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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

Keychron Q1 Ultra vs V1 UltraAluminum or lighter

Choose the Q1 Ultra for an aluminum case, or the much lighter V1 Ultra for a more portable build and lower relative cost.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q1 Ultra

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

If you want

  • Aluminum case with a polycarbonate plate and gasket mounting.
  • 75% layout offered in ISO-IT and ISO-PT, which the V1 Ultra does not list.
  • Supports Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connections with an 8000 Hz polling rate.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.

Get the

Keychron V1 Ultra

QMK

Build quality in the top 10% of 75% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Plastic case and 770g weight make it substantially lighter than the Q1 Ultra.
  • Metadata lists QMK and VIA support alongside hot-swappable switches.
  • Supports Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connections with an 8000 Hz polling rate.

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.

Bottom line

Pick the Q1 Ultra if you specifically want its aluminum case or need ISO-IT or ISO-PT; be prepared for its much heavier build. For a lighter 75% keyboard with listed QMK and VIA support, the V1 Ultra is the more practical fit. Their shared connectivity, battery capacity, and polling rate mean the case and layout differences should drive the decision.

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 V1 Ultra

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    ABS, Plastic

  • Switch options

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

    Linear, Tactile

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount, Plate Mount

    Gasket Mount

  • Weight

    1,724 g

    770 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 V1 Ultra
Performance
89
91
Build quality
74
84
Productivity
90
98
Customizability
77
94
Portability
83
79

What they share

  • Layout size: 75%
  • Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh
  • Max polling rate: 8,000 Hz
  • Knob
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

Gaming, office work, and content creation are close calls because the keyboards share core connectivity and feature sets. The V1 Ultra has the clearer edge for programming and modding based on its listed QMK and VIA support. For travel, its substantially lower weight is the decisive distinction. Choose the Q1 Ultra if an aluminum case or one of its additional listed regional layouts matters more.

For gaming

It's a tie

  • Both list an 8000 Hz polling rate and support wired and 2.4 GHz connections.
  • Both offer N-key rollover, hot-swappable switches, and south-facing RGB.

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 V1 Ultra

5.0

1 owner reviews

Praise
“Keychron has the best keyboard for keyboard enthusiasts. This is my 3rd and I have no notes. Exactly what I wanted, versatility, thockiness, and portability.”
CamilleVerified buyer· via Keychron

Full specs

Keychron Q1 Ultra vs V1 Ultra specs

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

9 of 27 specs differ

Keychron Q1 Ultra

Keychron V1 Ultra

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket 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-PT, JIS
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
Yes

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

8,000 Hz
8,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
ABS, Plastic

Plate material

Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

1,724 g
770 g

Dimensions

32 x 328 x 145 mm
29 x 329 x 149 mm

Typing angle

5°
4°

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
2026

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 V1 Ultra

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES

    In 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 V1 Ultra: your questions

The Q1 Ultra has an aluminum case and weighs 1724g, while the V1 Ultra has a plastic case and weighs 770g. The V1 Ultra also lists QMK and VIA support in its metadata, and the Q1 Ultra lists ISO-IT and ISO-PT layouts that the V1 Ultra does not.

Both list an 8000 Hz polling rate for wired and 2.4 GHz use, plus N-key rollover and hot-swappable switches. Their listed gaming-relevant features are closely matched, so case material and weight are more useful deciding factors.

The V1 Ultra weighs 770g, while the Q1 Ultra weighs 1724g. The V1 Ultra is the more portable choice based on weight.

Yes. Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity.

Both list an 8000 Hz polling rate. Keychron's descriptions specify 8000 Hz for wired and 2.4 GHz connections, and 125 Hz for Bluetooth.

The V1 Ultra's metadata lists QMK Support and VIA Support. The Q1 Ultra metadata does not list either feature, though Keychron describes its Launcher web app for remapping and macros.

Yes, both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. Keychron says both models support hot-swapping compatible 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches without soldering.

The Q1 Ultra has an aluminum case, and its vendor description specifies CNC aluminum. The V1 Ultra has a plastic case, described as a lightweight polymer body.

The Q1 Ultra lists ISO-IT among its layout options. The V1 Ultra does not list ISO-IT or ISO-PT.

Both use south-facing LEDs, and their compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark. Some sculpted keycaps may also clip the LED on either keyboard.

The Q1 Ultra is listed with KSA double-shot PBT keycaps, while the V1 Ultra is listed with OSA double-shot PBT keycaps. Both vendor descriptions identify the keycaps as PBT.

Both list a 4000mAh battery, and Keychron describes up to 660 hours with the backlight off for each. Keychron also lists up to 200 hours with RGB at its lowest brightness.

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