Keychron Q1 - The Best $150 Custom Keyboard

[@CODEX919]

"I do not like the sound of the keyboard at stock" - Said every custom keyboard person ever

[@donaldantonio999]

We audiophiles now!

[@hxsjdbdjavs]

Guy

[@silentKeys20]

I don't get the point of evaluating a keyboard at stock. Like it's called "custom" for a reason, put some work and effort to it. Sound profile can be easily modded, gasket implementation is much harder to improve.

[@eidrag]

@J W yeah yours already sound TOCK at stock

[@jamess.2491]

Nah a good custom keyboard kit sounds great with no mods, if you're interested you can look at something like the Kyuu, Matrix 2.0, Jane, or Voice65 (there are a lot more these are just ones that come to mind)

[@kaiyamashita6233]

Correction: the current pcb does have the support for a rotary encoder but it will need to be soldered in rather than hot swap Edit: you can see the pads for the rotary encoder at 6:12

[@popsicle9017]

I'm down for it.

[@ventilate4267]

Pin this man

[@explawsion]

Damn, I might just bite the bullet and buy one now!

[@ventilate4267]

no there's always a better keyboard coming out next week

[@negator86]

Where did you get this info?

[@hamajineo]

This is a really unique view on the Q1, loved the review!

[@user-gb1lm1bq4s]

@@magicpaladin u can't see the time fam

[@skyhappy]

It's staggered and non split, it sucks

[@mrpenis6969]

cant wait to see YOUR review

[@user-bh8jd2hq1y]

Need your review too

[@ishaanm8270]

I concur

[@Neoxon619]

This is actually the first keyboard video I’ve seen from Dave, & I can see why everyone was hyping them up. Dave’s really passionate about keyboard.

[@nicomartin5584]

Yes. I've never seen someone more excited about a keyboard than Dave

[@anthonychung9466]

@@nicomartin5584 ohh boy go into the subreddit for it and you’ll find a lot more people excited about keyboard

[@MG-kg1eq]

@@anthonychung9466 the subreddit that has three different kinds of posts. Advertisements "Check out my first board" (either GMMK Pro or Tofu) Prebuilt keyboards

[@vedaryan334]

There are some great ones from the past

[@anthonychung9466]

@@MG-kg1eq that’s fair, but the groupbuys and ads still get people excited as hell

[@AndyVNguyen]

Dave2D has the cleanest and simplest cinematography in the KZbin game. Gotta try putting the PE foam in the case, thanks for the idea!

[@qasushii]

e

[@cl1ckrr]

andy x dave collab ??!!!

[@gvnady8380]

Sus 🤔

[@bren.r]

Didn’t expect to see you here.

[@greyox]

Even his watches shows 00:00:00 (at 6:12)

[@abhinavranjan7964]

If there can be a fingerprint sensor in the customisable area, it would be a bomb !!

[@AxxLAfriku]

One thing! Just one thing! Please tell IT to me: WHY tf do I have so many fans even though no KZbinr is unprettier than I am? WORLDWIDE!!!! WHY??? Tell me, dear abi

[@shubhamarutwar9396]

A knob with fingerprint sensor on top of it will be atom bomb

[@YashBudhiraja]

@fireroka because biometrics are always more secure and generally faster? lol?

[@nightwing8666]

@fireroka ? What is this comment lol.

[@DanilErofeev]

@@YashBudhiraja not at all always. Its much easier to forcefully get a finger on a fingerprint sensor than to forcefully get a password from a person.

[@Dr3amingAwak3]

This came a really weirdly appropriate time for me. As I was looking for a good hot swabbed keyboard. Thanks Dave.

[@jonathanhagerty7174]

I would also look into the Keychron C1; at $50 it’s surprisingly premium feeling and you can spend the money you saved and premium switches and keycaps!

[@akshaysurendran3827]

Check RK84

[@nadtz]

C1 isn't bad either and... Oh someone already said it.

[@danielitto12]

"Take a look at the customs; it's a cool world out here." Dave trying to make everyone a custom keyboard enthusiast haha

[@DivyangM]

Yep, That Line Was Heavy..

[@mehmetgurdal]

I'm interested in it but I don't think that I have the necessary will power to resist the urge of buying new stuff every month. I got my hands filled enough with the audio gear and it's a whole universe by itself.

