Keychron Q3 vs Q4TKL or 60% Aluminum Keyboard?
Choose the Q3 if you want a TKL layout with a knob and broad ISO options, or the Q4 if a lighter 60% aluminum board with OSA PBT keycaps suits your desk better.
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4.8 (107)4.8 · 107 reviews
from$59at Keychron
4.7 (10)4.7 · 10 reviews
from$59at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q3
Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $100.
- 80% TKL layout with dedicated function and navigation keys for office and programming work.
- Programmable aluminum rotary knob that can be customized for macros, zoom, or volume through VIA.
- Wide ISO layout coverage including UK, German, Nordic, Swiss, French, and Spanish versions.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Missing ISO-Nordic. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- No numpad.
Get the
Keychron Q4
Build quality in the top 5% of 60% boards under $100.
- 60% layout saves desk space and suits tight setups.
- Double-shot OSA profile PBT keycaps resist oil and legend fading.
- Lighter at 1500g than the Q3, making it easier to reposition or carry.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Compact layout only. No function row, dedicated arrow keys, or numpad.
Pick the Keychron Q3 if you need a TKL layout with a programmable knob and the widest ISO layout selection for office or programming work. Choose the Keychron Q4 if a lighter, smaller 60% board with OSA PBT keycaps fits your desk and travel needs better. Both share wired connectivity, QMK/VIA support, and hot-swappable aluminum construction, so the layout and knob are the main decision points.
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 Q3
Keychron Q4
Layout size
80%
60%
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Silent, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount, PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Weight
2,000 g
1,500 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
Layout standard
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-SW, ISO-UK, JIS
ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK, JIS
ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit
- Keychron Q3
- Keychron Q4
- Performance
- 7165
- Build quality
- 9190
- Productivity
- 9895
- Customizability
- 9898
- Portability
- 5770
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- Knob
- QMK
What will you mostly use it for?
The Q3 wins for office and programming because its TKL layout keeps navigation keys and adds a programmable knob. The Q4 is the better pick for travel and gaming due to its smaller footprint and lower weight. Modding is a tie, since both share hot-swap sockets, QMK support, and aluminum gasket-mount construction. Content creation favors the Q3 for its knob and broader ISO options. Neither board offers wireless connectivity.
Pick the Keychron Q4
- The Q4 is a 60% layout, which frees desk space for mouse movement during play.
- Both boards list a 1000 Hz polling rate, so latency is comparable on paper.
- The Q4 weighs 1500g versus 2000g on the Q3, making it less burdensome to reposition.
- The Q4 has a 7 degree typing angle versus 5 degrees on the Q3, which some players may prefer.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron Q3
107 owner reviews
“I upgraded from the Q1 as I never really liked 75%. The weight, sound and feel of the Q3 are all amazing. Really good build quality. Money well spent.”
Keychron Q4
10 owner reviews
“Perfect keyboard, sounds lovely, feels lovely, i just fee like the white keys are a lot more cream than pictured. Not an issue though! Just a little annoying haha”
Keychron Q3 vs Q4 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
7 of 25 specs differ
Keychron Q3
Keychron Q4
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron Q3
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
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Keychron Q4
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In 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 Q3 vs Q4: your questions
The main difference is layout size: the Q3 is an 80% TKL board and the Q4 is a 60% board. The Q3 also adds a programmable knob and wider ISO layout coverage, while the Q4 is lighter and uses double-shot OSA PBT keycaps.
No, both keyboards are wired only and connect via USB-C. Neither listing mentions Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity.
Yes, both boards have hot-swappable PCB sockets that support 3 pin and 5 pin MX mechanical switches. You can change switches without soldering on either model.
The Q3 is generally better for programming because its TKL layout keeps arrow and navigation keys, reducing reliance on layers. It also includes a programmable knob that can be mapped to macros through VIA, which the standard Q4 does not include.
The Q3 lists a 1000 Hz polling rate, which Keychron says makes latency hardly noticeable in competitive games. However, its heavier 2000g aluminum body and larger TKL footprint make it less portable than the Q4.
The standard Q4 listing does not include a knob, while the Q3 listing includes a programmable aluminum rotary knob. Both boards support QMK and VIA for remapping if a knob is not present.
The Q3 fully assembled version ships with OSA profile ABS backlight shine-through keycaps. The Q4 fully assembled version ships with double-shot OSA profile PBT keycaps that are not shine-through.
The Q4 is more portable because it is smaller at 121 x 303 mm and lighter at 1500g, compared with 137 x 365 mm and 2000g for the Q3. Both are wired only, so you will need to carry a USB-C cable.
Yes, both boards list QMK firmware support and compatibility with the Keychron Launcher web app for key remapping and macros. Keychron notes that the Launcher works best in the latest Chrome, Opera, or Edge browser and requires a wired connection.
The Q3 supports ANSI, ISO, JIS, and ISO variants for DE, ES, FR, SW, and UK. The Q4 supports ANSI, ISO, JIS, and ISO variants for DE, Nordic, UK, FR, and ES, but does not list a JIS option.
Yes, both use a full CNC machined 6063 aluminum case with a steel plate and a double-gasket design. Keychron states the aluminum undergoes CNC machining, polishing, anodizing, and sandblasting.
Yes, both the Q3 and Q4 are available as barebone kits without keycaps or switches. This lets you choose your own switches and keycaps, and both boards use screw-in PCB stabilizers.
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