Keychron Q1 or GMMK Pro - Which Should You Buy?

[@takoyakeys]

Switch and Click: “Keychron is being left behind by the competition” Keychron: “… and I took that personally.”

[@favlam1408]

to be fair, she was talking about the keychrone K2 75% version to anyone looking for compact 75%.

[@SuperKMao]

Really cool to see how far Keychron has come. Thanks for the insightful video as always.

[@mikelpimentel9192]

I never clicked on a video so fast

[@minimalistik]

Happy to find that we have a similar take on this board! Great review as usual Andy!

[@JustJagsOG]

So far I feel like Andys got the best serious reviews in the biz. loads of variety as well.

[@jannclaudebinoya]

Imagine someone walking by thinking "what the hell is this guy doing out in the public pressing buttons on his keyboard"

[@AndyVNguyen]

oh def i'm pretty sure people stare lol

[@Mengsi89]

Emm designing the universe? Y’all dont?

[@ALANatWork]

With both boards sounding hollow when factory assembled, I would pick the Q1. The gasket feel is superior, the price is there, and the stabs are better. It's subtle in it's branding and I love the touch of the custom badge. Q1 is the pick for me.

[@RoyDaBoy0]

Love that Keychron is listening to feedback and is actually trying to understand the market.

[@AndyVNguyen]

for sure! adding that foam before production was a solid move.

[@user-kz9rz8ui1c]

A lot of credit should go to Cheswick, the community manager. Actual legend by taking community feedback and sending it to Keychron. A lot of features would be missing without him.

[@joer1502]

I really love the outdoor reviews, super refreshing

[@randomboar2025]

Definitely the deepest review I've seen about the Q1. Glad that I found your channel!

[@AndyVNguyen]

Thanks for the reception on this video from launch day! A few updates since: 1. Shipping is $30 for conUS, it varies for other areas. This is normal in the hobby. Things are being shipped expedited from China. Unfortunately they can't really do "free" ground shipping over the ocean. I know Glorious GMMK Pro is shipping ground (6-10 days) for free but that's an exception, not the norm. The keyboard niche does not free expedited shipping like Amazon. Shipping just isn't free. If it costs $0 to ship, all that means is that the retailer has increased the price of the item to compensate for it. 2. The silicone mod + tape mod resolved the hollowness/ping issues in the case. The video will go live on the second channel tonight: kzbin.info/door/TNY8Z19we50bYX7m72fsaQ 3. The knob will be a later addition. The PCB has the design for it. 4. You can put a switch at the top right blocker if you would rather have another key there.

[@ChineseWinnie]

idk man, a lot of companies do free shipping, i'd rather have increased price and free shipping than pay for shipping. Hopefully this keyboard gets added to amazon

[@sigmundfried3432]

Appreciate the review on these budget boards Andy!

[@SherryDC]

i've built with both boards and i can say that the gmmk pro sounds better when modified well or is easier to get sounding thocky and poppy, which a lot of people go for

[@luckyharbinger2054]

Thanks Andy, I'll wait for the E-White case & Knob PCB (coming in a bit later this year) and probably get it if nothing better comes along.

[@TheDredgenProject]

Looking forward to you giving in to the PE foam craze!

[@xanira6367]

Just don't do it to high end boards pls

[@paper2946]

It starts to make things sound kinda samey. Which is often a detriment to the nicer boards.

[@xanira6367]

@@paper2946 yea, most high end boards also well designed acoustically, so it's just gonna make it the same boring sound

[@TheDredgenProject]

@@xanira6367 agree!

[@Hirotara]

After trying out both the GMMK Pro and Keychron Q1, I can say for sure that when modded right, the Keychron Q1 is the right choice for those who want a very nice typing experience. GMMK Pro always sounded muted and felt bad compared to the Q1.

[@saitaro]

What mod would you suggest?

[@Wallriss]

Every keyboard with Mac compatibility should come with the Mac and windows keycaps! Keychron is one of the only ones that include the Mac keycaps

[@sharkbait7854]

Forgot to mention that yeah the price of the board is cheaper then the gmmk pro but Keychron charges $30 for shipping when Glorious gives free shipping. So all that savings you end up paying in shipping lol.

