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Hall effect (HE) keyboards have surged in popularity in recent years, and Keychron is one of many manufacturers that jumped in to provide HE versions of their existing models, like the Q1 HE. But with the K2 HE, Keychron is offering a special edition to make things more interesting. The K2 HE Special Edition brings unique wood accents to the design along with wireless connectivity and hall effect performance. It also features an attractive $140 price tag. But does it deliver on performance and usability? Let’s take a deep dive into its features, strengths, and drawbacks to see if it’s the right HE keyboard for you.

Before we dive in I want to mention that Keychron sent me the K2 HE special edition for the purpose of reviewing it. No money changed hands and Keychron did not provide any input on the review or see it before publishing. I tested the K2 HE for a little over a week between my 9-5 job and dedicated testing of its various features.

Specifications

The K2 H2 features the same basic design as the original K2, but rather than offering the plastic-only option, Keychron is offering a standard version that includes an aluminum top frame as well as the special edition which adds wood accents to the sides and unique keycaps.

• Layout & Build
  • 75% compact layout with 84 keys
  • Available in ANSI and ISO layouts (Special Edition); Standard Edition only in ANSI
  • Special Edition: Aluminum frame with wood side accents; Standard Edition: Aluminum top frame, ABS bottom
  • Fold-out feet with three typing angles
• Connectivity
  • Bluetooth (up to three devices) with 90Hz polling rate
  • 2.4GHz wireless with 1,000Hz polling rate
  • USB-C wired connection with 1,000Hz polling rate
  • Side-mounted OS and connection switches
• Internal Components & Mounting
  • Tray-mounted with a hot-swappable PCB
  • Gateron Nebula dual-rail magnetic switches (factory lubed)
  • 40g actuation force, 60g bottom-out force
  • Adjustable actuation range (0.2mm – 3.8mm)
  • Screw-in PCB-mounted stabilizers (light factory lubrication)
  • Sound-dampening foam layers and silicone case padding
• Keycaps & Backlighting
  • Special Edition: Double-shot OSA profile PBT keycaps (non-shine-through)
  • Standard Edition: Cherry profile shine-through PBT keycaps
  • North-facing RGB backlighting with 22 lighting modes (no per-key customization)
• Software & Customization
  • Keychron Launcher web app for:
    • Key remapping
    • Actuation point adjustments
    • Rapid trigger functionality
    • Dynamic keystrokes, last key priority (SOCD), and analog controller mode
    • Firmware updates
• Battery Life
  • 4,000mAh battery capacity
  • Estimated 110 hours of usage (with backlighting off)

Pros

The K2 HE has several pros, a few of which make it stand out from the competition in the hall effect space.

• Advanced Customization Options: The K2 HE brings all the expected hall effect features including adjustable actuation points, rapid trigger, and analog input. In addition there are more complex custom features including dynamic keystroke and last key priority (SOCD). If you’re planning to use last key priority during online gaming, be sure to check the game’s rules because at least a couple have banned this feature due to the advantage that it gives the player. Because it enables your keyboard to transmit the signal from a key even if you’re still holding another, you can more rapidly alternate between left and right movement with no delay – naturally this allows you to “strafe” in FPS games faster than someone without this feature. Overall, the level of customization offered by the K2 HE is comparable to competitors like Wooting and NuPhy, though the customization process using the Launcher web app is not quite as polished as the competition. For example, while firmware updates are supported, it’s a multi-step unplug/hold a key/plug back in process, whereas Wooting’s firmware updates are a “press the button and it’s done” process.
• Wireless Connectivity: This one is the differentiator for Keychron’s HE keyboards. Unlike most competitors in the hall effect space, the K2 HE supports Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless, making it more versatile for different use cases. The Bluetooth connections worked well for me, but don’t offer high polling rates for gaming. The 2.4GHz connection worked, but I did have a couple bugs. Comments on my video embedded above seem to indicate the issue was a one-off situation specific to my unit rather than a design issue. There is a potential downside to this feature overall if you’re a competitive gamer, though (see the Neutral section below).
• Improved Typing Feel and Sound: Compared to the K2 Pro that I tested in the past, the K2 HE delivers a more pleasant typing experience with deeper acoustics and a more refined feel. The Gateron Nebula dual-rail magnetic switches have a snappy rebound and help to keep the typing feel from being too firm, which it could otherwise be with the tray mount and aluminum plate.
• Macro Support: Here’s another standout feature compared to some HE competitors, the K2 HE supports firmware-based macros without needing additional software. Wooting specifically has yet to implement firmware macros, instead requiring extra software running on your computer if you want to use them. The K2 HE lets you record macros and map them directly to any key or in a layer below the primary keys, which is great for productivity work, especially if you use your keyboard with an employer-owned computer that won’t let you install third party software.
• Backlight Orientation: North-facing LEDs improve visibility with shine-through keycaps (Standard Edition), so they are welcome here. Unfortunately the special edition that I tested comes with non-shine-through OSA profile keycaps. While I have no real complaints about them, it’s a shame not to take advantage of those north-facing lights. If you want that shine-through, stick with the standard version. It’s worth noting there is no per-key RGB control with the Launcher software currently, so you cannot set your backlight color separately for each key.
• Multiple OS & Layout Support: Available in both ANSI and ISO layouts, and compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, and gaming consoles.

