By: Aaron Lai
September 18, 2026
Whenever I am in Toronto, I am always reminded of the excellent food selection regardless of where you are. I was there last month for a convention located in the downtown area. However, within a short walk, we tried different cuisines that were both delicious and affordable. This included cheaper locations for dumplings or meat patties, various Chinese noodles, and all-you-can-eat sushi. We even tried a more upscale Vietnamese place that one might call a "flavor explosion". Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my hometown, as our area seems to all serve similar food and requires a bit more travel to get variety. Obviously, this comes with the better walkability of downtown Toronto as opposed to Calgary, but the food scene is more vibrant and diverse. In a similar vein, some keyboard manufacturers have options that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. These hit different price points and target audiences. However, our manufacturer today, Keychron, takes a more focused approach, as their keyboards are streamlined in design and implementation. Unlike food, there can still be positives from here, as this approach leads to greater consistency in execution. Today, we have the Keychron V3 8K, which is a wired tenkeyless option that provides up to 8000Hz report rate. How does this keyboard perform, and does it align with the other solid options from Keychron? Let us read on to find out!
Our review unit of the Keychron V3 8K arrived from their headquarters based in Shunde, Guangdong, China. It was shipped via DHL International Express and came to our APH Networks location, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The package was stored in a DHL-branded poly mailer shipping bag and filled with several layers of bubble wrap to cushion the V3 8K from any blows. There was a dent or two on the retail box inside, but otherwise, there was nothing to be too concerned about.
As for the retail box of the Keychron V3 8K, it has a standard look with a fully black paper sleeve that goes around a black box. The top left has the product name and descriptor of "A TKL Wired Mechanical Keyboard" underneath. The Keychron logo is on the right corner. In the middle, there is a scaled down image of the keyboard along with a large label that specifies the 8KHz polling rate. Underneath, there are notable features, including the online utility to customize the keyboard, support for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and a fast and precise input due to its high polling rate. We also have a label on the bottom right corner to indicate this V3 8K includes Keychron Apex Red linear switches. This is a bit interesting, given Keychron advertises this keyboard with their Super switches on the website rather than the Apex. Otherwise, we can proceed with opening the box.
Before we continue, I have grabbed the specifications from the manufacturer's website for your perusal:
Product Information
Size: 140.56 x 366.7 mm
Front Height: 19.44mm (without keycaps)
Back Height: 26.83 mm (without keycaps)
Bottom Case Material: Plastic
Feet Height: 2 mm
Angle: 3.5° / 7.26° / 9.69°
Weight: 1005 g ± 10 g
Body Material: Plastic
Keycap: OSA Double-shot PBT keycaps
Plate Material: Steel
Switch: Keychron Apex Switch
Stabilizer: Screw-in PCB stabilizer
Backlight: South-facing RGB LED
Battery: N/A
Compatible System: macOS/Windows/Linux
Operating Environment: -10 to 50℃
Performance
Connectivity: Type-C Wired
Polling Rate: 8000 Hz
N-Key Rollover (NKRO): Yes
Wireless Working Time: N/A
Hot-swappable: Yes
Bluetooth Device Name: N/A
Out of the box, the Keychron V3 8K comes wrapped in a translucent plastic bag that is marked with the product name. Other accessories for the keyboard can be found in the box, including a braided 1.8m USB Type-C to Type-C cable, USB Type-A to Type-C adapter, keycap puller, switch puller, screwdriver, and a hex key. In a separate bag, we also have a few keycaps to swap out depending on if you are using the Mac or Windows layout, which is a handy addition. We also have a few more Keychron Apex Red switches that match with the rest of the ones on the keyboard.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
