Keychron Q5 review: It will ruin other mechanical keyboards for you

Price When Reviewed

$205

Best Prices Today: Keychron Q5 keyboard

Spend a while on a mechanical keyboard discussion board or subreddit, and also you’ll see customized designs that individuals spent a whole bunch of hours on, and which value greater than the common automobile cost. And they’re completely superb, virtually artistic endeavors that simply occur to have a bunch of switches and USB port. They’re the sort of covetous objects that nerds dream of for years. 

Keychron’s Q collection of keyboards can’t attain the lofty heights of those customized designs. But they’ll get rattling shut, and accomplish that at a fraction of the price. And right here’s the kicker: You can get them organized at any time with out ready a yr or extra for an artisan small batch to reach. 

Such is the case with the Keychron Q5, which incorporates a sensible format, nearly each premium function you possibly can think about, and a value that’s a little bit of a splurge as an alternative of one thing you must idiot your self into calling an “investment.” It’s an enormous slab of lovingly-carved aluminum, and although it isn’t good, it’s acceptably imperfect for anybody searching for a premium keyboard expertise.

All the options 

If I wrote out the options of the Q5 in normal prose I’d be right here all day. Suffice it to say it has virtually each single operate of a $500 customized mechanical keyboard construct, at lower than half the worth. But there are just a few elements that must be highlighted for those who’re contemplating a purchase order. 

First and most notably, the case. Picking up this behemoth virtually requires a spotter. It’s 82 ounces on my kitchen scale, together with switches and keycaps—heavier than most laptops available on the market. That’s as a result of the case is 2 slabs of thick milled aluminum, plus a heavy metal plate sitting on the PCB. It is, in a phrase, a beast. 

Michael Crider/IDG

And but unusually, the format is designed to make it small, or no less than a bit smaller than the much more monumental Q6 and its normal 108-key format. The Keychron Q5 scrunches the arrow cluster in between the principle typing space and the 10-key in a format generally known as “1800,” inherited from some Cherry designs within the ’90s. This implies that you save about 2.5 inches of width versus a full format, shedding solely the web page up, web page down, and insert keys, with just a few non-standard keycap sizes like the appropriate shift and num pad zero. Also observe the inclusion of a rotary dial within the upper-left nook, a premium add-on that may be programmed like the remainder of the case. 

The imposing dimension and weight of the Q5 is simply half of the enchantment. Actually sit all the way down to kind, and also you’ll be amazed on the feeling of high quality that merely oozes off of the board. How does it really feel so good? There are plenty of particular person elements contributing to that splendidly “thocky” typing, so like Mrs. Browning, let me rely the methods: 

• Gasket mount — at the beginning is the gasket system, which basically suspends the metal plate and the circuit board between two layers of froth. This lets the keys have a slight give and “bounce” to them, versus a extra definitive “thunk” that you simply’ll discover on different mechanical keyboards, the place your finger strokes can journey proper all the way down to the case itself. 
• Case foam — along with the gasket items, the Q5 contains two ranges of froth insulation, one between the plate and the PCB, and one other beneath the PCB and the case. This helps keep away from the “ping” that you get in some other keyboards because the springs within the switches reverberate on different metallic elements, and reduces noise generally. 
• Switches — talking of switches, these come from Gateron. But they’re not your extraordinary MX clones: Keychron sprang for G Pro switches, which come pre-lubed with gold alloy contacts pins for a easy really feel and an extended lifespan. In layman’s phrases, they’re the great things. Keychron offers you a selection of linear Reds (included in our evaluation unit), clicky Blues, or tactile Browns. 
• Keycaps — the final piece of the puzzle, and the one your fingers work together with immediately. Keychron didn’t skimp right here, both: The Q5 comes with a set of doubleshot PBT caps within the traditional (and really tall) OSA profile. These are extraordinarily high-quality, although they’ll take some getting used to for those who’re coming from a extra standard keyboard or laptop computer. 

Whew, that’s plenty of stuff! On high of all that, the Q5 makes use of a USB-C cable on the top-right, comes with a devoted change for Windows and Mac layouts, and contains the optionally available rotary dial. The dial defaults to quantity controls, and you’ll press down for yet another button (mute). While the keyboard isn’t marketed at avid gamers, its in depth programming instruments and 1000Hz polling charge means it’ll work advantageous in nearly any PC sport, particularly with purple switches. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Inside the field you’ll discover a keycap puller, key change puller, a braided USB-C-to-C cable with an A adapter, plus a screwdriver and hex key for those who really feel like taking this monster aside. 

