This little keyboard beats Logitech in features and price

Price When Reviewed

$39.99

Best Prices Today: Keychron B1 Pro keyboard

$39.99

$39.99

Logitech is usually the go-to model for PC equipment, so long as you’re not trying to find gaming gear. And Logitech makes good things (although there are a few exceptions), however it additionally calls for high greenback for its high-end equipment. The MX Keys Mini goes for a cool $100, and is tough to seek out at a major low cost. 

Enter Keychron. Generally recognized for its mechanical boards, the corporate has been releasing an absolute torrent of designs, together with a non-mechanical tackle the smooth and slim designer keyboard. The B1 Pro is, if not a blatant ripoff of the MX Keys Mini, undoubtedly “inspired by” it and different related boards just like the Apple Magic Keyboard. 

Here’s the twist: It’s higher than each of them. While missing a little bit of polish, Keychron’s little board delivers nearly the entire performance of those premium designs after which some…for $40. It’s a transparent and really legitimate various for anybody on the lookout for a trendy keyboard at a good value. 

Keychron B1 Pro design 

The B1 Pro is fairly easy as a keyboard design. It’s what can be referred to as a “60%” structure for a mechanical board, as although it features a full operate row and arrow keys, it’s about the identical measurement as any given laptop computer keyboard. It’s tremendous skinny, 19mm at its thickest level, and options each 2.4GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth.

Michael Crider/Foundry

In phrases of seems…okay, there’s no getting round it, this factor is broadly a replica of the MX Keys Mini. The identical goes for the full-sized B6 Pro, which copies the design of the bigger MX Keys. They even mirror the lip on the high of the board and the colour choices, although Keychron goes with flat plastic on the white mannequin. 

So I’ll concentrate on the variations. The B1 Pro presents a slight variation in structure that I recognize: The operate row is full-sized as an alternative of half-height, as on the Apple Magic Keyboard, permitting for a lot bigger and extra finger-friendly Escape and Delete keys. The left and proper arrow keys are additionally full-sized, although the compact structure necessitates squishing the up and down arrows to half-height. 

Keychron retains the USB-C charging port on the highest “shelf” together with a couple of standing lights, not that you simply’ll have to cost it typically. And Keychron presents a couple of extra bodily controls. One change for Mac/Windows structure performance, one change for manually switching between dongle, Bluetooth, and cable-only operation. Oh, and Keychron strikes the Fn button to the fitting facet of the board. There are not any toes for angle adjustment, however that’s commonplace on this class.

Michael Crider/Foundry

One final distinguishing bodily function separates these two designs: Keychron overlooked the backlit keys. That undoubtedly knocks this keyboard out of the premium class, although I don’t contemplate it a lot of a loss since I’m a contact typist. But should you sort at midnight, or plan on utilizing this factor as a journey board the place lighting could be inconsistent, it’s price contemplating. 

Keychron B1 Pro typing and gaming 

Like Logitech and Apple, Keychron went with a skinny scissor change mechanism. Arguably this makes the keyboard “mechanical” within the purest bodily sense, however because it doesn’t have standard keycaps or switches from a recognized third celebration, I believe it’s truthful to place it within the non-mechanical class. 

The keys have a good bit of journey, about on the extent of a really good laptop computer keyboard, however you received’t get the satisfying slide or “thunk” of an even bigger, thicker design. Which is ok. While mechanical boards appear to be taking up the area, there are nonetheless loads of customers who simply don’t need them, and may really feel somewhat pissed off by their ubiquity. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Gaming on this board isn’t really helpful. It’s potential, definitely, within the sense that it’s potential to play PC video games on just about any keyboard. But the brief journey and barely dished keycaps simply aren’t splendid, to say nothing of the wi-fi connection that’s not centered on pace. The Bluetooth and a pair of.4GHz wi-fi is completely practical, however twitchy avid gamers will most likely be unimpressed with a low polling fee and comparatively excessive latency in Bluetooth mode. 

Keychron additionally presents solely two layouts at any given time for the B1 Pro. That’s not an issue for a traditional keyboard, however PC avid gamers require customized binding that may shift primarily based on the sport that’s operating.

Keychron B1 Pro battery life 

Keychron claims that the B1 Pro can final for as much as 1,200 hours between expenses. Frankly I don’t have 1,200 hours to check it, however after a pair months of off-and-on Bluetooth use, together with weeks of standby mode, it’s displaying 60 p.c remaining cost in line with Windows. 

So sure, it’s going to final an extended, lengthy, very long time. That’s not the unbelievable achievement it was for a slim keyboard, and missing any LEDs for backlighting most likely helps. But it’s a pleasant perk nonetheless. 

Keychron B1 Pro programming 

If the B1 Pro presents an apparent benefit over its competitors other than value, it’s in its customization skills. It’s potential to customise the structure of Logitech’s MX Keys to a sure diploma with Logitech’s driver program, and fewer so for the Apple Magic Keyboard, which depends on third-party software program. 

Keychron has ’em each beat. The B1 Pro, like many of the firm’s latter designs, could be programmed straight within the browser with the Keychron Launcher tool: 4 layers (main and performance layer for Mac and Windows toggles), macro assist, loads of choices for media controls and different inputs. And sure, you’ll be able to transfer the Fn key round. No everlasting software program set up is required, simply the USB-C cable included within the field. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

This is about as splendid because the software program customization choices get for a non-gaming keyboard. For a sure sort of consumer (Linux hippies, I’m you) it’s a motive to go along with Keychron over the options all by itself. 

Is the Keychron B1 Pro price it?

The worth proposition for the B1 Pro is clearly its greatest promoting level. At $40 it’s precisely 40 p.c of the retail value of the MX Keys (and nonetheless lower than half of the $90 sale value I see on the time of writing). 

Michael Crider/Foundry

It’s lower than a 3rd of the worth for the Magic Keyboard, although the most recent model of that design presents a fingerprint reader. The relative low cost for the larger B6 Pro at $45 is, effectively, even larger. With the lone exception of backlighting, Keychron’s slim boards supply each function that Logitech does at a fraction of the worth. It additionally comes with somewhat silicone cowl within the field, along with the wi-fi dongle, a USB-A-to-C adapter, and the charger cable.

Michael Crider/Foundry

With no evident flaws or low spots, plus extra highly effective programming choices, it’s a simple advice for anybody who needs to save lots of a couple of bucks. Heck, the B1 Pro is a strong keyboard even should you don’t want to save cash or have entry to full programming.