Keychron Q1 HE 8K drops features for speed, but it still feels fantastic | Review

Keychron came out the magnetic keyboard gate swinging last year, with both the Q1 HE and ceramic Q16 HE 8K. Now it's got a speedy 75% option for those after high polling rates and a snappier switch feel, and the Keychron Q1 HE 8K delivers on its promises. Whether those features will be enough to sway gamers away from similarly priced alternatives remains to be seen.

This $229.99 price point is starting to look a little crowded. The Q1 HE 8K isn't going to trouble the best gaming keyboard I've tested so far: it lacks a few of the gaming-specific features to give the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 anything to worry about. However, if you're after a high-level typing experience with a firmer feel overall, this is still well worth a look.

Design

At this point, nobody's expecting Keychron to release a keyboard that feels anything short of bomb-proof. The solid 6063 aluminum chassis sits dense and heavy on a desk top, dissuading any considerations of portability but holding firm against mouse knocks and providing a solid, deep landing pad for keypresses. This is the same kind of stocky impenetrability we've come to expect from the brand, though.

It also means Keychron takes the first win against the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96, feeling sturdier and heavier overall.

Underneath all that aluminum, the Keychron Q1 HE 8K is packed with a gasket design and silicone pads. It means every keypress is muted, clean, bouncy, and extremely satisfying to hear. As we'll get into in the switch section below, that's the first major difference between this and the Keychron Q1 HE, which presents a far softer sound and feel overall.

The full deck benefits from some natural elevation in its slightly wedge-shaped design, but those coming from a more traditional gaming keyboard will notice a flatter typing experience. There are no extendable kick feet underneath to provide that extra height, and without a palm rest in the box, I did feel a strain on the tops of the wrists during extended typing sessions, especially when I'm not sitting properly.

This is a 75% layout, so you're getting all the controls you'll typically need for 90% of games and productivity tasks, with the benefits of extra room to swing that mouse and a more natural shoulder alignment when typing. I typically prefer this layout to others, but if you need that number pad in actio,n it's worth noting that the Vanguard's squished 96% form factor still keeps things relatively slimline on the desk.

Unlike the Q1 HE's bright white, black, and red design (a personal favorite), the 8K model ships with more of a purple skew. The model I'm testing is all-black save for lighter gray keys around the edges and a couple of purple accents. You'll also find the same pattern with white as the main color.

Keycaps

Like most of its keyboards, Keychron has outfitted the Q1 HE 8K with its OSA PBT keycaps. These heavily curved toppers feel solid under the fingertips, if a little softer than the textured options you'll find on more gaming-oriented decks. They're still satisfying, though, with a full, bouncy feel and solid stability thanks to rigid screw-in stabilizers.

Switches

Keychron advertises its Q1 HE 8K board as hot-swappable but there's a great big asterisk over that assertion. Yes, these Ultra-Fast lime Magnetic clackers can be removed from the PCB, but the board isn't compatible with any other switch on the market. Not even Keychron's own. That means this hot-swappability is purely functional, rather than a customization feature, should a clicker die on you.

The switches themselves clearly separate this deck from the previous Q1 HE (and pretty much every other Keychron keyboard I've used so far). Rather than a deep, heavy thock they're far snappier, with a lighter (almost clicky) feel to them overall. There's a definite snap point and a slightly heavier actuation feel than I'm used to from a gaming deck.

That doesn't mean the Q1 HE 8K suffers from the same woolly fate as other Hall effect or magnetic gaming keyboards. There's a little extra resistance in here compared to more traditional mechanical options, but it's far from the stuffy heft you'll feel from older HE models.

Of course, you're getting all the features you'd expect from a Hall effect keyboard these days, though the full actuation range sits a little shorter than the competition at 0.1 - 3.5mm. Most magnetic decks, like the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid and SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3, go further into heavier presses with a 4mm bottom-out option. It's also worth noting that the Q1 HE 8K goes beyond the standard dual-step actuation options to give you four inputs per press, should you require it.

Software

Like many, Keychron opts for web-based software for its Q1 HE 8K. That means no more pesky downloads clogging up your tray, simply head to Keychron Launcher in your browser, connect the device, and you're away.

It's not the slickest experience out there. Text can show up exceedingly small until you head into browser settings, and some page elements can take a second to pop in fully.

