'There arent many keyboards offering better value for money': I tested a bargain mechanical keyboard from Keychron that will tempt gamers just make sure you get yourself a wrist-rest

Date:
Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
The K8 Ultra 8K aims to compete with big brands by offering an impressive
spec for a low price but has it succeeded?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Keychron
K8 Ultra 8K: One-minute review The Keychron K8 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard with an impressive spec that hopes to compete with the more premium offerings in the space.

It exhibits the brands typical design language, with its sizable keycaps and retro looks. The whole unit is black, save for some grey and green keycaps.
To liven things up, it features some bright backlighting with plenty of customization options, although the keycap legends arent transparent, so it doesnt illuminate them. This makes them harder to see in dark environments, which somewhat defeats the backlights purpose.

The board base is very thick, which means you have to angle your wrists considerably to reach the tall keys. Its in dire need of wrist support, which is an oversight since a lot of the best keyboards come with a rest. Its also quite heavy, thanks to its metal construction. This does help to keep it planted, though, and its as solid as you would expect it to be. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: (Image credit: Future) To customize the inputs of the K8 Ultra 8K, youll have to use Keychrons Web Launcher. Here youll find a reasonable selection of rebinding options, and theres also a basic but functional SOCD function for altering key priority. Its a
relatively easy app to use, and despite being web-based, its quick and responsive; I didnt encounter any disruptive loading times during my time
with it. In action, the K8 Ultra 8K performs well. The keys are sufficiently damped, although some clickiness remains, which can be a little harsh at times, but mostly theyre satisfying to use. Theyre snappy and responsive,
too, while being forgiving of accidental nudges. The indents and shape of the keycaps are comfortable and offer a secure hold.

However, the switches of my review unit didnt have the smoothest of motions. The keys are also spaced quite far apart, which can make reaching certain inputs a stretch. Whats more, the aforementioned angle your wrists are forced to adopt can lead to strain after short periods. I had no issues with connecting the K8 Ultra 8K via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, and switching between
them was quick and easy. The K8 Ultra 8K is a reasonable price when you consider all that it offers. There are certainly much dearer mechanical keyboards, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% , but there are also cheaper ones, such as the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra . However, the K8 Ultra 8K remains a solid choice if you like a substantial board just pair it with a wrist rest. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up
for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Future) Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Price & availability $119.99 (about 90 / AU$170) Available now in three switch types Good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard The K8 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about 90 /
AU$170) and is available now from Keychrons website, with shipping rates varying according to region. It can be had with a choice of three switch types: Red, Brown, or Banana. It comes with a braided USB cable, several
spare keycaps, and a keycap puller.

This is a good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches. Similar models from bigger names can cost considerably more, such
as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% . However, the performance of that board
is far superior, being perhaps the best mechanical keyboard Ive ever tested. Its switches are a joy to press, while the companion software offers more customizations and tweaks.

If youre after a more budget-friendly gaming keyboard, the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is hard to beat for value. It has a surprisingly high-quality design, while its analog switches feel almost as good as mechanical ones, with added actuation adjustments. Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Layout

TKL

Switch

Mechanical (Keychron Apex)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

14.1 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches (359 x 129 x 31mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable) (Image credit: Future) Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Design & features Retro look Solid, thick, and heavy Reasonable web app for customizations The K8 Ultra 8K adopts Keychron's signature aesthetics, which is to say it has a thick base, tall keycaps, and a black colorway. However, there are a few grey peripheral keys, as well as a green Escape key, to add some contrast.

Allied to its thick chassis is a substantial weight. This helps the K8 Ultra 8K to stay planted, but makes it a chore to move around frequently. Build quality is also impressive, with its metal frame feeling as solid as you
would expect it to feel, while the keycaps have only a hint of play. (Image credit: Future) Whats disappointing about them, though, is their opaque symbols. This means the vivid RGB backlighting doesnt get a chance to shine through them; in fact, it can actively obscure them in dark environments, which defeats at least part of the backlightings purpose. Fortunately, it still shines through the spaces between the keys, and there are plenty of customizable patterns for it.

Like some other Keychron models, the K8 Ultra 8Ks USB port is located on the left side of the unit, rather than at the back. This is an interesting location and can help to reduce the cable interfering with deskspace, depending on your particular setup. The included cables jack protrudes slightly from the side, but since its L-shaped, it's actually quite discreet. This shape also helps the cable to naturally follow a path less intrusive to deskspace.

