On October 23, 2026, Gizmodo Japan (Media Gene Inc.) announced the presale of the Keychron C3 Pro Trackball 8K.
Sales begin Wednesday, October 28, at 7 p.m.
It will be available through Gizmart on CoSTORY, with an early-bird price of ¥11,594 (tax included; shipping extra).
Greenkeys covered a development sample displayed at the Orca echo preview event on August 30.
The idea of building a small trackball into the center of the spacebar is now becoming a product.
Keychron C3 Pro Trackball 8K product page
Source: Media Gene official announcement
14 mm Trackball in the Center of the Spacebar
The C3 Pro Trackball 8K is a JIS-layout, 80% tenkeyless keyboard with a 14 mm-diameter trackball built in.
The long, conventional spacebar is split, with the trackball in the center and a dedicated space key on either side.
Its standout feature is the ability to move the cursor with your thumb while using a layout that includes function and arrow keys.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product | Keychron C3 Pro Trackball 8K |
| Layout | JIS layout, 80% tenkeyless |
| Trackball | 14 mm diameter |
| Connection | Wired, USB Type-C |
| Firmware | ZMK |
| Mounting style | Gasket mount |
| Case | Plastic |
| Key switches | MX-style, hot-swappable |
| Backlighting | RGB |
| Compatible operating systems | Windows / macOS |
| Colors | White Green / Black Green / All Black |
Click controls, undecided at the time of our coverage, now handled by a mouse layer
On the development sample covered by Greenkeys, the trackball moved smoothly, but how to perform actions such as clicking had not yet been decided.
The space keys and the trackball housing were also 3D-printed prototypes.
This announcement also clarifies how the controls work.
It features a “mouse layer” that switches regular keys to click and scroll controls while a designated key is held down.
It also supports an “Auto Mouse Layer” that switches automatically in response to trackball use.
Rather than simply adding a ball, the product now sets out how to handle everything from typing to clicking and scrolling on the keyboard—a significant step forward since our coverage.
KawamuraThe Auto Mouse Layer may take some getting used to, including its timing, and its appeal will likely depend on personal preference.
By contrast, holding down Shift to switch to the mouse layer should feel relatively intuitive.
Related: Our coverage of the development sample with a trackball in the spacebar
As with other Keychron keyboards, you can change the layer key assignments in Keychron Launcher.
It runs in a web browser, and settings are saved to the keyboard’s onboard memory, so they can be used on other PCs as well.
Super Early-Bird Price: ¥11,594 | Presale Runs Through December 17
The presale runs from October 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. through December 17 at 11:59 p.m.
| Offer | Price (tax included) | Sales period |
|---|---|---|
| Super early bird · 15% off | ¥11,594 | October 28, 7 p.m.–November 20, noon |
| Early bird · 8% off | ¥12,549 | November 20, 12:01 p.m.–December 17, 11:59 p.m. |
| Regular reference price | ¥13,640 | — |
Shipping costs extra.
Available in White Green, Black Green, and All Black (three colors); pricing and sales terms are listed on the project page.
Two matching palm rests, in white and black, will also be offered to complement the keyboard colors.
Additional Information
| Item | Specifications / Details |
|---|---|
| Product | Keychron C3 Pro Trackball 8K |
| Layout | JIS layout, 80% tenkeyless |
| Trackball | 14 mm diameter; centered in the spacebar |
| Space keys | Independent keys on the left and right; each can be assigned a separate function |
| Connection | Wired USB Type-C |
| Polling rate | Up to 8,000 Hz |
| Firmware | ZMK |
| Keymap customization | Compatible with the Keychron Launcher web app |
| Settings storage | On the keyboard; settings carry over to other PCs |
| Mouse controls | Mouse Layer / Auto Mouse Layer |
| Key switches | MX-style mechanical switches |
| Available switches | Apex Red: linear / Apex Brown: tactile / Apex Banana: early tactile |
| Hot-swap | Supported; switches can be replaced without soldering |
| Keycap profile | Cherry profile |
| Keycap material | JIS model: ABS, Japanese translucent keycaps ANSI model: double-shot PBT |
| Case material | Plastic |
| Mounting style | Gasket mount |
| Internal sound-dampening and cushioning materials | EVA acoustic foam, IXPE film, EPDM foam, silicone pads, and more |
| Tilt angles | Three settings: 4°, 6°, and 8.7° |
| Backlighting | North-facing RGB LEDs |
| Cable | Detachable; cable-routing channels on the underside allow routing to either side |
| Compatible operating systems | Windows / macOS |
| Colors | White Green / Black Green / All Black |
| Optional palm rest | Silicone, white or black; ¥2,970 (tax included; shipping extra) |
| Manufacturer’s warranty | One year from delivery |
※The polling rate is listed as a specification for the product as a whole; the trackball’s own report rate is not specified.
※The sales page notes that these are specifications under development and may change before the product is finalized.
One point to note is that the keycap material differs by layout.
The JIS model uses ABS keycaps, while the ANSI model has double-shot PBT keycaps.
Conclusion
That wraps up our look at the Keychron C3 Pro Trackball.
It’s hard not to be surprised that the development sample we saw at the Orca echo preview event is already becoming a product people can buy.
Keychron’s development pace remains astonishing.
The keyboard keeps a layout close to that of a typical tenkeyless board while adding pointing functionality in the center of the spacebar, potentially delivering a typing experience that includes pointing without the switching cost.
The feel of using such a small, 14 mm ball—and how well automatic switching works alongside typing—are things we’ll want to evaluate on the production model.
The presale begins October 28 at 7 p.m.
If you’re considering a purchase, check the sales page for delivery estimates and shipping costs as well.
View the Keychron C3 Pro Trackball 8K
- First published:
- Last updated:
- Reporting method: Based on the manufacturer’s official release and official social media posts
- Sources and references:
- Conflicts of interest: No product provided; no monetized links in this article
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