New Keychron Hall effect gaming keyboard packs a num pad but keeps the compact layout benefits for gaming
Keychron's consistent and apparent modular design language seemingly allows the brand to churn out a new keyboard or layout every other week, from tiny 60% gaming keyboards to full size productivity battleships. The latest wireless keyboard to come from the enthusiast keyboard maker blends those two categories into a wireless keyboard that is equal parts gaming and productivity. The Keychron Q12 HE features a near-full-size layout, like the Q5 HE (curr. $249.99 on Amazon), with a southpaw num pad configuration — meaning the num pad is on the left side of the keyboard. In theory, the Q12 HE has all the benefits of something like an exploded 75% layout with all the keys you'll need for serious productivity work, and it has tri-mode connectivity, featuring both Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz options on the wired side of things.
Keychron Q12 HE specifications and details
The Q12 HE's biggest calling card is its southpaw design and minimalist looks. It is just shy of a full 100% layout, swapping out a full navigation cluster usually found above the arrow keys for a more compact navigation column with page up, page down, and home keys. There's also a row of three customisable shortcut keys above the num pad, meaning there are only three keys short of a full 104-key layout. The Q12 HE also has a customisable knob in the top left corner, which is assigned to volume control by default but can be changed to input just about any key or even a macro.
Much like the Keychron K4 HE we reviewed, the Q12 HE uses Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula switches by default, and in our review, we praised them for their smooth actuation and relatively clean sound profile. The Q12 HE also uses a gasket mount design to minimise negative auditory feedback and provide a slightly cushioned typing feel, much like what we experienced in our Q13 Max review. Likewise, the case is made of CNC aluminium, and Keychron uses an e-coat finish to apply its Shell White and Carbon Black colourways. Unlike the Q13 Max, the Q12 HE has an aluminium plate, which should result in a slightly brighter sound profile and more accurate inputs than the PC plate of the Q13 Max.
The keycaps on the Q12 HE are the same double-shot PBT keycaps in Keychron's OSA profile, and they are not shine-through. They offer a familiar height to typical gaming keyboards while giving the Q12 HE a slightly different aesthetic. In our experience, Keychron's OSA keycaps feel good to type on, even if they could be a tad thicker. The keyboard has south-facing per-key RGB backlighting, which makes it difficult to find alternative keycap sets with shine-through legends that actually work properly.
While the Keychron Q12 HE doesn't feature the 8 kHz polling rate of keyboards like the Wooting 80HE, its 1 kHz polling is still plenty for most gaming applications. It also comes with QMK firmware and support for full remapping and extensive customisation in Keychron's Launcher software. The browser-based software provides access to features like adjustable actuation, rapid trigger, SOCD, and DKS, and it has support for on-board macros, which many gaming-oriented keyboards forego.
The Keychron Q12 HE is limited to the Keychron online store for the time being, but it should become available on the brand's Amazon storefront at a later date. It has an MSRP of $249.99.
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