Keychron C2 - My First Full Size Mechanical Keyboard

Unboxing and my first impression using a mechanical keyboard.
Keychron explanation for faded keycaps - bit.ly/3A6YYsR
Keychron C2 Wired Mechanical Keyboard
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0:00 Intro
0:12 Logo
0:14 Reasons I need a keyboard
0:50 Choosing the Keychron C2
1:34 Cherry MX Silent Red Teaser
1:44 Gateron Blue switch typing sound demo
1:54 Thoughts on Gateron Blue switch
2:24 Quick specs
2:30 Included contents
2:50 My first impressions
3:00 "Bad" points
3:34 Limited switch options
3:45 "Good" points
4:09 RGB Demo
4:49 Build quality and feel
5:12 Mac / Win / Linux compatible
5:29 Nice packaging
5:31 "Neutral" points and questions
6:09 Typing experience
7:04 Final thoughts
7:20 More videos for you
#KeychronC2 #FullSizeMechnicalKeyboard #Impression

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Updated video - Cherry MX Silent Red switch mod! 😉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXnbp3yGh96Se6s

[@Bingbong420style]

The edits are really slick, great review

[@Blenduu]

Very detailed and beyond helpful! I really love how you incorporate your organic thoughts/ curiosity in the video review. Thanks for taking the time to research, add resources and edit. This video seriously compels me to consider this product. Stay well, my friend!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

You are so welcome! Thank you for always watching my video and leaving me supportive comments. It's really nice of you. It's a whole new world for me. I've got lots more to learn and share in a future video when I have used it a bit longer and tried out different switch etc. Already looking to customise the key caps!!! So many options on the market. Very tempting, too many to choose from. Thank you for your blessing. Stay safe and well too my dear friend.

[@hansenhenry5438]

Wow, something about this review is so nice, honestly one of my favorite style of reviews in a long time, and I watch a lot. You need more subs! Haha

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Wow, thank you very much for such kinds words. Really appreciate it! Thanks again 🤗

[@thecasualvlog3341]

I just want to say that I love the new content, keep it up! I’ve been watching for almost ten years at this point (w/ different accounts).

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Wow, thank you so much for all the support over the years. What a wonderful comment that I did not expect to see today. Honestly, thank you very very much. More content to follow soon! Definitely hoping to grow and pump out more videos for 2022!

[@dragonmaster1500]

Man, even on their ultrabudget keyborads, Keychron sure give you some nice features.

[@jesuszamora6949]

Yeah, can't really go wrong with keychron. Them and Royal Kludge are brands to absolutely stand by in the keyboard space.

[@sneaky1x.317]

picked up the non-rgb retro colourway with the red switches and so far I have no regrets! Thanks for confirming that this was a good purchase with this review haha.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Glad I could help! Thank you so much for your view and leaving me a feedback comment.

[@elwag12]

2:10 🤣 The good old storys!😅

[@RuinerNet]

I just picked this up with brown switches, typing on it now, I'm pleased.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks James for your feedback. Glad to know this video helps. Are you still enjoying the keyboard?

[@RuinerNet]

@@JoeLamOfficial sure am, I took it into the office to use there and I am considering getting another one for my son for Christmas. Cheers man!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Are you happy with the included switches? 😅

[@RuinerNet]

@@JoeLamOfficial yes, I choose brown because I wanted something with a bit of a tactile click but not as loud as others. I’m finding all sorts of interesting stuff on custom keycaps and slipping into a rabbit hole, help!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

It's definitely a rabbit hole once you start. 😅 I keep finding switch and key caps that I want to buy or try out. Already have another wireless mech keyboard in my arsenal! I'll upload video about it soon.

[@andrewface]

Had both the gateron red and blue version and I love the blue so much more for my office. The reds were way too easy to trigger and I made too many mistakes. Blues feel and sounds perfect (I also had browns at one point and they weren't that much quieter than blue).

[@JoeLamOfficial]

I do miss the blue. Not so much the noise but the feel. I find my new silent reds very odd. Like I don’t know when I’ve hit the keys. End up hitting the keys way harder = more fatigue.

