Keychron K2 HE Concrete Review: Rock-Solid Writing

The stabilizers are PCB-mounted, which is better than the plate-mounted units that most keyboards use, and they are lubricated from the factory. Lubrication on these settings, while abundant (there were small clumps of lube visible on the outer housings, which are not very noticeable), feels good. The default keys are smooth and consistent, not vibrating or sticking when typing.

But as it turns out, the biggest downside of this keyboard, too, is the selection of features. As much as unsealed, raw concrete is fun and interesting, it is very practical: It is heavy, has an irregular shape, and stains easily. During my time with this keyboard, it collected several smudges and stains, almost all of which were unknown to me. Maybe it’s from the detergent spray, or from my hands, but I honestly don’t know. Depending on your perspective, this can be a disadvantage or a bonus. What some see as ugly, others will see as “patina”. But as someone who likes to keep their electronics as simple as possible for as long as possible, it makes me very happy.

(Being concrete, I would think there are many ways to remove any stain from this keyboard, such as a power washer or brake cleaner. However, I didn’t have a chance to try it myself, so I can’t vouch for its feasibility.)

Games on Granite

Despite my several complaints about Keychron’s all-ceramic keyboardI still liked the Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) switches inside. It was new, functional, and innovative, with well-known advantages Hall Effect (HE) modulation.. So, I was surprised to see this keyboard make its way back to HE switches. They’re still great switches, yes, but going back to the low-key keyboard layout doesn’t make sense to me.

Regardless, these switches are still amazing by any standard. They are smooth, they have the right weight, they bounce back quickly when pressed. This keyboard feels great to type on, and is responsive enough for gaming, especially with a 1,000 Hz rating.

Photo: Henry Robbins