Keychron Q3 vs Q5TKL or 96% Layout Decision
The Keychron Q3 is the pick if you want a compact tenkeyless layout, while the Keychron Q5 offers a nearly full-size layout with a numpad.
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4.8 (108)4.8 · 108 reviews
from$59at Keychron
4.8 (17)4.8 · 17 reviews
from$119at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q3
Build quality in the top 5% of 80% boards under $100.
- 80% tenkeyless layout is more compact and leaves room for mouse movement.
- Lighter weight at 2000g makes it easier to move or transport.
- Available with a knob for programmable macro control via VIA.
- 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 Q5
Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $150.
- 96% layout includes a full numpad and all essential keys in a space-efficient form.
- Slightly heavier build at 2310g adds stability on the desk.
- Programmable rotary encoder knob for creative workflow shortcuts.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- Missing ISO-FR, ISO-ES. The other board is sold in those layouts.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
If you prioritize a compact desk footprint and don't need a numpad, the Keychron Q3 is the more sensible choice for gaming and travel. If you require a numpad for data-heavy office or content creation work, the Keychron Q5 delivers that without going to a full-size board. Both keyboards share excellent build quality with full aluminum cases, double-gasket mounting, and deep firmware customization through QMK and VIA.
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 Q5
Layout size
80%
96%
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
2,310 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-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK
ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit
- Keychron Q3
- Keychron Q5
- Performance
- 7272
- Build quality
- 9189
- Productivity
- 9897
- Customizability
- 9898
- Portability
- 5746
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Case material: Aluminum
- Knob
- QMK
What will you mostly use it for?
The Keychron Q3 wins for gaming and travel due to its lighter weight and smaller footprint, freeing up desk space and being easier to carry. The Keychron Q5 wins for office and content creation thanks to its 96% layout that includes a numpad, making data entry and timeline work more efficient. For programming and modding, both keyboards are equally capable: they share the same QMK/VIA firmware, hot-swappable design, and double-gasket construction.
Pick the Keychron Q3
- The Q3's 80% layout is more compact, freeing up mouse space on the desk.
- Lower weight of 2000g vs 2310g makes it easier to reposition during gameplay.
- Identical 1000 Hz polling rate and ultra-low-power ARM MCU ensure the same latency.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron Q3
108 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.”
“I thought I had found exactly what I wanted and its great for what it is, but! This was advertised as an ANSI layout but what I received was an ISO layout board. The barebones board also states in the images that it comes with switch and keycap removal tools…”
Keychron Q5
17 owner reviews
“I really like this keyboard. I have a couple of Q1s, and I like this layout better. The key caps on the silver gray model look terrific.”
Keychron Q3 vs Q5 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
6 of 25 specs differ
Keychron Q3
Keychron Q5
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 Q5
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
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.
Keychron Q3 vs Q5: your questions
The Keychron Q3 has an 80% TKL layout that omits the numpad, while the Q5 uses a 96% layout that includes a numpad while staying relatively compact. Both retain arrow keys and function rows.
Yes, both the Q3 and Q5 support QMK open-source firmware and VIA software for key remapping, macro programming, and customizing the rotary encoder knob. You can use the Keychron Launcher web app as an alternative.
Yes, both keyboards have hot-swappable PCBs that accept 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches without soldering. This makes it easy to change switch types without special tools.
The Q3 is better for a small desk due to its 80% TKL layout, which is 137 mm wide by 365 mm long, compared to the Q5's 145 mm by 390 mm. The Q3 also weighs less at 2000g.
Both keyboards feature a full CNC machined 6063 aluminum case with a steel plate. The manufacturer describes them as solid metal pieces made through processes including polishing, anodizing, and sandblasting.
Yes, both keyboards come with a system toggle switch and include additional keycaps for both macOS and Windows. You can save separate layouts for each operating system.
Both use screw-in PCB stabilizers that provide more stability and less wobble on large keys like space bar, shift, enter, and delete. The keyboards also support third-party screw-in stabilizers.
Yes, both use a double-gasket design that includes silicone pads between the top and bottom cases to reduce acoustic resonance and metal impact noise. This improves the overall typing sound.
The Q5 weighs 2310g, about 310g more than the Q3's 2000g. The extra weight makes the Q5 more stable on a desk but less portable for travel.
The fully assembled versions of both keyboards come with Gateron G Pro switches, with options like G Pro Red (linear) and G Pro Brown (tactile). Both are also available as barebones kits without switches.
Yes, both are offered in ISO layouts including UK-ISO, DE-ISO, Nordic-ISO, FR-ISO, ES-ISO, and Swiss-ISO. They come with OSA profile ABS backlight shine-through keycaps designed for both Mac and Windows.
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