Neutral Aspects

These are items worth mentioning, but are either very subjective and will be interpreted differently based on your point of view, or don’t have inherent pro/con characteristics.

• Design Aesthetics: The wood accents on the Special Edition may not appeal to everyone – if they don’t, see the the standard version.
• Compact 75% Layout: The lack of spacing around the arrow keys may not suit every user’s preferences. The Q1 HE offers the “exploded” 75% layout with more spacing, but it’s also quite a bit more expensive due to the all-aluminum case.
• RGB Limitations: While the backlighting has multiple modes, there’s no per-key customization, which may be a downside for some.
• Battery Life: At 100ish hours with backlighting off, it’s not outstanding but reasonable given the niche of wireless HE keyboards. There are no competitors that I’m aware of offering a wireless hall-effect keyboard with amazing battery life. If you’re looking for excellent gaming performance over a wireless connection along with excellent battery life and don’t have your heart set on a hall effect keyboard, check out the ASUS ROG Azoth.
• Higher Latency than Competitors: The tradeoff of having wireless connectivity is that the K2HE does not offer the cutting-edge latency performance of some competitors. In testing by rtings.com, the wired and 2.4GHz latency (3.4ms and 5.6ms, respectively) was higher than wired-only options like the Wooting 80HE (0.4ms) and NuPhy Field75 HE (0.8ms). However, the latency of the K2 HE is perfectly acceptable for casual gaming and even some competitive gaming, which is why I did not count this as a con.

Cons

Lastly we have the cons that I experienced while testing the K2 HE.

• Side-Mounted USB-C Port: The location of the USB-C port makes it difficult to use third-party cables and right-angle connectors. If you have a favorite USB cable for your keyboards, it may not be a great fit. This shouldn’t be a big deal if you plan to avail yourself of the wireless connections most of the time, but I still found it frustrating.
• Inconsistent 2.4GHz Connection: While using the 2.4GHz connection with my Windows laptop for a week, I experienced occasional instability of the connection. It did not behave like interference, but rather like a dropped signal that occurred randomly. However I have seen comments on my review video (above) stating that other owners have not experienced this issue, so it could be just a minor bug with my unit.

Conclusion

The Keychron K2 HE carves out its niche by combining Hall effect customization with wireless connectivity, a feature set rarely seen together at this point in 2025. It’s a nice option for those who want the benefits of an HE keyboard but don’t need ultra-low latency for competitive gaming. However, if performance is your top priority, options like the Wooting 80HE or NuPhy Field75 HE provide better responsiveness, albeit at higher price points.

If you prioritize wireless functionality, a firm typing feel, and a balance of customization and price, the K2 HE makes a compelling case.