Not sure which keyboard to choose? Try the Keyboard Finder now!

Head to head · Prices checked Nov 10, 2026

Keychron C4 HE vs Q0Full Size or Numpad

Choose the C4 HE for a full-size Hall Effect keyboard with 8000 Hz polling, or the Q0 for a compact aluminum number pad.

KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron C4 HE

Hall effect

Build quality in the top 10% of 100% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Full-size ANSI layout with multi-media keys.
  • Hall Effect magnetic switches and 8000 Hz polling rate.
  • Gasket mount, steel plate, and plastic case.

Rules this board out

  • Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
  • North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.

Get the

Keychron Q0

Build quality in the top 10% of 60% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Compact 129 x 89 mm footprint for a standalone number pad.
  • Aluminum case and steel plate.
  • Hot-swappable switches with QMK and VIA support.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Bottom line

Choose the C4 HE if you need one full-size keyboard and value Hall Effect switches, adjustable actuation, and 8000 Hz polling. Choose the Q0 if you already have a keyboard and want a compact aluminum number pad with QMK and VIA support. For travel, consider the Q0's small footprint alongside its 2200 g weight.

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 C4 HE

Keychron Q0

  • Layout size

    100%

    60%

  • Hall effect (magnetic)

    Yes

    No

    Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing

  • Max polling rate

    8,000 Hz

    1,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

  • Case material

    Plastic

    Aluminum

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount

    Tray Mount

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron C4 HE
  • Keychron Q0
Performance
89
64
Build quality
83
85
Productivity
95
72
Customizability
92
92
Portability
45
69

What they share

  • Connection: Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • QMK
  • VIA
  • Plate material: Steel
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The C4 HE is the more self-contained choice for gaming, office work, programming, and content creation because it is a full-size keyboard with Hall Effect switches. The Q0 fits a different role, adding number-pad input in a much smaller footprint, although it is heavy for travel. Modding is close: both support hot-swapping and QMK and VIA, while the Q0's barebone option and the C4 HE's magnetic switch design offer different customization routes.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron C4 HE

  • The C4 HE has Hall Effect magnetic switches and an 8000 Hz polling rate.
  • The Q0 is a number pad with a 1000 Hz polling rate, rather than a full keyboard.

Full specs

Keychron C4 HE vs Q0 specs

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

13 of 25 specs differ

Keychron C4 HE

Keychron Q0

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hall effect (magnetic)

Yes
No

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
Tray Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
No

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

100%
60%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
No

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

8,000 HzBetter
1,000 Hz

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Plastic
Aluminum

Plate material

Steel
Steel

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

970 g
2,200 g

Dimensions

30 x 446 x 138 mm
20 x 129 x 89 mm

Typing angle

9°
5°

Backlight

RGB, north-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
No

Extras

Released

2026
2022

Where to buy

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.

Keychron Q03 stores

FAQ

Keychron C4 HE vs Q0: your questions

Yes. The C4 HE is listed with a 100% ANSI layout, and its vendor description also identifies it as full size.

The Q0 vendor listing describes it as a custom number pad. It does not serve the same full-size keyboard role as the C4 HE.

The C4 HE is listed at 8000 Hz, while the Q0 is listed at 1000 Hz. The C4 HE vendor description says its polling rate can be switched among 1000 Hz, 4000 Hz, and 8000 Hz through Launcher.

Yes. The C4 HE is listed as a Hall Effect keyboard, and the vendor identifies its switches as Keychron Ultra-fast Lime Magnetic Switches. The vendor says compatible Hall Effect magnetic switches can be swapped.

Both are listed as hot-swappable. The C4 HE vendor description specifies compatible Hall Effect magnetic switches, while the Q0 listing offers a barebone version without switches or keycaps.

Both product metadata listings specify QMK and VIA support. The vendor descriptions also identify Keychron Launcher for remapping and macros.

The Q0 has a much smaller listed footprint at 129 x 89 mm, compared with the C4 HE at 446 x 138 mm. However, the Q0 weighs 2200 g, so its compact size does not mean it is light.

The C4 HE has a plastic case, steel plate, and PBT keycaps. The Q0 has an aluminum case, steel plate, and PBT keycaps.

The C4 HE is the more complete office keyboard, with a 100% ANSI layout and multi-media keys. Its listing specifies Mac and Windows support; the Q0 is a number pad, and its vendor description lists macOS.

The C4 HE vendor description specifies EVA acoustic foam and says the fully assembled package includes foams. The Q0 vendor listing names its PCB, case, and steel plate, but does not list foam in the package.

Yes. The Q0 vendor listing offers a barebone version, which does not include keycaps or switches. Its fully assembled version includes double-shot OSA PBT keycaps and Gateron G Pro switches.

The C4 HE vendor description identifies its magnetic switch as having an adjustable actuation point and says Launcher can fine-tune actuation settings. The Q0 listing does not describe adjustable actuation.

Still torn?

Answer a few quick questions and the keyboard finder ranks 2,000+ boards by how you will actually use yours.