[@finn1333]

im sure ur coworkers love it too lol

[@OldAussieAds]

I agree. Brows are way louder than I once assumed. But the key difference for me is that the browns aren't high pitched like the blues. The blues just really grate on my nerves after a while.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Maybe try mod the brown to see if the sound can be reduced a little more?

[@md.rafiqulislam780]

What a nice Review!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. Really appreciate you watching my video. 🙏🏼

[@guachito33]

bought this a month ago and did a few mods, foam, PE foam, tape mod and Gateron Yellow pro switches, sounds 100 times better, I used XDA profile from Amazon and it made it even thockier but I switched to Cherry profile caps just to have shine thru, I also painted the frame white. really good keyboard.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Wow! Awesome mods you've done there! Is it difficult to take the frame apart?

[@ASMRaphael]

So absolutely wonderful and superb :) Exceptional content my dear friend :)

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thank you so much for your kind words. 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@camelCased]

Having a tough choice between C2 Pro, V6 with knob, K5 Pro, K10 Pro. However, the K versions with brown switches are out-of-stock in nearby stores, so, I guess it's between C2 Pro or V6. The knob seems cool though.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Out of the two, the V6 seems like a nicer keyboard? Depends if you think you have the use case for the knob, but I like the V6 seems more premium built with the damping material and customisability.

[@jkomodo]

This might be a bit of an intricate question.. Are you able to change the color when you have the lighting on key reaction? Like when you press a key and it does a little burst of light- are you able to cycle through a color of your choosing?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

There are lots of built in light effects. I think there is one that does similar effect you have described.

[@boshintang]

I already like it as is. If I want to improve it, I can use it as an opportunity to learn how to lube and all that stuff.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Did you purchase one yourself and done those mods? I'm planning on lubing them to remove the scratchiness and slight pinging sound.

[@_skud]

thank you for the review. I enjoy their Q6 and think I'll get my parents a couple of these for their office.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi there, thanks for checking out my video. Did you decide on purchasing the C2 at the end?

[@_skud]

@@JoeLamOfficial yes. They feel great for their price. My parents will use them for years and I will be able to fix them whenever there are issues

[@eowiurcxmsdio3290]

Hi! I just bought this keyboard after seeing your review. I really like it, but I can't figure out how to change the backlight color. What keys are you pressing for that? Around 4:41 in your video you're changing the color but I can't figure it out. Thank you for the great video!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Fn + < or > arrow key. Might need to press (Fn + Light bulb) key to turn backlight ON. Refer to this guide. www.keychron.com/pages/c2-quick-start-guide

[@luffa04]

Hi Joe - very good review, thanks. Do you know what the keys to the right of the function keys do? They seem to show a square a microphone and a light bulb (actually I know this one as the manual points it out). Cheers

[@JoeLamOfficial]

It's meant to mimic newer Mac keyboards with the Microphone key (F5) such as for dictation or Siri. But in my case, it doesn't seem to work. Does it work for you?

[@luffa04]

@@JoeLamOfficial The microphone button brings up Cortana (I'm Windows 10) although that doesn't work in my region. The Square icon button might be a screen capture button.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

I see! I don’t have a Windows machine. In macOS it doesn’t seem to do anything.

[@YuennyLam]

No way! Your sister dropped a typewriter down the stairs!? 🤣 Noisy clicky keys are good for TVB dramas lol. The different colour lights look really cool 👍

[@JoeLamOfficial]

One of them sure did if I remember correctly? 🤔 I see why the RGB lights are fun now. Good to change up the mood/style every so often. I'll change out the clicky keys soon, at night and when others around. It's quite obnoxious 🤣 and irritating.

[@YuennyLam]

@@JoeLamOfficial Think it was me who threw it down the stairs 😂 I like the clicky keyboards. Feels quite satisfying and like you're working very hard typing away 😄

[@JoeLamOfficial]

You monster. For throwing the typewriter down the stairs and liking the clicky keys ⌨️😂

[@YuennyLam]

@@JoeLamOfficial 😂 What can I say!? I like to be unusual or even to some I'm abnormal 😏

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Maybe you need to try out one of these keyboards. I think there are even louder switch options. 🤣

[@OldAussieAds]

I love the way MX browns feel. I just want them to be quieter - similar to the sound of a regular membrane keyboard. Is there a switch / solution for this need?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Some people add foam film to the switch or the keyboard chassis itself. Plus lubing the switch?

