Keychron’s Q6 Pro offers the final word typing experience

This week I even have an enormous keyboard to check that might be the most important and heaviest I’ve ever seen. The Keychron Q6 Pro is a full-fledged mechanical keyboard built like a proverbial tank. This keyboard jogs my memory of the kind of keyboards that was used on mainframe computers. It’s fun to make use of, and should you’re a programmer or write novels for a living, it is perhaps best for you.

Available in Carbon Black, Silver Gray and Shell White, the Keychron Q6 Pro might be ordered as a straightforward kit for self-assembly at home or as a completely assembled and finished product with every little thing present and able to use.

With its full metal body, this wireless keyboard includes a 100% layout, meaning it includes a full numeric keypad, navigation keys and a cursor cluster. There’s also a full array of function keys that double as multimedia controls. There is a double seal design under the keys for a solid typing experience, while the keycaps are prime quality, double sealed and manufactured from PBT.

Like most Keychron keyboards, the Q6 Pro offers three wireless Bluetooth channels for quick and simple switching between multiple devices. There can also be a USB-C port for wired connection to a pc and for charging the keyboard’s built-in battery. With the backlight turned off, the battery lasts as much as 300 hours. This value is significantly lower when the lighting is switched on.

By setting a hardware toggle switch, the Q6 Pro is fully compatible with macOS and Windows systems. The additional keys don’t have to be reprogrammed and all multimedia keys work on each operating systems. However, should you would really like to program or remap individual keys, then this is feasible using the QMK/VIA software or an internet portal.

Like many mechanical keyboards, the Q6 Pro has hot-swappable switches and you possibly can choose from Keychron’s K Pro Red, Brown or Banana switches should you order it in barebones mode. The fully assembled version is on the market with red switches. The circuit board under the keys is secured with screw-in stabilizers that provide a smooth typing experience with less wobble on the larger keys reminiscent of the spacebar, shift, enter and delete keys. You may also customize it with stabilizers of your alternative.

The Q6 Pro’s design uses double gaskets on the keyboard’s plates in addition to silicone pads between the upper and lower cases, which reduce acoustic resonance between the metals and reduce the noise of the metals striking them.

The sound of this keyboard is a delight due to the way in which the twin seal design is mounted alongside a versatile polycarbonate panel. This combination of materials gives the keyboard the pliability of a seal while improving the sound of the keys. The Q6 Pro has a rotary knob that is ready up as a volume control and mutes when pressed.

At the center of the Q6 Pro is an ultra-low power ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit chip that has 128KB of flash memory for customizing or remapping the layout. Out of the box, the polling rate when connected via USB-C is 1000 Hz, making the keyboard’s latency low enough for use for competitive gaming. In Bluetooth mode, the polling rate is 90Hz, which remains to be not an issue for many users.

All of the Q6 Pro’s keys feature south-facing RGB LEDs that might be fine-tuned for brightness, hue, impact and speed. The backlights might be switched off completely for longer battery life when used wirelessly. There are a complete of twenty-two different lighting effects that might be optimized with QMK/VIA.

In addition to the usual US ANSI layout, the Keychron Q6 Pro will also be ordered with ISO layout for UK, German, Scandinavia, French, Swiss and Spanish. Other languages ​​might be accommodated by ordering the keyboard as a base model, which may then be fitted with custom keycaps and remapped using QMK/VIA software.

Verdict: The Keychron Q6 Pro is an actual keyboard that’s so well made that it jogs my memory of the old keyboards used on mainframe computers. This is some of the comprehensive keyboards I’ve ever tested and it feels rock solid. The switches can all be customized and the buttons might be remapped using QMK/VIA. The typing feel is great and provides a wonderful level of accuracy. The numeric keypad is great for spreadsheets or coding, while the total row of function/multimedia keys ensures the Q6 Pro is secure to make use of with each Macs and PCs. Finally, the amount control is a pleasant touch and after just a few days you may wonder the way you ever got along without it.

Prices and availability: The Keychron Q6 Pro (with button) is on the market now and costs $210 / £168 / €186.

More info: keychron.com

Technical data:

• Body Material: Fully CNC machined aluminum.
• Panel material: polycarbonate.
• Keycaps: KSA double shot PBT keycaps, non-translucent.
• Switch: Keychron K Pro (Red, Brown or Banana).
• Stabilizer: Screw-in circuit board.
• Backlight: South facing RGB LED.
• Hot-swappable: Yes (compatible with 3-pin and 5-pin MX from Gateron, Cherry MX and Kailh).
• MCU: Extremely power efficient ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit STM32L432 (128 KB Flash).
• Polling rate: 1000 Hz (wired) / 90 Hz (wireless).
• N-Key Rollover (NKRO): Yes, for each wireless and wired modes.
• Battery: 4,000mAh rechargeable Li-polymer battery.
• Battery life with backlight off: Up to 300 hours.
• Battery life with backlight on: Up to 100 hours (lowest brightness).
• Bluetooth version: 5.1
• Systems: macOS/Windows/Linux.
• Connectivity: Bluetooth / USB Type-C wired.
• Dimensions (WxLxH): 137 x 446 x 32.6 mm.
• Foot height: 2.7 mm.
• Angle: 5.2°.
• Weight: 2.16kg.