Keychron's Q1 Pro is a wireless version of its best mechanical keyboard

You no longer have to choose between performance and convenience

Keychon has been an ascendant name in the world of mechanical keyboards for quite some time now. The company strikes a good balance between features and price and isn't shy about releasing new models either, meaning whatever you're looking for probably has a solution. Unless you want a premium aluminum deck with a cordless option. Finally, that gap has been filled with the Q1 Pro - a 75% fully customizable flagship keyboard with Bluetooth connectivity.

As surprising as it may seem, high-end customizable keyboards often don't offer wireless connectivity due to their tendency towards metal casings. Keychron's Q1 Pro will therefore be of great interest to those who want to fully configure their own keyboard but also want the convenience of Bluetooth.

As the name suggests, the Q1 Pro is heavily based on the original Q1 model that Keychron launched in late 2021. Like its predecessor, the Pro model features a joint design (a double joint actually), switches hot-swappable and QMK/VIA compatibility (open source software for easy remapping of any key). There's also the option of an aluminum rotary knob for things like volume control (or zoom, or brightness or whatever you might want) and the obligatory RGB. Like all Keychron models, it is also compatible with Mac, Windows and Android - or all three at the same time thanks to the possibility of connecting to several Bluetooth devices.

We were big fans of the original Q1 which offered a relatively affordable entry point into the world of fully customizable keyboards. And it's a bit of a weird world, with configurations, prices, and availability that vary wildly. Perhaps two of the most prominent competitors for the Q1 are the GMMK Pro (from $170 barebones or $350 pre-built) and Drop's recently released Sense75 (from $249 barebones or $350 pre-built). -built).

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In a slight break from tradition, the Q1 Pro is launching via Kickstarter. The advantage here being the chance to grab one at an early bird price. The barebones model is available for $174 if you already have your own switches and keys. Or, for $194, you can get the kit pre-assembled. Considering that a set of keys or switches often cost upwards of $20 on their own, the complete kit represents a pretty decent value.

Once you have everything set up, or ready to go if fully assembled, Bluetooth pairing is just a key combination away. As mentioned earlier, you can connect the Q1 Pro to up to three devices of any type using the switch on the back for Windows/Android and MacOS. There are even spare key caps in the box for the different keys on Microsoft vs Apple layouts. Of course, if you want to connect via USB-C instead, that's still an option.

Battery life will largely depend on how you go with RGB. Without any backlighting, Keychron claims you can expect around 300 hours of use from a full charge. If you're wise, that number drops to 90. Keychron doesn't give an estimate for full-power RGB, but expect it to be lower.

With the Keychron model sent in for testing, the joint design seems to have a bit more flex than the original Q1, but that doesn't translate to a softer typi...