Endgame Gear KB65HE vs Keychron Q1 HEBudget vs Premium Hall Effect
Choose the Endgame Gear KB65HE for a low-cost entry into Hall Effect gaming, or the Keychron Q1 HE for a premium, fully-featured wireless custom keyboard.
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No reviews
from$49at MK
5.0 (20)5.0 · 20 reviews
from$160at Input Gear
Which one should you get?
Get the
Endgame Gear KB65HE
Budget
Build quality in the top 30% of 65% boards under $50.
- Significantly more affordable entry point for Hall Effect technology.
- Compact 65% layout saves desk space.
- Includes a silicone sound dampener and lubed stabilizers out of the box.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- 65% layout. No function row and no numpad.
Get the
Keychron Q1 HE
Premium Hall Effect
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $200.
- Tri-mode connectivity with 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.2, and wired operation.
- Extensive customization via QMK and VIA open-source firmware.
- Premium build with a gasket mount, double-gasket design, and all-aluminum body.
- 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.
- No numpad.
Your budget and need for wireless flexibility are the deciding factors. The Endgame Gear KB65HE delivers the essential Hall Effect gaming experience—rapid trigger, adjustable actuation, solid build—at a compelling price, making it an excellent first magnetic switch keyboard. If you require wireless connectivity, desire deep programmability with QMK/VIA, and prefer a more premium typing feel from a gasket mount, the Keychron Q1 HE justifies its higher cost with a top-tier feature set.
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.
Endgame Gear KB65HE
Keychron Q1 HE
Layout size
65%
75%
Connection
Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Switch options
Magnetic
Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
Mount style
PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, PCB Mount
Knob
No
Yes
- Endgame Gear KB65HE
- Keychron Q1 HE
- Performance
- 96100
- Build quality
- 7792
- Productivity
- 7997
- Customizability
- 79100
- Portability
- 7681
- Hall effect (magnetic)
- Rapid trigger
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 8,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- Display: LED
What will you mostly use it for?
The Keychron Q1 HE is the more versatile choice, winning in Office, Programming, Modding, and Content Creation due to its wireless connectivity, 75% layout, and deep software customization. The Endgame Gear KB65HE is better for travel thanks to its smaller size and lack of a battery. For pure gaming performance, both are evenly matched on core Hall Effect features, making the decision one of budget versus extra features.
It's a tie
- Both keyboards feature Hall Effect magnetic switches with rapid trigger technology.
- Both support adjustable actuation points for per-key sensitivity tuning.
- Both offer a 1000 Hz polling rate in their primary wired mode for low latency.
Endgame Gear KB65HE vs Keychron Q1 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
13 of 29 specs differ
Endgame Gear KB65HE
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
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Endgame Gear KB65HE
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron Q1 HE
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
Input Gear
ISO-DE
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-IT, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockDoes not ship to you
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Endgame Gear KB65HE vs Keychron Q1 HE: your questions
For core gaming performance, they are closely matched. Both feature Hall Effect magnetic switches with rapid trigger, adjustable actuation points, and a 1000 Hz polling rate. The Keychron Q1 HE adds a 1000 Hz wireless mode, but the fundamental gaming advantages are identical.
No, compatibility is restricted. The Endgame Gear KB65HE uses Gateron KS-37B switches. Keychron states the Q1 HE is compatible exclusively with Gateron double-rail magnetic switches sold on their site and does not support other magnetic switches like the Gateron Magnetic Jade.
Yes. Keychron's listing confirms the Q1 HE is suitable for all devices, with a system toggle and includes an additional set of customized keycaps for both Windows and macOS systems. It can save two different layouts.
No. The Endgame Gear KB65HE is a wired-only keyboard. It connects via the included braided USB-A to USB-C cable and does not have a battery or wireless capabilities.
The Keychron Q1 HE uses a more complex gasket mount design with a double-gasket structure and screw-in PCB stabilizers, aimed at a premium typing feel and sound. The Endgame Gear KB65HE uses a simpler plate mount system with a silicone sound dampener.
The Keychron Q1 HE is far more customizable. It supports open-source QMK and VIA firmware for remapping and macros, offers a barebones kit option, and has a gasket mount design for modding the typing feel. The KB65HE uses proprietary software.
The Endgame Gear KB65HE uses OEM profile double-shot PBT keycaps. The Keychron Q1 HE uses OSA profile double-shot PBT keycaps, which the vendor describes as having a similar height to OEM with an SA-like shape.
Yes, the Keychron Q1 HE features south-facing RGB LED lights. This orientation is designed to prevent interference with Cherry-profile keycaps and better illuminate the keyboard from the typist's angle.
According to the vendor, the Endgame Gear KB65HE includes the keyboard, a braided USB-A to USB-C cable, a dye-sub PBT escape key, and a quick start guide. Some early orders also included a free coiled cable.
Yes, both offer adjustment. The Endgame Gear KB65HE listing mentions 5° and 7.5° typing angles. The Keychron Q1 HE specs list a 5.2° angle and include feet with a 2.4 mm height.
Both have sound-dampening features. The KB65HE includes a silicone sound dampener. The Q1 HE has a double-gasket design and an acoustic pad in the bottom case to reduce resonance. The actual sound will depend on switches and keycaps used.
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