Speaking of which…

Endless customization with a programming quirk

Almost each side of the Keychron Q5 is designed to be custom-made. It has the now semi-standard hot-swappable PCB, so for those who’re not a fan of the Gateron G Pros, you possibly can slot in any MX-style change you need. That’s additionally true of the stabilizers, the additional items that allow maintain lengthy keycaps from wobbling—those on the board are glorious and generously lubed, however they’re screw-in and could be eliminated and changed. 

Other points of the board could be custom-made as nicely. If for some purpose you need it to be louder, you possibly can open it up and take away the case foam, or add in just a little additional (it comes within the field together with spare screws and plastic toes). And after all, the PCB has particular person RGB LEDs that may be reprogrammed for numerous layouts and patterns. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Keychron has included programming for this board through in style open-source device QMK and the much more user-friendly VIA. At first programming the Q5 was driving me loopy, as VIA acknowledged it however not one of the adjustments I made gave the impression to be utilized. Then I pored over the documentation and noticed what I’d missed the primary (a number of) occasions I learn it: The layers are cut up between that Mac/Windows change that’s been a staple of Keychron keyboard designs for years. 

So when programming the Q5, layer 00 (usually the principle typing layer) and 01 are the Mac layers, whereas layers 02 and 03 are the Windows layers. Switch over to Windows mode and Layer 2 turns into your new layer 0. This is complicated—why have devoted Mac and Windows modes in a reprogrammable keyboard in any respect?—and a bit limiting, because you’re now caught with simply two layers of programming per mode. 

Michael Crider/IDG

But frankly, that’s a small nitpick. Once I obtained over the preliminary Mac/Windows change confusion, I used to be ready to make use of Via to do the whole lot I wanted to for programming…which wasn’t a lot on a board this dimension. 

Two different notes for personalization: The considerably uncommon 1800 key format means you’ll have to hunt for a 1.75-width Shift key and a 1x numpad 0 to match any theme. That’s not so arduous for lots of customized units, and straightforward sufficient to faux with others. The solely different concern I had is that the keyboard has no choice for toes. It’s a thick case with a shallow angle, and in order for you it to be larger you’ll have to prop it up on one thing—I used a few Coke bottle caps, however I’d probably add these thick suckers if I used to be going to make use of the Q5 full-time. 

Surprising worth 

The Q5 prices $205 within the configuration Keychron despatched us, with the upgraded radial dial. It’s additionally out there in anodized black and navy blue, with beautiful OSA keycaps to match, and your selection of Gateron Pro switches. “Barebone” variations with out switches or keycaps are as little as $175, however frankly, that’s not a great deal contemplating how good each of these elements are. 

Michael Crider/IDG

$205 is a hell of quite a bit to spend on a keyboard. (Yes, Razer, Logitech, Corsair, it is, and also you received’t get me to say in any other case.) But in comparison with the small batch, super-custom designs that Keychron swiped most of those options from, it’s truly about half of what you’d anticipate to pay. (And you don’t have to attend a yr and a half to get it delivered.) It’s even less than the Drop SHIFT, the same mass-produced premium board—however which lacks the rotary dial and gasket mount, and has a a lot much less substantial case. 

The Q5 and its sister designs are, briefly, a fairly nice worth for those who’re searching for a high-quality board within the type of high-quality customs. And with the whole lot included that you should begin customizing by yourself, they’re additionally surprisingly good for newcomers who need to soar into the deep finish of the mechanical keyboard pool. Just be cautious: The Keychron’s customized collection would possibly spoil you for extra inexpensive boards. 

Michael Crider/IDG

The same set of features can be found in full dimension (Q6), tenkeyless (Q3), 60% (This fall), 65% (Q2), 75% (Q1), and the brand new Alice format (Q8), at costs which can be equally cheap. 

Conclusion 

While there are some questionable programming restrictions, and I want the physique design had optionally available toes for a extra dramatic typing angle, the Keychron Q5 is in any other case practically flawless as a high-quality board with nice choices for personalization. With a surprisingly good value level, it dominates this extremely specialised market in nearly each manner.