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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 10, 2026

Keychron Q0 vs V5Numpad or 96% Layout?

Choose the Q0 to add a standalone number pad, or the V5 for a complete 96% keyboard with a number pad and function keys.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q0

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

If you want

  • Aluminum case and steel plate.
  • Standalone number pad for adding numeric input to another keyboard setup.
  • 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.
  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Get the

Keychron V5

polling rate

Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $100.

If you want

  • 96% layout retains a numpad and function keys in one keyboard.
  • ABS plastic case, steel plate, double-shot PBT keycaps, and screw-in stabilizers.
  • Hot-swappable switches, QMK, and VIA support, with 3-pin and 5-pin switch support described by the vendor.

Rules this board out

  • 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.

Bottom line

Choose the Keychron Q0 if you already have a keyboard and want a dedicated number pad with an aluminum case. Choose the Keychron V5 if you need one wired keyboard for typing and numeric entry, plus function keys and multimedia controls. For modding, both provide hot-swap, QMK, VIA, and screw-in stabilizers, so layout and case material are the clearer deciding factors.

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 Q0

Keychron V5

  • Layout size

    60%

    96%

  • Max polling rate

    1,000 Hz

    8,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    ABS, Plastic

  • Mount style

    Tray Mount

    Gasket Mount, Plate Mount, Tray Mount

  • Knob

    No

    Yes

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron Q0
  • Keychron V5
Performance
64
91
Build quality
85
89
Productivity
72
98
Customizability
92
98
Portability
69
45

What they share

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

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The V5 is the more practical pick when you need a complete keyboard for gaming, office work, programming, or content creation. The Q0 suits buyers who specifically want a separate number pad and have a compact desk setup. Modding is close because both support hot-swap, QMK, VIA, and screw-in stabilizers. Neither is wireless, and the Q0's smaller footprint comes with substantially more listed weight.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron V5

  • The V5 is a complete keyboard with a 96% layout, while the Q0 is a number pad.
  • The V5 listing specifies a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-Key Rollover.
  • The V5 supports hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin switches.

From real owners

What owners say

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

Keychron Q0

5.0

3 owner reviews

Praise
“It's great to have the option to add a numpad for productivity, then move it off to the side when you need more desk space for gaming. This thing is built with quality materials and has very satisfying sound with each keystroke. I've used both Keychron banana…”
P.Z.· via Keychron

Keychron V5

4.8

8 owner reviews

Praise
“In love with it already. Only downside is how long it took to get the keyboard. Other then that its a great product for the price”
AustinVerified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron Q0 vs V5 specs

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

15 of 26 specs differ

Keychron Q0

Keychron V5

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Tray Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount, Tray Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

60%
96%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-SW, ISO-UK

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

No
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

No
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
8,000 HzBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Steel
Polycarbonate, Steel

Keycaps

PBT
ABS, PBT

Weight

2,200 g
1,170 g

Dimensions

20 x 129 x 89 mm
19 x 142 x 389 mm

Typing angle

5°
4°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

No
Yes

Mac & Windows

No
Yes

Extras

Released

2022
2022

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.

Keychron Q0

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Keychron V5

  • Keychron

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW

    Out of stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-ES

    In stockDoes not ship to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW

    Out of stockDoes not ship to you

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
Keychron V54 stores

FAQ

Keychron Q0 vs V5: your questions

The vendor describes the Q0 as a custom number pad, and its layout is listed as a numpad. It is intended to add numeric keys rather than serve as a full typing keyboard.

Yes, the V5 is described as a 96% keyboard that retains a numpad and function keys. Its layout is listed as 96%.

The V5 is the more complete office keyboard because it includes a numpad, function keys, and multimedia keys. The Q0 is useful as a separate number pad alongside another keyboard.

Both are listed as wired-only keyboards. The Q0 vendor description specifies USB-C, and the V5 vendor description specifies Type-C connectivity.

Both models are listed as hot-swappable. The V5 vendor description says its sockets support 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches.

Both models list QMK and VIA support. The vendor descriptions also identify QMK firmware and Keychron Launcher for key remapping and macros.

The Q0 has an aluminum case and a steel plate. The V5 has an ABS plastic case and a steel plate.

The Q0 has a much smaller listed footprint, at 20 x 129 x 89 mm, compared with the V5 at 19 x 142 x 389 mm. However, the Q0 weighs 2200 g, while the V5 weighs 1170 g, so the smaller model is not lighter.

Both list south-facing RGB lighting. The V5 vendor description notes that its PBT keycaps are not shine-through.

Knob support and multimedia keys appear in the V5 metadata. The vendor listing describes a fully assembled knob version.

The V5 is the more suitable standalone keyboard for programming because its 96% layout includes function keys and a numpad. Both models support QMK and VIA, while the Q0 is a number pad rather than a complete typing keyboard.

The Q0 vendor description says the fully assembled version includes double-shot OSA PBT keycaps. The V5 vendor description also lists double-shot OSA PBT keycaps, including Mac and Windows keycaps.

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