Keychron K5 SE vs Keychron K9 Max
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 15% under Keychron K9 Max ($99.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron K9 Max 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 K5 SE | Keychron K9 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Keychron K5 SE | Keychron K9 Max |
| Brand | Keychron | Keychron |
| Price range | $84.99 | $99.99 |
| Community score | — | — |
| Form factor | Full-size (100%) | 60% |
| Key count | 104 | 61 |
| Hot-swap | Yes | Yes |
| Supported switch pins | 3, 5 | 3, 5 |
| Case material | — | Aluminum 6063 |
| Plate material | — | — |
| Mounting style | — | — |
| Connectivity | Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+) | Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+), 2.4GHz wireless (dongle) |
| RGB lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Layouts supported | ISO DE | ANSI |
| QMK support | — | Yes |
| VIA support | — | — |
| Weight (g) | — | — |
| Polling rate (Hz) | — | — |
Name
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron K9 Max
- Keychron K9 Max
Brand
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron
- Keychron K9 Max
- Keychron
Price range
- Keychron K5 SE
- $84.99
- Keychron K9 Max
- $99.99
Community score
Form factor
- Keychron K5 SE
- Full-size (100%)
Key count
Hot-swap
Supported switch pins
- Keychron K5 SE
- 3, 5
- Keychron K9 Max
- 3, 5
Case material
- Keychron K9 Max
- Aluminum 6063
Plate material
Mounting style
Connectivity
- Keychron K5 SE
- Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+)
- Keychron K9 Max
- Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+), 2.4GHz wireless (dongle)
RGB lighting
Layouts supported
- Keychron K5 SE
- ISO DE
- Keychron K9 Max
- ANSI
QMK support
VIA support
Weight (g)
Polling rate (Hz)
Which should you buy?
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 15% under Keychron K9 Max ($99.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron K9 Max 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 K5 SE if
From $84.99
- You want a full-size (100%) layout
- You're on a tighter budget
Pick Keychron K9 Max if
From $99.99
- You want a 60% layout
Also compared
Popular pairings that involve K5 SE or K9 Max.