Keychron’s Q16 HE 8K boasts a ceramic case and good customization choices for Mac homeowners for a mechanical keyboard, however at a excessive worth that someway lacks wi-fi connectivity choices.
Keychron stands out as top-of-the-line keyboard producers out there. One with a rock-solid monitor file and a catalog of versatile keyboards to satisfy nearly each want.
Its newest providing, the Q16 HE 8K, is the world’s first absolutely ceramic keyboard, that includes each a lovely ceramic case and ceramic keycaps for a easy typing and gaming expertise.
Keychron despatched over a Q16 HE 8K, and I put it to work as my daily-use keyboard, all to see if its high quality and the step outdoors of the norm measures up in an ocean of keyboards in the marketplace.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Unboxing
The keyboard arrives in a black field with a metallic emblem. The keyboard and equipment are packaged in heavy foam cutouts for optimum journey security.
Contained in the field:
- Q16 HE 8K keyboard
- Swap & key puller
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB-A to USB-C adapter
- Alternate keycaps for macOS and Home windows customers
- Screwdriver
- Additional screws x2
- Consumer handbook
- Fast begin information
- Additional rubber toes x2
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Specs
- Format: 65 p.c
- Swap sort: Magnetic
- Dimensions: 110x315x39 mm
- Connectivity: USB solely
- Wi-fi connectivity: No
- Compatibility: macOS/Home windows/Linux
- Sizzling swappable: Sure
- Lighting: North-facing dynamic RGB
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Construct High quality
The Q16 is a 65 p.c mechanical keyboard with a totally ceramic construct. It catches the sunshine with a shiny end that’s not like any keyboard I’ve seen earlier than.
The case and the keycaps really feel silky easy to the contact. It took me a minute to regulate to the brand new tactile sensation after years of utilizing commonplace keycaps with plastic textures.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Ceramics make the keyboard fairly shiny
Ceramic keycaps are usually not new, however with the Q16, they’re a new-to-me expertise, and I like them very a lot. The ceramic feels pretty, however my mind wanted to catch as much as the indicators my fingers had been sending.
Keychron keyboards are sometimes beefy and extremely sturdy. I like its consistency, so it was no shock to really feel how heavy the Q16 is out of the field.
It has a notable quantity of heft that lets me realize it is not going to slide round on my workspace whereas I sort. Or after I use key instructions with my off-hand whereas I work on my digital pen show.
There may be nothing concerning the Q16 keyboard, switches, cables, or instruments that means Keychron is starting to chop corners on supplies or engineering. It’s precisely the alternative, as all the things feels high-end and customized.
Keychron presents the Q16 in two colours: Navy blue and lightweight inexperienced.
Each colours are excessive opposites of the spectrum, and each are misleading of their look. The navy blue seems as a shiny black in something dimmer than shiny overhead mild or direct daylight, with the sunshine inexperienced seeming so pale it could as properly be mild grey.
The colour choices are intentional, however Keychron has a historical past of limiting its coloration choices. I hope we see extra choices for ceramics sooner or later.
The again of the keyboard has a single USB-C port for connecting and utilizing the Q16, together with a single change for toggling between macOS and Home windows configurations.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Customization
The Q16 Max arrives with proprietary Keychron ultra-fast lime magnetic switches and Cherry profile ceramic keycaps as commonplace. These are the one switches accessible for the Q16 on the Keychron web site, however the swappable nature permits for straightforward customized keycap swaps.
As somebody who entered the world of mechanical keyboards and sizzling swaps a couple of years in the past, I like the limitless customization doable. From easy coloration adjustments to elaborate 3D printed character keycaps from retailers throughout Etsy and the web.
Like many trendy keyboards, the Q16 permits for fundamental operate customization utilizing combos of the Perform key and extra keys. To dive deeper, you will have to make use of the Keychron Launcher.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: The customization interface
The proprietary Keychron Launcher is a web-based software that means that you can change all the things from keymapping to the inner RGB lights. It additionally means that you can add customized macros.
The Keychron Launcher requires you to attach the Q16 to your laptop with the offered USB-C cable (together with a USB-C to USB-A adapter if wanted) for customizations. Whereas it really works very properly, I nonetheless don’t like online-only configuration instruments.
The keyboard consists of 22 varieties of RGB backlight settings, adjustable with the Keychron Launcher or by means of operate key combos.
The default Q16 lights are shiny however unobtrusive, making their use a pleasant accent to the general expertise. No less than, in comparison with generally distracting supply from different producers’ keyboards.
