Keychron Q12 HE vs LemoKey P1 HE
Choose the Q12 HE for a southpaw layout with a numpad, or the P1 HE for a smaller 75% board with ISO layout options.
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4.0 (2)4.0 · 2 reviews
from$310at Keychron (DE)
5.0 (1)5.0 · 1 reviews
from$169at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q12 HE
Build quality in the top 20% of 96% boards at any price.
- 96% southpaw layout retains a numpad while positioning it on the left.
- Aluminum case and plate with gasket mounting.
- Hall Effect switches support Rapid Trigger, adjustable actuation, and Dynamic Keystrokes.
- 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.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the
Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $200.
- 75% layout is smaller and lighter than the Q12 HE, while retaining a knob.
- ANSI, ISO, and ISO-DE layouts are listed.
- Full-metal case, aluminum plate, and gasket mounting.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Choose the Keychron Q12 HE if you need a numpad and prefer the southpaw arrangement for mouse space. Choose the Lemokey P1 HE if you want a smaller, lighter board, need an ISO option, or value its listed macro keys and barebones configuration. Both offer closely matched Hall Effect gaming features, so let layout and desk fit decide.
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 Q12 HE
Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
Layout size
96%
75%
Ergonomics
Southpaw
Standard
Case material
Aluminum
Aluminum, Metal
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
Weight
2,201 g
1,630 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
- Keychron Q12 HE
- Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
- Performance
- 9393
- Build quality
- 8588
- Productivity
- 9797
- Customizability
- 9396
- Portability
- 5582
- Hall effect (magnetic)
- Rapid trigger
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q12 HE suits desk setups that benefit from a numpad, especially if a left-side number pad works well with mouse placement. The P1 HE is the more compact choice and its ISO variants make it the more flexible option for buyers seeking a non-ANSI layout. Gaming is close because the boards share the key magnetic-switch features and polling rate. For travel, modding, and knob-centered workflows, the P1 HE has the edge through lower weight, its barebones option, and listed macro keys.
It's a tie
- Both list Hall Effect magnetic switches, Rapid Trigger, adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm, and 1000 Hz polling over 2.4 GHz and wired connections.
- Both vendor descriptions include Dynamic Keystrokes and analog mode.
- The Q12 HE places the numpad on the left, while the P1 HE uses a conventional 75% layout.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron Q12 HE
2 owner reviews
“Unbelievable Keyboard!! However, not being able to replace switches and little room in case for modding, tape mod foam mod etc is a minor flaw to an excellent product.”
Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
1 owner reviews
“As a survivor with 4800 hours on chernarus i need this keyboard, getting this asap. DayZ was a second life investment of time and im not regretful. The opportunities it allows are countless, ive learned how to read some russian by the map where i now know…”
Keychron Q12 HE vs LemoKey P1 HE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
9 of 29 specs differ
Keychron Q12 HE
Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
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 Q12 HE
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron LemoKey P1 HE
Input Gear
ISO-DE
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron
ISO-DE
Out of stockShips to you
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Keychron Q12 HE vs LemoKey P1 HE: your questions
The Q12 HE is a southpaw 96% keyboard with a numpad, while the P1 HE is a conventional 75% keyboard without one. The P1 HE is also lighter and has ANSI, ISO, and ISO-DE layout options.
The Keychron Q12 HE has a numpad in its compact full-size layout, positioned on the left in its southpaw design. The Lemokey P1 HE has no numpad.
The Lemokey P1 HE is the smaller, lighter option, with a 75% layout and listed weight of 1630 g. The Q12 HE is a 96% layout keyboard listed at 2201 g.
Both have Hall Effect magnetic switches, Rapid Trigger, adjustable actuation from 0.2 to 3.8 mm, and a 1000 Hz polling rate over 2.4 GHz and wired connections. Their vendor descriptions also list Dynamic Keystrokes and analog mode.
No. Both keyboards are listed for magnetic switches only, and standard MX switches will not fit. Their vendor descriptions specify compatibility with Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic switches.
Yes, the P1 HE is listed in ANSI, ISO, and ISO-DE layouts, and the vendor describes additional ISO variants. The Q12 HE is listed as ANSI only.
Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity, along with a 4000 mAh battery. Their vendor descriptions state up to 100 hours of wireless use with the backlight off.
The P1 HE is a good fit if you want a 75% layout or an ISO layout option. The Q12 HE is worth considering if your programming work benefits from its numpad, and both list QMK and VIA support.
Yes, both have RGB lighting, but their LED orientations differ. The Q12 HE is listed with south-facing LEDs, while the P1 HE listings include north-facing and south-facing variants.
The Q12 HE's south-facing LEDs are listed as keeping shine-through legends dark. Its metadata also cautions that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
The P1 HE is listed with north-facing LEDs, and its compatibility notes warn that Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing. Its product description lists Cherry-profile PBT keycaps as the supplied profile.
Both list QMK, VIA, a gasket mount, an aluminum plate, and hot-swappable magnetic switches. The P1 HE also appears as a DIY kit/barebones option, while both keyboards restrict switch swaps to compatible magnetic switches.
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