If a friend has suggested you get a Keychron, it’s probably because they know it’s the go-to mechanical keyboard. Keychron offers something for every budget and layout, from 40% Q9 to 100% Q6 and everything in between. Their current line gets lots of attention but their K+V lines are great for those who don’t want an enthusiast keyboard.
Keychron has tapped into the potential market so much that they’ve now begun to offer more unique layouts. The latest is the Q10, a 75% Alice board with some interesting features – making it an easy recommendation for anyone seeking this type of board.
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The Keychron Q10 is a 75% board, weighing almost 5lbs with an aluminum body. It includes function keys, number row and dedicated insert/delete/page up/down and home keys. You can swap out switches easily via its hot-swap sockets; plus five macro buttons to map using the VIA app on Mac or Windows machines – no wireless option yet but that’s coming soon with the upcoming Q1 Pro. There’s also per-key RGB lighting if desired.
This Alice-style board features a slightly angled left and right half, which some claim to be ergonomic. Though it lacks the tenting of an ErgoDox EZ, it’s familiar to many users of Microsoft’s popular ergonomic keyboards. It’s easy for touch-typists to adapt and comfortable to type on.
Keychron goes for the standard gasket mount to provide a bit of flex and silicon gaskets between cases reduce noise. In daily use, I don’t usually notice any bounce like in YouTube videos since you need to press hard. Your experience may differ though; most keyboards seem to be equipped with this mounting nowadays. Hopefully, there will be some innovation soon!
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If this sounds familiar, it’s because my review of Keychron’s Q8 applies here too. The company had some early missteps with the Q1 but they learned from that and community feedback. You can customize to your heart’s content, or just use the pre-lubed stabilizers as-is – no need to worry about large rattling space bars!
Keychron’s latest board is pre-modded with a popular technique – the tape mod. This involves using painters’ tape on the bottom of the PCB to reduce higher pitched frequencies when typing. Keychron has already applied this to their new boards, but thicker foam at the base could improve it further (there isn’t much space available though).
Keychron’s Gateron G Pro switches come pre-lubed, adding to the mechanical keyboard world. While we hope Keychron will offer more switch options (like Yellow!), Red, Brown and Blue are all great choices.
The photos used on this website are credited to Keychron, a company that produces and manufactures mechanical keyboards.
Photos on this site are credited to Keychron, the maker of mechanical keyboards.
My review unit had brown switches, which aren’t quite tactile or linear enough for me. I much prefer linear but if I’m using a tactile switch, it needs to have a distinct bump when pressed. Fortunately, I had some lubed three-pin Gateron CAP Golden Browns on hand – they’re slightly more tactile and have a lower pitch than standard Geteron Browns – making the keyboard far more enjoyable to use!
Keychron’s pre-built board comes with double-shot PBT keycaps in the OSA profile, which may be different than what you’re used to from Cherry. If you prefer a more classic feel and sound, Keychron offers a great set of $40 Cherry-style keycaps – here’s hoping they make them an option one day!
Keychron stands out with its 75% Alice-style boards; the Feker Alice 75 from Epomaker comes close, but is pricier at $329 (keycaps included, switches not). Plus, Keychron offers Bluetooth support. Other in-stock options are scarce; group buys occur occasionally and KBDfans may revive the Mountain Ergo kit (over $450 bare-bones).
If you’re looking to downsize, Keychron’s aluminum Q8 (my daily driver) and the budget-friendly V8 are both great options. Plus, the V10 is on its way for just $100!
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