[@AndyVNguyen]

you're comparing glorious free shipping to keychron's expedited shipping to make it apples to apples you need to compare it to glorious expedited shipping which is $20.99 also gmmk stabs 100% need to be replaced which is another $20 difference right there.

[@ecuadorian90]

Feels bad

[@sharkbait7854]

@@AndyVNguyen its just funny how you didn't mention the price difference when it comes to shipping. Okay so the stabs and flex is better on the keychron but is still has way more hollowness/ping to it. Also if you want the rotary knob from what I gather you have to pay extra for that, plus possibly needing to buy a new pcb just for the rotary knob to work?

[@DashzRight]

To me the gmmk pro sounds better but the keychron has a better range of customisation and better implemented gasket mounting. (Although lately I have realized that the gmmk pro is designed to be that tight)

[@jisun2695]

Andy does the best explanations.

[@techcreative6750]

While I agree that this board needs A LOT of modifications to sound good - I think there's also a good side to it. It will allow beginners to the hobby access to a cheap aluminium board with solid build quality to experiment with different modding techniques (tape mod, foam, PE foam mod, silicone etc etc) and actually find what works and doesn't work for them, all while getting a grasp of how different mods affect the sound profile of the keyboard in different ways.

[@hariypotter8]

literally what I'm using the Q1 for

[@brando_100]

I'm not sure why but the shot of Michael's really cracked me up

[@AndyVNguyen]

great keyboard modding vendor i think they sell t-shirts too

[@tehchonka5031]

absolutely love the recent videos

[@AndyVNguyen]

thank you!

[@skooLxx]

Does the barebones kit come with the blocker? I don't see it included on their website, only an option to add a custom blocker.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Might be an add on

[@gvnady8380]

4:34 "Usually holee mod the stabs" Thats how far we are deep down in the rabbit hole of custom keebs PepeLaugh

[@vpfxms313]

Love the review videos. Thank you Andy!

[@chronicmayhem]

Please update this with the Q1 Max

[@gvnady8380]

Keychron took custom mech seriously, makes prebuild great again!

[@maiky129]

I am pretty sure the coiled cables are only included in the pre-order keyboards

[@builtbychu]

Thank you Andy, very cool!

[@hlaredsgnih8512]

great review as usual. 1st Q1 review I watched. didn't disappoint.

[@supersop1367]

Underrated youtuber

[@jchew5]

Was waiting for this one!

[@kennethleong8664]

Still love my GMMK pro after mods, no hollowness and pinging from stock form. but this Q1 does give beginners an option into the custom mech hobby. Nice and great reviews as always Andy.

[@anthonyrocha3625]

which plate did you get with yours?

[@Philsical94]

I really like the gmmk pro but it costs 200 Euros in Germany so I ordered the Q1 for for around 130 Euros

[@leonard.nicolae]

Which other alternatives should we consider? Feker IK75 Pro 3 / NEXT TIME 75 ? Any medium tier variants ?

[@xenonnati]

i really want this layout that the Q1 and GMMK pro have .. but i want a wireless keyboard... i've checked out the RK84 and Yunzii KC84 .. but i much prefer this layout.. anyone know any alternative i could check out?

[@EmmanuelMotelin]

I am digging it!

[@TheErick211_]

and the best for gaming?

[@Snic]

i have loved filling up keyboards with silicone so far, i wonder if thats something that would help

[@air4703]

Just bought one so excited!

[@_BlueCollarGamer]

where do you get knob blockers? i cannot find them anywhere on google...

[@AndyVNguyen]

idk if they still sell it on their website

[@jadelan9549]

Yay, I've been waiting to see what'd you'd have to say about the Q1 :)

[@WetHam22]

2:13 your V and B are switched?

[@mrb-btw]

not in the market for either but still watching, nice video

[@8bitsamurai6]

If the Freebird60 was in stock it would hands down be the way to go imo. But regardless i love what we are seeing these mainstream companies atleast trying to make a better keyboard experience that people want.

[@joshuachu4756]

You're too quick, the first to post out of all the KZbinrs who decided to review this today

[@AndyVNguyen]

Timed it for the first second the embargo was lifted lol

[@DemVidzIsMine]

Great video! I was wondering if Keychron provided the polycarb and FR4 plate with your unit?