Configuring multiple inputs is a little more convoluted than you'll find in similar applications from Logitech and NZXT, with a more fragmented interface. However, adjusting actuation distance is more intuitive with a handy trigger visualization to help set the right levels.

Gamepad Analog mode can also be configured here, offering a slightly more comprehensive selection of Xbox controls compared to the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini. Where the latter simply turns your WASD keys into an analog joystick, we've got all kinds of system controls up for grabs here.

Controls

The vast majority of playback, brightness, and macro controls are kept on the function row, as you'll usually find in a 75% deck, but the Keychron Q1 HE 8K also offers a control dial with its own button in the top right corner. Mapped as a volume by default, it gets the job done with soft notches and a nice position on the board.

It's stiffer than other control dials out there, though. Combine that with a smooth, soft surface texture, and it's difficult to quickly crank things up during faster moments of gameplay. The button up top is also particularly heavy - far too cumbersome to rely on in-game and even in everyday productivity.

That's about it. If you're looking for an in-depth control panel, you won't find it here. Unlike macro-heavy decks like the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and Corsair Galleon 100 SD, this is a typing keyboard first and foremost.

Connection

The big story here is that 8,000Hz polling rate. I've said it before and I'll say it again, that's great for those at the top of the esports ladder, but the vast majority of players won't see a benefit in this increased speed. We're talking about fractions of milliseconds that more casual tappers simply don't utilize.

The addition of that high-speed polling rate in the 8K model removes the wireless connection enjoyed by many in the original Q1 HE. Whereas the previous generation offered both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity for easier travel and to keep that desk top clutter-free, we've got a single USB-C cable here.

That's certainly not the end of the world. Even the best wireless keyboards don't give you the same kinds of benefits as wireless gaming mice or wireless gaming headsets. It's worth remembering, though, if you're building a more aesthetic setup.

Typing

The Keychron Q1 HE 8K offers a very different typing experience compared to the original model, but it's still fantastic. The dampening inside the chassis means absolutely zero sound leakage - all we've got here is the sweet sound of those switches clacking. Yes, the actuation force is a little higher than many may be used to in a speed-focused gaming keyboard, and typing for longer durations can get a little fatiguing. However, the light patter and crisp bounce as these keys patter through the deck is well worth the effort.

That extra weight didn't impede my regular typing speed, but it did sometimes drop my precision. In my typing speed tests, I averaged 97 words per minute at 93% accuracy. That's slightly above my general average of 95 WPM, but lagging slightly in the latter (usually I'm at about 95.5%). These tests were completed at a 1.7mm actuation distance.

Gaming

Bumping the sensitivity of those magnetic switches reveals a particularly consistent and nicely speedy gaming keyboard. You've got everything you need from a spec standpoint, with SOCD controls where games permit, rapid trigger, a particularly nifty analog mode for a joystick-like experience, and up to four actions per key. That all comes together for a particularly versatile experience across a range of different genres.

In first-person endeavours like CS2 and Doom: The Dark Ages, the low sensitivity makes twitch-reflex movements feel incredibly snappy, while surrounding keys can be dulled to avoid accidental presses.

I did miss the addition of extra macro buttons in my strategy and simulation pursuits, but my usual roster of dual-input keypresses fired off without a hitch. Having four actuations per-key is nice, but it only makes sense in select few gameplay scenarios.

Should you buy the Keychron Q1 HE 8K?

The Keychron Q1 HE 8K isn't the most expensive gaming keyboard on the market, but it's far from the cheapest. At $229.99, it sits in a luxury category reserved for the decks offering high-end magnetic switches with an extra flourish. This time that twist is speed in the form of that 8,000Hz polling rate. Unfortunately, unless you're at the very top of your game, that embellishment isn't going to give you as many benefits as other decks.

How I tested the Keychron Q1 HE 8K

I've been using the Keychron Q1 HE 8K for two weeks, with a couple of other gaming keyboards popping in and out of rotation. I've primarily been testing across CS2 and Doom: The Dark Ages, with a healthy dose of Planet Coaster and The Sims 4 thrown in for good measure. I tested at both default actuation settings and at the top of the keyboard's sensitivity range (0.1mm). I also performed three typing tests on TypingTest.com, taking the average of all as my final results. For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also rounding up all the best hot-swappable keyboards and the best Razer keyboards for a different brand flavor. If you're after something cheaper, check out the best membrane gaming keyboards on the market.