[@elimwambi5142]

Even with great KZbinrs like mkbhd, LTY and mrwhosetheboss, Dave manages to be a breath of fresh air

[@senkl]

whoa, let's not get ahead of ourselves and call whosetheboss guy great..

[@mrsteelnutz]

@@senkl true lol his videos are mostly cringe and he hypes the products more instead of just reviewing theM

[@YourLocalCafe]

@@mrsteelnutz i have to agree with the hyping up but he reviews them fairly well.

[@raidwolf4088]

Throw Unbox in there as well. Cannot stand that guy at all.

[@YourLocalCafe]

Ah yes, LTY my favourite tech. channel.

[@bren.r]

*Keychron’s marketing team* “Hey which content creators should we reach out to and send a board to?” “Yes”

[@jackwilson5542]

This seems like a sponsored video- the product looks like steaming pile of garbage. $90 mechanical gaming keyboard will be superior to this junk any day.

[@tdg9281]

@@jackwilson5542 no it won’t 😂😂 they aren’t even in the same league

[@FavoriteTechX]

Dave signature color 👍🏼

[@TomSGao]

How did he get that green color

[@MechKeyboards]

Problem is that it's not $150. This cannot be shipped to the US for less than $209, so please, correct.

[@KoZeroSM]

Dave: Tempest tape and PE foam mods didn't work. Me: Hmm... That can't be right.

[@tangtangtang1372]

mods can fix sound. But mods cant fix the sound if the sound is not there/insufficient in the first place. This just prove that how severely muted/design oversight the GMMK pro is.

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

@@tangtangtang1372 Yea but if you've got a muted keyboard signature, you can still do something with it. I'd slap some silent blacks have a nice quiet thud sound and call it a day.

[@nictheguitarist]

Yesss Dave keyboard content! Coincidentally getting into the mech KB world, and this video pops up haha

[@nicholashaynes4073]

snap

[@babblebam]

same lol

[@fastlegente3430]

Good luck in the rabbit hole haha

[@YourLocalCafe]

@@fastlegente3430 i literally replied with that but youtube just removed it, godammit.

[@likethewind5088]

Same. Im considering the rk61 pro with silver switches.

[@shakir4969]

Taeha: made fully custom for Dave Dave: Didn't make a video

[@imas234]

it makes sense. that wasn't really something you could buy. he did show it off in its own segment in his setup tour though.

[@kukuhadiprasetyo5881]

I think he'll make the video about it in his next clean desktop setup...

[@shakir4969]

@@imas234 He talked about why he didn't post a video on his tesla because it is more self serving in his opinion. I know he didn't for the same reason here for the Bauer keyboard. It's just very interesting to see his point of view assuming he is not a keyboard enthusiast.

[@imas234]

@@shakir4969 yeah i saw that podcast, it definitely ties into why there was no seperate video on the keyboard

[@milkloverenterprises3367]

LETS GO never knew Dave was a sweaty keeb nerd! Hoping for more keyboard content!

[@pepega3344]

Really? Keyboards are like third of his videos

[@trs5127]

@@pepega3344 he really hasn't done one in a pretty long time. I almost forgot he's a keyboard guy

[@SagvanKurdi]

Been watching your videos for so long, and can't get enough. So entertaining!

[@danielli6329]

The Q1 knob version does not have a coiled cable any more, just a regular cable. But the sound does feel a lot better now.

[@Eshcole]

I've been eyeing this one down when it started hitting my email. Thanks for the in-depth look Dave. I'm personally a fan of using silicon like RandomFrankP.

[@gilmonreal7094]

i agree, loved the sound after the laptop foam went in. very noticeable.

[@MrSkullhead0]

I’m so glad you did this review. The keeb community is thriving!

[@richardt.rogers2730]

god the sound of that bauer from taeha is unbelievable

[@nurudino_]

At this point, Dave is more excited about keyboards than his kids lol. He has such wonderful energy.

[@BenBjork]

I must just be here for that energy, because I can tell you for certain I’m not in the market for a custom mechanical keyboard, lol.

