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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 14, 2026

Keychron Q1 HE vs V1

Get the Q1 HE for Hall Effect controls and Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless, and the V1 for standard 3-pin or 5-pin MX switch swapping and a lighter plastic build.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q1 HE

Hall effect

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $200.

If you want

  • Hall Effect magnetic switches offer adjustable actuation points and Dynamic Rapid Trigger.
  • Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, with a listed 4000 mAh battery.
  • An aluminum case with a double-gasket design.

Rules this board out

  • 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 V1

Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $50.

If you want

  • Hot-swap support for standard 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches.
  • A 995 g plastic case, substantially lighter than the listed Q1 HE weight.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Missing ISO-IT. The other board is sold in those layouts.

Bottom line

Choose the Q1 HE for Hall Effect features, adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and wireless connectivity, which the V1 does not offer. Choose the V1 if you want to swap standard 3-pin or 5-pin MX switches, or prefer its lighter plastic case. Buyers who need ISO-IT can choose the Q1 HE, which lists that layout.

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 HE

Keychron V1

  • 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

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    ABS, Plastic

  • Switch options

    Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron Q1 HE
  • Keychron V1
Performance
100
91
Build quality
91
89
Productivity
97
98
Customizability
100
98
Portability
81
64

What they share

  • Layout size: 75%
  • Hot-swappable
  • Max polling rate: 8,000 Hz
  • Knob
  • QMK
  • VIA
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The Q1 HE is the gaming and wireless pick, with magnetic-switch controls and Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz connectivity. It also has an edge for travel because wireless operation and a listed battery capacity make it usable without a cable. For modding with conventional MX switches, the V1 is the more flexible fit. Programming and content creation are closer calls because both share QMK, VIA, and a knob option.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron Q1 HE

  • Hall Effect switches support adjustable actuation points and Dynamic Rapid Trigger.
  • The Q1 HE supports 2.4 GHz wireless with a 1000 Hz polling rate.

From real owners

What owners say

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

Keychron Q1 HE

5.0

20 owner reviews

Praise
“Love this keyboard. Wooting was my first choice but they don’t have wireless and with this version having TMR sensors and Wireless capability it’s my new Keyboard for work.”
SageVerified buyer· via Keychron

Keychron V1

4.9

64 owner reviews

Praise
“Even tho I live in the middle of Europe the shipping only took 11 working days. It feels and sounds great to type on. And the opening experience was also great.”
Jitka H.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron Q1 HE vs V1 specs

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

13 of 29 specs differ

Keychron Q1 HE

Keychron V1

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hall effect (magnetic)

Yes
No

Rapid trigger

Yes
No

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, PCB Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount, Tray Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
75%

Layout standard

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

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

LED
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

8,000 Hz
8,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
Wired only

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Aluminum, Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate, Steel

Keycaps

ABS, PBT
ABS, PBT

Weight

4,000 g
995 g

Dimensions

23 x 145 x 328 mm
18 x 149 x 329 mm

Typing angle

5°, 6°, 7°
4°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2023
2022

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 V14 stores

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Keychron Q1 HE

Keychron V1

  • Keychron

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

    In stockShips to you

    Go to Keychron
  • Keychron (DE)

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

    In stockDoes not ship to you

    Go to Keychron (DE)

FAQ

Keychron Q1 HE vs V1: your questions

The Q1 HE is the more gaming-focused option because its Hall Effect switches support adjustable actuation and Dynamic Rapid Trigger. It also offers 2.4 GHz wireless with a listed 1000 Hz polling rate.

The Q1 HE uses Gateron double-rail magnetic Hall Effect switches and supports compatible magnetic replacements. The V1 uses conventional mechanical switches and supports hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches.

No, the Q1 HE is limited to compatible magnetic switches, and standard MX switches will not fit. Its vendor also specifies compatibility with Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Switches.

The V1 supports hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. This is the relevant choice between these two boards if you want to swap conventional MX switches.

The Q1 HE supports Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired Type-C connections, and has a 4000 mAh battery listed. The V1 is wired and connects through Type-C.

The Q1 HE has Hall Effect switches with adjustable actuation points. The V1 uses standard mechanical switches, and its listed features do not include adjustable actuation.

Both boards list QMK and VIA support. Keychron describes QMK customization for remapping and macros on each model.

For conventional switch swapping, the V1 supports hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches. The Q1 HE can also be modified, but its switch compatibility is limited to magnetic switches.

Both list knob support. Keychron describes the V1 knob as an aluminum rotary encoder that can be customized for keys or macros through Keychron Launcher.

The V1 is listed at 995 g, while the Q1 HE metadata lists 4000 g. The vendor page gives a separate assembled Q1 HE weight, so check the specific version and listing when comparing actual carry weight.

The Q1 HE lists ISO-IT among its layouts. The V1 does not offer ISO-IT, according to its layout compatibility information.

Both have south-facing LEDs, and their vendor descriptions identify the included PBT keycaps as non-shine-through. Shine-through legends may stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LEDs.

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