Keychron K8 Max vs Q15 MaxTKL vs Ortholinear Layout
Choose the K8 Max for a familiar 80% layout and lower-cost entry, or the Q15 Max for an ortholinear design with programmable knobs and a gasket mount.
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from$199at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K8 Max
TKL
Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $100.
- 80% layout with ANSI and multiple ISO variants.
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity, with a 1000 Hz polling rate.
- Hot-swappable switches, QMK support, and VIA support.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the
Keychron Q15 Max
Ortholinear Layout
- Ortholinear layout with a split spacebar and two programmable knobs.
- Aluminum case, gasket mount, and polycarbonate plate.
- Hot-swappable switches, QMK support, and VIA support.
- 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.
Pick the K8 Max if you want a conventional 80% keyboard, need an ISO layout option, or value multimedia keys. Choose the Q15 Max if you specifically want to try an ortholinear layout and want its programmable knobs, gasket mount, and DIY or barebones option. The main trade-off is familiar layout and lower relative cost versus the Q15 Max's distinctive design and construction.
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 K8 Max
Keychron Q15 Max
Ergonomics
Standard
Ortholinear, Split Spacebar
Case material
ABS, Aluminum, Steel
Aluminum
Mount style
PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
Knob
No
Yes
Weight
1,308 g
1,232 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
- Keychron K8 Max
- Keychron Q15 Max
- Performance
- 8277
- Build quality
- 8888
- Productivity
- 9592
- Customizability
- 9196
- Portability
- 7352
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- QMK
What will you mostly use it for?
The K8 Max is the more straightforward fit for conventional typing and office setups, with an 80% layout, multimedia keys, and ISO options. Gaming is close on the listed polling rate and connectivity, though the K8 Max keeps a familiar key arrangement. The Q15 Max stands out for programming and customization, with its ortholinear grid, knobs, gasket mount, and barebones option. For travel, the K8 Max is the more conventional choice, though neither product is listed as lightweight.
Pick the Keychron K8 Max
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and 2.4 GHz connectivity.
- The K8 Max uses a conventional 80% layout, while the Q15 Max has an ortholinear grid and split spacebar.
- The K8 Max includes multimedia keys.
Keychron K8 Max vs Q15 Max specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 27 specs differ
Keychron K8 Max
Keychron Q15 Max
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
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron K8 Max
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-CH
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-CH
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Q15 Max
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Keychron K8 Max vs Q15 Max: your questions
The K8 Max is an 80% keyboard with a conventional layout, while the Q15 Max uses an ortholinear grid and split spacebar. The Q15 Max also adds two programmable knobs and a gasket mount.
Yes. The K8 Max is listed with ANSI and several ISO variants, including ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-SW, and ISO-CH. The Q15 Max is listed as ANSI only.
Yes, the Q15 Max has an ortholinear grid with equally sized keys and a split spacebar. This differs from the K8 Max's conventional 80% layout.
Both support Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as a wired connection. Each is listed with a 4000 mAh battery and a 1000 Hz polling rate.
The Q15 Max has two programmable knobs, in addition to QMK and Keychron Launcher support for remapping keys and creating macros. The K8 Max has multimedia keys but no knob listed.
Both are listed as hot-swappable. Keychron says the switches can be changed without soldering, and describes support for many 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches.
Both support hot-swapping and QMK, and both list VIA support. The Q15 Max additionally has a gasket mount, a polycarbonate plate, and a DIY kit or barebones option.
Both list Mac/Windows support, and their vendor descriptions also mention macOS, Windows, and Linux. The Q15 Max includes a system toggle, while the K8 Max includes keycaps for macOS and Windows.
Both have south-facing LEDs, and the compatibility notes say shine-through legends stay dark. They also warn that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
No. Its compatibility notes specify that the 80% layout has no numpad. The Q15 Max is ortholinear, and its layout should not be assumed to match a conventional full-size keyboard.
No ISO layout is listed for the Q15 Max, including ISO-DE and UK variants. The K8 Max has several ISO layout options.
The Q15 Max is listed with a gasket mount and polycarbonate plate. The K8 Max uses a steel plate and does not list a gasket mount.
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