Keychron Q1 Pro vs WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80ISO or Halo
Get the Keychron Q1 Pro for ISO layouts, a programmable knob and barebone options, or the WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80 for its 8000mAh battery, five-layer dampening and 270° halo lighting.
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5.0 (15)5.0 · 15 reviews
from$149at Keychron
No reviews
from$159at WhatGeek
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q1 Pro
Knob
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $150.
- Available in ISO variants as well as ANSI.
- Programmable knob can be assigned to a key or macro command.
- Barebone option is available for a DIY build.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the
WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80
Battery
Build quality in the top 10% of 80% boards under $200.
- 8000mAh battery capacity.
- 270° side-halo RGB, front logo lighting and underglow.
- Five-layer acoustic filling structure, including full-surround 0.2mm IXPE foam.
- 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.
- No numpad.
Choose the Keychron Q1 Pro if you want ISO layout options, a programmable knob or a barebone build. Choose the WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80 if its larger 8000mAh battery, layered acoustic filling and 270° halo lighting matter more, and ANSI suits your layout needs.
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 Pro
WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80
Layout size
75%
80%
Connection
Bluetooth, Wired, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Battery
4,000 mAh
8,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
Knob
Yes
No
- Keychron Q1 Pro
- WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80
- Performance
- 8281
- Build quality
- 8986
- Productivity
- 9895
- Customizability
- 9889
- Portability
- 8288
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- QMK
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q1 Pro has the clearest fit for office and programming setups that need ISO layouts or a dedicated customizable knob. It also gets the travel and modding nod here, based on its lower listed weight, smaller layout size and barebone option. Gaming is a tie on the listed polling rate and rollover, with switch choice differing between the boards. The Aurora 80 is the more distinctive content-creation pick for its halo lighting and music-reactive effects.
It's a tie
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover.
- The Aurora 80 has Kailh Luna linear switches, while the Q1 Pro lists linear, tactile and clicky switch types.
Keychron Q1 Pro vs WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 27 specs differ
Keychron Q1 Pro
WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80
Switch options
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
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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Check price
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron Q1 Pro
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron Q1 Pro vs WhatGeek PMO Aurora 80: your questions
The Q1 Pro offers ISO layout variants, a programmable knob and a barebone option. The Aurora 80 instead lists an 8000mAh battery and distinctive 270° halo lighting.
No. The Aurora 80 is listed as ANSI-only, with no ISO-DE, UK or other ISO variants. The Keychron Q1 Pro is available in ANSI and multiple ISO layouts.
The Keychron Q1 Pro has a programmable knob. Keychron says it can be assigned to a key or macro command, including examples such as volume adjustment and screen brightness.
The PMO Aurora 80 lists an 8000mAh battery, while the Q1 Pro lists 4000mAh. These capacities identify the larger battery, but do not by themselves establish actual runtime.
Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover. The Aurora 80 is described with Kailh Luna linear switches, while the Q1 Pro lists linear, tactile and clicky switch types.
The Q1 Pro is listed at 1825g, and the Aurora 80 at 2300g. Both are substantial aluminum keyboards, so the Q1 Pro is the lighter of the two by listed weight.
Both list hot-swap support. The Q1 Pro also has a barebone option, and Keychron says it supports most 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches.
The Aurora 80 vendor description says its Music Rhythm 3.0 feature syncs lighting to music through PMO's official client software. The same description lists a 270° side halo, front logo lighting and underglow.
The Q1 Pro has an aluminum case and a polycarbonate plate. The Aurora 80 lists an aluminum alloy body and an FR4 positioning plate, while its vendor description also specifies a brushed stainless steel top plate.
Both have south-facing RGB LEDs, and both compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark. Some sculpted keycaps may also clip the LED.
The Aurora 80 vendor description specifies a five-layer acoustic filling structure that includes full-surround 0.2mm IXPE foam. The Q1 Pro description instead details a double-gasket design with silicone pads between the top and bottom cases.
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