The Keychron Q1 HE is a powerful wireless mechanical keyboard with its potent hall effect switches, sublime build quality and lightweight, but powerful web-based software. It is quite expensive, but if you’ve been after a brilliant all-rounder with a blend of enthusiast and gaming-focused features, it’s a marvellous choice.
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Especially potent hall effect switches -
Solid build quality -
Powerful software
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Quite expensive -
Battery life not as strong as other Keychron models
Key Features
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Gateron dual rail hall effect switches:
The Q1 HE packs in some powerful hall effect switches with support for rapid trigger, analogue functionality and more besides. -
Dual wireless connectivity:
It can also connect wirelessly over Bluetooth and 2.4GHz, which is handy. -
75 percent layout:
The Q1 HE benefits from a smaller layout for saving desk space, although comes with arrow keys, a function row and nav cluster.
Introduction
The Keychron Q1 HE takes the tried-and-tested formula of Keychron’s marvellous Q1 line of keyboards and adds even more powerful internals to the party.
As the name suggests, this new model adds HE (hall-effect) switches into what has otherwise been one of the best mechanical keyboards we’ve tested in recent years. That’s all in the name of speed, for snappier inputs that make it increasingly suitable for high-intensity gaming.
I’ve been testing the Q1 HE for the last few weeks to see if it is also capable enough to take the crown as one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested. Let’s find out.
Design
- Fantastic aluminium case
- Convenient space-saving layout
- Quality fixtures including PBT keycaps
Where the Q1 HE remains virtually unchanged against its more standard brothers such as the Keychron Q1 Pro is with its general look. After all, it is the same model, just with new innards.
That’s no bad thing, though. The Q1 HE keeps the same fantastic build quality thanks to its machined aluminium case which provides this ‘board with plenty of heft, tipping the scales at 1.73kg. Being fully aluminium also means there is no flex and that the Q1 HE won’t move around on your desk easily.
It also comes with the same space-saving 75 percent layout as other Q1 models, offering a halfway house between the smaller 65 percent and larger TKL models by adding its nav cluster into a single column on the right hand side. It’s an easy layout to get used to, and also key to see why it’s become a favourite of enthusiasts over the years.
The Q1 HE also comes with quality fixtures and fittings elsewhere, with its customary volume dial in the top right corner, as well as switchable Windows and macOS keycaps in the box. That’s because this ‘board works with both operating systems without a hitch. Speaking of keycaps, these are made of PBT plastic, making them a lot more durable and resistant to shine than cheaper ABS choices. A small but noteworthy improvement.
The interface around the back is similar to a lot of other Keychron models, with a USB-C port for charging and wired operation, as well as a pair of toggle switches. The one on the left switches between Windows and macOS, while the one on the right allows you to choose different means of connnectivity – either Bluetooth, 2.4GHz or wired.
Performance
- Powerful hall effect switches
- Lots of connectivity choices
- Battery life not as strong as other Keychron models
It’s inside where the Q1 HE has seen a noteworthy upgrade from a speed perspective by swapping out the traditional mechanical switches for hall effect ones. To be specific, Keychron has bundled in Gateron’s double-rail Nebula switches. These switches are linear, and come pre-lubricated, so are especially smooth under finger while offering excellent acoustics, too. They feel excellent for day-to-day use, and as the Q1 HE is gasket mounted, it also feels somewhat bouncy, making for a fun keypress out of the box.
The big thing though is the fact that the hall effect switches have the benefit of adjustable actuation points. This means that you can adjust the point at which the switch registers an input for much quicker actuations. On these Nebula switches, you can have it as high as 0.5mm of the switch’s total travel, meaning you only need to push it down that far for an input to be registered.
The real kicker for the gaming crowd is that the Q1 HE supports rapid trigger functionality, which not only allows for speedy inputs, but for the switch to reset just as quickly. It makes inputs especially brisk in high-intensity titles such as Counter-Strike 2, which is my usual testing ground for gaming keyboards. Here, the Q1 HE afforded some excellent performance with snappy movement and especially smooth keypresses that makes gaming a breeze.
