For most uses, the Keychron K6 is a good wireless mechanical keyboard, and it's essentially a compact version of the Keychron K4. Its small design and ability to pair with up to three devices over Bluetooth make it a very good choice for using with your smartphone or tablet. Despite the long pre-travel distance of the Gateron Brown switches, they feel great to type on, and surprisingly, the keyboard doesn't cause any fatigue. It has excellent build quality and full RGB backlighting that you can customize directly on the board. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any macro-programmable keys and no companion software to customize the board to your liking.
Our Verdict
The Keychron K6 is a good keyboard for gaming. It has great latency, full RGB backlighting, and provides a great typing experience. The Gateron Brown switches on our unit are light to press, but their long pre-travel distance makes the keyboard feel a little less responsive. There's also no customization software or macro-programmable keys.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- Excellent build quality.
- Great latency.
- No customization software.
- Ergonomics are only reasonable.
- Long pre-travel distance.
The Keychron K6 is very good to use with your smartphone or tablet. It can be used wirelessly over Bluetooth and can be paired with up to three devices. Its compact design makes it easy to carry in your laptop bag.
- Multi-device pairing.
- Excellent build quality.
- Connects wirelessly via Bluetooth.
- Ergonomics are only reasonable.
The Keychron K6 is good for office use. Even though it doesn't have a wrist rest, ergonomics are still okay since it has two incline settings. Also, despite its compact design, it doesn't cause much fatigue over time as it feels light to type on. The Gateron Brown switches on our unit don't make a lot of noise and shouldn't disturb those around you. However, it could get a lot louder if you get the keyboard with clicky switches.
- Excellent build quality.
- Typing noise is quiet.
- Great typing quality.
- No customization software.
- Ergonomics are only reasonable.
The Keychron K6 is very good for programming. It has impressive typing quality as the switches are light to press and give satisfying tactile feedback. It also doesn't feel cramped to type on and isn't tiring to use, despite having a compact design. Unfortunately, while it has full RGB backlighting, there's no companion software to customize it, and there aren't any macro-programmable keys either.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- Excellent build quality.
- Great typing quality.
- No macro-programmable keys.
- No customization software.
- Ergonomics are only reasonable.
The Keychron K6 is okay for use with a home theater PC. You can use it wirelessly via Bluetooth, and it pairs with up to three devices simultaneously. It also has full RGB backlighting, so you can easily use it while watching a movie or gaming in the dark. However, it doesn't have a trackpad, which means you need a dedicated mouse to navigate the user interface.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- Connects wirelessly via Bluetooth.
- No trackpad.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 18, 2022: Added a comparison to the newly reviewed Keychron Q7.
- Updated Mar 05, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jan 04, 2021: Updated the Build Quality score.
- Updated Sep 22, 2020: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Keychron K6 with an aluminum frame, RGB backlighting, and Gateron Brown switches. There's a variant with a plastic frame, which you can get with white or RGB backlighting. You can also get the keyboard with Gateron Blue or Red switches, LK Optical Brown, Red, or Blue switches, or hot-swappable switches, so you can put in whichever switches you prefer.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Keychron K6 is a compact and wireless keyboard that makes for a very good companion for use with your cellphone or tablet. It can be used wired or wirelessly over Bluetooth and can be paired with up to three different devices. This is a smaller version of the Keychron K4 but with full RGB backlighting, while the K4 only has a white backlight. There are two incline settings, unlike the Keychron K1, which has none.
For other options, you can also check out our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best wireless keyboards, and the best mechanical gaming keyboards.
The Keychron K2 (Version 2) is essentially a bigger version of the Keychron K6. The K2 is a 75% keyboard with a row of dedicated function keys, while the K6 is 65%. They're nearly identical in features, but the K6 has lower latency, making it a better choice for gaming.
The Keychron K6 and the Keychron K3 are both very good all-around keyboards with similar features. The main difference is in their designs. The K6 is a compact 65% keyboard with standard keycaps while the K3 is compact 75%, meaning it has a function row, and it has low profile switches. They're each available with clicky, tactile, and linear switches. Typing feels better overall on the K6, but some people may prefer the low profile switches instead. Latency is also lower on the K6.
