Long‑term Keychron K11 Pro/Max review covering durability, ergonomics, typing comfort, and real‑world travel performance.
I’ve extensively used the Keychron K11 Pro/Max, a mechanical, low-profile keyboard in a split unibody (Alice) layout, for just over two years now, which has given plenty of time to learn about its pros, cons, and quirks. Spoiler alert: It’s never let me down. The K11 Pro/Max remains an excellent and comfortable keyboard for lots of typing, and still remains highly recommended for travel given its portability.
Original rating: ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ 5.0/5.0 Outstanding [Read original review here]
Long-Term rating: ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ 5.0/5.0 Outstanding
Build quality and durability
My own daily use doesn’t exactly torture the keyboard, but I don’t baby it either. It is carried around in a backpack, used on office desks, lives in its case, and has racked up the miles. The keyboard itself is still pristine, and there have simply been no problems. With a daily wipe down, the body looks like when it was first unboxed. Despite weighting just over 500g (1.1 lbs), it is and continues to be a solid keyboard.
The keys have also held up well, and the alphabet and symbols on the key caps haven’t rubbed off. The only key to become shiny due to repeated use are the space bars, but that is to be expected.
Typing experience and ergonomics
The keys provide good support and provide a decent amount of travel. Combined with brown tactile switches installed, the physical and audible typing experience still feels satisfying. Fingers don’t slip off, helping to enhance speed and accuracy. It took me around a month to reach 84 WPM at around 98% accuracy - the same speed that I can hit with the Microsoft/Incase Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard, which is my desktop daily driver, and the keyboard in which I benchmark others against. I’ve written thousands of pages and emails using the keyboard, and it remains comfortable and accurate.
In my original review, I said that the K11 Pro/Max felt a bit cramped. While the keyboard does feel a bit smaller than a typical desktop keyboard such as the Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, it’s something that you can get used to it.
I can confirm that the split Alice design helps to mitigate wrist pain. However, given its small design, the Keychron K11 Pro/Max lacks a negative riser to help keep your wrists in a more neutral, straight alignment. To gain maximum ergonomic benefit, you really need to have a good office chair which has adjustable armrests, to position your hands so it hovers slightly above the keyboard. You’ll still gain the benefits of the split “Alice” layout without good arm rests, but it means you have to be more careful that you don’t end up bending your wrists upwards.
Wireless Connectivity Quality
The built-in Bluetooth connectivity has never missed a beat. It never skips nor repeats a key press. The only quirk is that if you’ve left the keyboard unused for a while, you need to press a key to wake it up. It then immediately reconnects in a split second, and it functions normally. I’ve never felt any latency, and it is an excellent performer.
Cleaning
The keycaps are very easy to pull off using the included keycap remover, and I’ve done this several times to clean the keys, as well as the space underneath. It’s certainly much, much easier than keyboards with scissor switches. Popping the keys back on is as simple as pushing it back onto the switch.
I also occasionally use anti-bacterial wipes to clean the keyboard and it has not negatively impacted the finish.
Battery life
I personally keep the RGB backlight on for fun, and it usually lasts around 10-12 days until needing a recharge. Without the backlight, it can last up to 20-22 days. Despite using it for two years, I haven’t noticed any battery degradation. To keep it topped up, plugging in the keyboard for a few hours once every couple of weeks is enough to fill up the battery. As they keyboard supports cable connectivity, even if the keyboard is completely drained, you can still use it when wired.
Portability
Carrying this in a backpack for the past couple of years has shown that it is travel-friendly, hitting the sweet spot between compact, yet still practical for long writing sessions. The low-profile nature of the keyboard helps to save space. I didn’t find that I particularly missed the deeper key travel of standard-profile keyboards, especially when it meant less bulk to carry around.
Carrying pouch quality
I bought what Keychron calls a saffino leather pouch to carry the K11 Max/Pro around, and am happy to report that the case has stood the test of time. The string to keep the pouch closed hasn’t snapped or fallen off, while the leather itself still looks new. It’s also easy to wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
Difference between the Pro and Max Models
The K11 Pro and Max are essentially the same keyboard, with an identical typing experience. It’s an academic comparison though, as the Pro is no longer produced, being replaced by the updated Max. The key difference is the Max has acoustic foam to dampen typing sound, and also comes with a USB A wireless receiver dongle.
Final verdict
After a couple of years of use, I still highly recommend the Keychron K11 Max/Pro for people who are:
- Looking for a low profile, portable, compact keyboard which perfectly balances practicality and travel-friendliness – something you could throw into a backpack and not feel the weight of.
- Coming from traditional staggered layout keyboards, and are not looking to spend the time to retrain decades of muscle memory to use 60% keyboards, thumb cluster keyboards, or other weird and wonderful layouts
- Want an affordable, beginner-friendly way to enter the world of mechanical keyboards
- Are using this to primarily type lots of documents and emails
The K11 Pro/Max has certainly earned its place as a reliable companion for those who need the best, most reliable companion without a massive price tag. It maintains the full five star rating in my books.
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