KBDFans Athena vs Keychron Q1 HELCD or Hall Effect
Choose the KBDFans Athena for its LCD, VIAL support, and choice of four plate materials; choose the Keychron Q1 HE for Hall Effect switches, Rapid Trigger, and wireless connectivity.
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5.0 (8)5.0 · 8 reviews
from$159at Divinikey
5.0 (20)5.0 · 20 reviews
from$160at Input Gear
Which one should you get?
Get the
KBDFans Athena
Build quality in the top 15% of 75% boards under $200.
- LCD display with support for up to five custom GIF uploads.
- VIAL support alongside VIA.
- Plate choices include aluminum, FR4, polycarbonate, and carbon fiber, with a vendor-described plateless build option.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Get the
Keychron Q1 HE
Hall effect
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $200.
- Hall Effect switches with adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and multiple actions assigned by press depth.
- Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, plus a listed 4000mAh battery.
- Listed ISO, ANSI, and JIS layout options.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the KBDFans Athena for its customizable LCD, VIAL support, and broader plate choices, especially if you want to build or tune a wired board. Get the Keychron Q1 HE for Hall Effect controls, Rapid Trigger, wireless connectivity, and a wider range of listed layouts. Its magnetic-only switch compatibility and south-facing LED keycap considerations are important trade-offs to check before buying.
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.
KBDFans Athena
Keychron Q1 HE
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
Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Mount style
Top Mount
Gasket Mount, PCB Mount
Knob
No
Yes
- KBDFans Athena
- Keychron Q1 HE
- Performance
- 70100
- Build quality
- 8492
- Productivity
- 7597
- Customizability
- 88100
- Portability
- 6381
- Layout size: 75%
- Hot-swappable
- Case material: Aluminum
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q1 HE is the clearer fit for gaming and wireless use, while its broader listed layout choices and Mac and Windows features make it a practical office option. Programming is a close call: both offer VIA, with VIAL on the Athena and QMK on the Q1 HE. For hands-on building, the Athena stands out through its multiple plate materials and plateless option. Its LCD and integrated control button give it the edge for buyers who want display customization and on-keyboard controls.
Pick the Keychron Q1 HE
- Hall Effect switches support adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger.
- The vendor describes multiple actions assigned to a single key based on press depth.
- The Q1 HE supports 1000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
KBDFans Athena
8 owner reviews
“What a piece of art. The cnc and attention to detail is immacualte. Gif screen and VIA software could use some love, but it's perfectly fine for what it is.”
Keychron Q1 HE
20 owner reviews
“Love this keyboard. Wooting was my first choice but they don’t have wireless and with this version having TMR sensors and Wireless capability it’s my new Keyboard for work.”
KBDFans Athena vs Keychron Q1 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
18 of 30 specs differ
KBDFans Athena
Keychron Q1 HE
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
VIAL
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
- Check on Amazon
Amazon
Check price
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
KBDFans Athena
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron Q1 HE
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
- Go to Input Gear
Input Gear
ISO-DE
Out of stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-IT, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
KBDFans Athena vs Keychron Q1 HE: your questions
The Keychron Q1 HE is the stronger match for buyers seeking gaming-specific switch features. Its Hall Effect switches support adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger, and the vendor describes assigning multiple actions to a key based on press depth.
Yes. Rapid Trigger is listed as a feature, and Keychron describes activation and deactivation based on key travel distance rather than fixed points.
Yes, the Athena has an LCD. The vendor says it supports up to five custom GIF uploads.
No. The Q1 HE is designed for compatible magnetic switches, and standard MX switches will not fit. Keychron’s product description specifies Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Switch compatibility.
The Athena is listed with an ANSI layout only. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
The Keychron Q1 HE supports Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired use. The KBDFans Athena is listed as wired-only.
The Athena offers four listed plate materials: aluminum, FR4, polycarbonate, and carbon fiber. Its vendor description also outlines a plateless build option and lists VIAL support.
Yes, VIA support is listed for both keyboards. The Athena also lists VIAL support, while the Q1 HE lists QMK support.
The Q1 HE uses south-facing LEDs, and its compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark. The listing also notes that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
The Keychron Q1 HE is listed in ANSI, JIS, and several ISO layouts, including ISO-UK and ISO-DE. The Athena is listed as ANSI-only.
Yes. It supports Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz connectivity and has a listed 4000mAh battery. The Athena is a wired-only keyboard.
The Athena’s LCD supports up to five custom GIF uploads, according to the vendor description. The Q1 HE is listed with an LED screen, but no custom display uploads are described.
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