Jamesdonkey R2 V2 vs Keychron Q5 Ultra8K vs QMK
Choose the Keychron Q5 Ultra for its 8K polling and knob, or the Jamesdonkey R2 V2 if QMK support and an FR4 plate are your priorities.
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Jamesdonkey R2 V2
8K
Build quality in the bottom 45% of 96% boards under $200.
- QMK support is listed, and the vendor describes a web-based driver with key remapping.
- The FR4 plate pairs with a gasket mount and five layers of internal padding, according to the vendor.
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity are supported.
- 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.
Get the
Keychron Q5 Ultra
QMK
Build quality in the top 35% of 96% boards under $300.
- 8000 Hz polling is specified for wired and 2.4 GHz connections.
- The aluminum case, PC plate, double-gasket design, and multiple acoustic foam layers are specified.
- The vendor lists up to 660 hours of battery life with the backlight off.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Pick the Keychron Q5 Ultra if you want 8K polling, a knob, and more layout options, especially for gaming or control-heavy work. Choose the Jamesdonkey R2 V2 if QMK support and its FR4 plate matter more, and ANSI meets your layout needs.
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.
Jamesdonkey R2 V2
Keychron Q5 Ultra
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Knob
No
Yes
Weight
1,950 g
2,098 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
QMK
Yes
No
The deep option when you want to remap every key
Sound dampening
No
Yes
- Jamesdonkey R2 V2
- Keychron Q5 Ultra
- Performance
- 6489
- Build quality
- 6574
- Productivity
- 6390
- Customizability
- 7577
- Portability
- 5256
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Case material: Aluminum
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q5 Ultra has the clearest edge for gaming, office work, and content creation, with 8K polling, broader layout options, and its knob and multimedia controls. It also has a modest advantage for travel on documented battery life, though both keyboards are heavy. Programming is a close match: the R2 V2 offers QMK support, while the Q5 Ultra brings ZMK and macro customization through Keychron Launcher. For modding, both offer hot-swap switches, but the Q5 Ultra describes a broader compatible switch range and more construction details.
Pick the Keychron Q5 Ultra
- The Q5 Ultra lists 8000 Hz polling for wired and 2.4 GHz connections.
- Its Keychron Silk POM switch options include Red, Brown, and Banana.
- The R2 V2 vendor describes its input as lag-free, but the product metadata does not list a polling rate.
Jamesdonkey R2 V2 vs Keychron Q5 Ultra specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
12 of 26 specs differ
Jamesdonkey R2 V2
Keychron Q5 Ultra
Switch options
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
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Jamesdonkey R2 V2
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron Q5 Ultra
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, 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.
Jamesdonkey R2 V2 vs Keychron Q5 Ultra: your questions
The Keychron Q5 Ultra specifies 8000 Hz polling over wired and 2.4 GHz connections. The Jamesdonkey R2 V2 vendor describes lag-free input, but its product specifications do not list a polling rate.
Yes, the Q5 Ultra is listed with a knob and multimedia keys. The Jamesdonkey R2 V2 does not list either feature.
The Jamesdonkey R2 V2 lists QMK support, and its vendor describes a web-based driver with key remapping. The Q5 Ultra instead lists ZMK firmware and Keychron Launcher for remapping and macros.
The Keychron Q5 Ultra is listed with ANSI and ISO layout options, including ISO-DE and ISO-ES. The Jamesdonkey R2 V2 is ANSI-only.
Yes, both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. Keychron says the Q5 Ultra supports almost all 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches.
Keychron specifies up to 660 hours with the backlight off. Both keyboards have a 4000mAh battery, but the Jamesdonkey R2 V2 listing does not give an estimated runtime.
The Jamesdonkey R2 V2 has an FR4 plate. The Keychron Q5 Ultra has a polycarbonate plate, also described as a PC plate.
Both models list Mac and Windows support. Keychron also lists Linux compatibility for the Q5 Ultra.
Both keyboards have south-facing LEDs, and their compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark. The notes also say some sculpted keycaps can clip the LEDs.
The Q5 Ultra is the more clearly specified gaming option, with 8000 Hz polling over wired and 2.4 GHz connections. Jamesdonkey's R2 V2 description calls its input lag-free but does not provide a polling-rate figure.
Yes, Bluetooth is listed for both the R2 V2 and Q5 Ultra, alongside 2.4 GHz and wired connectivity. Keychron specifies Bluetooth 5.3 for the Q5 Ultra.
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