[@AndyVNguyen]

Nah just alu

[@Justdubbb]

I have been looking for a 75% hotswappable board with a rotary knob to finish up my set up. I have been between these two boards and i just really really want the grey q1 I just can’t find one 😩

[@AndyVNguyen]

ah damn I would sign up for email newsletter or join their discord to get more information as to when it'll come back in stock

[@pauld4238]

So it would be great at another 20% off that price then for the barebones version for a first time builder?

[@williamelliott1293]

How u getting 20% off cuz that would be crazy price

[@pauld4238]

@@williamelliott1293 I had some shipping issues with Keychron on a previous order and instead of refuding the shipping, they gave me a discount code for a future order :-)

[@parth7092]

Andy, in your stream you used a custom keyboard pad to put under your KeyChron Q1. It had nice stitched edges and was grey in color. Where can I buy one? I want to purchase the same, but in black.

[@AndyVNguyen]

It’s from keebmat, link here www.andyvnguyen.com/affiliates

[@parth7092]

@@AndyVNguyen Thank you sir, just made a purchase.

[@gray4935]

There’s also soldering points for a rotary encoder on the PCB. So if the deciding factor is the lack of the rotary encoder you’ll always have that option later on if you really want it.

[@HybRidChrome]

"serviceable compared to the 'greatest of all time' stabilizers...that's like $20" LOL Andy with the shots!

[@fudgewaffle4742]

"You can't undo stiffness", try telling me that when it 3am on Saturday

[@AndyVNguyen]

i loled

[@DashzRight]

Im super curious on how keycult keyboards dont sound hollow, the keycult n2 doesnt have a bit of foam, completely empty, still sounds superb

[@AndyVNguyen]

case design, material density, having a brass weight

[@DanmTheSystem]

Completely fair assessment about how this makes the GMMK Pro a bit irrelevant. More competition in this price bracket and increasing the mainstream attention is always a plus. Great review!

[@AndyVNguyen]

thank you! i consider this keychron's warmup lol

[@unkkit151]

What was the 3rd entry level keyboard mentioned at around the :06 mark? Kbd67, Ikki68, ?, Freebird.

[@AndyVNguyen]

valli60

[@kiwiasian]

I hope you get a copy of the upcoming Keychron Q5 for review.

[@saucyg6371]

I really wonder what a silicon pour mod would do for the hollowness and resonance

[@AndyVNguyen]

I'm waiting for it to deliver.. hopefully it comes before the estimated 10pm.. T_T

[@Hahnck750i]

As a GMMK pro user. i am a bit sad lol. I was actually going to get the Q1 as my 2nd board but i got sucked into the ID80 Crystal's aesthetics and got that instead. I just arrived a few days back.. still waiting for for keycap to arrive. not sure if i regret my decision for not trying out the cheaper Q1...

[@AndyVNguyen]

tbf this kind of looks a lot like the gmmk pro with the alu case so maybe the id80 was the best option for you!

[@ed5607]

HI Andy, I have been doing IT for over 25 years, and just stumbled across someone doing mods to a keyboard and suggested I check you out. I knew they made what we used to call ‘clicker’ keyboards. Like the old IBM keyboards I used to use back in the day. I have no idea this was such a big thing. If I may ask, how fast do you type? We got away from the old IBM keyboards because it was hard to type over 125 words a minute on a high travel clicker keyboard. The short travel soft keyboard were so much nicer and easier to type on, you could easily hit or go over 125. Can you do it on these, or is the old clicker just a fad coming back in with no real performance gain? Well, when I say performance, I mean performance of the person typing, not the keyboard. Pleas let me know what you think.

[@AndyVNguyen]

are clicker keyboards similar to clicky switches? i type 150-180 wpm depending on the test using full travel mechanical switches. for long typing sessions i do believe the fastest typists use lower travel keyboards.

[@gillsgills]

1:11 I can't quite make out the first part of this sentence about not being able to review it?

[@AndyVNguyen]

I was under embargo. Basically all tech reviewers were not allowed to talk about the product until a certain time/date set by the company.

[@drugsgotmenumb]

they took all the criticism and made the keychron q1 literally the perfect keyboard. mine is completely stock with no pinginess, they fixed the problem with the right side keys and also added pc backplate

[@BlindBison]

I wish it had the fourth key on the right side - GMMK Pro has the rotary knob and 4 vertical keys, it’s weird they didn’t put 4 since there’s clearly room above the arrow key for another switch.

