Keychron Q2 mechanical hot-swappable keyboard - Silver Grey

An ode to the Q2

Little brother

We can still hear the Q1 singing:

"Everyone can hear it now
my little brother is born,
I am so happy now,
because I have a new friend."

It almost moves me to tears.

Why the Q2?

Compact yet versatile

Keychron's new Q2 ergonomic keyboard features a full aluminium frame. It has some weight to it, but experienced typists among us will know that this feels very premium. The Q2 has a 65% layout, which means that some keys on the right side of the keyboard are missing, for example, the numeric keypad. The advantage of this is that it makes the Q2 narrow. With a narrow keyboard, you can keep your mouse close to you, which helps prevent complaints in your arm or shoulder, for example.

The Q2 is fully Hot Swappable and features south-facing backlight. This allows you to enjoy the cheerful lights under your keycaps even more.

Gaskets are incorporated into the Q2's casing, which ensure that the plates in the keyboard bounce nicely while typing. You do have to like that, though.

Difference from the Q1

The Q2 is essentially the Q1's little brother. They are both compact, Hot-Swappable, feature RGB backlight, and look almost identical. However, there are some differences. For example, the Q2 does not have a row of function keys at the top of the keyboard. Additionally, the Q2's keycaps are made of PBT instead of ABS, as with the Q1. PBT is a type of plastic that is stain-resistant and durable, making them last much longer. The Q2 includes an extra gasket inside the keyboard, which increases flexibility while typing. Finally, the Q2 (optionally) features a rotary knob.

What makes the Q2 so good?

Completely customisable

In other words, adaptable. If you want, you can make the Q2 entirely your own, both inside and out. New switches, gaskets, sound-absorbing foam, keycaps – it's all replaceable.

Additionally, with VIA software, you can assign any property you want to each key. The open-source firmware means endless possibilities for keyboard layouts, shortcuts, backlight effects, the knob, and much more. You can read more about how to do this in Keychron's blog.

To download the VIA software, click on "VIA Software for programming" under the "Downloads" heading (on the right side of this page). You will then be taken to the Keychron website. Scroll down and click on the correct operating system at the bottom.

High-quality frame

The Q2's frame is expertly crafted. The entire piece consists of 6063 aluminium, is machine-milled, polished, anodised, and sandblasted, and has undergone 24 further production stages. Together with the compact 65% design, this has resulted in a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.

Get the most out of your Q2

Programming the keys with QMK & VIA software

To program your keys, first download the software from the Keychron website. The link to this can be found under the "Downloads" heading on this page. Make sure you click on the correct operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux) at the bottom of the page. This video explains how the VIA software works.

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Keycaps

For the Q2 keyboard, we have several really cool sets of Keycaps available. With 8 different colours, there's something for everyone.

Please note! We actually have 11 colours available for this set, which fit multiple keyboards. However, the colours Forest, Ocean, and Orange White do not fit the Q2.

Wrist rest

The Q2 is a fairly tall keyboard. You slide a wrist rest against the bottom of your Q2 and rest your wrists on it. This prevents a bend in the wrists, so you won't experience wrist complaints and can type undisturbed. All wrist rests for the Q1 are also suitable for the Q2, as they have the same width. We have wrist rests made of walnut wood and resin.

Pros