The Lemokey L3 is a tenkeyless (TKL) mechanical keyboard with a full CNC aluminum chassis. It is available fully assembled or as a barebone kit in three different color schemes: Carbon Black, Navy Blue, and Space Silver. The fully assembled version of the keyboard can be configured with Gateron Jupiter Red, Gateron Jupiter Brown, or Gateron Jupiter Banana switches. Labs tested the fully assembled Navy Blue edition of the keyboard with Gateron Jupiter Red switches.
The fully assembled keyboard is available for $214.99, while the barebones kit is available for $194.99. The keyboard is part of Keychron’s gaming focused Lemokey sub brand, but its understated use of RGB also makes it suitable for office environments.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
THE GOOD
- Full Aluminum Chassis
The full CNC aluminum chassis provides the keyboard a heavy, premium feel.
- Connectivity
The keyboard boasts outstanding bluetooth latency performance which is accompanied by multi-device pairing for up to three devices at a time.
- Customizable
Dedicated macro buttons alongside QMK/Via compatibility makes it super simple to customize the keyboard to your liking.
THE BAD
- Cost
The barebones kit, which doesn't include keycaps or switches, is priced at $194.99, while the complete keyboard costs only slightly more at $214.99. Unfortunately for potential buyers, neither option is easy on the wallet.
THE REST
- Audio
Our configuration of the keyboard has a slightly high pitched clacky sound profile while typing.
- Switch Weight
The tested Gateron Jupiter Red switches have quite a light actuation force (45 gf), though other Gateron Jupiter Brown and Banana switches are available.
- Programmable Macro Keys
The keyboard includes 4 programmable macro keys on the left side of the keyboard which are useful, but may take some time to get used to due to their positioning.
In the box, the Lemokey L3 includes a braided USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable and USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter, a keycap and switch puller, a philip’s head screw driver and two differently sized hex keys, extra keycaps, a 2.4GHz receiver, two extra feet, extra foam strips, extra screws, and a USB Type-C to USB Type-A female to female adapter. Additionally, a physical quick start guide can be found in the packaging to help you get started with your new keyboard.
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Front of the box.
The keyboard is placed on a 900 x 400 mm desk pad next to a mouse and monitor.
The right side of the keyboard containing the navigation keys.
The left side of the keyboard.
The keyboard is connected by a USB Type-C detachable cable.
The Lemokey L3 is QMK compatible and can be configured with the Lemokey launcher or Via web applications. Within the Lemokey Launcher, users can define and assign macros, modify keyboard layers, personalize lighting effects, perform key testing, and update the keyboard’s firmware. The Lemokey Launcher is compatible with Windows, MacOS, and Linux systems and is accessible through a web browser. For the best performance, Lemokey recommends using the latest version of a chromium based browser such as Chrome, Edge, or Opera.
The Lemokey L3 boasts a 1000 Hz polling rate which contributes to low latency results. In our tests, Labs measured a median latency of 2.95 ms wired, 4.67 ms via 2.4GHz receiver, and an impressive 6.66 ms over bluetooth. This impressive bluetooth performance is thanks to its bluetooth 5.1 implementation. These outstanding results make the Lemokey L3 a fantastic choice for gamers or fast paced typists who want a premium mechanical keyboard experience.
Unfortunately, due to the current in repair state of our testing robot we could not collect keystroke actuation data. We will be updating this page with collected data once the robot is fully functional. Please note the keystroke actuation test bench and the latency test bench are separate.
The Lemokey L3 provides no adjustable incline angles and does not come with a wrist rest, so you are limited to the out of box 4.15 degree incline angle. That being said, the 4.15 degree angle was not bothersome during our testing and should be comfortable for most users. We found that while the macro keys are a useful and welcome addition to the keyboard, their placement on the left side of the keyboard is slightly awkward and can get in the way if you're used to a normal keyboard layout.
The keyboard ergonomics in the fixed position.