Keychron Q1 HE review - The same, but better
Keychron's Q1 HE is a great keyboard for just about anyone - and even if it's not for you, the open-source nature of it means you can rebuild it in your image anyway. It's still pricier, but it's that rare keyboard that has me excited to work on it - and that's not something you can say about many.
Keychron's Q1 HE is a great keyboard for just about anyone - and even if it's not for you, the open-source nature of it means you can rebuild it in your image anyway.
It's still pricier, but it's that rare keyboard that has me excited to work on it - and that's not something you can say about many.
Images via GGRecon
I'm ready to admit I have a problem - I love mechanical keyboards. That's probably becoming obvious from the sheer number of reviews I've written about them at this point, but there's a solution in sight - the Keychron Q1 HE.
I think I can safely say this is my pick of the bunch right now. It's heavy, yes, but the typing experience is excellent, it looks gorgeous, and it still has plenty of customisation through Keychron's Launcher web app. It'll be too pricey for some, but for others, you may never need to pick up a mechanical keyboard ever again.
GGRecon Verdict
Keychron's Q1 HE is a great keyboard for just about anyone - and even if it's not for you, the open-source nature of it means you can rebuild it in your image anyway.
It's still pricier, but it's that rare keyboard that has me excited to work on it - and that's not something you can say about many.
The same but different
I recently reviewed the Q1 Max, and in many ways, there's little to tell the two apart here. Both share an almost identical footprint, with a knob in the top right corner for volume and mute, a full function row and just the right amount of space between keys.
In fact, if it weren't for the drastically different "Carbon Black" colourway, you may have expected the same board here.
There are the same switches on the top edge for moving between Mac and Windows "layers" and switching connectivity methods, but the real change happens under the keys.
That's because the Keychron Q1 HE earns those two letters with 'Hall Effect' switches. That means keystrokes are registered by magnetic field changes, rather than the more common switches found in other mechanical keyboards.
Here's the rub, though - the keys actually feel slightly more responsive than the Q1 Max, making the Q1 HE even more usable for gaming. But that's not the only boon.
It's hard to say for certain during a short review window such as this one, but the lack of physical contacts, as you'd find in traditional mechanical keyboards, means the Hall Effect keys should last longer and be less prone to wear and tear.
As we've come to expect from Keychron, you can take the whole thing apart and rebuild it in your image, too (I'm on the lookout for some Destiny keycaps at present).
You don't know clack
When I reviewed the Q1 Max, I said the typing experience might be Keychron's "dreamiest" yet. And, even with the switch to Hall Effect magnetic switches, the same remains true with the Q1 HE.
The aluminium base remains heavy, and that likely precludes it from being a travel keyboard, but it's perfectly stable with no wobble. Key travel is ideal, and the keys sound just as great as the Q1 Max, albeit with a slightly higher-pitched 'thock'.
It'll play very nicely with both Windows and Mac. Relevant keys and a tool to remove them are included in the box.
Using Launcher, Keychron's web-based app, you can customise the trigger distance on a per-key basis, but I found the default setup more than fine for me. I played some VALORANT, Destiny 2, and Overwatch 2, and it all felt great to use and responsive, too.
The Verdict
Keychron's Q1 HE is a great keyboard for just about anyone - and even if it's not for you, the open-source nature of it means you can rebuild it in your image anyway.
It's still pricier, but it's that rare keyboard that has me excited to work on it - and that's not something you can say about many.
5/5
Review unit provided by the manufacturer. GGRecon uses affiliate links, if you purchase any products from our links we may earn a commission.
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