One feature that’s hidden away in software is the fact that the Q1 HE features analogue capabilities, so it can emulate progressive controller inputs. For instance, you can remap the WASD keys to the directions on the left analog stick and right and left triggers, and it will work as if it’s a controller. This makes Keychron’s option similar to the Wooting 60HE Plus in terms of its overall power and flexibility, which is excellent. It works well in racing titles especially, even if I still found myself to be faster with a traditional controller in various Forza Horizon 5 time trials.
Technically the Q1 HE is also hot-swappable, and works with a couple of other variants of Gateron’s HE switches. While this is convenient, it doesn’t have the same flexibility as more standard mechanical choices, but the option is there with other switches if you want it.
Where this isn’t as fast as some of the competition from the likes of Wooting and Glorious is in the fact it doesn’t support an 8000Hz polling rate – it only supports up to 1000Hz. This would allow for more frequent reporting of inputs to make for even more responsive inputs and lower latency. With this in mind, Keychron isn’t pushing the Q1 HE as a keyboard strictly for pro use, but at its high price tag, it would have been pleasant to see.
The Q1 HE’s connectivity is a strong point though, supporting wired USB-C connectivity, Bluetooth and 2.4GHz over a USB-A receiver. Pairing is as easy as you like with Bluetooth, holding down the Fn key and either the 1, 2, or 3 keys for the respective channel, while 2.4GHz and wired means are plug and play.
Over wireless means, the Q1 HE’s battery life is solid, with Keychron quoting up to 100 hours of runtime from its 4000mAh internal cell. That’s in line with other Keychron products, although is actually lower than some of their more standard mechanical models. The Q1 Pro can last for this long with RGB enabled, and up to 300 hours with it off. Nonetheless, the HE model still provides enough endurance for two and a half working weeks before you’ll need to charge it up.
Software and Lighting
- Lightweight, but powerful software
- Bright underglow lighting
As with some of the brand’s other recent releases, the Q1 HE supports Keychron’s own web-based Launcher software. It’s a lightweight but powerful software option that works over wired means only, but allows you to do everything from programming macros to fiddling with actuation points and the Q1 HE’s rapid trigger mode. You can also set multiple functions per key and the keyboard’s analog capabilities so keys relate to a controller’s buttons. It’s also very easy to do and works via drag and drop.
The lighting options are a tad limited in Keychron’s software though, with you only being able to pick between a series of presets. It’s perfectly fine for casual use, although some folks may feel limited by it.
The Q1 HE’s lighting is nonetheless vivid, and works more as an underglow than on a per-key basis due to the fact it shines around the solid PBT keycaps. Nonetheless, it’s bright and looks rather smart.
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want a powerful hall effect keyboard:
The Q1 HE excels with its powerful hall effect switches, complete with rapid trigger and analog capabilities that make it quite the potent gaming keyboard.
Don’t buy if you want a more standard Keychron model:
Not everyone needs the hall effect powers of the Q1 HE model, and Keychron’s more ‘standard’ mechanical models are a similar price which may be a better buy for some folks.
Final Thoughts
The Keychron Q1 HE is a powerful wireless mechanical keyboard with its potent hall effect switches, sublime build quality and powerful web-based software. It is quite expensive, but if you’ve been after a brilliant all-rounder with a blend of enthusiast and gaming-focused features, it’s a marvellous choice.
The Asus ROG Azoth is a similar price tag, and provides an OLED screen with more conventional switches, while the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 brings rapid trigger and even more advanced gaming power for a little more. It depends what you want really, but for my money, the Q1 HE walks the difficult line of an enthusiast and gaming keyboard rather well. For more options, check out our list of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested.
How we test
We use every keyboard we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a variety of different genres, including FPS, strategy and MOBAs.
We also check each keyboard’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
- Spent at least a week testing
- Tested the performance on a variety of games
- Compared the build quality with similarly priced keyboards
FAQs
The Keychron Q1 HE weighs 1.73kg, making it rather heavy for a more compact keyboard.
Test Data
Test Data
| Keychron Q1 HE Review | |
|---|---|
| Battery discharge after 1 hour of gaming | 1 % |
Full Specifications
Full Specs
| Keychron Q1 HE Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £193 |
| USA RRP | $219 |
| Manufacturer | – |
| Size (Dimensions) | 145 x 327.5 x 22.6 MM |
| Weight | 1.73 G |
| Release Date | 2024 |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, USB-C wired |
| Switch Type | Mechanical |
| Cable Length | 2 Meter |
| Battery Length | 100 hrs |
