Keychron keyboard discussion

[Cassandle]

Has anyone got any recommendations for replacement keycaps for the K4? UK ISO.

The K4 was my first mechanical keyboard and I’ve been using with my Mac Mini. I recently bought the V3 Max to use for work (I have to use a Windows laptop for work, so using a different keyboard with Windows functions is helpful).

Using the V3 Max I realise how much I now don’t like the keycaps on the K4!

I suspect getting UK ISO with Mac function keys is unlikely, especially for a layout like the K4. So I’d happily switch that to my Windows board and use the V3 with my Mac if I could get Windows UK ISO caps.

 

[xraydoc]

The K4 just uses normal MX-style keycaps, so virtually anything (that comes in a UK ISO layout) should work. Amazon, AliExpress and other vendors will have tons of inexpensive sets in all sorts of different profiles (Cherry, OEM, XDA, SA, etc). Given that the K4 is a budget model, I probably would bother spending a lot of money on more expensive keycap sets from makers like GMK or PBTFans. I mean, you could, but probably not worth putting on keycaps that cost 2x more than the keyboard itself.

 

[Cassandle]

The K4 just uses normal MX-style keycaps, so virtually anything (that comes in a UK ISO layout) should work. Amazon, AliExpress and other vendors will have tons of inexpensive sets in all sorts of different profiles (Cherry, OEM, XDA, SA, etc). Given that the K4 is a budget model, I probably would bother spending a lot of money on more expensive keycap sets from makers like GMK or PBTFans. I mean, you could, but probably not worth putting on keycaps that cost 2x more than the keyboard itself.

K4 is a non-standard layout, from what I can tell. Especially with the bottom row of keys alongside the space bar. So I’d assumed many caps available wouldn’t fit?

 

[smirking]

K4 is a non-standard layout, from what I can tell. Especially with the bottom row of keys alongside the space bar. So I’d assumed many caps available wouldn’t fit?

That's correct, but a lot of the mass produced keycap sets include extra keys just for this purpose. Still, you'll need to shop carefully to make sure that the set you're getting includes modifier keys in sizes not common for modifier keys (1U, 1.25U, 1.5U).

This odd sizing isn't unique to that keyboard. Compact tenkeyless keyboards that have less than 75% layouts typically have shrunken modifier keys like this.

 

[xraydoc]

K4 is a non-standard layout, from what I can tell. Especially with the bottom row of keys alongside the space bar. So I’d assumed many caps available wouldn’t fit?

No, it's not odd for a 96%/1800-layout. The 1u GUI/modifier keys to the right of the spacebar are common on 75% keyboards, so many if not most keycap sets will include necessary 1u keycaps, including the 1u numpad zero key. Check the kitting pictures to be sure the one you select has them, but it won't be hard at all to find.

 

[Chancha]

The bigger problem with K4 is how it is not mappable (I think?)

So not only do you need to find the right kitting, you also need to match exact key with the K4, namely the top right navs that are 1U R1 del / home / end / pgup / pgdn, and then the right mods R4 cmd / fn / ctrl. Compound that with needing ISO + Mac f-row just further narrows the options down.

That said I think Keychron themselves sell ISO keycap sets that are supposed to match some of their own boards. Their OSA shine-through sets come with all sorts of ISO layouts.

 

[xraydoc]

The bigger problem with K4 is how it is not mappable (I think?)

So not only do you need to find the right kitting, you also need to match exact key with the K4, namely the top right navs that are 1U R1 del / home / end / pgup / pgdn, and then the right mods R4 cmd / fn / ctrl. Compound that with needing ISO + Mac f-row just further narrows the options down.

That said I think Keychron themselves sell ISO keycap sets that are supposed to match some of their own boards. Their OSA shine-through sets come with all sorts of ISO layouts.

Well, can't tell you what the ISO K4 layout is, but finding R1 Home/End/PgUp/PgDn and 1u R4 Cmd/Fn/Ctrl isn't difficult. I've got several sets with those, including GMK and PBTFans. PBTFans is really good about including macOS Command and Option keys. Not so much for GMK.

And of course, if one goes with a uniform profile like XDA, DSA or KAM (amongst others), then there's little issue.

Finding macOS F-row media icons, however, will be the most challenging if that's something OP cares about.

 

[Chancha]

Well, can't tell you what the ISO K4 layout is, but finding R1 Home/End/PgUp/PgDn and 1u R4 Cmd/Fn/Ctrl isn't difficult. I've got several sets with those, including GMK and PBTFans. PBTFans is really good about including macOS Command and Option keys. Not so much for GMK.

And of course, if one goes with a uniform profile like XDA, DSA or KAM (amongst others), then there's little issue.

Finding macOS F-row media icons, however, will be the most challenging if that's something OP cares about.

I have PBTfans sets as well, such as this Resonance R2 set that has all sorts of 1U novelties, on top of the aforementioned 1U keys. This particular set have Mac mods, ISO enter, but the UK and Europe specific alpha keys are extras that I didn't buy. The set is just lovely, great quality PBT material, fun semi-translucent novelties, really full kitting.

But honestly sets at this price range probably shouldn't be put into a Keychron let alone a K4 lol. But yeah key sets with great kitting option exists, they just generally are very costly.

Good quality double-shot Mac media F-row keys are almost nonexistent outside of Keychron and Nuphy, and they are often low profile key caps. Luckily I never need them, my f-row are mapped to actual function keys since I do use them.

As for Mac mods, sometimes I make do with "super" or "code" in place of cmd especially for retro-style keycap sets. But even cmd is getting less obscure now, such as GMK's new MTNU mold, they didn't start with Mac mods but the recent Modern Dolch set added them.