Keychron’s Q1 Is the Perfect Introduction to Mechanical Keyboard Mods

As I’ve been utilizing the Keychron Q1, I hold considering to myself: Where was this mechanical keyboard once I was first making an attempt to construct my very own? It’s by far one of many best DIY-optional mechanical keyboards I’ve used, and from the second I took it out of the field to the 1000’s of phrases I’ve since typed on it, it’s been an absolute delight. I discovered myself waking up and searching ahead to utilizing it (sure, I’m that nerd) and it’s the type of board that begs for personalization.

Keychron isn’t a brand new title within the mechanical keyboard house: The firm is already identified for its approachable, connoisseur-level keyboard choices. The Q1 keyboard, particularly, appeals to each fans who benefit from the firm’s high quality builds and to those that are simply discovering their approach into the mechanical keyboard hobbyist world. I might have felt a lot much less overwhelmed with my first construct if I began with a package like this.

Mechanical Keyboard Modding for Beginners

The Keychron Q1 is a wired aluminum keyboard with a 75% structure. It is available in three colours: carbon black, house grey, and navy blue (the latter of which I reviewed). The Q1 has a “badge” space within the higher right-hand nook, which you’ll be able to swap out for a keycap. Keychron outfitted my unit with the Gizmodo “G.” Out of the field, the board already has its theme: running a blog on the web.

The Keychron Q1 is a hot-swap keyboard, which implies there isn’t a soldering required. You can simply extract every change for an additional so long as the pins are pushed in place.

You should buy the Q1 barebones for $150 and outfit it with your personal keycaps and switches. Or you’ll be able to pay an additional $20, for a complete of $170, to get it outfitted with Keychron’s inventory keycaps and switches. Even you probably have different colours and switches in thoughts, it’s a small value to pay for an additional set.

The Q1 is out there with Phantom Red, Phantom Blue, and Phantom Brown switches, which had been co-created with Gateron, one other model to know on this area of interest house. My Q1 unit is provided with the Phantom Red switches, that are Linear and the quietest of the bunch.

The Keychron Q1 comes with every thing you could get began proper out of the field. It features a helpful toolset with a keycap extractor, a change extractor, an Allen wrench, and a screwdriver. It’s like an official initiation into the world of modding a mechanical keyboard.

Keychron included a number of enthusiast-level bits as a part of the Q1 expertise. For occasion, the stabilizers and switches arrive pre-lubricated, typically thought-about an aftermarket mod. The result’s a easy typing expertise with a noticeable lack of wobble.

Another nod to the modding group is the included aviator cable. Serious keyboard customers choose this sort of cable as a result of its coiled kind simply sits on the desk. The plug that’s on this USB-C connector additionally presents just a little anchoring and allows you to simply swap with different connection sorts. On its personal, a top quality aviator cable begins at round $50. The one included with the Q1 is an effective deal, although it feels rather less premium than I’d anticipated. There’s a particular lack of weight to it, particularly in comparison with one thing like a Zap cable I’ve used earlier than. It feels on par with the cables that come included in Razer’s off-the-shelf keycap kits.

Smaller Than What You’re Used to

The Keychron Q1’s 75% structure is rather more palatable than a full-size keyboard, and it has navigation keys, which I completely can’t stay with out. The web page up, web page down, and residential buttons are positioned in a row alongside the best facet of the keyboard, simply because the universe meant.

You may technically convert these three keys to an array of macros utilizing the Q1 keyboard’s built-in assist for QMK, which is an open-source firmware commonplace that powers a number of the hottest indie keyboards. Keychron suggests you employ VIA, which I’ve used earlier than with one other keyboard. It’s easy and comparatively user-friendly and by no means just like the bloated software program that comes with Steelseries and Razer keyboards, for instance. But you received’t want VIA except you’re aching to switch the layouts and program macros.

The Keychron Q1 can be utilized with a Mac or PC, however the keycaps come pre-configured for Apple’s keyboard shortcuts. If you’re a Windows consumer, you’ll be able to swap them out with the included Windows keycaps after which flip the change on the high of the keyboard, so it is aware of to function in “Win” mode.

How It Types

By default, the Keychron Q1 comes prefixed with double-shot ABS inventory keycaps. You should buy further PBT keycap sets for $40 that match the Q1. I’ve a set and swapped them in once I did a keycap change (extra on that in a bit). Most of my expertise facilities round typing with the inventory keycaps, however I loved the sleek, matte really feel of the PBT in comparison with the sheen of the ABS keys.

