Epomaker HE68 Lite vs Keychron Q1 HEBudget vs Premium Hall Effect
Choose the Epomaker HE68 Lite for maximum wired gaming performance on a budget, or the Keychron Q1 HE for premium build quality, wireless flexibility, and extensive customization.
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4.7 (61)4.7 · 61 reviews
from$42at Epomaker
90-day lowLowest price in 90 days
4.9 (21)4.9 · 21 reviews
from$160at Input Gear
Which one should you get?
Get the
Epomaker HE68 Lite
Budget
Build quality in the top 35% of 65% boards under $50.
- High 8000 Hz polling rate and 0.125ms latency for competitive gaming.
- Includes a comprehensive five-layer sound dampening system with PRO foam, IXPE, and PET pads.
- Very affordable entry point for hall effect technology with rapid trigger support.
- 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 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.
- Premium all-aluminum body with a double-gasket mount for sound and feel.
- Offers triple-mode connectivity: 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.2, and wired.
- Fully compatible with open-source QMK and VIA firmware for limitless customization.
- 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.
For budget-conscious gamers who want the fastest possible wired performance from hall effect switches, the Epomaker HE68 Lite is an unmatched value. If your budget allows and you prioritize a premium metal build, wireless freedom, and deep programmability for work and play, the Keychron Q1 HE is the superior, albeit more expensive, investment. The choice fundamentally comes down to prioritizing cost and wired speed versus overall quality and connectivity.
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.
Epomaker HE68 Lite
Keychron Q1 HE
Layout size
65%
75%
Connection
Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Case material
ABS
Aluminum
Switch options
Linear, Magnetic
Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
Mount style
Tray Mount
Gasket Mount, PCB Mount
- Epomaker HE68 Lite
- Keychron Q1 HE
- Performance
- 96100
- Build quality
- 7392
- Productivity
- 8697
- Customizability
- 73100
- Portability
- 7581
- Hall effect (magnetic)
- Rapid trigger
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 8,000 Hz
- Sound dampening
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 options, larger layout, and superior customization. The Epomaker HE68 Lite takes the lead for dedicated gaming and travel, thanks to its higher polling rate, lower latency, and lighter, more portable design. Your primary use case clearly dictates the winner.
Pick the Epomaker HE68 Lite
- The HE68 Lite has a higher 8000 Hz polling rate compared to the Q1 HE's 1000 Hz in its wireless modes.
- Its vendor description highlights an ultra-low latency of 0.125ms and a 128Khz scan rate.
- It includes a dedicated strap for portability to LAN events.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Epomaker HE68 Lite
61 owner reviews
“The switch actuation is really something else it’s really nice to play games with and the app is pretty easy to use aswell super simple and incredibly value”
“I wanted the normal HE68 but resulted in the lite cause I needed a new keyboard im not happy about it it’s missing keys I want and overall not the biggest fan”
Keychron Q1 HE
21 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.”
“I love this thing. I wish there were these changes: Cable mode was switch in position closest to the outer edge of keyboard. Extra usb-c which is another port, I'd like to plug my 2fa device in there. Sort out why the programmer doesn't work under arch linux…”
Epomaker HE68 Lite vs Keychron Q1 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
16 of 29 specs differ
Epomaker HE68 Lite
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.
Epomaker HE68 Lite
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.
Prices in USD are converted to your currency and can change at any time. KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Epomaker HE68 Lite vs Keychron Q1 HE: your questions
The Epomaker HE68 Lite has a faster maximum polling rate of 8000 Hz. The Keychron Q1 HE offers a 1000 Hz polling rate in its wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes, and 90 Hz over Bluetooth.
Yes, the Keychron Q1 HE supports both 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, in addition to a wired USB-C connection. The Epomaker HE68 Lite is a wired-only keyboard.
The Epomaker HE68 Lite uses an ABS plastic case, while the Keychron Q1 HE features a full 6063 aluminum body. This makes the Q1 HE much heavier and gives it a more premium, durable feel.
Both keyboards are hot-swappable, but with different compatibilities. The HE68 Lite uses Epomaker's magnetic switches. The Q1 HE is specifically compatible with Gateron double-rail magnetic switches only, as stated by the manufacturer.
The Keychron Q1 HE is generally better for office work due to its wireless connectivity, larger 75% layout with more keys, and a gasket-mount design that can offer a more comfortable typing feel. The HE68 Lite's 65% layout is more compact.
Yes, both the Epomaker HE68 Lite and the Keychron Q1 HE list Mac and Windows support. The Q1 HE includes an extra set of keycaps for both operating systems and a system toggle switch.
The Epomaker HE68 Lite comes with shine-through, double-shot PBT keycaps in a Cherry profile. The Keychron Q1 HE includes non-shine-through, double-shot PBT keycaps in an OSA profile.
Yes, both keyboards allow for adjustable actuation points. The HE68 Lite allows adjustment from 0.1mm to 3.4mm in 0.01mm increments via its software. The Q1 HE allows adjustment from 0.2mm to 3.8mm with 0.1mm sensitivity via the Keychron Launcher.
The Epomaker HE68 Lite includes a variety of accessories: a keyboard, extra screws and switches, a hand strap and its accessories, a screwdriver, a USB cable, a 2-in-1 puller, and a manual. The Q1 HE's listed contents focus on the core keyboard and a Type-C cable with an adapter.
There is a substantial weight difference. The Epomaker HE68 Lite weighs 650g (0.65kg), while the fully assembled Keychron Q1 HE weighs approximately 4000g (4kg), making it over six times heavier.
Yes, both keyboards feature south-facing RGB LED backlighting. The HE68 Lite has a unique 2-layer A-RGB system designed for shine-through keycaps, while the Q1 HE's RGB is designed to work with non-shine-through keycaps.
Not sold on either?
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