[@AndyVNguyen]

I’m currently using a 75% keyboard with a key above right arrow and it’s so awkwardly close. I really don’t use that key often tbh.

[@BlindBison]

@@AndyVNguyen thanks that’s good to know, great video mate

[@pierrepaniagua]

I wonder why keychron didn't add another switch above the right arrow? Seems like empty space

[@AndyVNguyen]

i think that space is usually left if the nav and arrows are offset. the ones that have a key there are the compressed 75, with the exception of the tomo 75%.

[@nefitru]

I want this board, I only have the k2 now

[@charleskinder7372]

legending in the top right..?

[@bigs8916]

hey, dave2d used 3mm pe foam as case foam, maybe try that?

[@AndyVNguyen]

i have some pe foam here ready to try!

[@Grav3digger]

is it possible to make the top right blocker as a button or knob?

[@AndyVNguyen]

i've been told they're working on knob for it soon. you can swap it to a switch in the current config though.

[@annlynli4474]

I think keychron mentioned that there are options for a brass weight in the future. Could that theoretically remove some hollowness in any way?

[@annlynli4474]

*the hollow sound/pinginess

[@AndyVNguyen]

Theoretically, yeah. I'm not sure what about the case design is making it hollow.

[@RobertVignone]

How is the RGB how is the finish under close up vs. the gmmk pro? GMMK Pro finish is pretty rough.

[@AndyVNguyen]

the RGB is the same per key. the finish on the q1 was fine for me, but then again I didn't see anything wrong with the GMMK Pro unit I saw either

[@downundergarage6968]

One thing to try is to use the car stereo sound deadening material, its like a bitumen with think foil on one side. The other side has a sticky peel off type of cover. This thing is quite heavy and a bit messy if you decide to take out the silver backing (it takes ages and your hands are covered in sticky thick tar). If not its very easy to work with, just be careful in thin cases where the metal foil may touch the underside of the pcb. OR you can insulate it with tape. This mod works really well on cheap (and Metal) cases where a) the KB needs weight or b) its sounding metal. I think that ALL $ friendly metal bottom cases sound average at best eg GMMK Pro and Q1. Its just a nature of the fact that these use metal for the case.

[@MarbsMusic]

So 2023, I have the GMMK Pro with their Flex Kit option and a Q1 Pro to which I added their Acoustic Upgrade. Both are great keyboards. Currently I'm running WS Morandi in both of them. For me the GMMK Pro with the Flex kit (aluminum plate) sounds quieter and deeper, thockier, than the Q1 Pro with (FC plate) - it's still deep but more poppy in some ways. Both sound good, just different and subjectively I like the sound of the GMMK Pro better, at least as the moment. That being said I like the Bluetooth on the Q1 and it's perfect for my studio on my Mac then I have the GMMK Pro on my primary gaming machine. The Q1 Pro is cheaper though, has MUCH better gasket performance our of the box and I have spent much less time on the modifications to get it to sound how I want it, as noted I like both they are just different. There is a GMMK Pro prebuilt but you then have to add the Flex kit for an additional charge while the Acoustic upgrade from Keychron is only like $10 makes a huge difference. I did hate the keycaps on the Q1 pro though, they definitely made the board sound worse IMHO and were too tall for gaming. I replaced them with one of their dye sub sets in cheery profile. Both are great, just pick which one will work best for you and makes the most sense for your budget. If you like the taller caps you can get a Q1 with the Acoustic upgrade for probably $225 while my guess I probably have over $500 total investment in my GMMK Pro.

[@Oh_Sully23]

Ordered. Shipped to Australia the Q1 complete is only $20 more than the barebones kit of the Glorious (which is available locally), and for $20 more I got the complete as that's pretty cheap for keycaps and switches, even if I think I'd like to eventually get Black Inks and some high quality PBT caps. Look forward to the results of your next video.

[@jamesgarrett7844]

Also missing out on the knob

[@Oh_Sully23]

Yeah but not something I personally need, though it could be added (just not hotswapped in, would need to solder it). I'd want to change the wobbly GMMK knob for something that screws on eventually somite reapply just the rotary switch.

