hardware review

(Mass)Drop CRTL vs. Keychron Q1

Back in 2019 I got the CTRL keyboard. It defaults to a strobing rainbow lighting effect when you first plug it in. This is very dumb, but it’s an otherwise very fine keyboard.

In 2022, I got a Keychron Q1 with knob. It is also a mechanical keyboard, but is in many ways a very different thing altogether. For some time now, I have used both, usually swapping them out after a few weeks or so, but I find myself gravitating to the CTRL more often now. Why is that? Let’s compare!

CTRL keyboard

This is a tenkeyless design, meaning it’s like a regular keyboard, but with the numeric keypad lopped off. It comes with hot swappable keys that are backlit. The backlighting shines directly through the keycaps, which means the keys are actually difficult to read if the lighting is turned off–an issue for a non-touch typist like me. Here are its main features that matter to me:

• Adjustable backlighting
• Halo Clear switches (more on these later)
• Two USB-C ports, one on either end

Pros:

• I really like Halo Clear switches. They have some of that familiar CLACK you get with blue switches, but it feels softer and smoother.
• Keys are big enough and spaced in a way to mostly work with my fat-fingered typing style
• The rainbow lighting (non-strobing variety) eventually grew on me
• Relatively light, but not so light that it slides around

Cons:

• The magnetic feet are all but useless, popping off when you stare intently at the keyboard
• The aforementioned keys pretty much requiring the backlighting to be on. Granted, this could be fixed with different keycaps.
• No knob or other special features. It’s just a solid tenkeyless keyboard.
• Default keycaps don’t have media controls listed on them and I can never remember the proper FN-key combos to use them, so I always do it from the software.

Keychron Q1 with knob

I specify “with knob” because you can get the same keyboard with a key in place of the knob. This is also a tenkeyless keyboard, but goes a step further, by lopping off most of the keys that normally sit to the left of the numeric keyboard. You still get arrow keys and a few others. It also has that programmable knob, which I’ve used mostly for adjusting volume.

Features:

• Adjustable backlighting
• Gateron G Pro Blue switches
• One USB-C port

Pros:

• Built like a tank
• Gateron G Pro Blue switches are pre-lubed, so have a velvety smooth feel when typing
• Switches are also relatively quiet for blues
• The knob adds versatility
• Convenient switch on back to flip between Mac and Windows keyboard layouts
• Comes with both Mac and Windows keycaps
• South-facing backlight means the keys work fine with backlighting turned off

Cons:

• Doesn’t include silly little removable feet, but also doesn’t include any way to adjust the angle of the keyboard at all, which I think is a mistake
• The keys feel smaller to me or are arranged more tightly, so I find myself making a lot more errors when typing vs. the CTRL
• The space bar is noticeably louder than the other keys
• The keyboard is so heavy you never have to worry about it sliding around the desk, but it’s also so heavy that it’s just plain awkward to pick up and move, even a little
• I don’t care for most of the backlighting options, and settled for a rather muted green as the least weird-looking choice

Verdict

In the end I find myself sticking mainly to the CTRL, for two reasons stated above:

• I prefer the Halo Clear switches to Gateron G Pro Blue, though both are very nice. Halo Clears feel more “solid” to me.
• The size or position of the keys on the Keychron Q1 has consistently confounded my fingers. I try to get used to it, but never quite get there. It occurs to me now (seriously, I just edited this in after publishing this post) that the slightly upright position of the Q1 may be throwing my fingers off. I use the CTRL laying flat on the desk. There’s no way to adjust the angle on the Q1, so I can never adjust it to my liking.

Both keyboards are excellent, but each has its own flaws–at least for me (though I do think the magnetic legs on the CTRL are pretty silly). If someone took away my CTRL keyboard and hid it in a very clever place, I imagine I’d eventually get used to the different keys of the Keychron Q1. But I’d probably spend a few nights having typing-related nightmares along the way. Maybe the ghost of Mavis Beacon would show up.