[@jesuszamora6949]

I got a non-RBG version of this guy. You're not wrong about just how bad those keycaps are. Ended up getting a nice set of caps off Etsy. Thinking of swapping out the blues with Cherry MX Green.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the keyboard. It's good to hear that you were able to improve your typing experience with new keycaps. Out of curiosity, which keycaps did you end up getting from Etsy?

[@jesuszamora6949]

@Joe Lam I got a set in Cherry profile off of a seller named 21kb. He makes nice dye-sub caps. Kinda pricey, but that seems to be the case with cherry profile on general, and at least they're pretty thick chunks of PBT. I did end up getting the green switches. Makes the keys just a tad heavier, which I prefer for typing.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks. The seller has a nice range of keycaps. They look nice. 🤙🏼

[@MikeHawksBig69]

Does keychron have an app to manually change the rgb Colors and the functionality to of the keys, like in razer keyboards?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi. There’s no software control. All setting is done via the hardware keyboard itself. With the FN and combo keys.

[@sirnigelcogs]

I notice the documentation says something about Linux right in the middle, by the penguin. Can you tell me what it says?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Where…? There’s a switch for Mac or Windows but since this is a full size standard keyboard. It should work with Linux no problem at all.

[@brendanhoffmann8402]

I actually prefer wired keyboards and mice... I hate having to deal with batteries! I just ordered one of these with blue switches. I prefer blues. My current keyboard in a venom mk101, it's a good keyboard but the switches are not hot swappable like the keychron.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

That's great to hear! Wired keyboards and mice indeed offer the advantage of not having to worry about battery replacements or recharging. Blue switches are known for their satisfying tactile feedback, so it sounds like you made a good choice. The Keychron keyboard you ordered with hot-swappable switches provides additional flexibility for customization. Enjoy your new keyboard upgrade!

[@luismoreyra6804]

Hello, I'm looking for this keyboard in the page of keychron but it is not in stock the rgb one. Does anybody know if it's like that for a long time or recently they are out of stock??

[@JoeLamOfficial]

I'm just speculating, but could it be that the low stock is due to the holiday season?

[@ericwood3709]

I've found that I prefer Alps or Alps-style switches myself. I find other clicky switches too clicky and the red and brown switches too lacking in the tactile department. Alps is in the Goldilocks zone for me.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi Eric, thanks for the input. I tried the Cherry Silent Red but they are quite pingy and scratchy. I also tried some “custom” Kailh Gold/Sand ones lately. I think they are brown equivalent. Still haven’t found the perfect switch yet for my keyboard.

[@ericwood3709]

@@JoeLamOfficial I have tried a Razer clicky keyboard and a Feenix and a Das Keyboard each with Brown switches, if I recall correctly, but was not happy with any of them for typing. I have also given Unicomp's keyboards a try, and I would rank those my second favorite so far. My daily driver now is a Matias keyboard with the aforementioned Alps switches. They are much quieter than Blues and buckling springs, and a bit softer also, but still have a gentle click quality that, to me, makes them "just right." Apparently the same switches were used in the Apple Extended Keyboard II, but I can't say for sure. Anyway, the keyboard is called the Tactile Pro and is apparently only available in a Macintosh layout. The company also has a "Quiet Pro" keyboard with both PC and Mac options and apparently with quieter switches, but that one I have not tried.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

@@ericwood3709 Thanks for chiming in again. Such a rabbit hole minefield once we’re hooked in the mechanical keyboard world. 😅

[@ericwood3709]

@@JoeLamOfficial Yeah, lots of options to sort through.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Also quite expensive to test out all the different bits. 😅

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Really interested to hear what you think of keyboards? Are you a full touch type user? What keyboards are you using? Are you a PC gamer? Typist? Really intrigued what your thoughts are in this category. Feel free to leave any comment down below.

[@Blenduu]

I absolutely love this review! I wonder how long it will last (I.e. longevity of the keys/lights, total compatibility with certain devices/drivers, etc.)?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

I think the RGB LED should last quite long, although they are fixed to the board. Everything else can be replaced or modded quite easily.

