Keychron Q4 HE vs V4 MaxHall Effect vs Budget Custom Keyboard
Choose the Q4 HE for cutting-edge Hall Effect gaming features, or the V4 Max for a highly customizable experience at a more accessible price.
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron Q4 HE
Hall Effect
- Advanced Hall Effect magnetic switches with adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger.
- Premium all-aluminum case and plate construction.
- Includes analog mode for variable input control.
- Substantially heavier at 1415g, reducing portability.
- Hot-swap sockets are compatible only with specific Gateron double-rail magnetic switches.
- Higher price point compared to the V4 Max.
Get the
Keychron V4 Max
Budget Custom Keyboard
- Hot-swappable for a wide range of 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches.
- Available in a barebones kit version for maximum customization.
- Lighter weight (645g) and longer claimed wireless battery life.
- Case is made of ABS plastic rather than metal.
- Lacks the advanced Hall Effect features like adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger.
- Polycarbonate plate may offer a different, potentially less rigid feel than aluminum.
Your budget and primary use case dictate the choice. Invest in the Keychron Q4 HE if you are a competitive gamer or enthusiast who values the cutting-edge precision of Hall Effect switches and the heft of an all-metal keyboard. Opt for the Keychron V4 Max if you want a highly customizable, wireless mechanical keyboard that supports standard switches, is easier to carry, and costs significantly less.
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 Q4 HE
Keychron V4 Max
Hall effect (magnetic)
Yes
No
Rapid trigger
Yes
No
Case material
Aluminum
ABS, Plastic
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Magnetic, Tactile
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
- Keychron Q4 HE
- Keychron V4 Max
- Performance
- 9179
- Build quality
- 8586
- Productivity
- 9495
- Customizability
- 9196
- Portability
- 9088
- Layout size: 60%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
- Knob
What will you mostly use it for?
The V4 Max is the more practical choice for office use, travel, and modding due to its lighter weight, longer battery life, and broader switch compatibility. The Q4 HE is the definitive pick for gaming and has an edge for content creation, thanks to its unique Hall Effect features and premium build. For programming, both keyboards are equally capable due to their shared firmware support and compact layout.
Pick the Keychron Q4 HE
- Features Hall Effect magnetic switches with adjustable actuation points from 0.2 to 3.8 mm.
- Includes Rapid Trigger and analog mode for dynamic keypress control.
- Aluminum case provides a solid, premium base for consistent keystrokes.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Keychron Q4 HE
2 owner reviews
Keychron V4 Max
No owner reviews collected yet.
Keychron Q4 HE vs V4 Max specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 28 specs differ
Keychron Q4 HE
Keychron V4 Max
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
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
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Keychron Q4 HE vs V4 Max: your questions
The Keychron Q4 HE uses Hall Effect magnetic switches with features like adjustable actuation points and Rapid Trigger, housed in an aluminum case. The V4 Max uses standard mechanical switches compatible with a wide range of MX-style options and has a plastic case, focusing on broad customizability at a lower price.
No. According to Keychron, the Q4 HE's hot-swap sockets are compatible exclusively with Gateron double-rail magnetic switches. It does not support standard mechanical switches like Cherry MX.
The Keychron V4 Max claims a longer wireless operating time of up to 190 hours with the backlight off, based on lab tests. The Q4 HE claims up to 100 hours under the same conditions. Both share a 4000mAh battery.
Yes. Both the Keychron Q4 HE and V4 Max include a system toggle switch and extra keycaps for both macOS and Windows, allowing you to save a layout for each operating system.
Yes. Both keyboards feature open-source QMK firmware and are compatible with the VIA configurator and Keychron's web-based Launcher app for remapping keys and creating macros without installing software.
The Keychron Q4 HE is significantly heavier, weighing 1415g. The Keychron V4 Max weighs 645g, making it less than half the weight of the Q4 HE.
Rapid Trigger is a Hall Effect feature where a key can be re-activated based on travel distance rather than waiting for a full reset. This allows for faster successive keystrokes, which is beneficial in competitive gaming.
Yes. The Keychron V4 Max is offered in a 'Barebone' version which includes the plastic case, PCB, polycarbonate plate, and stabilizers, but does not include keycaps or switches.
Both keyboards list 'Knob Support' as a feature in their metadata, indicating the design accommodates one, but the vendor descriptions and specifications do not confirm if a knob is included by default with either model.
Both keyboards come with double-shot PBT keycaps in the OSA profile, which Keychron describes as having OEM height with an SA-like shape. They are not shine-through.
Both keyboards offer a 1000 Hz polling rate in their 2.4 GHz wireless and wired modes. In Bluetooth mode, both operate at a 90 Hz polling rate.
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