Keychron’s Q16 HE 8K boasts a ceramic case and good customization choices for Mac homeowners for a mechanical keyboard, however at a excessive value that in some way lacks wi-fi connectivity choices.
Keychron stands out as among the finest keyboard producers out there. One with a rock-solid observe file and a catalog of versatile keyboards to fulfill nearly each want.
Its newest providing, the Q16 HE 8K, is the world’s first totally ceramic keyboard, that includes each a wonderful 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 available on the market.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Unboxing
The keyboard arrives in a black field with a metallic emblem. The keyboard and equipment are packaged in heavy foam cutouts for max 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
- Person guide
- Fast begin information
- Additional rubber ft x2
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Specs
- Format: 65 p.c
- Swap kind: Magnetic
- Dimensions: 110x315x39 mm
- Connectivity: USB solely
- Wi-fi connectivity: No
- Compatibility: macOS/Home windows/Linux
- Scorching swappable: Sure
- Lighting: North-facing dynamic RGB
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Construct High quality
The Q16 is a 65 p.c mechanical keyboard with a completely 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 customary keycaps with plastic textures.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Ceramics make the keyboard fairly shiny
Ceramic keycaps will not be new, however with the Q16, they’re a new-to-me expertise, and I like them very a lot. The ceramic feels beautiful, however my mind wanted to catch as much as the alerts my fingers had been sending.
Keychron keyboards are usually 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 understand it is not going to slide round on my workspace whereas I kind. Or after I use key instructions with my off-hand whereas I work on my digital pen show.
There’s nothing in regards to the Q16 keyboard, switches, cables, or instruments that implies Keychron is starting to chop corners on supplies or engineering. It’s precisely the other, as every thing feels high-end and customized.
Keychron gives the Q16 in two colours: Navy blue and light-weight 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 brilliant overhead mild or direct daylight, with the sunshine inexperienced seeming so pale it might 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 swap for toggling between macOS and Home windows configurations.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Customization
The Q16 Max arrives with proprietary Keychron ultra-fast lime magnetic switches and Cherry profile ceramic keycaps as customary. These are the one switches out there for the Q16 on the Keychron web site, however the swappable nature permits for simple customized keycap swaps.
As somebody who entered the world of mechanical keyboards and sizzling swaps just a few years in the past, I like the countless customization attainable. From easy coloration adjustments to elaborate 3D printed character keycaps from retailers throughout Etsy and the web.
Like many fashionable keyboards, the Q16 permits for fundamental operate customization utilizing combos of the Operate key and extra keys. To dive deeper, you’ll need to make use of the Keychron Launcher.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: The customization interface
The proprietary Keychron Launcher is a web-based instrument that permits you to change every thing from keymapping to the inner RGB lights. It additionally permits you to 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 contains 22 forms of RGB backlight settings, adjustable with the Keychron Launcher or by way of operate key combos.
The default Q16 lights are brilliant however unobtrusive, making their use a pleasant accent to the general expertise. Not less than, in comparison with generally distracting supply from different producers’ keyboards.
Particularly with the navy-blue mannequin I examined, the lights had been beautiful and contrasted properly with the shiny darkish ceramic materials.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: 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 desire 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 exploit 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 might have extra fatigue after utilizing the Q16 for prolonged working hours.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: The opposite aspect 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 enjoying with the Q16 is a pleasure.
The Q16 isn’t a quiet keyboard, however what I beloved 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 just a few points.
This keyboard isn’t light-weight. If you’ll 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 burden of the ceramic keyboard and the rubber ft maintain the Q16 to the desktop floor very properly.
Subsequent, there isn’t a 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 probably be required for Q16 use.
Keychron doesn’t clarify this choice in any of its advertising 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 value, I might count on Bluetooth connectivity at a minimal for max performance.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: Excessive-end with caveats
The standard of the Q16 is superb, and it’s a stable mechanical keyboard if you understand what you might be investing in.
The retail value of the Q16 is $229, and that isn’t a small or informal funding for a keyboard. At this retail value, you’re making an knowledgeable choice, or you take a threat on one thing new.
That’s one thing many customers are merely not capable of do financially.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Assessment: 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 customary splendidly.
Keychron not often misses with the construct high quality, weight, and potential for customizations in its merchandise. However the value level and the shortage 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 customary 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 would get my cash on day one. Till then, I need to select what works finest in my workspace.
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Professionals
- Clean tactile ceramic case and keycaps
- Excessive construct high quality
- Glorious customization choices in software program
- Scorching swappable and deep keycap customization
Keychron Q16 HE 8K Cons
- Steep entry price
- 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 offered 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 would prioritize Kickstarter pledges earlier than preliminary net retailer orders.
As a part of the overview, we have additionally included the truth that it is a crowdfunded challenge. As a crowdfunded challenge, there may be at all times the danger of the product not delivery as promised — or in any respect.
Due to this,AppleInsiderdoes not cowl the vast majority of crowdfunding efforts as a rule, except {hardware} is offered and after an evaluation of the staff behind the hassle and its earlier releases, if any.
