Update | Keychron Q16 HE launches with early Kickstarter discount: World's first full ceramic TMR gaming keyboard available for pre-order
September 01, 08:18 PM GMT update:
Product availability update.
Edited article continues as follows:
Keychron had previously leaked its own retail price and some specifications for the Q16 HE via an early product page listing, but it has officially launched the new ultra-premium gaming keyboard on Kickstarter, revealing some additional specs and a small early pre-order discount that actually makes the ceramic gaming keyboard cheaper than some of its aluminium counterparts.
While it's not uncommon to see gaming keyboards offer 8 kHz polling and Hall effect switches with high sensitivity, the Keychron Q16 HE takes this to the next level with a 256 kHz PCB scan rate and 0.01 mm precision on both the actuation distance and features like Rapid Trigger and SOCD.
Keychron Q16 HE specifications
| Form factor | 65% ANSI US layout |
|---|---|
| Case material | Ceramic |
| Weight | 1,060 g |
| Connectivity | Wired (USB-C) |
| PCB and switch style | TMR sensors, HE/magnetic switches |
| Default switch options | Keychron Magnetic Lime (linear, 25 gf start force, 45 gf bottom-out) |
| Keycap material and profile | Ceramic, non-shine-through, Cherry profile |
| Customisation | Keychron Launcher web driver |
| Backlight | South-facing per-key RGB |
| Polling rate | Up to 8 kHz, 256 kHz scan rate |
| Price | Early-bird: $219.99, MSRP: $229.99 |
Obviously, what sets the Keychron Q16 HE apart from regular aluminium chassis keyboards is the ceramic case materials, which Keychron claims is more durable than aluminium in general. Keychron says the case and keycaps are both made of glazed, kiln-fired ceramic, which also gives the keyboard a very shiny finish and smooth texture that hopefully won't wear off, like the texture on even the best HE keyboards does.
The Magnetic Lime switches are interesting from a design perspective, as well, and the closed-bottom design should do a lot to improve the sound profile of the Q16 HE. The design is very reminiscent of the Gateron Magnetic Jade Gaming switches (curr. $57.99 for 70 switches on Amazon), in that the Lime switches have a box-shaped stem that is meant to reduce stem wobble, which is directly linked to sensing accuracy for Hall effect and TMR sensors.
As is the case with most Keychron keyboards, like the Keychron K4 HE we reviewed recently, the Q16 HE is fully customisable and remappable using the Keychron Launcher browser-based software. There, you can customise actuation distance, backlighting, and the aforementioned analogue input features.
Keychron Q16 HE Kickstarter pre-orders and launch
The Keychron Q16 HE is available for pre-order via Kickstarter at an early bird price of $219.99 (after which it will retail for $229.99 on the Keychron site). That's $20 cheaper than the Keychron Q4 HE and the Q1 HE (curr. 5% off on Amazon), and it also comes in cheaper than the $239.99 list price we spotted ahead of launch. Pre-orders are scheduled to be delivered sometime in November for Kickstarter purchases. The keyboard is available in Cetacean Blue and Mint White.
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