The Keychron Q1 is a 75% compact wired keyboard with spaced-out navigation keys, like the GLORIOUS GMMK PRO. It's a highly customizable board that you can get in a barebones version to install your own switches and keycaps. We got the fully-assembled variant with Gateron Phantom Brown switches, which feel light and are very quiet to type on. The board is hot-swappable, so you can swap out the switches with any other ones you prefer, and, unlike with other Keychron keyboards, there's customization software to set macros to any key. Unfortunately, while it has a fairly high profile, it doesn't come with a wrist rest, so you may need to buy one separately. Also, while the latency is decently low, the pre-travel distance of the Brown switches is fairly long, meaning you might prefer a different switch type with a shorter distance instead.
Our Verdict
The Keychron Q1 is excellent for gaming. It has decently low latency that should be good enough for most casual gamers. The Gateron Phantom Brown switches on our unit feel light to type on, but their pre-travel distance is fairly long, meaning some people may prefer a more responsive feel. However, the board is hot-swappable, so you can install any switches you prefer. It has customizable RGB backlighting, all of its keys are macro-programmable, and its customization software is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Feels incredibly well-built.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Decently low latency.
- No included wrist rest or incline settings.
The Keychron Q1 isn't designed for mobile devices or tablets since it's a wired-only board.
The Keychron Q1 is good for office use, but its high profile and lack of an included wrist rest may cause wrist fatigue. That said, the Gateron Phantom Brown switches on our unit provide an excellent and light typing experience, and the gasket-mounted design creates a soft typing feel. Thanks to the sound-absorbing foam inside the board, the keys are very quiet to type on, which is great for an office environment. However, the typing noise may change depending on the switch you get.
- Feels incredibly well-built.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Sound-absorbing foam makes typing very quiet.
- No included wrist rest or incline settings.
- Wired-only board.
The Keychron Q1 is very good for programming. The Gateron Phantom Brown switches on our unit provide an excellent and light typing experience. The gasket-mounted design creates a soft typing feel. Because of the sound-absorbing foam inside the board, the keys are very quiet to type on. The board feels incredibly well-built, and it has customizable RGB backlighting. You can set macros to any key on the board, and the customization software is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a wrist rest despite its high profile, and you can't use the board wirelessly.
- Feels incredibly well-built.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Sound-absorbing foam makes typing very quiet.
- No included wrist rest or incline settings.
- Wired-only board.
The Keychron Q1 is bad for a home theater PC setup, but it isn't designed for this use. It's a wired board, so you need to have the cable running from the board to the computer. Also, it doesn't have a built-in trackpad or a volume control knob, but you can buy the knob separately and swap it with the Insert key.
- Feels incredibly well-built.
- Wired-only board.
- No built-in trackpad.
Changelog
- Updated May 18, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Epomaker TH80 Pro in the Wireless Versatility section of this review.
- Updated Apr 24, 2023: We've added a link to the newly reviewed Keychron Q Pro Series in the Wireless Versatility section of this review.
- Updated Sep 06, 2022: Added in a comparison to the recently reviewed Keychron V1.
- Updated Sep 02, 2022: Updated the "White Shot" image to better reflect real-life color mixing observations. This result has changed accordingly. Also updated Linux compatibility as this keyboard is fully compatible with this system. The review now shows these changes.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Keychron Q1 fully assembled in Carbon Black with Gateron Phantom Brown switches. It has two other colorways, called Navy Blue and Space Grey, and you can choose between Gateron Phantom Red or Blue switches. Also, this board is available barebones, meaning it doesn't come with switches or keycaps, so you need to buy them separately and install them yourself. You can also purchase other accessories for the board, like a rotary knob, a custom badge, and wooden or resin wrist rests. While we usually link a photo of our unit's label, our Keychron Q1 QMK doesn't come with one.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Keychron Q1 is a 75% compact mechanical keyboard with spaced navigation keys. It's hot-swappable, and you can choose to replace the Insert key with a custom badge or with a rotary knob. Unlike other Keychron boards, it has customization software to remap keys and set macros, and the VIA software is available on Windows, macOS, and even Linux, which is rare. While we tested the fully assembled variant, you can also get this board barebones like the GLORIOUS GMMK PRO, meaning you need to buy the switches and keycaps separately and install them yourself.
See our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best mechanical keyboards.
The Keychron Q1 and the Keychron Q2 are both compact, hot-swappable keyboards, but the Q2 has some noticeable differences. The Q2 doesn't have a row of function keys at the top, and its keycaps are made of a high-quality doubleshot PBT rather than ABS, so it feels better to type on. The Q2 also has an extra gasket added inside the board to increase the flexibility during typing. On the other hand, the Q1 has a lower fixed incline, so you won't have to stretch your wrists as much. Also, its latency is marginally lower.
The Keychron K2 (Version 2) and the Keychron Q1 are both 75% compact boards, but the Q1 is slightly larger due to its more spaced-out navigation keys and function row keys. You can use the K6 wirelessly via Bluetooth and pair it with up to three devices at once. Also, the K2 has more incline settings, and thanks to its Gateron Brown switches' transparent casing, white backlighting looks white, while the Gateron Phantom switches on our Q1 unit have a brown casing, making white lighting look red. On the other hand, the Q1 is hot-swappable, so you can swap out the switches with whatever you prefer, and it comes with customization software to set macros to any key. Also, while we bought the fully-assembled variant, the Q1 has a barebones version.
The Keychron K8 is a TenKeyLess wireless board, while the Keychron Q1 is a 75% compact wired board. You can use the K6 wirelessly via Bluetooth and pair it with up to three devices at once. The K6 has more incline settings, and it comes with shine-through keycaps, which help make the legends easier to read in a dark room. Thanks to its switches' transparent casing, white backlighting looks white, while the Gateron Phantom switches on our Q1 unit have a brown casing, making white lighting look red. On the other hand, the Q1 is hot-swappable, and it comes with customization software to set macros to any key. Also, while we bought the fully-assembled variant, the Q1 has a barebones version.
The Keychron Q1 and the Keychron Q5 are both customizable keyboards in the Q-series. They have a few main differences as the Q1 was the initial release in the lineup, and the design of the Q-series has changed since the release. The Q5 better reflects these changes, which include rounded PBT keycaps, an additional gasket for better feel and sound absorption, and a regular USB-C to USB-C cable as opposed to the coiled aviator cable included with the Q1.
Test Results
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