Keychron K5 SE vs Keychron Q16 HE
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 58% under Keychron Q16 HE ($199.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron Q16 HE 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 Q16 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Keychron K5 SE | Keychron Q16 HE |
| Brand | Keychron | Keychron |
| Price range | $84.99 | $199.99 – $229.99 |
| Community score | — | — |
| Form factor | Full-size (100%) | 65% |
| Key count | 104 | 68 |
| Hot-swap | Yes | Yes |
| Supported switch pins | 3, 5 | — |
| Case material | — | Resin |
| Plate material | — | — |
| Mounting style | — | — |
| Connectivity | Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+) | Wired USB-C |
| RGB lighting | Yes | No |
| Layouts supported | ISO DE | ANSI |
| QMK support | — | No |
| VIA support | — | No |
| Weight (g) | — | — |
| Polling rate (Hz) | — | — |
Name
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron Q16 HE
- Keychron Q16 HE
Brand
- Keychron K5 SE
- Keychron
- Keychron Q16 HE
- Keychron
Price range
- Keychron K5 SE
- $84.99
- Keychron Q16 HE
- $199.99 – $229.99
Community score
Form factor
- Keychron K5 SE
- Full-size (100%)
Key count
Hot-swap
Supported switch pins
- Keychron K5 SE
- 3, 5
Case material
- Keychron Q16 HE
- Resin
Plate material
Mounting style
Connectivity
- Keychron K5 SE
- Wired USB-C, Bluetooth (5.0+)
- Keychron Q16 HE
- Wired USB-C
RGB lighting
Layouts supported
- Keychron K5 SE
- ISO DE
- Keychron Q16 HE
- ANSI
QMK support
VIA support
Weight (g)
Polling rate (Hz)
Which should you buy?
Keychron K5 SE is the cheaper pick at $84.99, roughly 58% under Keychron Q16 HE ($199.99). Keychron K5 SE offers more keys for full-layout workflows, while Keychron Q16 HE 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 want per-key RGB lighting
- You're on a tighter budget
Pick Keychron Q16 HE if
From $199.99
- You want a 65% layout
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