Keychron Q1 Barebones ISO
[TL;DR] Keychron Q1 Review Round Up
The focus on stock experience is fair but then comparing stock to the 400+ dollar keebs which are all modded makes little sense besides trying to justify the price they paid for those expensive keyboards.
More on reddit.comQ1 barebones knob versions
If their barebones options include an ISO Knob, then its probably a Q1v2 since the Q1v1 never had a preassembled knob or barebones knob variant.
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Videos
Hey guys, I'm pretty new to buying keyboards and was thinking of buying a Keychron Q1 Barebones ISO and just wanted check a few things before biting the bullet! Here's what I'm buying:
Keychron Q1 Mechanical Keyboard Knob Version (Barebones)
Gateron Phantom Brown
ISO Q1 & K2 OEM Dye-Sub PBT Keycap Set - Carbon
Here's a few questions I had:
Is this all I need to be able to build it?
Are there any parts that I should switch out/upgrade (mostly thinking of better keycaps)?
Is it worth switching to ANSI for the wider variety of available keycaps?
Thanks in advance!
Should I get Keychron's Q1? How does the Q1 compare to the GMMK pro?
Below is a round up of reviews and impression videos that have been released today with the end of the review embargo. There are quite a few of them, with potentially more on the way, so I grouped them to help people prioritize videos depending on who they might best relate to.
More premium enthusiasts' perspective:
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Andy Nguyen (review)
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Alexotos (build stream with multiple configurations)
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Shoobs (review)
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MechMerlin (unboxing)
Enthusiasts' perspective:
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Keybored (review)
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Hamaji Neo (review)
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BadSeed Tech (review)
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Nextrift (review)
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minimalistik (review)
Non-enthusiasts' perspective:
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randomfrankp (review)
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Shortcircuit (impressions)
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Dave2D (review)
If you're not sure where to start and you can only view one video, I'd recommend Keybored's review video as I personally found it to be the most comprehensive to the widest range of audiences.
Bottomline:
The reviews largely recommend the Keychron Q1 for what it is - an accessible, entry-level 75% custom mechanical keyboard - that competes very well against the GMMK Pro. The main praise is it's price point and value. The main critique is its stock hollow sound (more on that in a dedicated section below). Assuming the sound is tuned to your liking, the Keychron Q1 should offer a great custom keyboard experience to most people for its price point.
$Value:
It's quite competitively priced at $149 for the barebones kit, with even greater value for the Fully Assembled version (includes 80+ switches and keycaps) that comes at $169. One thing to keep in mind is that shipping starts at $30 in the US, whereas Glorious ships the GMMK Pro for free - given you can't pick either of those keyboards in a store, you can argue that the Keychron Q1 more realistically starts at $149+30=$179 for the barebones kit.
Core Differences from the GMMK Pro:
| Keychron Q1 | GMMK Pro |
|---|---|
| Gateron screw-in stabilizers - not as good as Durock V2's golden standard, but passible especially when modded/tuned | GOAT screw-in stabilizers - overlubed and sticky, which may or may not be an improvement from it's original criticism of having a lot of rattle; expect to mod or replace these stabilizers to have a decent typing experience, and be aware of plates' tight tolerances with Durock v2 stabilizers |
| Thicker gaskets - softer, bouncier typing experience | Thinner gaskets - stiffer typing experience |
| Hollow sounding stock configuration | Muted sounding stock configuration |
| Top-right key: current option for key switch or customizable badge; future compatibility for knob | Top-right key: set to knob |
| VIA and QMK compatible | Uses Glorious Core configuration software with QMK compatibility (QMK compatibility may vary with future GMMK Pros) |
| Includes coiled, braided, aviator cable with USB C-C and USB C-A | Includes standard braided cable with USB C-A |
| Windows/Mac toggle switch in the rear | --- |
Sound/Hollowness:
Most reviewers observed a hollow sound profile for the Keychron Q1 in stock configuration. Several reviewers observed that you can decrease the hollow sound as you add more foam inside the case. However the trade off is that the additional foam could add more resistance to the PCB moving downward into the case, creating a more stiff typing experience. Keychron will also be shipping additional case foam for those that want to customize their Q1 with it.
There is some ambiguity here as Andy's original sound test video featured hollow sounds across a variety of configurations, whereas Alex's stream seemed to "fix" the hollow sound fairly easily with poly fil and/or the tape mod. Both are credible keyboard builders. As always, your mileage may vary. [insert rant about how everything all the way down to your mom's breakfast tomorrow evening affects sound tests]
Marcia and Alex's Thoughts:
Marcia and Alex gave further thoughts on their Whats new in Keyboards 8/26-9/3 stream. Alex claimed that the stock Q1 was the best prebuilt keyboard experience he's had. He has recently been daily driving his modded Q1 over the Thera75, which is a keyboard that he, Andy and MechMerlin have given positive reviews for. Both Alex and Marcia believe the Q1 can be a great gateway into the custom mechanical keyboard hobby from prebuilts. They still crown the IKKI68 Aurora as the best entry level keyboard kit overall, and both prefer the Q1 over the GMMK Pro.
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I hope this helps some people research the Keychron Q1 as a potential purchase. Please let me know if I'm missing information. I will also continue to update this post for the first few days as more information and reactions surface.
EDIT (8/26/2021): added feedback from Alex and Marcia's stream
EDIT (8/27/2021): added Hamaji Neo's review
The focus on stock experience is fair but then comparing stock to the 400+ dollar keebs which are all modded makes little sense besides trying to justify the price they paid for those expensive keyboards.
Your categorization of the reviews is kinda off, all three of your “non-enthusiast” reviewers own enthusiast grade boards and are familiar with the hobby.