The keyboard itself is pretty decent and feels well-made for a plastic body. That being said, quite a few flaws that would have made me hesitate to buy this.
- Certain keys do not work with Mac (like fn). These are coded in such a way that you can't remap them.
- There's a persistent issue with keys double pressing. It's somewhat mitigated by upping the key repeat delay, but you may not want to do that.
- The white coating on the metal is super easy to scratch off with the included keyswitch puller. After two switch changes, it's quite noticeably damaged around many keys.
Keychron Q1 QMK Keyboard - Barebones
The highly anticipated Keychron Q1. An all-metal 75% layout mechanical keyboard that allows customizable capabilities for every component: switches, keycaps, stabilizer, a personal badge, and even the plate. It is designed to fully personalize your experience and offer keyboard enthusiasts of all levels a true custom build mechanical keyboard. **This is the barebone edition and it does NOT come with any switches or keycaps**.
- **This is the barebone edition of the Q1 and it does NOT include any switches or keycaps**
- Premium Aluminum Body - The Q1 is created with a 6063 aluminum CNC machined body, polished, anodized and sandblasted finish, and twenty-four manufacturing processes. A real sturdy, heavy and premium build quality.
- Gasket Mounted Design - The gasket design provides the board with a nice, flexible typing feel and a satisfying typing sound. The Q1 maximum flex is up to 2.5mm, which makes the board one of the most flexible out there.
- Hot-Swappable PCB - The Q1 hot-swappable PCB allows you to easily swap out switches without disassembly and de-soldering, so you can use your favorite switches or try out new switches without the risk of damaging the keyboard. The PCB supports both 3 pin and 5 pin MX mechanical switches.
- Gateron Screw-In PCB Stabilizers - The screw-in design increases stability and makes it easy for changes and upgrades. More precise craftsmanship makes the silver-plated stabilizers more stable and less wobbly. The big keys (space bar, shift, enter, delete) typing experience is more stable and smooth and rattling is significantly reduced. The Q1 also support third-party stabilizers including Cherry or Durock.
- South Facing RGB - A unique RGB feature where the LEDs are located at the bottom of the switch rather than the top, which make them appear brighter because they are facing the typer. It is also good for the PBT, Cherry profile, and non-shine-through keycaps which are popular for customized keycaps.
- Sound Absorbing Foam - The Q1 features a sound absorbing form that reduces vibration and drastically improves sound signature.
- Mac OS and Windows Support - Built with the Mac users experience in mind while still retaining compatibility for Windows devices. It also allows you to save two different layouts in the keyboard, one for each system.
- Coiled Aviator Cable - Whether your computer's interface is on the left, right, or front of the desk, the premium coiled cable can be laid out in any way for seamless cable management. The coiled cables come in different colors to match the different color cases.
- QMK and VIA Support - With full QMK and VIA support, you can program and remap each key on the keyboard with ease. The open-source firmware means endless possibilities for keyboard layouts, shortcuts, backlight effects, and more.
- Cases Available in Three Colors - The Keychron Q1 Barebone case is available in three colors: Black, Grey, Blue
- Dimensions - Width 145mm, Length 327.5mm
- Tools included - 1x switch puller, 1x keycap puller, 1x screwdriver, 1x hex key
Tech Specs-
- Form factor (Size): 75% Layout - US (ANSI)
- Width: 145mm
- Length: 327.5mm
- Feet Height: 2.4mm
- Angle: 5.2 degrees
- Weight: 1600 g +/- 10g
- Body Material: Full CNC Machined Aluminum
- Plate: Aluminum
- Backlight: South-facing RGB-LED
- Switch Support: Hot-swappable (5 pin & 3 pin)
- Stabs: Gateron Screw-in PCB stabs
- Connectivity: USB Type-C
- Included Cable: Premium coiled Type-C cable + Type-A to Type-C adapter
- Cord Length: 6ft
- Software compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS, Linux
- Open Source Firmware Compatibility: QMK and VIA
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 332 x 32 x 135mm (13 x 1.25 x 5.3 inches)
- Typing Angle: 6 Deegres
Keychron Q1 QMK Keyboard - Barebones
Sale price$199.99 CAD