[@keiz_]

I am really torn still between the Q1 and the Gmmk Pro

[@AndyVNguyen]

knob/side rgb - go gmmk pro flexible typing experience - q1 sound can go either way with modding

[@hucklejoko4838]

@@the__man its hard to explain unless you try, i went from an intergrated plate to tray mount to top mount to gasket and the difference is night and day. its something you have to try for yourself.

[@keiz_]

@@AndyVNguyen Thanks! I appreciate the response and input

[@notusingthis600]

To be honest, once you mod the GOAT stabs they're actually really good. No rattle or ticking on mine and sound great. No need to buy Durock v2s o C3 Equalz or whatever.

[@qwertypadish]

Really? Is yours one of the later purchase? What did you do with your stabs? I didn't actually even bother with mine. Would be nice to know a fix.

[@shanebolger7802]

@@qwertypadish wipe off all lube, re apply lube and holee mod them. The factory job is awful but once you mod them they are fine. I ordered way after issues but still got a first batch board with bad stabs.

[@香噴噴-p6f]

does the ID80 v2 still have the keycaps sticky problem ? because i really want the id80 layout , i dont want too many extra switch on my board.

[@AndyVNguyen]

sir this is a Wendy's I've also never heard of the keycaps sticking in id80

[@香噴噴-p6f]

@@AndyVNguyen i see , because i saw a review said that when pulling out the keycaps will pull out along the switches lol, and yet he also mentioned that he cannot fix it by using other switches

[@chrisdotdash5154]

Another banger vid. 🔥❤️

[@dougdoesdigital]

Yo Andy this was a great comparison! I always wonder if I jumped the gun a little too early with my ID80v2 and Plus (yes, I got both because those were the only budget 75% in stock AT THE TIME and I love the layout), and I feel like I get FOMO sometimes now that the GMMK pro and Q1 are out, but it honestly doesn't realllly seem like it. Thanks for the great content. Also OC keeb meetup? Weird but I recognize a lot of the outdoor spots lol.

[@aucoinbm]

So the typing experience is overall good? Your main complaint is just the sound correct? I would not consider myself a beginner to the hobby by any means, but I can't justify spending a lot of money on a GB unfortunately. I'm glad to see the budget market growing more and more. Hopefully PE foam or some other form of modding saves the sound. The GMMK looked really nice to me but the typing experience mixed with the muted sound made me wait for this to come out.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Yeah the typing experience is pretty good!

[@zzaaiidd.]

Just bought the gmmk pro today!

[@when_life_gives_you_limes]

The ID80 I got comes with screwed in stabs though.

[@AndyVNguyen]

I blame IDOBAO for having a million and a half variants of the ID80

[@gorbycalicdan6349]

the id80 has pcb mounted stabs tho?

[@AndyVNguyen]

not all of them

[@orangesharpy]

Not sure why they chose not to make it wireless as well. Would not hurt to have the option. A battery may even fill some of that dead space. This thing with wireless and an optional rotary encoder would put the GMMK Pro to sleep.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Bluetooth often has issues with aluminum cases, doesn't work with QMK/VIA well, and has shipping restrictions.

[@sub0001]

Loving where the budget “enthusiast” keyboard market is going - great review!

[@JiggyJiggy21]

Yeah but with keychron Q1 you have to pay $30 for shipping even in US, which makes it almost $200.

[@k1ngTony]

where is the soundtest of the gmmk pro? xD

[@AndyVNguyen]

It’s in the GMMK pro review I have on my channel

[@pierrepaniagua]

I already got a gmmk pro before knowing about the Q1 and I like Keychron a lot - I had a K2 for awhile. Should I wait for a second revision Q2?

[@AndyVNguyen]

Second revision is a great idea. If you already own a GMMK Pro it doesn’t make a lot of sense to sell it and get a Q1

[@pierrepaniagua]

@@AndyVNguyen agreed. I had similar thoughts and it's great to hear you agreeing with that. Thanks a lot and I love your content!!

[@albioncia]

yes, if you want to improve the experience of ur gmmk pro, you can opt to get custom fr4 ate from avx works, that plate support durock v2, you can also do tape or pe foam mod and the board will sound pretty decent especially with pe foam mod

[@Lilyium]

I hope the Q2 offers Bluetooth even if that's not compatible with aluminium cases.