[@coffeedudeguy]

Electric guitar players chase after their ultimate tone, keyboard enthusiasts chase after that special ‘thok thok thok’

[@thenightknight1539]

When Dave makes an entire video about a keyboard, you know it has to be legendary

[@RacingPotato12]

Keychron boards are average at best. Even a cheaper KBD67 Lite is way better than this.

[@TheOrisya]

Mkbhd post it on his instagram too.. seems like keycron marketing is in the work

[@dzus]

I got a keychron myself after my mac keyboard failed. But for reasons other than because its a mechanical keyboard. Which is a nice bonus. The BT keyboard I got allows me to switch between 3 devices with ease. Compare to a similarly price mac keyboard that lets me pair to a miserly 1.. Bottomline, love the Keychron, never going back!

[@ohwell5761]

I like that Dave did a detailed review for an entry level custom keyboard. This will get so many people into that deep deep rabbit hole of custom keyboards (:

[@innovativeadvertising6463]

Hey there! As a fellow tech enthusiast, I totally get the appeal of custom keyboards. They can be a gateway to a whole world of customization. By the way, have you checked out the HOTO Compressed Air Capsule? It's a handy tool for keeping your desktop clean and organized. The powerful vacuuming and blowing capabilities make it a game-changer. Plus, it's compact and efficient! Just thought I'd share this cool gadget with you! 😊

[@Shaurya_Pant]

WTF did I watch? Why the fuck I even watched it, I have no idea. Damn, this therapeutic Dave 2D is getting addictive. This man can probably even make me listen my college lectures in their entirety.

[@_roscoe]

Dave: I have a strong preference for the brown switches. Glarses: *stares motherfuckerly*

[@TheInstaShark]

Ah, but they're GATERON Browns, not Cherry MX. Loophole.

[@offbrandegg5378]

THEYRE CHAD BROWNS NOT CHERRY BROWNS

[@stevenr3544]

@@TheInstaShark Im pretty sure he said that he just doesn't like brown switches in general so not really a loop hole

[@juhokettunen8245]

I like your natural, no-nonsense delivery. Review was a pleasure to watch.

[@FusionHyperion]

I recently bought the Anne Pro II and i really like the stock version, I may change the keycaps but either its a really nice KB to me (and the rgb looks sooo good too)

[@slarkstyle1901]

I almost died during the blues

[@DailySetupTech]

I can’t wait to see Razer or Corsair jump into the custom keyboard game 👀

[@trickyrat483]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKDEi6iGYppqfpo

[@rohittkrr]

Your GMMK Pro sounds glorious 😍

[@memo90frost]

Keychron Q1 looks awesome for the price, especially for a beginner in custom keyboards. The $169 price point looks very attractive if you're just getting started in the hobby. I hope to see it soon at European stores since they don't ship to my country.

[@Sorena317]

It ships to Germany, but I payed literally 50$ just for shipping. I think I am insane, because I bought it anyway.

[@Voltedge89]

I switched to mechanical keyboard the corsair k100 and a desk set up moving from a purely laptop use. Typing anything on a decent mechanical keyboard is so satisfying that it makes you smile. Now I understand why people spend premium for keyboards.

[@iliveinpoland]

Was looking for a new keyboard Thanks!

[@robee984]

What you do ?

[@evilkamatis542]

That Q1 has a lot of flex but showing that custom Bauer from Taehatypes definitely was a FLEX.

[@lefteriseleftheriou5435]

Great video as always Dave! Would you consider doing a review on the new budget-friendly Royal Kludge RK68 65% keyboard? Keep it up!

[@akshaysurendran3827]

Yep .. Also the RK84

[@ivan_off]

I've just watched a full 9 min video on a topic that I know nothing about but as always Dave makes everything easy to understand so its a pleasure, thank you for the introduction :)

[@Leowulfs]

I'm so happy a "normal" human being is reviewing this and not a socially dented keyboard weirdo.

[@noelwade]

@Dave - The website says the keys are doubleshot ABS (not PBT). That's probably why they feel "off".

[@RacingPotato12]

There should've been a warning before that blue switch typing test. My ears are bleeding and my house blew up.

[@YarakaOfficial]

I never knew I needed Dave as a kbd channel in my life. Would love for you to do this stuff more, you're good at it!

