The 2.4 GHz wireless receiver is likely the most boring component bundled with a wireless mouse or keyboard. It's often overlooked by the design team at various brands due to the fact most owners of the product will connect it directly to the rear I/O of their PC. The receiver is then never seen again unless there's an issue with the mouse connecting to it, or you just so happen to be swapping peripherals or upgrading your PC and need to unplug everything. Keychron decided to do things a little differently.

Meet the keyboard that's not a keyboard

Unfortunately, you can't swap out the switches

It would have been easier (and slightly cheaper) for Keychron to throw in the bog-standard USB receiver and call it a day. But Keychron decided to put some effort into designing a receive that you may want to have on show. Measuring 60 x 25 mm, this mini keyboard is larger than many USB "sticks" that are often bundled with mice and keyboards. Keychron doesn't offer such luxury with its expensive mechanical keyboards. They use standard USB-C cabling or a dongle of sorts.

Before testing and reviewing the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal Edition, I had never held or unboxed a Keychron mouse. I've tried countless keyboards, but never a pointer. When we were offered a sample for review, I jumped at the chance to write about something different on XDA and it's why I was taken aback by the receiver when unboxing the M3 Mini 4K Metal Edition. Inside was the miniature Keychron keyboard, which I immediately thought was some sort of display item. That was until I discovered the rear USB-C port.

There's even a rubberized pad to stop it from sliding across your desk. It's the way this small receiver was designed that makes it that much more awesome. The design resembles a 75% form factor and each key is full-size, so Keychron didn't even cheap out and attempt a low-profile look. If you didn't know it was for transferring data through gases, you could be forgiven for mistaking it as a keyboard you can use, albeit with extremely thin fingers. There is a downside to this receiver design and that's the size of it. As it's a full keyboard, it's not the smallest device to connect your mouse to the PC.

It's not all about looks, however. Keychron ensured the keyboard wireless receiver would perform well, regardless of the scenario. Whether you're working with photos in Photoshop or are smashing skulls in DOOM: Eternal, the 2.4 GHz wireless connection is solid and reliable. Connecting the M3 Mini 4K Metal Edition takes a second and you're good to go. There's very little to the receiver, which is excellent. Simply connect it to your PC via an available USB port or a passthrough on the keyboard.

So it's certainly something that's both amazing and utterly unnecessary. Although there's a push for creating the cleanest PC setups for social media, this is one accessory you'll want placed on the desk.

How to get a miniature Keychron keyboard receiver

You can easily buy a mouse and grab on yourself!

Keychron offers a few pointers to go alongside its vast collection of mechanical keyboards. Unlike its typing machines, these mice aren't designed for modding. The Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal Edition is my favorite, but it's also one of the more expensive mice from the brand, so it won't be for everyone. Luckily, it's easy to grab one of these miniature keyboard receivers with other Keychron mice. The normal M3 Mini also includes the fancy 2.4 GHz receiver and so does the M4. Both of these cost $69 at MSRP, almost half the price of the M3 Mini 4K Metal Edition.