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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 23, 2026

Keychron 81 Pro vs Q1 Ultra

Get the Keychron 81 Pro for qmk and via. Get the Keychron Q1 Ultra for the 8,000 Hz polling rate.

Keyboard 81 Pro QMK/VIA Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard

QMK

Keychron 81 Pro

5.0 · 4 reviews

from$145at Input Gear

Shop nowCompare 2 stores
Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K Wireless Custom Mechanical ISO Keyboard

polling rate

Keychron Q1 Ultra

5.0 · 6 reviews

from$229at Keychron

Shop nowCompare 3 stores

What actually differs

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.

Keychron 81 Pro

Keychron Q1 Ultra

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, Wired

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

  • Max polling rate

    1,000 Hz

    8,000 Hz

  • Weight

    1,887 g

    1,724 g

  • QMK

    Yes

    No

  • VIA

    Yes

    No

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron 81 Pro
  • Keychron Q1 Ultra
Performance
82
89
Build quality
87
74
Productivity
97
90
Customizability
94
77
Portability
82
83

What they share

  • Layout size: 75%
  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh
  • Case material: Aluminum
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • Mount style: Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
See every spec side by side

From real owners

What owners say

Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.

Keychron 81 Pro

5.0

4 owner reviews

Praise
“Love the sound and feel. Thr kickstand is cool too. Only thing is I wish there were more options for keycap colors, the red doesn't match my stuff.”
T.T.· via Keychron

Keychron Q1 Ultra

5.0

6 owner reviews

Praise
“An exceptional keyboard in every respect. The sound, the feel of the keys, and the performance are all of the highest quality.”
Eduard T.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron 81 Pro vs Q1 Ultra specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

8 of 27 specs differ

Keychron 81 Pro

Keychron Q1 Ultra

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
75%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-IT, ISO-PT, JIS

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
8,000 HzBetter

Battery

4,000 mAh
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

1,887 g
1,724 g

Dimensions

47 x 338 x 151 mm
32 x 328 x 145 mm

Typing angle

—
5°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
No

VIA

Yes
No

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2023
2026

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

Keychron 81 Pro4 stores

  • Input GearDE

    In stock
    $145Visit

  • KeychronHK

    In stock
    $169Visit

  • AmazonGlobal

    Check price
    ~$145Visit

  • MKUS

    Out of stock
    $204Visit
Keychron Q1 Ultra4 stores

  • KeychronHK

    In stock
    $229Visit

  • MKUS

    In stock
    $229Visit

  • Keychron (DE)DE

    In stock
    $285Visit

  • AmazonGlobal

    Check price
    Visit

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