[@choiwj_]

how do i make it so the windows button becomes alt button?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi. Do you mean software key remapping? Maybe this article I found online will help? windowsreport.com/keyboard-mapping-software/

[@Jwonuwonuya]

Hmm, I tried to change mine to RGB but it doesnt work, it only has one light color

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Are you hitting the right keyboard combo? Fn + < or >. Unless you have the single LED version rather than RGB?? www.keychron.com/pages/c2-keyboard-user-manual

[@Anonymous-mh4vi]

Is it only for mac ? Can i use it with my pc ?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Windows or Mac compatible. Switch at the back and included key caps for both OS. 😉

[@willtidey9720]

beautiful video

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thank you for your kind words. 🤗

[@grindTIME1985]

does this have a scrlck button?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi, yes it does. It's a standard full size keyboard. Has all the keys. 😉 For Windows or Mac (switchable at the back) and comes with different keycaps for both OS.

[@billthomas2652]

Does anyone need a 10 key that does NOT use Blender? I'm shopping for a mechanical keyboard and that's my biggest sticking point. Nice video.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Depends. If you use a lot of number input etc. That is useful also. Another way to put it, if you don't Blender or any apps that makes you think, heck I wish I had the numpad. This is stopping me or slowing me down. That's probably your answer?

[@MatthewSemones]

i like the design... but without backlighting it wouldn't work for me. i often type in a dim or dark environment. i've only heard good things about keychron

[@JoeLamOfficial]

It comes with full RGB? I think they make different config version though.

[@MatthewSemones]

@@JoeLamOfficial a lot of keychain keyboards have LED backlighting, yet none of them have shine through key caps so it’s pointless

[@khenghoetan9053]

Hi is the keychron c2 hot swappable?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

There are two versions. Mine is. Make sure you get the correct one. The other one requires soldering!

[@khenghoetan9053]

@@JoeLamOfficial thank you so much :D

[@JoeLamOfficial]

No worries. Just double check the one you want. They make different combos.

[@TheGreatDigitalism]

How do you like the keyboard almost a year later?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Great. Although I don’t use the num pad as much as I thought. Probably would want a smaller ten key less now that I’ve tried. You? What’s your thought?

[@KeaneCJK]

​@@JoeLamOfficial I'm using 1 with brown switch and I have to say I just love it.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

@@KeaneCJK Good balance between typing feel and sound right?

[@mshayashi]

Hello, Joe! Can we wash this keyboard?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi - absolutely not. At least not in this form. If you took it apart, in particular the PCB board, then perhaps. Or do you could remove the caps and wash them seperately?

[@mshayashi]

@@JoeLamOfficial I took of some of the caps, and tried to clean using fine brush and vacuum cleaner. I didn't use water or any liquid. But, I hope we could do a more appropriate clean like using detergent or something like that.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Which part requires cleaning? Between the keys? The PCB or just the key cap itself?

[@hippopottermus1162]

Great video

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the feedback and checking out my video. I have more videos on this keyboard soon including modding it. Hope to see you in the next video. :) thanks again.

[@devin7tm]

I would have loved to hear how the keyboard sounded without voice over..

[@JoeLamOfficial]

1:40 typing sound demo?

[@samtingwong50]

same

[@JoeLamOfficial]

You have the same keyboard?

[@samtingwong50]

@@JoeLamOfficial yes i have

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Nice! Have you done any mods to it?

[@samtingwong50]

@@JoeLamOfficial nothing so far.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Liking it as is?

[@aroh]

I've grown to dislike loud clicky blue switches with a passion....

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Our tastes develop over time. What's your preference now days?

[@aroh]

@@JoeLamOfficial anything linear and mostly silent. I find it helps me type faster and doesn’t make everyone else around me hate being in the office.

[@audiocrush]

no no no no.. stop. you missed out on mentioning that they are crazy dim RGB leds... I am super uphappy with them but they won't take them back after 3 weeks, so take that bit of kit with a seirous grain of salt here. Should'nt buy something with that bad of customer service...

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Straight out the box you mean? Did you not get a chance to see it in store before you made the choice? I recently changed to the cherry mx silent red and the RGB light effect is even worse now. One way you might be able to solve is to use a different key cap. The original double shot blocks a lot of light.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Have you seen my new video? Cherry MX Silent Red (Keychron C2 mod) - Not thock enough kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXnbp3yGh96Se6s