[@Turundo]

Mods I added to GMMK Pro: 1) Stabilizers change to Durock 2) Tape mod on PCB 3) Changed case foam to PE foam 4) Added better thicker gaskets I consider this a lot of modding to make it sound "not bad" haha

[@AndyVNguyen]

hahaha yeah fr.. changing the stabs is pretty hefty. where did you get the replacement gaskets?

[@Liza.Wharton]

you gotta use a de-esser on your audio processing pleaseeeee

[@AndyVNguyen]

i'll de-ess it more in my processing

[@huellbabineaux4343]

Anyone know if this includes stabs in barebone kit?

[@AndyVNguyen]

I don't think it does

[@tamegaming1768]

I really fell for the GMMK pro hype. Not terrible but compared to my ID80 v2 it sounds flat, dead, and might as well not even have a gasket. Even if I install aftermarket gaskets it's a lot more work than taping the PCB and adding plate/case PE foam in my ID80. Once the community finds a fix for the ping, I'm buying a Q1.

[@香噴噴-p6f]

i saw some review said that ID 80 has the keycaps sticky problem , it will pull out along with the switch , is the problem still there? i was planning to build a ID80 V2

[@neilsy6420]

Here in my location the price of the two is different gmmk pro is 165 barebones and q1 is 185 barebones and with switches, keycaps is 205

[@nelforeign]

Which one is better for gaming? Which offers lowest latency?

[@AndyVNguyen]

latency isn't really a huge issue in keyboards for gaming. you primarily just want to focus on that for your mouse.

[@nelforeign]

​@@AndyVNguyen Thanks for the quick response. Subbing just because of that. My issue was that I purchased a Gmmk Pro and loved everything about it but noticed it had high latency when playing FPS games.

[@paper2946]

Personally I like the modded gmmk pro sound tests more than this. Curious to see what revisions of both this q1 and the pro will be like.

[@jai2628]

Yeah until someone makes a good sounding q1 I’m still going to go for the gmmk pro with Scott K from Keybored’s mods.

[@user-kz9rz8ui1c]

@@jai2628 Keybored posted a really nice Q1 and so did alexotos.

[@jai2628]

@@user-kz9rz8ui1c Yeah that was just today! Keybored surprised me yet again and I think I'm convinced! I think I may wait for the additional plate options but it looks good! I'm also waiting for that full modding video by him. Very impressed and my hopes are high!

[@jamesgarrett7844]

@@jai2628 What sucks is that the barebone Q1 really costs $10 more than the barebone gmmk pro when the $30 shipping is accounted for, and it lacks a knob :-/

[@user-kz9rz8ui1c]

@@jamesgarrett7844 the equivalent shipping from glorious (DHL express) is also $20, it's just unlucky that keychron doesn't have a free option.

[@Toulja]

Hmm I seen a dude on eBay selling a kbd67 lite r2 with lubed and filmed alpacas and all that good stuff fully assembled not used for 290. My Keychron order was 244, should I cancel the order? Idk which is better Also it’s the cool transparent black colorway

[@AndyVNguyen]

Sounds like a bad price for the kbd67 lite

[@Toulja]

@@AndyVNguyen yeah I tried to offer him less, but do you think the q1 is better?

[@AndyVNguyen]

i think the 67 lite is better than q1 but it's plastic and has less keys so yeah

[@238Harmonics]

have you tried using pc plate on it? how was it?

[@AndyVNguyen]

i don't have the pc plate. it'd be more flexible than the aluminum plate that's for sure. i don't see anything in the mounting that would make me think otherwise.

[@yangy9571]

Is the fully assembled version still hotswap?

[@AndyVNguyen]

yes

[@yangy9571]

@@AndyVNguyen thankyouuu

[@Zepheus_]

thoughts on PE foam mod?

[@AndyVNguyen]

i'm gonna try it today.. i only do it on cheaper boards if absolutely necessary.

[@Zepheus_]

Would you consider it on the ikki68 aurora? because many of the GB buyers will receive it this week or early sept.

[@ivangabriel2518]

which is better at stock build?

[@AndyVNguyen]

Neither