If you're on the hunt for a quality mechanical keyboard that has many of the features you'd find on a much more expensive keyboard but for only a fraction of the price - then today's deal could be for you. Keychron is a well-known keyboard brand manufacturer, and we've had the pleasure of reviewing several of their keyboards in the past, with this keyboard offering similar tech with some of the bells and whistles trimmed off for a budget offering.
The Keychron C3 Pro is currently for sale on Amazon for $29; it's the lowest price this keyboard has been outside of a major sales event such as Prime Day or Black Friday and is very competitively priced for a TKL keyboard. The TKL (tenkeyless layout) drops the number pad from the keyboard, decreasing its size substantially. This is great for a gaming keyboard as it creates more desk space and allows you to have increased space to angle your keyboard for the best position for extended play sessions. However, the lack of a number pad may prove a major hindrance if you want to use the keyboard for work or spreadsheets.
What's surprising about this keyboard is that you're getting linear Red switches, double-shot ABS keycaps, and a gasket mount structure to reduce sound resonance while typing. Combine that with the included sound-absorbing foam in the chassis to provide you with a typing experience that reduces any hollow sounds bottoming out your keypresses may produce. To have these features on a keyboard at this price is rare, and if you're into modding, this could be a fun little project with some tape and lube and any other mods you can think of.
The Keychron C3 Pro has 87 keys programmable thanks to open-source QMK / VIA software. You can configure the Keychron C3 to your specifications and bind keys to desired tasks. This is fantastic for gaming and making macros, but it can also be helpful in setting up application shortcuts to speed up your workflow.
This keyboard is not RGB but does come with 14 types of red backlighting to help you see the keys in a darkened environment and add a bit of flare to your setup. The double-shot ABS keycaps are shine-through to let more of that red light show through and illuminate your setup. On top of all this, the Keychron C3 Pro is compatible with Mac OS and contains universal keycaps for Mac or Windows for configurability.
