Hot-swap keyboards under £120

The Keychron C3 Pro 8K is the one to beat: £54.99 in UK ISO^[1] for a wired tenkeyless with hot-swap sockets, a gasket-style mount, Cherry-profile double-shot PBT keycaps and QMK firmware set up through Keychron's Launcher web app. The Keychron C1 Pro 8K costs the same with a plainer tray mount, south-facing LEDs and VIA support; see our comparison of the two.

The Royal Kludge RK61 is a different kind of cheap: a 60% with wireless over Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz as well as a cable, and 5-pin hot-swap sockets, for £55 at Mechboards^[2]. The listing we checked was US layout only, and it uses Royal Kludge's own software rather than QMK or VIA. It's a low-risk way to find out whether you get on with a 60% layout.

If you need a numpad, the Keychron C2 Pro 8K is the full-size member of the same family at £64.99 in UK ISO^[3]: wired, 5-pin hot-swap sockets, QMK, 8,000 Hz polling and OSA-profile PBT keycaps. Some switch options were sold out when it was checked, so look at what's in stock.

The Montech MKey PRO 75 Darkness brings wireless and a gasket mount into this bracket: a 75% with a knob, Gateron G Pro 3.0 switches and QMK and VIA support, for £79.99 in UK ISO at Scan^[4]. Our details come from that one listing, which also says it isn't Mac compatible.

The Ducky One 3 SF is a wired 65% from a long-established maker, with genuine Cherry switches and thick double-shot PBT keycaps, sold in a UK layout^[5]. We found it at £84.99. It has no remapping software; settings are changed with key combinations on the board. Our keyboards under £100 guide covers it alongside two soldered alternatives.

Keychron's V Max boards are the sweet spot if you can stretch past £100. The Keychron V1 Max (75%) and Keychron V3 Max (tenkeyless) are £109.99 each^[6][8], and the Keychron V5 Max (96%) and Keychron V6 Max (full-size) are £114.99^[7][9]. All four have gasket-mounted polycarbonate plates, hot-swap sockets that take 3-pin and 5-pin switches (we couldn't confirm 5-pin on the V6 Max), a knob, wireless over Bluetooth or a 2.4 GHz receiver, and QMK and VIA.

The Keychron K8 Max and Keychron K2 Max are £119.99 each^[11][10]. Both skip the knob. The K8 Max has a steel plate on a tray mount for a firmer feel, and the K2 Max is a compact 75% with an aluminium frame on the UK version. Both were backordered on Keychron's UK store when they were checked.

If quiet matters more than wireless, the be quiet! Light Mount TKL is a wired tenkeyless with be quiet!'s Silent Linear V2 switches in hot-swap sockets and PBT keycaps, at £119.99 in UK ISO from Scan^[12].

The Keychron K3 Max (75%) and Keychron K1 Max (tenkeyless) are slim wireless boards at £109.99 each in UK ISO, and the Keychron K5 Max adds a numpad for £114.99^[13]. They're hot-swappable, but with Gateron low-profile switches, which aren't MX-compatible. That means far fewer switches to choose from when you swap. In return they sit close to the desk and feel more like a good laptop keyboard, and they're light enough to carry: the K3 Max weighs 525 g. Our low-profile keyboards guide covers them in more detail.

Check whether your board's sockets take 5-pin switches. Most switches sold today have five pins: the three that every MX-style switch has, plus two plastic legs that help hold it straight on boards without a plate. A 5-pin socket takes both kinds; a 3-pin socket needs those two plastic legs clipped off first. Of the boards above, Keychron lists 5-pin support on most of its models, as does Royal Kludge on the RK61.

Pull switches straight up with the tool that comes in the box, squeezing the clips on both sides, and push new ones in straight down with the pins lined up. Bent pins are the most common mistake and are usually fixed with tweezers. If a switch won't seat, take it out and look at the pins rather than pressing harder, because forcing it can damage the socket. Don't try to swap switches on the magnetic, optical or low-profile boards with ordinary MX switches; each takes only its own type.

Finally, decide what you're changing towards before you buy a set. Our switch types guide explains linear, tactile and clicky, and the switches list shows what's available in the UK.