[@Levi_Allen]

I am so bummed there aren’t more low rise Mac friendly full size keyboards. I love my small k1 v4 because of the nice low rise feel. But I wish keychron would restock the full size version. I’ve been on the wait list for over a year. Any other tips out their from keyboard peoples? I like low rise mechanicals and being Mac friendly is a plus.

[@poolkrooni]

I'm not a major keyboard enthusiast, but does Hexgears X1 fall into that category? it's low profile though. I use it with macOS daily

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

What do you mean by low rise? But keychron is porbably the most mac friendly brand in this segment. I wouldn't bother getting a 100% layout if you don't really regularly use the numpad (because you can always get a seperate one) to save space on the desk. If you are not using the iso layout you could look into Drop's boards, they tend to be pretty low profile.

[@Levi_Allen]

@@Daniel-dj7fh yeah I really want a dedicated number pad. I use it constantly for shortcuts and all of the separated ones drive me nuts when they don’t match the feel and height of my main keyboard. What I mean by low rise is whatever the k1 rise is. Keycrhon have this hybrid size where it’s mechanical but not the full height of most of the other mechanical keyboard I have. I guess it’s simply that I prefer the slimmer profile off the desk. So that’s kinda what I’ve been looking for, but hard to find a full size that people are really impressed with. I’ll look into Poolkrooni’s suggestion

[@eastonarnett2050]

Verified with 4 likes and 3 comments??? What???

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

@@Levi_Allen Ah you could look for boards which support low profile switches like those from cherry, they need different keycaps tho

[@MarbsMusic]

A couple of years later the Glorious fixed their stabs and added a flex kit and the Q1 Pro with wireless is out. Both are great keyboards but are getting pressure from cheaper models rivaling their quality.

[@Racoon-Man]

Me watching this on a 150$ smartphone: *INTERESTING*

[@klubhead7070]

God I love his videos. Always so clean. Going to order this right now

[@AlejandroNovoaWorks]

Darn maybe Dave finally getting into more custom keyboards?

[@xenovento]

Taeha's board to the Q1 "On your left"

[@shaswatdas6553]

Don't trust keychron with promises. 2yrs over and still no software for keychron K series. Edit: I use k2v2 (75% tkl)

[@impartial6119]

They didn’t even make the software for this keyboard. They just made it so it can support better software than what they can make

[@shaswatdas6553]

@@impartial6119 big oof😂 I'm literally heartbroken. I use a different keyboard layout (workman). But my employer doesn't allow me to install anything on work laptop. I'm stuck on what to do. Keychron software was my last hope.

[@mystichavin5330]

​@@impartial6119via and qmk is standard in the custom community and its miles better than proprietary software

[@mystichavin5330]

@@shaswatdas6553 you can flash the firmware onto the pcb. meaning that you can edit whatever you want onto your board on another pc and it'll keep those changes when you plug into a new computer

[@helloukw]

Watching people trying to find their "best keyboard" while I rock a wired mac keyboard for years now and its great, for anything from gaming to coding, and its full size, which matters a lot for me. It also sounds very good and it also has very stable keys and space and it has enough travel to be nice to type on.

[@i_am_acai]

PSA: shipping for the Q1 $30 in the US while the gmmk pro has free shipping, effectively making the Q1 $10 more expensive

[@TheInstaShark]

It was $48 for me. 😔

[@penguinkraftz3329]

Gmmk pro is $60 shipping for me 🙃

[@i_am_acai]

@@penguinkraftz3329 yea that sucks if your country doesn't have free shipping

[@supersop1367]

@@i_am_acai 10$ isn’t really a big deal considering ur getting a much better board

[@supersop1367]

@Joshua So wait it is? I’m new to keyboards and people always trash glorious products for no reason and praise gmk for their overpriced garbage and everyone seems to praise this board

[@hristomirhristov3229]

I am a happy owned of G915 TKL Tactile... love the battery life. Since I bought it on 16th June I have not yet needed to charge it (currently 65%). Love it!

[@xprez1130]

The way he just stacks his keyboards make me uneasy..

[@js4981]

I mean I’m not a super enthusiast even though I loved the video… but aren’t they made of metal? If they were to be damaged from this type of treatment I’d be highly disappointed, but anyways I know nothing about keyboards so

[@tubester358]

This is such a good video for beginners for a channel that isn't focused at all on keyboards, so many other channels seem to talk a lot more terminology & describing their experience instead of showing details & comparing sounds clearly. This is also a good example of "thock" I guess?

