyboards for a few years now. At $140 for this special edition, it’s a compelling choice for those who want a mix of style and substance, as opposed to the classic dilemma of choosing one over the other. Compared to other HE boards, you also get the benefit of a more fascinating design, convenient wireless connectivity, and straightforward software. This seems like a more than fair deal.