Particularly with the navy-blue mannequin I examined, the lights had been pretty and contrasted properly with the shiny darkish ceramic materials.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: In use
For a month, I used the Q16 as a daily-use keyboard on my workspace, and it was a beautiful expertise.
As a cartoonist and illustrator working in a digital workspace, I choose smaller, low-profile keyboards. Regardless of the standard of the Q16 construct, I didn’t count on to love it as a lot as I do.
In my workflow, I take advantage of my dominant hand to attract with a stylus on a digital pen show, whereas utilizing my off hand to enter key instructions and transfer the keyboard round as wanted.
I’ve a median quantity of desk actual property, so smaller 65-percent keyboards swimsuit my area properly. However my muscle reminiscence for low-profile keyboards had me involved I’d have extra fatigue after utilizing the Q16 for prolonged working hours.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: The opposite facet of the keyboard.
Ultimately, I didn’t have added fatigue from the usual Cherry keycaps. The ceramic keycaps are silky and cozy, with the 8K polling charge from Keychron successfully eliminating enter delays.
Typing and taking part in with the Q16 is a pleasure.
The Q16 just isn’t a quiet keyboard, however what I cherished about it’s the deeply satisfying “Thock” sound the magnetic switches ship. It’s so pronounced that it jogs my memory of early keyboards from the late 80s and early 90s.
The keystrokes are louder (in a great way), and there may be zero rattle from the case or keycaps.
As a mechanical keyboard, the Q16 works and it really works properly, however there are a couple of points.
This keyboard just isn’t light-weight. If you might want to slide or transfer your keyboard simply and sometimes (like I do with my drawing pill workspace), the Q16 makes the method barely extra intentional.
The load of the ceramic keyboard and the rubber toes maintain the Q16 to the desktop floor very properly.
Subsequent, there isn’t any wi-fi connectivity for the Q16. This keyboard operates with USB-C connectivity solely, however Keychron does embody a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
There isn’t a Bluetooth or 2.4Ghz connectivity, so cable administration will likely be required for Q16 use.
Keychron doesn’t clarify this choice in any of its advertising and marketing supplies, nor its Kickstarter web page for the Q16. My guess is it is one thing to do with the engineering logistics of the ceramic case, which seems to be one stable piece, with its compact 65 p.c structure.
The Q16 will retail for $229 within the on-line retailer. At that worth, I’d count on Bluetooth connectivity at a minimal for optimum performance.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: Excessive-end with caveats
The standard of the Q16 is wonderful, and it’s a stable mechanical keyboard if you understand what you might be investing in.
The retail worth of the Q16 is $229, and that’s not a small or informal funding for a keyboard. At this retail worth, you make an knowledgeable choice, or you take a threat on one thing new.
That’s one thing many customers are merely not in a position to do financially.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Evaluation: RGB is sweet on the dark-colored keyboard
I’ve examined many Keychron mechanical keyboards, and I like its dedication to creating actually macOS and Home windows-compatible merchandise. The Q16 maintains this commonplace splendidly.
Keychron hardly ever misses with the construct high quality, weight, and potential for customizations in its merchandise. However the worth level and the dearth of wi-fi connectivity for the Q16 push it down on the record of prime mechanical keyboards.
The world’s first ceramic keyboard is extremely fairly, and it really works very properly. However be ready to pay extra for it, dwell with a USB cable in your workspace, and have much less commonplace mechanical keyboard performance at the price of high-end fabrication — and I dare say novelty.
If Keychron releases one other ceramic keyboard just like the Q16 with wi-fi connectivity, it’ll get my cash on day one. Till then, I need to select what works finest in my workspace.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Execs
- Easy tactile ceramic case and keycaps
- Excessive construct high quality
- Wonderful customization choices in software program
- Sizzling swappable and deep keycap customization
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Cons
- Steep entry value
- Lack of wi-fi connectivity
Ranking 4 out of 5
The place to purchase the Keychron Q16 HE 8K
The Keychron Q16 HE 8K is on the market for presale on the Keychron web site for $229 and from the Keychron Kickstarter web page at a reduced charge for the subsequent few days as properly. Keychron states it’ll prioritize Kickstarter pledges earlier than preliminary internet retailer orders.
As a part of the evaluate, we have additionally integrated the truth that it is a crowdfunded mission. As a crowdfunded mission, there may be all the time the danger of the product not transport as promised — or in any respect.
Due to this,AppleInsiderdoes not cowl the vast majority of crowdfunding efforts as a rule, until {hardware} is on the market and after an evaluation of the workforce behind the trouble and its earlier releases, if any.