[@todoroki4418]

That's only ugly ass keyboard.

[@LeFatalpotato]

This or the gmmk?

[@greyareaRK1]

Yeah, that white keyboard sounds amazing. There is a blue PE foam that is making the rounds. I'm not sure if it's the same material as what you used; seems denser. Supposedly really good at deepening and reducing switch noise.

[@mstalcup]

5:32 The PBT keycaps made for the Q1 you have there are dye-sub, not doubleshot. That's why the legends aren't as crisp. I just go my Q1 today (OK, I got 2, one barebones and one fully assembled) with stock doubleshot ABS and I picked up two set of their PBT dye-subs because I intended to switch them out. The ABS doubleshot keycaps are visually more high-end looking because the legends couldn't possibly be any crisper. However, I prefer the font and larger font size on the PBT and they offer a lot of great colors that complement the cases. The navy case looks indigo to me - and it's a fantastic match with the keycaps that come with it.

[@somratkhan8688]

People at the party: Yo Dave! Drop some funky beats! Dave 2D: *Pulls out keyboard* It's time to go *mechanical*

[@air4703]

So excited for it to arrive!

[@JKeemTV]

I like just finished my build using the DROP CTRL keyboard after seeing your video on it so what is my luck that this would come up now lmao. I do however have to say that I'm really liking this low profile style as it's easier to clean so maybe I'll pick up the Keychron down the line so I have a kb for work and one for play as the lack of lighting on the keychron doesn't make for a great show piece imo. Still a cool board tho.

[@leonhma]

i have a modded keychron k6. its a compact 65% with basically everything you need (yes, bluetooth, battery, fancy rgb) for 99$

[@wes4565]

I really hope it's a just a separate piece of PCB and not an entire board replacement. I would really love that knob. Thanks for this video Dave! I'll seriously be considering this with the Everglide EG Aqua King switches.

[@puphle]

Ok, you sold me at "it's a cool world out here", but I already got a Keychron k3v2

[@Antphoneigh]

Good job Keychron. I'm waiting for a wireless version.

[@deandunn206]

Thanks for the review. I ordered a Q1 to replace my Razer Black Widow I've had for a few years. I learnt to type on the original IBM PS/2 keyboard so prefer a heavier key, went for the brown switches and hoping for good things with this.

[@jonathanhagerty7174]

I just grabbed the KeyChron C1 and for $50 I think it’s a steal. I went a little overboard and spent an arm and leg for some C3 Tangerines and oooooweeee does she thonk now!

[@W0Rd0n32sTre3T]

Wow, how knowledgeable Dave is about keebs is an unexpected but welcome surprise

[@RPL8M24]

We never got a PROPER FULL REVIEW of taeha's Bauer... Why? I have been waiting for a vid on it since teaha put up the video of building it for you, and I am sure there are others in your audience that would also like a video on it, so please consider making a standalone video on that keyboard.

[@stuartng08]

more custom keyboard content dave we need more people in the community!

[@patrickkaehuaea657]

Loved this video. Great to see the crossover and genuine interest.

[@KolnFriedChicken]

If you can waive QMK/ VIA support there're better options for less money like the Chilkey ND75, Sugar65 or Yunzii AL66 but, sure, recommending Keychron for the most part is a nobrainer. They build decent keyboards for decent money and QMK/ VIA... The foam mod sounds great.

[@theslader]

if you have 2 shots the same time ( frontal and overhead), please make sure the timing is there. from 2:07 it wasn't there and really inhibits the watch-ability imho.

