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expired Posted by reptarSnax • Feb 26, 2024
expired Posted by reptarSnax • Feb 26, 2024

Keychron C3 Pro QMK/VIA Custom Programmable Gaming Keyboard (Red or Brown Switches)

$30

$46

34% off
Amazon
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Update: This popular deal is still available.

Keychron Basic via Amazon has Keychron C3 Pro QMK/VIA Custom Programmable Gaming Keyboard (Red or Brown Switches) on sale for $29.91. Shipping is free w/ Prime or on $35+ orders.

Thanks to Deal Hunter reptarSnax for finding this deal.

Available: Features:
  • QMK/VIA software support: QMK / VIA is open-source software for keyboards that allows anyone to program and remap each key easily and quickly. You can personalize your own keyboard layouts, shortcuts, backlight effects, and more.
  • Gasket mount design: The C3 Pro uses a gasket mount structure to reduce sound resonance while adding more typing flexibility. Along with the sound-absorbing foam and the case foam, it provides you with a quieter and smoother typing experience.
  • 1000 Hz polling rate & NKRO: Empowered by the high- performance ARM architecture MCU with 256KB Flash, it provides a 1000 Hz polling rate for a fast and responsive typing speed in your working and gaming. The NKRO feature is convenient to help you enter multiple keypresses at a time.
  • Easy toggle between macOS and Windows: Press the key combo FN + CAPS to instantly change the keyboard working system to Mac / Win. And it accommodates universal keycaps compatible with both systems.
  • Shine-through double-shot ABS keycaps: Made through the ABS double-shot process, the keycaps are durable and wear-resistant. Meanwhile, the shine-through legends lit up by the north-facing LED present a glamorous look at your fingertips. And you can also switch from more than 14 types of red backlights.

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake | Staff

Original Post

Written by reptarSnax
Product Info
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Product Info
Community Notes
About the Poster
Update: This popular deal is still available.

Keychron Basic via Amazon has Keychron C3 Pro QMK/VIA Custom Programmable Gaming Keyboard (Red or Brown Switches) on sale for $29.91. Shipping is free w/ Prime or on $35+ orders.

Thanks to Deal Hunter reptarSnax for finding this deal.

Available: Features:
  • QMK/VIA software support: QMK / VIA is open-source software for keyboards that allows anyone to program and remap each key easily and quickly. You can personalize your own keyboard layouts, shortcuts, backlight effects, and more.
  • Gasket mount design: The C3 Pro uses a gasket mount structure to reduce sound resonance while adding more typing flexibility. Along with the sound-absorbing foam and the case foam, it provides you with a quieter and smoother typing experience.
  • 1000 Hz polling rate & NKRO: Empowered by the high- performance ARM architecture MCU with 256KB Flash, it provides a 1000 Hz polling rate for a fast and responsive typing speed in your working and gaming. The NKRO feature is convenient to help you enter multiple keypresses at a time.
  • Easy toggle between macOS and Windows: Press the key combo FN + CAPS to instantly change the keyboard working system to Mac / Win. And it accommodates universal keycaps compatible with both systems.
  • Shine-through double-shot ABS keycaps: Made through the ABS double-shot process, the keycaps are durable and wear-resistant. Meanwhile, the shine-through legends lit up by the north-facing LED present a glamorous look at your fingertips. And you can also switch from more than 14 types of red backlights.

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake | Staff

Original Post

Written by reptarSnax

Community Voting

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+67
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Top Comments

murdocke
558 Posts
83 Reputation
Red switches are quieter than brown, and brown switches are quieter than blue.
hoy13
342 Posts
98 Reputation
Red light is the least likely to harm your ability to see in the dark. Lights on the red end of the color spectrum are less harsh on your eyes in dark environments
BigBG
936 Posts
719 Reputation
This is a good cheap board for professionals (non-gamers). Yes you can turn the backlight off. Yes it comes with spare black space/esc/enter keys.

EDIT: lol I made some tween mad

70 Comments

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Feb 27, 2024
499 Posts
Joined Jul 2006
Feb 27, 2024
samsus
Feb 27, 2024
499 Posts
Quote from BigBG :
It's fine for that too. Just get the red switches, not the brown switches.
Switches are a preference. I prefer to game on browns over red.
Feb 27, 2024
302 Posts
Joined Nov 2016
Feb 27, 2024
ProtonDestron
Feb 27, 2024
302 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank ProtonDestron

Quote from bestdeal113 :
Wish they had media control on the 87-key one 🫣
With VIA software every single key is reprogrammable, for example print screen, scroll lock, pause keys to volume down, volume up and mute.

You can also add any possible key combination and macro using VIA layers. The software is open-source, web-based and supports Windows, Linux & Mac.

At $30 this could be the most affordable VIA keyboard ever made. The only catch is its switches are not hot-swappable.
2
1
Feb 27, 2024
610 Posts
Joined Jun 2022

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Feb 27, 2024
1,214 Posts
Joined Dec 2013
Feb 27, 2024
techbuff
Feb 27, 2024
1,214 Posts
Quote from peguy11 :
Love my KeyChron Q6 Pro ($230) fully customizable top of the line. I would have jumped on this for fun if it was wireless. The VIA is the best feature imho for this cheap board with only red lights, north facing, wired and will be hard to see in the dark/low light...but you get what you pay for.
If you want maximum switch compatibility and a smooth-typing experience, go with South-Facing switches/PCB/LED (all terminologies mean the same). If you want your keycap legends to illuminate at night, then go with North-Facing.

