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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 25, 2026

8BitDo Retro87 vs Keychron Q2 HE

Get the Keychron Q2 HE for hall effect and rapid trigger.

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What actually differs

The differences that matter

Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.

8BitDo Retro87

Keychron Q2 HE

  • Layout size

    80%

    65%

  • Hall effect (magnetic)

    No

    Yes

    Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing

  • Rapid trigger

    No

    Yes

    Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Max polling rate

    1,000 Hz

    8,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • 8BitDo Retro87
  • Keychron Q2 HE
Performance
63
98
Build quality
53
87
Productivity
73
94
Customizability
68
96
Portability
76
90

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh
  • Knob
  • Plate material: Aluminum
See every spec side by side

Full specs

8BitDo Retro87 vs Keychron Q2 HE specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

17 of 28 specs differ

8BitDo Retro87

Keychron Q2 HE

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky
Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile

Hall effect (magnetic)

No
Yes

Rapid trigger

No
Yes

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

80%
65%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
8,000 HzBetter

Battery

4,000 mAh
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum, Plastic
Aluminum, Metal

Plate material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Keycaps

ABS
PBT

Weight

1,100 g
1,650 g

Dimensions

46 x 169 x 376 mm
43 x 328 x 121 mm

Typing angle

—
7°

Backlight

RGB
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

No
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2024
2025

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

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