It’s hard to imagine a keyboard like this… But Keychron continues to explore rather unconventional peripheral designs with the C100 8K Giant Custom Macro Pad. Behind this name lies a massive macro pad consisting of 100 mechanical keys, arranged in an almost square grid. The goal isn’t to replace a traditional keyboard, but to offer a fully customizable surface for shortcuts, macros, app control, streaming, or even gaming.
Is your keyboard not enough? Meet the Keychron C100 8K
The Keychron C100 8K has no traditional functions assigned by default. No letters, numbers, Enter, or Shift keys—the user decides the role of each key. Programming is done via the open-source QMK firmware and the Keychron Launcher web app. The latter lets you create macros, key combinations, or various shortcuts. For example, Keychron suggests dedicating one section of the keyboard to work and another to gaming.
One small detail: the four keys located in the corners are reserved for controlling lighting effects. They cannot be reprogrammed. The C100 8K thus has 96 fully customizable keys. Setup is done using Keychron Launcher via Chrome, Opera, or Edge, with the device connected via cable.
The macro pad measures 196.65 x 196.65 mm, which is almost a 20-cm square. Its plastic chassis is 17.8 mm tall without the keycaps. Its feet allow for three tilt angles: 0, 2, or 5 degrees. Inside, Keychron uses an AT32F405 RCT7-7 microcontroller. Connectivity is exclusively via USB; there is no Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless connection. However, a USB-A to USB-C adapter is included.
Hot-swap, RGB, and 8,000 Hz polling rate
The 100 keys use pre-lubricated Apex Switch Red mechanical switches, with a POM stem and a nylon base. The PCB is hot-swappable, allowing you to replace switches without soldering or even mix and match different types. Keychron also provides the tools needed to remove keycaps and switches.
The C100 8K boasts an 8,000 Hz polling rate. Its transparent ASA-profile keycaps combine PBT and polycarbonate to allow light to pass through. The north-facing RGB LEDs offer more than 22 effects, per-key lighting, and an RGB Mix mode capable of dividing the keyboard into two distinct lighting zones.
Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, the Keychron C100 8K is priced at $64.99. That’s a fairly reasonable price for a device featuring 100 mechanical switches, per-key RGB lighting, QMK support, and an 8,000 Hz polling rate.
