ProArt Keyboard KD300 review: Compact, premium and surprisingly practical
The mechanical keyboard market is more crowded than ever, with options ranging from enthusiast custom builds to budget-friendly gaming keyboards. Asus, having already launched the Jelly75 Keyboard last year, is now hoping to capture another group of potential users with the ProArt Keyboard KD300, a compact 65% keyboard designed specifically for creators and professionals rather than just your average gamers.
Priced at RM599, the ProArt KD300 combines a premium low-profile design, tri-mode connectivity, creator-focused shortcuts and a rather unusual touch-sensitive control panel. After spending time with it as part of my daily setup, which includes switching constantly between a MacBook Neo and a Windows desktop PC, I found that the ProArt Keyboard KD300 is actually pretty decent all around.
Compact without feeling compromised
The first thing you’ll notice about the KD300 is its size, or rather lack thereof. For those used to your usual full sized office and gamer keyboards, the 65% layout strikes a nice balance between saving desk space and maintaining usability. You lose the numpad and function row sure, but Asus has done a good job ensuring essential shortcuts remain easily accessible.
The compact dimensions are complemented by an understated design that looks right at home in a professional workspace. I really quite like the Black Aerolite look and the aluminum top plate gives the keyboard a premium feel, while the ultra-slim 26.8mm profile helps it blend seamlessly into any modern desk setup.
Build quality is another highlight. Weighing in at just over 600g, the KD300 feels remarkably solid with very little deck flex. It has the kind of reassuring sturdiness you’d expect from a premium prebuilt keyboard.
A surprisingly enjoyable typing experience
Typing feel is arguably the most important aspect of any keyboard, and it’s where the KD300 impressed me the most. The Asus RX Red Low-Profile optical switches feature a linear design with a 1.0mm actuation point and 40gf operating force. They’re responsive, smooth and easy to type on, making long writing sessions comfortable.
Even though I’m generally not a fan of linear red switches and usually gravitate towards tactile options, I still found the KD300 enjoyable to use. I did have some minor issues adjusting to it when gaming though; the super light switches has led to me accidentally firing off something I didn’t mean to a couple of times. But this is again a productivity keyboard, and I did eventually got used to it, so it’s a minor nitpick if anything.
The combination of the wobble-free switch design, integrated stabilisation system and dual-layer silicone dampening foam results in a keyboard that sounds and feels more refined than many prebuilt alternatives. To me at least, it does seem that Asus has spent time refining the overall typing experience, and if I may add is even better than the Jelly75.
That said, I would still love to see Asus introduce a tactile switch option in the future. The current RX Red switches are excellent if you enjoy linear switches, but I like my bumps, my lovely tactile bumps.
Features that aren’t just plain gimmicks
One of the KD300’s defining features is the touch-sensitive panel located on the side of the keyboard. Now at first glance, I’ll admit, I thought it was a gimmick. In practice, it turned out to be one of the keyboard’s more interesting features.
Out of the box, the touch panel can control media playback, volume and lighting, with the button next to it to switch between what you’re adjusting. Now at first, it is a little awkward to reach past the keyboard and then close your fingers down to adjust the volume or whatever, but a couple of days in and it became almost second nature to do it.
It’s a unique approach that feels different from the rotary knobs commonly found on creator-focused keyboards. Whether it ultimately becomes part of your daily workflow will depend on your usage patterns, but the flexibility is certainly appreciated.
Oh and while I’m here, shoutout to Asus for letting the KD300 be easily controlled by a web-based launcher rather than needing me to download a whole ahh app just to change the brightness or whatever. I can simply head to the Gear Link page on Asus’ website and voila, I can create custom profiles, tweak lighting, assign new macros and functions all without needing anything more than a browser open.
As for battery life, Asus rates it as good for up to 16 months, but that’s with the lights and all turned off of course. I actually made it through a whole month without needing to charge it via the USB-C port after starting it off at about 30%, so based on that I could possibly get more like three months of use after charging it to 100%, which honestly is pretty decent and no complaints there.
But it’s the battery indicator that got me oohing and ahhing over the KD300. When using the Fn key to check its battery health, the number row lights up to whatever percentage it is to tell you the battery life. At 30% for example, the number row lights up the 1, 2 and 3 keys but keeps the rest dim. How cool is that!
The partner you can’t have
We’re going off tangent for a bit here, as Asus actually also provided the ProArt Mouse MD301 for this review. It’s an ergonomic mouse that’s similar in design to the Logitech MX Master 4 and the Keychron M6, the latter of which is actually what I use on a daily basis.
It’s a nice little mouse with dual scroll wheels and excellent build quality just like the KD300. In fact, I got a little jealous of it as it feels even better than my own Keychron M6. It also works fine enough for gaming thanks to its 1000Hz polling rate, something that the MX Master 4 and its paltry 125Hz could take notes on. And just like the KD300, it works with Gear Link so you can set up the 6 programmable buttons any way you like. It’s not too heavy either at just 99.7g.
The worst part about the ProArt Mouse MD301 though is that, well, you can’t have it. Neither can I too after this review, as Asus Malaysia has yet to launch this mouse officially on our shores. It’s a shame, as I think a bundle of both the MD301 and the KD300 would be an excellent pairing.
One of the better compact keyboards we’ve tried
Going back to the KD300, it isn’t perfect of course. I would still like a tactile switch option (Asus pls) and I would also like a maybe slightly higher kickstand. The dongle storage compartment is also a little suspect to me, and I always have to do a double take on whether it’s in there when I’m carrying it around.
But it’s the fact that I can carry it around with ease that makes this one of the better compact prebuilt keyboards we’ve ever tried. It’s great for anyone looking for a productivity focused 65% keyboard that’s a little more premium and stylish but also not willing to build their own. It has excellent build quality, compact footprint, great battery life and is just super functional all around.
If you’re looking for a compact keyboard that works just as well on both Mac and Windows, it’s hard to say no to the ProArt Keyboard KD300.
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