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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 10, 2026

Keychron Q1 vs NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3

Choose the Keychron Q1 for its fuller 75% layout and knob, or the NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3 if a compact wireless-capable 40% kit is the priority.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q1

Knob

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.

If you want

  • 75% layout with ANSI, ISO and JIS options listed.
  • Aluminum case with gasket-mount construction and listed aluminum, steel or polycarbonate plate options.
  • QMK and VIA support, plus hot-swappable sockets.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No numpad.

Get the

NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3

Build quality in the top 40% of 40% boards under $150.

If you want

  • Compact 40% layout in an aluminum housing.
  • Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connection modes are listed.
  • Hot-swappable PCB with VIAL support.

Rules this board out

  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.

Bottom line

Choose the Keychron Q1 if you want a 75% layout, a programmable knob and broad listed customization through QMK and VIA. Pick the NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3 if a 40% kit and wireless connection options matter more than dedicated keys. Check the Q1's south-facing LED compatibility rule if shine-through or sculpted keycaps are important to you.

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 Q1

NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3

  • Layout size

    75%

    40%

  • Connection

    Wired

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Switch options

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

    Linear

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

    Top Mount

  • Knob

    Yes

    No

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron Q1
  • NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3
Performance
72
47
Build quality
89
74
Productivity
97
51
Customizability
98
70
Portability
65
80

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Case material: Aluminum
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The Q1 leads for gaming, office work, programming, modding and content creation, primarily because it combines a fuller layout with more listed controls and customization options. The Roly poly 40 R3 is the travel-oriented pick, thanks to its 40% format and wireless connection options. These boards are not close substitutes in layout: choose based on whether you want more keys at hand or a smaller wireless-capable kit.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron Q1

  • The Q1 has a stated 1000 Hz polling rate over its wired connection.
  • Its 75% layout includes dedicated arrow keys, unlike the Roly poly 40 R3's compact layout.
  • The Q1 offers linear, tactile and clicky switch options; the Roly poly 40 R3 lists linear switches.

Full specs

Keychron Q1 vs NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3 specs

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

18 of 26 specs differ

Keychron Q1

NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Top Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
No

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
No

Layout

Layout size

75%
40%

Layout standard

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

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
No

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
—

USB-C

Yes
No

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

Aluminum, Polycarbonate, Steel
FR4

Keycaps

ABS, PBT
—

Weight

1,825 g
—

Dimensions

22 x 145 x 328 mm
—

Typing angle

5°
9°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
None

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
No

VIA

Yes
No

VIAL

No
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
No

Extras

Released

2022
2025

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

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

NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

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 Q14 stores

FAQ

Keychron Q1 vs NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3: your questions

The Q1 has a 75% layout, while the Roly poly 40 R3 is a compact 40% keyboard without a function row or dedicated arrow keys. Choose the Q1 if you want more keys directly available, or the Roly poly if compactness is more important.

Yes. Its listed connection options include Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired modes, though the available mode depends on the chosen version.

No, the Q1 is listed as wired only. Its connection is USB-C, and its stated polling rate is 1000 Hz.

The Q1's 75% layout includes a function row and dedicated arrow keys. The Roly poly 40 R3 is a compact layout without either.

Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The Q1 supports 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches, while the Roly poly 40 R3 is described as having a hot-swappable PCB.

The Q1 lists QMK and VIA support, and its vendor description says the Keychron Launcher web app can be used for remapping and macros. The Roly poly 40 R3 lists VIAL support.

The Q1 has a knob option and supports knob customization through VIA. The vendor describes uses such as adjusting volume, zooming and selecting video clips.

The Q1 has South-facing RGB lighting. The Roly poly 40 R3 is listed without RGB.

The Roly poly 40 R3 is listed as ANSI only, and its compatibility rules exclude ISO layouts such as ISO-DE and UK-ISO. The Q1 lists ANSI, ISO and JIS layout options.

The Q1 has South-facing LEDs, and its compatibility guidance warns that shine-through legends stay dark. It also notes that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.

The Roly poly 40 R3 is the more travel-oriented choice based on its compact 40% layout and listed Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz options. The Q1 is a wired-only 75% keyboard with a listed weight of 1825 g.

The Q1 lists gasket-mount and plate-mount styles, with aluminum, steel and polycarbonate plate options. The Roly poly 40 R3 uses a top mount and an FR4 plate.

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