https://fantechworld.com/blogs/fa...g-switches
Feb 27, 2024
2,445 Posts
Joined Nov 2007
Feb 27, 2024
craig.678
Feb 27, 2024
2,445 Posts
Need a full size one
Pro
Expert
This user is an Expert in Computers
Feb 27, 2024
11,649 Posts
Joined Oct 2009
Feb 27, 2024
TekkenLord
Feb 27, 2024
Pro
Expert
This user is an Expert in Computers
11,649 Posts
Quote from peguy11 :
Love my KeyChron Q6 Pro ($230) fully customizable top of the line. I would have jumped on this for fun if it was wireless. The VIA is the best feature imho for this cheap board with only red lights, north facing, wired and will be hard to see in the dark/low light...but you get what you pay for.
I have the OnePlus 81 Pro [oneplus.com] (essentially the Q1 Pro with OnePlus customization). It's a perfect daily keeb for my use case, and I am pretty happy with the purchase. Additionally, I have the blue Q2 with knob and Drop HPX switches, and as you already read up online, all Keychron Qx keebs are top of the line.
Feb 27, 2024
9 Posts
Joined Feb 2021
Feb 27, 2024
TerraRogue
Feb 27, 2024
9 Posts
Quote from KorgGamer69 :
Switches are hotswappable.

"Keychron hasn't cut any corners. The switches are hot-swappable and there's an LED under every keycap. The keycaps are shine-thru types and the double-shot design feels well made. The best bit about this keyboard is the ability to program the keyboard using VIA."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mark...board/amp/
Would be a little cautious on if this is actually hot swappable or not. Nowhere on Amazon or Keychrons website does it mention that this is hot swappable. Not sure if Forbes knows something the makers don't, but wanted to give a warning! If it is hot swappable, this seems like an amazing keeb.

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Feb 27, 2024
312 Posts
Joined Nov 2016
Feb 27, 2024
peguy11
Feb 27, 2024
312 Posts
Quote from KorgGamer69 :
Switches are hotswappable.

"Keychron hasn't cut any corners. The switches are hot-swappable and there's an LED under every keycap. The keycaps are shine-thru types and the double-shot design feels well made. The best bit about this keyboard is the ability to program the keyboard using VIA."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mark...board/amp/
Thanks for the Forbes article but nothing on this product says the same thing. Everything says they ARE NOT hot swappable. Does anyone know this product and can confirm if you can hot swap?
Feb 27, 2024
30 Posts
Joined May 2019
Feb 27, 2024
LivelySwallow221
Feb 27, 2024
30 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank LivelySwallow221

I have this keyboard : NOT hotswappable

Also, it is really good for $30. I wish the brown switches were more tactile, the LEDs weren't red, and the keycaps were a little nicer but that's nitpicks on a VIA/QMK kb at this price.
Last edited by LivelySwallow221 February 27, 2024 at 07:19 AM.
1
Feb 27, 2024
76 Posts
Joined Nov 2020
Feb 27, 2024
FantasticMammoth103
Feb 27, 2024
76 Posts
Take my wife before you take my numpad
1
Feb 27, 2024
25 Posts
Joined Nov 2015
Feb 27, 2024
coppertrial
Feb 27, 2024
25 Posts
Quote from bugsy714 :
Any reason why this wouldn't be sufficient for a high school gamer?
I had this and decided to return it.
I really liked the feel of the keys when typing, but the LEDs were too dim, even at max brightness. Only the "enter" and "esc" keys seemed reasonably bright.

The height was also just a few mm higher than my hyperx origins keyboard, so a wrist rest would probably be necessary.

And if you decide to use your own usb-c cable, it can't have a long strain relief; the channels where you route the cable inside will get in the way.
Pro
Feb 27, 2024
2,936 Posts
Joined Nov 2005
Feb 27, 2024
BrainDoc
Pro
Feb 27, 2024
2,936 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank BrainDoc

Quote from KorgGamer69 :
Switches are hotswappable.

"Keychron hasn't cut any corners. The switches are hot-swappable and there's an LED under every keycap. The keycaps are shine-thru types and the double-shot design feels well made. The best bit about this keyboard is the ability to program the keyboard using VIA."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mark...board/amp/ [forbes.com]
That article is incorrect. They are not hot swappable per KeyChron: https://www.amazon.com/ask/questi...B0CBWH8VPN

Also, see discussions online: https://www.reddit.com/r/Keychron...he_c3_pro/
Last edited by BrainDoc February 27, 2024 at 09:00 AM.
1
Feb 27, 2024
76 Posts
Joined Nov 2020
Feb 27, 2024
FantasticMammoth103
Feb 27, 2024
76 Posts
Quote from coppertrial :
I had this and decided to return it.
I really liked the feel of the keys when typing, but the LEDs were too dim, even at max brightness. Only the "enter" and "esc" keys seemed reasonably bright.

The height was also just a few mm higher than my hyperx origins keyboard, so a wrist rest would probably be necessary.

And if you decide to use your own usb-c cable, it can't have a long strain relief; the channels where you route the cable inside will get in the way.
I might get a lot of flack for this but I stopped caring about LEDs on my keyboard after I learned how to properly type. I don't look at my keyboard at all and I program on top of that.
Feb 27, 2024
282 Posts
Joined Jul 2007
Feb 27, 2024
Aznsensation
Feb 27, 2024
282 Posts
I had to return this keyboard because the media controls sometimes do not work.

Otherwise, this keyboard is nice for the price. I didn't like the red light though

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Feb 27, 2024
367 Posts
Joined Oct 2019
Feb 27, 2024
Bstaznkid4lyfe
Feb 27, 2024
367 Posts
One color back light..Are we back in 2009?..Those were the days..
1

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