Keychron doesnt offer a downloadable app for the K8 Ultra 8K; instead, youll have to use the Keychron Web Launcher via a browser. Quite often, such web apps can be slow and awkward, with frequent loading times and connectivity issues. However, I found Keychrons fast and easy to use. Whats more, it
offers a reasonable amount of customization. Besides standard key
assignments, there are quite a few shortcuts for various system commands and media controls. Theres also a SOCD feature with three different modes, as
well as a section for altering the bounce (more commonly referred to as debounce) times of key presses and resets, with sliders for each ranging from 10ms to 50ms, with single millisecond increments selectable. (Image credit: Future) Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Performance Tactile and damped switches Snappy yet forgiving Uncomfortable thickness True to its mechanical nature, the K8 Ultra 8K is quite a satisfying board to use. The Brown Tactile
switches in my review unit were sufficiently damped, though there was some clickiness to them. For the most part I liked this aspect, although hard presses can feel a little harsh. Worse is the roughness of their motion as they travel, which doesnt feel particularly pleasant. Fortunately, this doesn't completely sap the joy out of presses, and it didnt affect my performance in any significant way.

The switches are also quite snappy, requiring only a light touch to actuate. Better yet, theyre forgiving at the same time: whenever I accidentally grazed a key I didnt intend to hit, often it wouldnt register. This combination
makes it ideal for fast typing. (Image credit: Future) The keycaps themselves are comfortable, thanks to their ergonomic indents, which also provide security. This comfort extends to the space bar, which I could easily hit flush when in the WASD position. Thats not something I can say about every space bar Ive experienced.

Less comfortable, however, is the wide spacing of the keys. I often welcome this aspect, but I found it too great on the K8 Ultra 8K. Reaching certain keys was a stretch, especially when touch typing, or when trying to reach certain peripheral keys such as R and T when gaming in the WASD position.

The aforementioned thickness of the chassis also creates issues. Combined
with the tall keycaps, this means you have to angle your wrists to a large degree, and whats more I frequently caught my fingers on the edges of keys as I glided around them when typing. Im not sure Ive come across a keyboard in more desperate need of wrist support.

On the issue of connectivity, I had no qualms with the K8 Ultra 8K. It connected to my Windows PCs with ease via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle. Hot-switching between these devices was also quick and easy, merely requiring the flick of switch on the side of the unit. Should I buy the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K? Scorecard Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The K8 Ultra 8K is keenly priced for a hot-swappable wireless mechanical keyboard with an 8K polling rate.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Thick, heavy, and solidly made. The web app is functional, but the opaque keycaps are a misstep.

4 / 5

Performance

The Brown switches in my review unit werent the smoothest, but they still performed well. You really need to use this board with a wrist rest to make
it comfortable.

3.5 / 5

Overall

The K8 Ultra 8K is well-priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard. Its performance isnt as smooth as I wouldve liked, and you really need to use it with a wrist rest, but its still one to consider given its customizable hardware.

4 / 5 Buy it if

Youre on a budget There arent many keyboards offering better value for money than this, thanks to its high spec and relatively low price point.

You want a solid build This thick metal frame is certainly sturdy, as are
the keycaps and switches. Don't buy it if

You have short fingers Reaching certain keys can be a stretch, owing to the wide spacing between them.

You like a low profile The tall keycaps and thick chassis can easily put strain upon your wrists, so ideally you need support. Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra Another great value keyboard, the FUN60 Ultra is just
as well put together as the K8 Ultra 8K. It uses magnetic analog switches rather than mechanical ones, but they feel just as tactile while offering adjustable actuation and other analog features. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review .

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% For the supreme mechanical experience, you cant do much better than the BlackWidow. This is just about the best mechanical keyboard Ive ever used, thanks to its excellent performance and build
quality. There are also plenty of input customizations available via Razers Synapse software. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review . (Image credit: Future) How I tested the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K Tested for a few days Used for a variety of tasks Plentiful keyboard experience I tested the K8 Ultra 8K for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

One of the games I played was Counter-Strike 2 , as it serves as the ideal test for peripherals, since it demands fast and precise inputs.

Ive been using gaming keyboards for years, and reviewed a great number of them, including other Keychron models as well as those from well-known brands like Razer , SteelSeries, and Corsair. First reviewed: August 2026 Read more about how we test Keychron K8 Ultra 8K: Price Comparison No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/keyboards/keychron-k8-ultra-8k-review


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