Keychron Q1 HE Copper Edition: 4 kg, $500 wireless gaming keyboard with solid copper case and TMR tech launches
Keychron has seemingly jumped head-first into the world of Hall effect and analogue switch gaming keyboards, releasing a range of wired and wireless gaming keyboards featuring both TMR and HE sensor tech. We have reviewed a number of examples of these keyboards, from the stylish, mid-range Keychron K4 HE to the premium Lemokey L1 HE that goes all-in on gaming looks.
Leading Keychron's charge into the world of wireless gaming keyboards is the Q1 HE, which, despite the name, uses TMR sensors to offer features like Snap Tap, Rapid Trigger, DKS, and adjustable actuation points. Most recently, Keychron has announced an update to the Q1 HE that takes all the fancy wireless and analogue tech and puts it into a premium copper case with matching keycaps.
Keychron Q1 HE specifications
| Form factor and size | 75% (with a knob) ANSI US layout, 327.5 × 145 mm, 22.6 mm front height |
|---|---|
| Typing angle | 5.2 degrees |
| Case material | CNC copper |
| Weight | 4,000 g |
| Plate material and mounting style | Aluminium plate, PORON (polyurethane foam) gasket mount |
| Connectivity | USB-C wired, Bluetooth 5.2, 2.4 GHz |
| Battery capacity | 4,000 mAh, 100 hour claimed battery life |
| PCB and switch style | TMR PCB, only compatible with Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic switches |
| Default switch options | Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula (linear, 40 gf start force, 60 gf bottom-out, 4 mm travel) |
| Keycap material and profile | Double-shot PBT, Cherry profile, non-shine-through |
| Customisation | Full remapping, analogue feature setup, and macro creation through Keychron Launcher web-based interface |
| Backlight | Per-key south-facing RGB |
| Polling rate | Up to 1 kHz on 2.4 GHz and USB-C, 125 Hz on Bluetooth |
Unlike the Keychron Q1 HE, which comes in at $239.99 on Amazon, the Q1 HE Copper Edition is priced at a whopping $499.99 and only available on the Keychron store, making it the most expensive keyboard on Keychron's site at the time of writing. The Q1 HE Copper Edition features the same TMR sensors, tri-mode wireless connectivity, and aluminium switch plate as the original Q1 HE, but the Q1 HE also lists updated screw-in stabilisers, which should hopefully help reduce the ticking that tends to pop up on Keychron keyboards.
Aside from the chunky copper case that doubles the keyboard's weight compared to the original, the Q1 HE Copper Edition also features a special edition double-shot PBT keycap set that has black main keys with copper-coloured legends and copper-coloured accent keys with black lettering. The cap for the programmable knob has also been updated to match the copper aesthetic of the keyboard case.
The shared hardware has some implications for quality of life and usability, too. For instance, the Q1 HE Copper Edition also features the same physical operating system and connectivity mode switches as the stock Q1 HE, and the OSA keycaps should deliver the same comfort and durability benefits as the original. Similarly, the QMK firmware and compatibility with Keychron Launcher mean that customising the keyboard's actuation point, analogue features, lighting, and macros should all be very quick and user-friendly.
However, shared hardware also means that the Q1 HE uses south-facing RGB backlighting, which limits compatibility with shine-through keycaps to either keycaps with giant lettering designed for south-facing sockets or to side-printed legends, which many users find difficult to use. The Q1 HE Copper Edition is also still limited to only Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic switches, which we have reviewed in other Keychron Hall effect keyboards and found to be decent but not outstanding. A proper upgrade might have included compatibility with other magnetic switches to open up options to switches like the new Wooting Lekker Tikkens we recently reviewed.
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