The Keychron Q1 isn’t a dainty keyboard. It feels prefer it was constructed out of a strong chunk of aluminum, weighing about 3.5 kilos, and it’s a lot denser than the standard plastic keyboard instances. This is a keyboard that’s greatest anchored at a desk, as touring with this factor can be like carrying round an additional laptop computer.

Typing on the Keychron Q1 is an absolute delight. There’s a gratifying “stomp” every time I hit a key. I had no drawback typing with my lengthy nails, because the spacing between the keys and the gradually-angling keyboard meant my claws may simply land on the cap to press it. That stated, you’ll be able to most likely think about how loud my typing sounds.

The Gateron Phantom Red switches, that are Linear, are snug for running a blog and posting on social media. But my fingers generally felt like they had been in a trampoline park, leaping from key to key, particularly on the busiest typing days.

Despite the jumpiness, I had no points with typing accuracy. I managed 105 phrases per minute within the 30-second Monkeytype typing take a look at, and my velocity spiked to 114 wpm on the second spherical, each with a 97% accuracy charge. Keychron advertises that the Red switches are greatest for the workplace, and I’d usually agree.

Customizing the Q1

Eventually, it’s possible you’ll discover it’s important to take aside the Q1, particularly if you wish to swap out any keycaps. While you can technically yank one out with the keycap puller because the board is sealed collectively, it’s tedious, and also you run the chance of pulling too onerous and coming out the change.

I haven’t had one of the best expertise constructing keyboards outdoors of swapping keycaps (I’m a child!), however I used to be grateful to see Keychron supplies ample documentation as a useful crutch. Keychron included a magnetized screwdriver and Allen wrench within the package, too, which is a pleasant value-add.

The Q1 is successfully a layered keyboard sandwich, starting with the underside case, which is the very first thing you’ll take off. The case foam, sound-absorbing foam, and plate are separate layers tied collectively by the highest case. The keycaps and switches are additionally thought-about “layers,” however as I discussed, you’ll be able to’t simply swap them out with out eradicating the underside and high elements of the aluminum casing.

The trickiest a part of taking aside the keyboard is making certain that you simply don’t sever the wire between the principle PCB board—the keyboard—and the daughter PCB, which hides below the aluminum body and serves because the change for Mac or PC mode. I watched Keychron’s YouTube video repeatedly to make sure I used to be unhooking the best a part of the ribbon.

I can proudly say I managed to swap out the keycaps I wanted and put the board again collectively inside half an hour with out butchering something. Having all that documentation available helped guarantee I used to be making the best strikes, which supplied a confidence increase I wanted to place every thing again collectively with out repeatedly referencing the directions. Compared to my final mechanical keyboard construct, this expertise was a cinch.

A Great Choice For Anyone

This overview is popping right into a novel about my journey into constructing keyboards, however I would like to clarify: When I first fell into this passion, it felt so gatekeep-y. That may clarify why I felt overwhelmed making an attempt to place collectively the Candybar Premium V2, a 65% aluminum keyboard, which I had pre-ordered for $220, or about $50 greater than the assembled Q1.

However, I utterly botched that construct. It was my first time putting in a PCB board, screwing it right into a chassis, inserting within the stabilizers, and punching in every of the accompanying switches. I messed issues up, in some way, and bent a number of of the switches, which I didn’t understand after I put the board again collectively. Now, the dear keyboard—which value a complete of $315 after I purchased the $95 Astrolokeys keycap set to outfit it—is accumulating mud on the shelf, ready for me to handle my errors. I’ve been placing it off for nearly a 12 months.

The Keychron Q1 makes me understand I didn’t must undergo all that bother to get the typing expertise I would like—and that I didn’t must spend all that cash. I should buy a mechanical keyboard off the rack, like discovering a designer costume on the market after it debuts on the runway. It helps that Keychron has thoughtfully laid out its assist documentation in order that anybody with a little bit of persistence to learn by means of the fabric can readily dive in.

The Keychron Q1 presents one of the best of each worlds: It’s accessible sufficient for a first-timer or a scaredy-cat like me to purchase and tinker with, and it supplies a degree of customization that fans crave. The Q1 can also be a strong alternative for anybody hoping to start out down the trail of keyboard modding that both doesn’t know the place to start out or doesn’t need to trouble with something gamer-centric. It’s excellent.