[@The8merp]

Love how in-depth you go over any technology. Would love to see more non traditional custom mechanical keyboard reviews, especially for split columnar keyboards, like ErgoDox, Gergoplex, Atreus, Iris, kyria, corne etc. as I am considering buying or building one myself

[@innovativeadvertising6463]

Hey there! Thanks for sharing your interest in non-traditional custom keyboards, especially split columnar ones like ErgoDox, Gergoplex, Atreus, and more. These keyboards offer unique ergonomic setups, which can be great for long coding sessions or comfort-oriented typing. With regards to your notebook upgrade, have you considered optimizing its cooling system? I recently came across the HOTO Compressed Air Capsule, which seems like a handy tool for maintaining a clean and dust-free environment for your devices. Its powerful vacuuming and blowing capabilities can make a significant difference in extending the lifespan of your notebook and other tech gear. Plus, the HOTO Compressed Air Capsule offers a range of features and accessories that add value to its functionality. You might find it helpful for your desktop setup too! Happy tech exploring! 😉

[@OreOmod]

Too have brown switches. fully lubed them and placed thicc foam at the bottom. They sound like rattling bones now, super smooth to listen

[@Tactical1944]

Probably the only KZbinr that can get he to watch an entire video on custom keyboards I have no interest in lol thanks for the great content sir

[@levelsofdifficulty]

between 7:33 and 7:34 when it transitions to pe foam from no pe foam you can see the keys lift up from the case visibly a few millimeters. there’s visible gaps now from how much higher the keys are sitting because there’s way less space for the gasket to flex down from adding foam. wonder if there’s a way around this while still helping the sound.

[@PixelKhaos]

Afaik, not much, you have to sacrifice flex for the sound from what I've gathered. So it does end up meeting GMMK Pro in feel and sound due to mods. Though, visible lift isn't something I've noted on the GMMK Pro. So wondering if its the gaskets, offsetting them might work, where there's thinner under the board and thicker above it. Though might again result in a stiffer feel

[@drycleanonly]

Nice! The keyboard sounds way poppier with that thicker PE Foam underneath the PCB

[@jeyfloh]

I've been watching a lot of reviews for both the Q1 and the GMMK trying to decide what's best for me. Dave's style and insight just resonates with me and really helped me decide which is best for me. Now to save up to actually buy lol.

[@YoutubeLover-np9lu]

Which one did you choose?

[@NuanDaa]

@@KZbinLover-np9lu talking bullshit he won’t buy anything

[@slimydog8946]

This guy with the Ice Cream tee and the holy panda flex. Nice.

[@JanosKehl]

Thanks for your thoughts. Delivery didn't make it before my vacation so my video on it comes on saturday. (german version) 👍👍👍

[@yuusource831]

You are so honest about all your review product. I like that.

[@zu22779]

Thanks for shedding more light on this great hobby!

[@DeepLyricist]

Omg look at it's subtle off white color and tasteful thickness

[@0xBULLgogi]

Idk if youve done any updates to the Keychron Dave but there's the force break mod now introduced by Keybored to get rid of that ping.

[@tyrosine87]

Putting taehas custom board in a video about budget customs feels kind of cheeky, not going to lie. I think this one is a winner as an entry board.

[@JosephReference]

this hobby get exponentially expensive with even higher diminishing returns BUT that keyboard feel is worth it, the money, the time, the lubbing everything

[@fablesbyutsho7651]

6:13 That metalic sound is sooo satisfying!

[@MoonyD911]

Can’t live without a number pad. Is there any good wireless mechanical keyboard with a full size numpad?

[@yanec2501]

The q1 is basically a mod keyboard. If you were to put in something to stop the case ping then car insulation sounds like the best option. Idk how thick car insulation is but if it was atleast under 5 mm then then it would be fine.

[@parth7092]

Kilmat 50mil pad is a good option. the thickness is 1mm. Perfect for this and kills all ping.

[@AdrianSanabria]

I had the same issue with the GMMK Pro! But only with the left shift key - everything else was fine. I wish the ‘fix’ wasn’t quite so involved, requiring me to pull EVERYTHING apart. Good to hear the fix might not even solve the issue.

[@joerozell4882]

Love the review bro! Thanks

[@yashwanthsagiri854]

Hey man was waiting for you to do a keyboard video ever since I saw Bauer build. Great content love it

[@yougiely]

i don't think i ever saw u made video about the keyboard that Taeha mod for u

[@pamilyadance3550]

I didn’t know someone could be so passionate about a keyboard! It’s amazingly refreshing! I won’t look at my iPhone screen touch keyboard in the same way!

[@unloveableandre]

Company 3 years: Thank you, Dave! Same Company today: WTF, Dave?

[@DailySetupTech]

Team Custom Keyboard!!!

[@johannesalbrecht2503]

What happened to the Taeha commission keyboard? Edit: oh it's in the end.