The Keychron K8 is a larger version of the Keychron K6. The K8 is a TenKeyLess (80%) keyboard, while the K6 is 65%; both keyboards are available with Gateron or Keychron Optical switches. If you plan on using it for gaming, the K6 has lower latency, although you have to use it wired.
The Keychron K6 and the Keychron K12 are nearly identical wireless mechanical boards, but the K6 is a 65% compact, and the K12 is a 60% compact. The K6 has dedicated navigation keys, including arrow keys, which the K12 lacks. Also, the K6 has lower latency, making it a better choice for casual gaming than the K12.
Test Results
The Keychron K6 is very compact and doesn't have a numeric pad or function keys. For similarly-sized keyboards, check out the Vortez Race 3 and the Razer Huntsman Mini. For something slightly larger with three additional navigation keys, check out the Keychron K14. Or, for a more conventional TenKeyLess alternative, consider the Keychron K1.
Update 01/04/2021: We upgraded the build quality score because we discovered there are two versions of this keyboard: one with a plastic frame and the other with an aluminum frame. Our unit has the aluminum frame.
Its build quality is excellent. It's made of plastic with an aluminum frame that feels very solid, and all keys feel quite stable. Unfortunately, the keycaps are made of ABS plastic, which feels rather cheap and attracts oil from your fingers, making them feel rather slippery.
If you're interested in a similar keyboard with better build quality, check out the Keychron Q7.
The ergonomics are reasonable. It has two incline settings, which can help in preventing fatigue. Despite the small size, it doesn't feel cramped to type on. The feet are very sturdy, but they're also prone to sliding around when force is applied.
The Keychron K6 has outstanding RGB backlighting. You can control the colors and lighting effects directly via hotkeys. However, the backlight isn't that bright and isn't that noticeable in a mildly-lit room.
The Keychron K6 comes with a short detachable, braided USB-C cable.
The Keychron K6 has wireless capabilities. You can use it over Bluetooth, and it pairs with up to three devices simultaneously. It has a rechargeable battery and can be used wired while charging.
The Keychron K6 doesn't have too many extra features. It lacks dedicated media controls, function keys, and macro-programmable keys. That being said, it does have media hotkeys and navigation keys. It's mentioned in the user manual that you can remap the keys through third-party software, but we haven't tested this. The media hotkeys are on the numbers row, but if you prefer something with a dedicated function row, then check out the Keychron K2 (Version 2). For a slightly larger board with dedicated emoji keys, check out the Logitech POP Keys.
- Keychron K6 keyboard
- USB-C cable
- Keycap remover
- Extra keycaps for Windows
- User manual
- Keyboard layout guide
The unit we did our tests on has Gateron Brown switches. If you don't want the Brown switches, it's also available in Red and Blue, which are linear and quiet, and clicky and tactile, respectively. The switches don't require a lot of force to actuate, which makes typing feel light. However, the pre-travel distance is quite long, making the keyboard feel less responsive. If you'd prefer a keyboard that feels faster and more responsive, check out the Drop ENTR.
The Gateron Brown switches we did our tests with provide a great typing experience. The switches feel light and give nice tactile feedback. Also, it doesn't feel tiring to type on, which is nice considering how compact the keyboard is. That said, the ABS plastic keycaps feel slippery and cheap.
Our unit of the Keychron K6 with the Gateron Brown switches is quiet, but your experience may vary depending on which switch you get.
The Keychron K6 has impressive latency, and most people shouldn't notice any delay when gaming. If you want a compact board with even lower latency, check out the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed.
Unfortunately, the Keychron K6 wireless mechanical keyboard doesn't have software support. It mentions in the user manual that you can remap the keys through third-party software, but we haven't tested this. If you'd like a barebones keyboard with dedicated customization software, check out the GLORIOUS GMMK PRO.
The Keychron K6 has excellent compatibility. It's fully compatible with Windows, and on macOS, only the screen brightness buttons don't work. Bluetooth doesn't work with Linux, so we had to use the keyboard plugged in. Also, F3 and F4 don't work on iOS and Android.
