Winner for buyers who need to check out today: the Royal Kludge RK84 at $59.99, the cheapest in-stock board here, with tri-mode wireless (Bluetooth 5.0 + 2.4GHz + USB-C) and standard hot-swap sockets. Runner-up: the Keychron K3 Pro at $67.99 for QMK/VIA firmware and a low-profile feel, though this White Backlight variant is not hot-swappable and carries the smallest battery of the three. The Keychron K2 Pro at $74.99 would beat both on open firmware plus PBT keycaps, but it was out of stock at keychron.com on 2026-08-26 — worth watching for restock, not worth waiting on.
All three claim 75%, and all three cut a different corner to hit this price. The RK84 (84-key, tri-mode Bluetooth 5.0/2.4GHz/USB-C) is hot-swappable for RK Blue, Brown, or Red switches and runs RK's own DIY software rather than QMK/VIA — no open firmware. Its keycaps are ABS double-shot, not PBT, and the ~200-hour battery figure Royal Kludge publishes is measured in 2.4GHz mode with the backlight off, not mixed real-world use; a full charge takes 6-7 hours.
The K3 Pro is Keychron's low-profile 75% (84-key), running Gateron low-profile Red switches on this SKU with QMK/VIA support and double-shot PBT low-profile keycaps. Its 1550mAh battery is the smallest of the three by a wide margin — about 100 hours with backlight off, dropping to roughly 50 hours at the lowest RGB setting — and this White Backlight variant is not hot-swappable (Keychron sells a separate RGB Backlight Hot-Swappable K3 Pro for that).
The K2 Pro (75%, 84-key) is Bluetooth 5.1 only with no 2.4GHz radio, but it's the only one of the three with QMK/VIA firmware AND double-shot PBT (OSA profile) AND a hot-swappable variant, backed by a 4000mAh battery rated to ~260 hours backlight off. It was out of stock at keychron.com as of 2026-08-26 — state that plainly rather than routing around it, and check back or watch the listing rather than treating it as unavailable forever.
The $15 gap between the cheapest board here (RK84, $59.99) and the priciest (K2 Pro, $74.99) does not buy 'more keyboard' in every dimension — it buys 2.4GHz wireless and a standard hot-swap socket on the RK84, or open QMK/VIA firmware and PBT keycaps on the K2 Pro, but never both in one $60-75 board. Pick the compromise that matches what you'll actually use: firmware tinkerers and PBT purists should watch for the K2 Pro to restock; anyone who wants a board in hand today and doesn't care about QMK should buy the RK84. Who this is NOT for: anyone who needs a numpad — all three boards here are 75%, and none has one. And it is not for anyone who wants open firmware and hot-swap together today: the K3 Pro's priced variant has QMK/VIA but no hot-swap sockets, the RK84 has hot-swap but runs RK's own DIY software, and the K2 Pro that has both was out of stock on 2026-08-26.
| Spec | Keychron K3 Pro | Royal Kludge RK84 | Keychron K2 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| layout | 75% low-profile (84-key) | 84-key, 75% compact layout | 75% (84-key) |
| connectivity | Bluetooth 5.1, up to 3 devices + USB-C wired | tri-mode: Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz wireless, USB-C wired | Bluetooth 5.1 + USB-C wired |
| switch_type | Gateron low-profile mechanical Red (this variant); Blue/Brown also offered | Keychron K Pro mechanical (Red/Blue/Brown/Banana) | |
| hot_swap | no (this White Backlight variant); RGB Backlight Hot-Swappable version sold separately | yes | yes (hot-swappable variant priced; also sold as non-hot-swap) |
| firmware | QMK/VIA | QMK/VIA | |
| keycaps | Low-profile double-shot PBT | ABS double-shot | Double-shot PBT, OSA profile |
| battery | 1550mAh li-polymer; ~100h backlight off, ~50h RGB (lowest brightness) | 3750mAh; rated ~200hr in 2.4GHz mode with backlight OFF (not typical mixed use), 6-7hr full charge | 4000mAh li-polymer; ~260h backlight off, ~130h RGB (lowest brightness) |
| backlight | White backlight (this variant); RGB variant also offered | RGB, 21 onboard lighting modes, 5 brightness levels (official spec; Tom's Hardware counted 19 modes on its review unit) | RGB, 22 backlight modes |
| mount_type | Tray mount | removable frame, tray-style case | Tray mount, steel plate |
| polling_rate | 1000Hz wired / 90Hz wireless | 1000Hz wired / 90Hz wireless | |
| os_support | macOS/Windows/Linux | Windows XP/2000/7/8/10, macOS, iOS, Android | macOS/Windows/Linux |
| case_material | ABS + aluminum frame | ||
| variant_priced | Black / White Backlight / Red | Black - Fully Assembled (Hot-Swappable) / White Backlight / K Pro Red | |
| switchOptions | RK Blue, RK Brown, RK Red (hot-swappable) | ||
| weight | 803.5g (1.77lb) per Tom's Hardware; official RK spec table lists 0.79kg | ||
| dimensions | 315 x 125 x 39mm per official RK spec table (Tom's Hardware lists 315 x 125 x 40mm) | ||
| software | RK DIY software (onboard macro/lighting customization) |
Last updated: 2026-08-28
Prices last checked 2026-08-26
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