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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4.9 (10)4.9 · 10 reviews
from$109at Keychron
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q1
Knob
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.
- 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.
- 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.
- Compact 40% layout in an aluminum housing.
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connection modes are listed.
- Hot-swappable PCB with VIAL support.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.
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.
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
- Keychron Q1
- NIUNIU Roly poly 40 R3
- Performance
- 7247
- Build quality
- 8974
- Productivity
- 9751
- Customizability
- 9870
- Portability
- 6580
- Hot-swappable
- Case material: Aluminum
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.
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.
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
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
VIAL
Mac & Windows
Released
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.
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
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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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