Keychron K17 Max vs 1970s Mechanical Keyboard
Keychron K17 Max is the cheaper pick at $94.99, roughly 4% under 1970s Mechanical Keyboard ($99.00). Keychron K17 Max offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while 1970s Mechanical Keyboard trims the footprint. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Detailed comparison
Spec-by-spec breakdown — differences highlighted in cyan.
| Spec | Keychron K17 Max | 1970s Mechanical Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Keychron K17 Max | 1970s Mechanical Keyboard |
| Brand | Keychron | Lofree |
| Price range | $94.99 – $114.99 | $99.00 |
| Community score | — | — |
| Form factor | 96% | TKL (80%) |
| Key count | 96 | 87 |
| Hot-swap | Yes | No |
| Supported switch pins | 3, 5 | — |
| Case material | — | — |
| Plate material | — | — |
| Mounting style | — | — |
| Connectivity | Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+), 2.4GHz wireless (dongle) | — |
| RGB lighting | Yes | No |
| Layouts supported | ANSI | — |
| QMK support | Yes | — |
| VIA support | Yes | — |
| Weight (g) | — | — |
| Polling rate (Hz) | — | — |
Name
- Keychron K17 Max
- Keychron K17 Max
- 1970s Mechanical Keyboard
- 1970s Mechanical Keyboard
Brand
- Keychron K17 Max
- Keychron
Price range
- Keychron K17 Max
- $94.99 – $114.99
Community score
Form factor
- 1970s Mechanical Keyboard
- TKL (80%)
Key count
Hot-swap
Supported switch pins
- Keychron K17 Max
- 3, 5
Case material
Plate material
Mounting style
Connectivity
- Keychron K17 Max
- Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+), 2.4GHz wireless (dongle)
RGB lighting
Layouts supported
- Keychron K17 Max
- ANSI
QMK support
VIA support
Weight (g)
Polling rate (Hz)
Which should you buy?
Keychron K17 Max is the cheaper pick at $94.99, roughly 4% under 1970s Mechanical Keyboard ($99.00). Keychron K17 Max offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while 1970s Mechanical Keyboard trims the footprint. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Pick Keychron K17 Max if
From $94.99
- You want a 96% layout
- You plan to swap switches without soldering
- You want per-key RGB lighting
- You're on a tighter budget
Pick 1970s Mechanical Keyboard if
From $99.00
- You want a tkl (80%) layout
Also compared
Popular pairings that involve K17 Max or Mechanical Keyboard.