Keychron Q1 HE vs Q1 V2 SEMagnetic vs Mechanical 75%
The Q1 HE wins for gaming and wireless flexibility; the Q1 V2 SE is the choice if you want standard mechanical switches and a wider keycap ecosystem.
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5.0 (20)5.0 · 20 reviews
from$160at Input Gear
No reviews
from$169at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q1 HE
Magnetic
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $200.
- Magnetic Gateron Double-Rail switches with adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm and rapid trigger.
- Tri-mode wireless: Bluetooth 5.2, 2.4 GHz, and wired with 1000 Hz polling.
- Double-gasket design for reduced resonance and flexible sound tuning.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Keychron Q1 V2 SE
Mechanical 75%
Build quality in the top 10% of 75% boards under $200.
- Steel plate offers a firm, consistent typing foundation.
- Extra sound absorption foam for a quieter typing experience.
- Hotswap sockets support both 3-pin and 5-pin mechanical switches for wide compatibility.
- 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.
If you prioritize gaming performance and wireless freedom, the Keychron Q1 HE is the clear choice with its magnetic switches and 2.4 GHz connectivity. For a quieter, more traditional typing experience with a steel plate and standard mechanical switch support, the Q1 V2 SE is a solid alternative. Your decision hinges on whether you need the advanced gaming features and portability of HE or the broader mechanical ecosystem of V2 SE.
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 HE
Keychron Q1 V2 SE
Hall effect (magnetic)
Yes
No
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Rapid trigger
Yes
No
Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing
Connection
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount, PCB Mount
Plate Mount
- Keychron Q1 HE
- Keychron Q1 V2 SE
- Performance
- 10073
- Build quality
- 9284
- Productivity
- 9798
- Customizability
- 10094
- Portability
- 8168
- Layout size: 75%
- Hot-swappable
- Case material: Aluminum
- Knob
- QMK
- VIA
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q1 HE leads in Gaming due to its magnetic switches and 2.4 GHz polling, and in Travel thanks to Bluetooth and a large battery. The Q1 V2 SE takes Office for its sound damping and rigid steel plate. Programming and Content Creation are ties because both keyboards share QMK/VIA support, a knob, and system toggle. Modding favors the Q1 HE for its barebone option and double-gasket design.
Pick the Keychron Q1 HE
- Hall effect switches with dynamic rapid trigger and adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm.
- Supports 2.4 GHz wireless with 1000 Hz polling rate.
- TMR sensors for precise input detection down to 0.1 mm sensitivity.
Keychron Q1 HE vs Q1 V2 SE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
9 of 29 specs differ
Keychron Q1 HE
Keychron Q1 V2 SE
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
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 Q1 HE
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
Input Gear
ISO-DE
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-IT, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Q1 V2 SE
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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Keychron Q1 HE vs Q1 V2 SE: your questions
The Q1 HE uses Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches with adjustable actuation and rapid trigger, while the Q1 V2 SE uses standard mechanical switches. The Q1 HE also supports wireless connectivity, whereas the V2 SE is wired only.
No, the Q1 HE is only compatible with Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches. Standard MX-style mechanical switches will not work due to the Hall effect sensor design.
Yes, according to the vendor description, the Q1 V2 SE is fully programmable with QMK and VIA for key remapping, macros, and shortcuts.
The Q1 HE has a 2.4 GHz wireless mode with 1000 Hz polling and Bluetooth 5.2 for connecting up to three devices. The Q1 V2 SE does not offer any wireless connectivity.
Yes, the Q1 HE comes with a system toggle and includes both Mac and Windows keycaps. It can store separate layouts for each operating system.
The adjustable actuation points range from 0.2 mm to 3.8 mm with 0.1 mm sensitivity increments, as stated on the Keychron product page.
Yes, the vendor description highlights that version 2 includes extra sound absorption foam and case gaskets to reduce noise.
No, the Q1 HE comes with OSA profile double-shot PBT keycaps that are not shine-through. The south-facing RGB lights are designed to illuminate the board from the typist's angle.
The Q1 HE weighs about 1735 g in its fully assembled version. The Q1 V2 SE is estimated by a customer review to be pushing 4 pounds (around 1800 g), making them fairly similar.
No, the Q1 V2 SE uses standard mechanical switches with fixed actuation points. Actuation adjustment is a feature exclusive to the magnetic switches on the Q1 HE.
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