Keychron Q12 vs Q13 ProSouthpaw vs Alice 96% Battle
Choose the Q12 for its unique left-side numpad (southpaw) layout if you want a wired desk anchor, or the Q13 Pro for its ergonomic Alice split layout with Bluetooth wireless freedom.
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4.5 (12)4.5 · 12 reviews
from$129at MK
4.7 (12)4.7 · 12 reviews
from$167at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q12
Southpaw
Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $150.
- Left-side numpad (southpaw) layout frees right-side mouse space and enables simultaneous numpad and mouse use.
- Steel plate provides a stiffer, more rigid typing feel and distinct acoustic resonance.
- Includes a programmable aluminum rotary knob for volume, zoom, or custom macros.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Keychron Q13 Pro
Alice 96% Battle
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $200.
- Alice ergonomic layout positions hands at a natural angle, reducing wrist strain during long typing sessions.
- Bluetooth 5.1 wireless with a 4000mAh battery supports up to 300 hours of use without backlight.
- Polycarbonate plate and double-gasket design deliver a softer, more flexible typing feel.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Choose the Keychron Q12 if a left-side numpad is essential for your data-entry or creative workflow and you do not need wireless capability. Choose the Keychron Q13 Pro if ergonomic hand positioning and Bluetooth multi-device connectivity are higher priorities. Both keyboards offer superb build quality with full CNC aluminum cases, QMK/VIA support, and hot-swappable switches, so your decision ultimately comes down to layout preference and whether you need wireless freedom.
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
Keychron Q13 Pro
Connection
Wired
Bluetooth, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Ergonomics
Southpaw
Alice
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
Weight
2,491 g
2,392 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
Plate material
Steel
Polycarbonate
- Keychron Q12
- Keychron Q13 Pro
- Performance
- 7382
- Build quality
- 9088
- Productivity
- 98100
- Customizability
- 9996
- Portability
- 4657
- Layout size: 96%
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- Switch options: Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- Knob
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q12 wins for office and content creation work where its southpaw numpad layout shines for data entry and simultaneous mouse use. The Q13 Pro takes gaming and programming due to its ergonomic Alice layout and wireless flexibility, which reduce strain and enable cable-free setups. For travel, the Q13 Pro's Bluetooth makes it the practical choice despite both keyboards being heavy. For modding, the two are evenly matched since both offer extensive customization, with the main difference being plate material and sound profile rather than modding capability.
Pick the Keychron Q13 Pro
- Q13 Pro supports Bluetooth and wired modes, offering flexibility for desk setups.
- Q13 Pro has a polycarbonate plate which can provide a more flexible, bouncy feel preferred by some gamers.
- Both offer 1000 Hz polling rate in wired mode, but the Q13 Pro also includes N-Key Rollover for both wireless and wired modes.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron Q12
12 owner reviews
“I really want my numpad to be on the left, so the inter-position between my mouse, keyboard, and Numpad are more ergonomic and balanced. However, if the product has a wireless option, I will for sure buy this version!”
Keychron Q13 Pro
12 owner reviews
“I was looking for a good ergonomic, programmable, mechanical keyboard and this is it. It would be nice to have a proper case to carry it.”
“So, me,being dumb, didn't pay too much attention to the iso vs not iso (?) layout. The enter key doesn't bother me much, but left shift.... Being smoll is an issue. I did rekey the additional key to be L-shift, but it's too... Janky? For my mucked up brain…”
Keychron Q12 vs Q13 Pro specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
8 of 27 specs differ
Keychron Q12
Keychron Q13 Pro
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
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron Q12
Keychron
ISO
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Q13 Pro
Keychron
ISO
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO
Out of stockDoes not ship 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 vs Q13 Pro: your questions
No, the Keychron Q12 is wired-only with a USB Type-C connection. It does not have Bluetooth or any other wireless capability. For a wireless option in a similar 96% layout, you would need to look at the Q13 Pro.
Yes, the Keychron Q13 Pro features Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity with up to three devices simultaneously. It also supports a wired USB Type-C connection when preferred.
A southpaw layout places the numpad on the left side of the keyboard, freeing mouse space on the right. An Alice layout splits the alphanumeric cluster into two angled halves to promote a more natural wrist position. The Q12 uses southpaw, while the Q13 Pro uses an Alice layout.
Yes, both the Keychron Q12 and Q13 Pro are hot-swappable and support 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches. This allows you to change switches without soldering.
Both keyboards feature south-facing RGB LEDs designed to work well with non-shine-through PBT keycaps. The Q13 Pro is described as having 22 types of RGB backlight settings, though specific details for the Q12 are not provided.
Yes, both keyboards support macOS and Windows with a system toggle switch and include additional keycaps for both operating systems. They are compatible with Mac and Windows out of the box.
Both keyboards have a 1000 Hz polling rate in wired mode. The Q13 Pro drops to 90 Hz when using Bluetooth wireless, as stated by the manufacturer.
The Q12 is generally better for data entry due to its left-side numpad, which allows for efficient numeric input while keeping your right hand on the mouse. The Q13 Pro's Alice layout is more focused on typing ergonomics than numpad-heavy tasks.
Yes, both the Q12 and Q13 Pro support QMK firmware and the Keychron Launcher web app for custom key remapping, macros, and shortcuts. They are fully programmable.
The Q12 uses a steel plate, while the Q13 Pro uses a polycarbonate (PC) plate. This difference affects typing feel: steel is stiffer, while polycarbonate offers more flexibility.
Yes, both are quite heavy due to their full aluminum construction. The Q12 weighs about 2491g and the Q13 Pro weighs about 2392g. They are not designed for frequent portability despite the Q13 Pro having wireless capability.
The fully assembled Q12 comes with double-shot OSA PBT keycaps (OEM height with SA-like shape). The fully assembled Q13 Pro comes with KSA double-shot PBT keycaps (Keychron spherical-angle profile). Both are non-shine-through and oil-resistant.
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