The Keychron Q6 is the sixth iteration of Keychron's customizable Q-series keyboards. Similar to previous models in this series, it has a double gasket-mounted design, hot-swappable PCB (printed circuit board.), screw-in stabilizers, and rounded PBT keycaps. It also comes with several tools to help customize your keyboard. The major difference with this model is its size, as this is the first full-size (100%) keyboard in the lineup.
Our Verdict
While it isn't specifically for this use, the Keychron Q6 is a good keyboard for casual gaming. It's made of high-quality materials and feels remarkably well-built. Using the customization software, you can program macros to any key, adjust the RGB lighting, and remap buttons. The Gateron G PRO linear Red switches on this unit feel very light and smooth, but they have a significantly longer pre-travel than most linear switches. It's a hot-swappable keyboard, meaning you can swap out the stock switches without soldering. The latency is low enough for casual gaming but too high and inconsistent for competitive gaming.
- Incredible build quality.
- Hot-swappable.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Latency is a too high and inconsistent for competitive gaming.
- High-profile design isn't very comfortable without a wrist rest.
The Keychron Q6 is very good for office use. It feels incredibly well-built and offers an excellent typing quality. Layers of sound dampening foam keep it very quiet, and the Gateron G Pro Red switches on this unit make the keypresses feel very light. That said, this keyboard is also hot-swappable, which means you can change out the default switches for those of your choosing. This keyboard also has robust customization software compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. Unfortunately, the ergonomics are only decent as it has a high profile and doesn't come with a wrist rest.
- Incredible build quality.
- Hot-swappable.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Wired-only.
- High-profile design isn't very comfortable without a wrist rest.
The Keychron Q6 is a wired-only keyboard that isn't intended specifically for use with mobile devices and tablets. However, it includes a USB-C to USB-C cable. It means you can connect it to devices with a USB-C port, though this can drain your device's battery quickly, especially with the backlighting enabled.
The Keychron Q6 is a very good keyboard for programming. It's built with premium materials and feels very sturdy. The customization software is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing you to adjust the full RGB backlighting, remap keys, and program macros to any key. Unfortunately, the ergonomics are only decent. It has a high-profile design, and you need to angle your wrists fairly sharply upwards to reach all the keys as there isn't an included wrist rest.
- Incredible build quality.
- Hot-swappable.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Wired-only.
- High-profile design isn't very comfortable without a wrist rest.
The Keychron Q6 is a sub-par keyboard for use with a home theater PC setup. It's a wired-only model, which limits how far you can sit from your PC. It also lacks a trackpad for on-screen navigation. While it has full RGB backlighting, the key legends aren't shine-through, and the LED lights don't provide enough illumination for you to read the legends in the dark.
- Incredible build quality.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- Wired-only.
- High-profile design isn't very comfortable without a wrist rest.
- Lacks a trackpad for on-screen navigation.
The Keychron Q6 has adequate performance, making it well-suited for everyday browsing or casual gaming. Unfortunately, its latency performance is fairly high and inconsistent, and a low effective update rate of 250Hz bottlenecks its polling rate of 1000Hz, making it poorly suited for playing fast-paced or competitive games.
- Incredible build quality.
- High-profile design isn't very comfortable without a wrist rest.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: We've added text to this review for the new tests added in TBU 1.3.
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated May 12, 2023: We've added a link to an image in the Backlight Clarity section of this review to show what the backlighting looks like with shine-through keycaps.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Keychron Q6 is available as a fully assembled keyboard either with or without a rotating encoder knob or as a barebones version that doesn't include keycaps or switches. There are also three colorways and ISO layouts of the barebones version available. The fully assembled boards are available with a selection of stock Gateron G Pro Switches. The unit we purchased is a fully assembled version in the Navy Blue colorway with Gateron G Pro Red switches. We normally include a photo of the keyboard's label, but this model doesn't have one.
| Type | ISO Layout Available | Color | Gateron G Pro Switches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Assembled | No | Carbon Black, Silver Grey, Navy Blue (dark keycaps only) | Red, Blue, Brown | |
| Fully Assembled Knob | No | Carbon Black, Silver Grey, Navy Blue (light or dark keycaps) | Red, Blue, Brown | |
| Barebone | Yes | Carbon Black, Silver Grey, Navy Blue (no keycaps) | No switches | |
| Barebone Knob | Yes | Carbon Black, Silver Grey, Navy Blue (no keycaps) | No switches | |
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Keychron Q6 is Keychron's sixth entry into their Q-series of customizable keyboards, and this is the first full-size (100%) model. Like other entries in the series, this keyboard is designed to be easily customizable. It has screw-in stabilizers and a hot-swappable PCB, so you can easily swap these parts out for those of your choosing to change how your keyboard feels and sounds. As a customizable keyboard, it's similar to other keyboards in the GLORIOUS GMMK or Ducky One series. These options are more gaming-focused, but the Keychron Q6 has better compatibility across major operating systems and has robust customization software.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best mechanical keyboards, the best keyboards for typing, or, if you're interested in other Keychron models, the best Keychron keyboards.
The Keychron Q6 and the Keychron Q5 are both customizable keyboards in Keychron's Q-series. They have nearly identical build qualities, features, and appearances. However, they are slightly different sizes. The Q6 is a full-size (100%) keyboard, while the Q5 is a compact (96%) keyboard.
The Ducky One 3 and the Keychron Q6 are hot-swappable, customizable keyboards intended for different primary purposes. The Ducky is more gaming-focused and has significantly better latency. On the other hand, the Keychron keyboard caters more to office and productivity tasks. It has a double-gasket design that's quieter, and it has robust customization software, which the Ducky lacks.
The Keychron Q6 and the Keychron K10 are both full-size keyboards with several prominent differences. The Q6 is a wired-only, customizable keyboard available either in a pre-built or barebones configuration and has a hot-swappable PCB and better overall build quality. It also includes robust customization software. On the other hand, the K10 is a wireless keyboard that supports multi-device pairing via Bluetooth. It has a hot-swappable variant available but has no customization software support.
The IQUNIX F97 and the Keychron Q6 are mechanical keyboards with different form factors. The IQUNIX F97 is a wireless, compact (96%) keyboard that allows you to connect with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously. On the other hand, the Keychron Q6 is a wired-only, full-size keyboard that's considerably larger and heavier than the IQUNIX F97. It's designed to be more readily customizable and offers a better overall typing experience thanks to its cushioned gasket-mounted design. The Keychron also has several smaller-sized variants available in the same Q Series lineup, while the IQUNIX is only available in a single form factor.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
