Keychron K8 V2 vs Q1Wireless or Aluminum Build?
Choose the K8 V2 for Bluetooth and lower weight, or the Q1 for its aluminum gasket-mount build and 75% layout.
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5.0 (1)5.0 · 1 reviews
from$89at Keychron
4.9 (10)4.9 · 10 reviews
from$109at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K8 V2
Build quality in the top 10% of 80% boards under $100.
- Bluetooth and wired connectivity, with Keychron specifying connections to up to three devices over Bluetooth.
- 80% ANSI layout with multimedia keys and Mac and Windows keycaps.
- 800g weight and a 4000mAh battery listed in the specifications.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Missing ISO-SW. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- No numpad.
Get the
Keychron Q1
Knob
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.
- Full CNC-machined aluminum case with gasket mount.
- 75% layout with a programmable knob and multimedia keys.
- Hot-swappable switches, QMK, VIA, and screw-in stabilizers.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Missing ISO-Nordic, ISO-CH. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- No numpad.
Choose the K8 V2 if you want Bluetooth, multi-device switching, and a lighter board for moving between workspaces. Choose the Q1 if a CNC-machined aluminum case, gasket mount, 75% layout, and programmable knob matter more than wireless use. Both offer hot-swappable switches and QMK and VIA support, so the deciding factor is whether you prioritize mobility or a more configurable metal build.
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 V2
Keychron Q1
Layout size
80%
75%
Connection
Bluetooth, Wired
Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Case material
ABS, Aluminum
Aluminum
Mount style
PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Knob
No
Yes
- Keychron K8 V2
- Keychron Q1
- Performance
- 8272
- Build quality
- 8189
- Productivity
- 8997
- Customizability
- 8998
- Portability
- 7365
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- QMK
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The K8 V2 is the practical choice for office use and travel when Bluetooth support and lower weight matter. The Q1 pulls ahead for programming, modding, and content workflows that can make use of its knob, 75% layout, and configurable construction. Gaming is a close call: both list a 1000 Hz polling rate, while their connection options and build styles suit different preferences. Neither option combines the K8 V2's wireless convenience with the Q1's all-metal gasket-mount construction.
It's a tie
- Both keyboards list a 1000 Hz polling rate and support wired use.
- The K8 V2 supports Bluetooth and weighs 800g, while the Q1 is wired-only and weighs 1825g.
- The Q1 has an aluminum case and gasket mount; the K8 V2 vendor describes an aluminum plate and acoustic foam layers.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron K8 V2
1 owner reviews
“Moving from previous K8 to this new K8 v2 I can say that Keychron made unbelievable improvement! This midrange keyboard performs better than my colleagues custom keyboards for more than double the price. Me and my colleagues are amazed how good this keyboard…”
Keychron Q1
10 owner reviews
“Very pretty and good quality, only con is it's kind of pingy but it's easy to mod and fix with some tape, force break mod.”
Keychron K8 V2 vs Q1 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
14 of 27 specs differ
Keychron K8 V2
Keychron Q1
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 V2
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-CH
In stockShips to you
Keychron Q1
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
MK
ISO
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
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 K8 V2 vs Q1: your questions
Yes. The K8 V2 supports Bluetooth and wired connectivity, and Keychron says it can connect to up to three devices over Bluetooth. The Q1 is listed as wired-only.
No Bluetooth connectivity is listed for the Q1, which is specified as wired-only. Choose the K8 V2 if wireless connection is important.
The Q1 is a 75% keyboard, while the K8 V2 is an 80% layout. Their listed dimensions are 22 x 145 x 328 mm for the Q1 and 22 x 354 x 124 mm for the K8 V2.
The K8 V2 weighs 800g, compared with 1825g for the Q1. The K8 V2 is the more practical pick if lower weight matters.
Both models are listed as hot-swappable. Keychron says the Q1 supports 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches, while the K8 V2 vendor description specifies that switch swapping applies to the hot-swappable version.
Both are listed with QMK and VIA support. Their vendor descriptions also discuss key remapping and macros through Keychron's web-based Launcher.
The Q1 supports a knob, and Keychron describes its rotary encoder as programmable for keys and macros. The K8 V2's listed features do not include a knob.
The Q1 has a full CNC-machined aluminum case, according to its specifications. The K8 V2 is listed with ABS and aluminum case materials, and its vendor description mentions an aluminum-frame version.
Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and support wired connectivity. The K8 V2 also offers Bluetooth, while the Q1 uses a gasket mount and aluminum case, so the preference depends on whether wireless flexibility or the Q1's construction matters more.
The K8 V2 specifications list PBT keycaps, and Keychron describes them as double-shot PBT. The Q1 specifications list ABS keycaps, described by Keychron as OSA-profile, shine-through keycaps.
Both support hot-swappable switches and QMK and VIA customization. The Q1 is the more component-focused option, with a gasket mount, screw-in stabilizers, and vendor-described customization of parts including its plate and case.
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