Keychron K5 SE vs Keychron Q1
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 1% under Keychron Q1 ($85.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron Q1 trims the footprint. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Detailed comparison
Spec-by-spec breakdown — differences highlighted in cyan.
| Spec | Keychron K5 SE | Keychron Q1 |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Keychron K5 SE | Keychron Q1 |
| Brand | Keychron | Keychron |
| Price range | $84.99 | $85.99 |
| Community score | — | — |
| Form factor | Full-size (100%) | 75% |
| Key count | 104 | 84 |
| Hot-swap | Yes | Yes |
| Supported switch pins | 3, 5 | 3, 5 |
| Case material | — | Aluminum 6063 |
| Plate material | — | — |
| Mounting style | — | Gasket mount |
| Connectivity | Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+) | Wired USB-C |
| RGB lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Layouts supported | ISO DE | — |
| QMK support | — | Yes |
| VIA support | — | Yes |
| Weight (g) | — | — |
| Polling rate (Hz) | — | — |
Name
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron Q1
- Keychron Q1
Brand
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron
- Keychron Q1
- Keychron
Price range
- Keychron K5 SE
- $84.99
- Keychron Q1
- $85.99
Community score
Form factor
- Keychron K5 SE
- Full-size (100%)
- Keychron Q1
- 75%
Key count
Hot-swap
- Keychron Q1
- Yes
Supported switch pins
- Keychron K5 SE
- 3, 5
- Keychron Q1
- 3, 5
Case material
- Keychron Q1
- Aluminum 6063
Plate material
Mounting style
- Keychron Q1
- Gasket mount
Connectivity
- Keychron K5 SE
- Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+)
- Keychron Q1
- Wired USB-C
RGB lighting
- Keychron Q1
- Yes
Layouts supported
- Keychron K5 SE
- ISO DE
QMK support
- Keychron Q1
- Yes
VIA support
- Keychron Q1
- Yes
Weight (g)
Polling rate (Hz)
Which should you buy?
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 1% under Keychron Q1 ($85.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron Q1 trims the footprint. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Pick Keychron K5 SE if
From $84.99
- You want a full-size (100%) layout
- You're on a tighter budget
Pick Keychron Q1 if
From $85.99
- You want a 75% layout
Also compared
Popular pairings that involve K5 SE or Keychron Q1.