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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 10, 2026

Keychron Q1 Ultra vs Q2 Pro8K vs 65% Modding

Choose the Q1 Ultra for its 75% layout and 8K polling over wired or 2.4 GHz, or the Q2 Pro for its smaller 65% footprint and QMK customization.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q1 Ultra

8K

Build quality in the top 35% of 75% boards under $300.

If you want

  • 75% layout with a rotary knob.
  • 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes.
  • Connectivity includes 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and wired use.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Missing ISO-UK, ISO-SW. The other board is sold in those layouts.
  • No numpad.

Get the

Keychron Q2 Pro

65% Modding

Build quality in the top 5% of 65% boards under $150.

If you want

  • 65% layout and a listed weight of 1489 g.
  • QMK and VIA support are listed, with Launcher customization described by the vendor.
  • Available as a barebone kit without keycaps and switches, or fully assembled.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Missing ISO-IT, ISO-PT. The other board is sold in those layouts.
  • 65% layout. No function row and no numpad.

Bottom line

Choose the Q1 Ultra if 8K polling, 2.4 GHz connectivity, and a 75% layout are your priorities. Choose the Q2 Pro if you prefer a smaller 65% board, QMK and VIA support, or the option to start with a barebone kit. Both offer aluminum construction, a PC plate, hot-swappable switches, and a knob, so the main decision is layout and connectivity versus customization.

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 Ultra

Keychron Q2 Pro

  • Layout size

    75%

    65%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Bluetooth, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Max polling rate

    8,000 Hz

    1,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

  • Weight

    1,724 g

    1,489 g

    Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

  • QMK

    No

    Yes

    The deep option when you want to remap every key

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron Q1 Ultra
  • Keychron Q2 Pro
Performance
89
78
Build quality
74
90
Productivity
90
95
Customizability
77
96
Portability
83
89

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh
  • Case material: Aluminum
  • Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
  • Mount style: Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
  • Knob
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The Q1 Ultra is the more gaming-focused choice on paper, with 8K polling and both 2.4 GHz and wired modes. The Q2 Pro has an edge for programming and modding because of its QMK and VIA support and barebone configuration. For travel, its smaller 65% layout and lower listed weight are practical advantages, though neither board is especially light. Office use is a closer call, while the Q2 Pro's programmable knob is explicitly described with creative-workflow examples.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron Q1 Ultra

  • The Q1 Ultra supports 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes; the Q2 Pro is listed at 1000 Hz polling and offers Bluetooth and wired connectivity.
  • The Q1 Ultra's 75% layout keeps more keys available than the Q2 Pro's 65% layout.

From real owners

What owners say

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

Keychron Q1 Ultra

5.0

6 owner reviews

Praise
“An exceptional keyboard in every respect. The sound, the feel of the keys, and the performance are all of the highest quality.”
Eduard T.Verified buyer· via Keychron

Keychron Q2 Pro

4.3

8 owner reviews

Praise
“I purchased Q2 keyboard two weeks ago. It was sent from ShenZhen, China by DHL. Be careful you have to pay import custom tax. The keyboard is good quality. I am just surprise, after discount it is the same price as in Amazon. thanks.”
JerryVerified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron Q1 Ultra vs Q2 Pro specs

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

12 of 27 specs differ

Keychron Q1 Ultra

Keychron Q2 Pro

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
65%

Layout standard

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

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
No

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, Wired

Max polling rate

8,000 HzBetter
1,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT
ABS, PBT

Weight

1,724 g
1,489 g

Dimensions

32 x 328 x 145 mm
35 x 121 x 328 mm

Typing angle

5°
3°, 7°

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

No
Yes

VIA

No
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2026
2023

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

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

Keychron Q1 Ultra

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-IT, ISO-PT

    In stockDoes not ship to you

Keychron Q2 Pro

  • Keychron

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

    In stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

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

    In stockDoes not ship to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO

    Out of stockDoes not ship to you

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.

FAQ

Keychron Q1 Ultra vs Q2 Pro: your questions

The Q1 Ultra is a 75% keyboard with 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and wired connectivity, plus 8000 Hz polling in wired and 2.4 GHz modes. The Q2 Pro is a 65% keyboard with Bluetooth and wired connectivity, and it lists QMK and VIA support.

Yes. The Q1 Ultra is listed at 8000 Hz in wired and 2.4 GHz modes. The Q2 Pro is listed at 1000 Hz, and its vendor page specifies 90 Hz in wireless mode.

The Q2 Pro has a 65% layout, compared with the Q1 Ultra's 75% layout. The Q2 Pro is listed as 121 mm wide, while the Q1 Ultra is about 145 mm wide.

Both support Bluetooth and wired use. The Q1 Ultra also supports 2.4 GHz, while the Q2 Pro's listed wireless connection is Bluetooth.

The Q2 Pro is a strong fit for buyers who want QMK and VIA support or a barebone starting point. Both models are hot-swappable, and both vendor descriptions specify support for common 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches.

Yes, both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. Their vendor descriptions say they support almost all 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches, with no soldering required.

Yes. Both are described as aluminum keyboards, and their vendor pages identify CNC-machined aluminum construction. Both also use a PC plate and gasket mount.

The Q1 Ultra vendor page claims up to 660 hours with the backlight off and up to 200 hours with RGB at its lowest brightness. The Q2 Pro is listed for up to 300 hours with the backlight off and up to 100 hours with RGB at its lowest brightness.

Yes. Keychron describes the Q2 Pro's knob as programmable and gives examples including zooming, adjusting brush size, and selecting video clips or photos. The Q1 Ultra also has a knob, but its description does not provide the same creative-action examples.

Yes. The Q2 Pro is offered as a barebone configuration as well as a fully assembled keyboard. The vendor says the barebone version does not include keycaps or switches.

Both have south-facing RGB backlighting. The Q1 Ultra vendor page describes per-key RGB and Mix RGB options, while the Q2 Pro page describes 22 types of RGB backlight settings.

The Q2 Pro is listed at 1489 g, while the Q1 Ultra is listed at 1724 g. Both have aluminum cases, so the Q2 Pro is lighter but remains a substantial keyboard.

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