KBDFans Athena 1800 vs Keychron Q5Screen or Knob
Get the KBDFans Athena 1800 for its LCD and choice of five plate materials, or the Keychron Q5 for its programmable knob, broader regional ISO layouts, and QMK/VIA support.
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4.7 (7)4.7 · 7 reviews
from$136at KBDfans
4.8 (17)4.8 · 17 reviews
from$119at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
KBDFans Athena 1800
Build quality in the top 15% of 100% boards under $150.
- LCD screen for on-board display.
- Choice of carbon-fiber, polycarbonate, FR4, aluminum, brass, or steel plate.
- VIAL support.
- Missing ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic. The other board is sold in those layouts.
Get the
Keychron Q5
Knob
Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $150.
- Programmable knob that can be assigned key or macro commands through VIA.
- QMK and VIA support, with vendor-described key remapping and macro customization.
- Regional ISO options include German, UK, Nordic, Swiss, French, and Spanish layouts.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the KBDFans Athena 1800 if you want an LCD, VIAL support, and a choice of plate materials. Choose the Keychron Q5 for its programmable knob, QMK/VIA customization, and broader regional ISO selection. If you need ISO-DE, ISO-UK, or ISO-Nordic, the Q5 is the listed option for those layouts.
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 1800
Keychron Q5
Layout size
100%
96%
Ergonomics
Split Backspace
Standard
Mount style
Top Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Knob
No
Yes
Display
LED, LCD
None
A case display rather than a typing feature
- KBDFans Athena 1800
- Keychron Q5
- Performance
- 6772
- Build quality
- 7889
- Productivity
- 6897
- Customizability
- 8298
- Portability
- 4346
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q5 has the clearest feature advantages for office work, programming, travel, and content creation, particularly through its knob, QMK/VIA support, and lower listed weight. The Athena 1800 stands out for modders who want a choice of plate materials and for buyers who want an LCD. Gaming is close on the listed polling rate and wired connection, with no clear feature-based winner. Regional ISO layout availability and keyboard spacing may decide the purchase for some buyers.
It's a tie
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and wired-only connectivity.
- The Q5 vendor description says its 1000 Hz polling rate makes latency hardly noticeable in competitive games, while the Athena lists an LCD screen.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
KBDFans Athena 1800
7 owner reviews
“This is one built keyboard. Heavy duty and beautiful. Not a scratch on her and worth every penny. I put the Onyx set on her cuz Ima cat person. Love the lil gif window too. 10/10!”
Keychron Q5
17 owner reviews
“I really like this keyboard. I have a couple of Q1s, and I like this layout better. The key caps on the silver gray model look terrific.”
KBDFans Athena 1800 vs Keychron Q5 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
18 of 26 specs differ
KBDFans Athena 1800
Keychron Q5
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
VIAL
Mac & Windows
Released
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.
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
KBDFans Athena 1800
- Go to KBDfans
KBDfans
ISO
In stockShips to you
- Go to MonacoKeys
MonacoKeys
ISO
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Q5
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
KBDFans Athena 1800 vs Keychron Q5: your questions
The Athena 1800 has an LCD screen and lists six plate material options. The Q5 adds a programmable knob, QMK/VIA support, and more regional ISO layout options.
Yes, the Q5 has a programmable knob that can be assigned key or macro commands through VIA. Keychron gives examples including volume, brush size, and selecting video clips or photos.
Yes, its listed features include an LED LCD screen. The Q5 is listed without a screen.
The Q5 is listed in ISO-DE, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, and ISO-UK variants, and Keychron describes German, UK, French, Nordic, Swiss, and Spanish options. The Athena 1800 listing does not include ISO-DE, ISO-UK, or ISO-Nordic.
Both are listed as wired-only keyboards. Each lists USB-C connectivity.
The Q5 is listed at 2310 g, while the Athena 1800 is listed at 3000 g. Both are substantial wired keyboards rather than lightweight options based on those listed weights.
Yes, the Q5 is hot-swappable, and Keychron says its sockets support 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. The Athena 1800 is also listed as hot-swappable.
The Athena 1800 lists carbon fiber, polycarbonate, FR4, aluminum, brass, and steel plate options, along with VIAL support. The Q5 offers QMK/VIA support, a programmable knob, and a steel plate.
The Q5 uses a compact 96% layout and retains a numpad, but its listing notes that it does not have the gaps of a full-size board. The Athena 1800 is listed as a 100% layout.
The Q5 has south-facing RGB LEDs, and its compatibility note warns that shine-through legends stay dark. Some sculpted keycaps can also clip the LED.
The Keychron Q5 lists both QMK and VIA support, and Keychron describes remapping keys and setting macros. The Athena 1800 lists VIAL support instead.
Both list wired-only connectivity and a 1000 Hz polling rate. Keychron specifically describes the Q5’s polling rate as suitable for competitive gaming, while the Athena 1800 includes an LCD screen.
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