Keychron Q1 HE Review: Hall Effect Goes Mainstream

Analog keyboards have been the “subsequent massive factor” for ages now on the planet of mechanical keyboards. These have sensors inside that may rather more exactly differentiate between a slight and full keypress. They’ve lengthy promised to revolutionize gaming and typing, being sooner, extra customizable, and extra dependable (supposedly). However they’ve by no means fairly been compelling sufficient for most individuals to undertake: Why sacrifice a confirmed monitor file for one thing new and experimental?

I feel you possibly can examine analog keyboards to electric vehicles. Positive, they’re higher on paper in a wide range of methods, however the whole infrastructure round us is designed for internal combustion engines, and we’re all used to the dealing with and efficiency traits of our fuel guzzlers. Why make a change when it is exhausting to know if the advantages outweigh the dangers?

Keychron’s new Corridor impact (HE) keyboard, the Q1 HE, makes it simpler to grasp why. Combining the high-tech customizability of a Hall effect switch with the superior building of a premium mechanical keyboard brings out the perfect of each worlds. Plus having dependable and easy-to-understand customization makes the system lots simpler to grasp.

What Are Corridor Impact Switches?

Corridor impact switches are a kind of mechanical swap, just like optical switches, which might have a number of totally different inputs throughout one keypress. Whereas optical switches use a laser to establish inputs, an HE swap makes use of magnets to control an electromagnetic subject when a swap is pressed, which then returns totally different values at particular distances.

Whereas these switches are new for client keyboards, the expertise has been round for some time. One of many earliest producers of Corridor impact switches was Honeywell, who made these switches for the now-legendary Space Cadet keyboard. This model of the swap is extremely totally different from fashionable iterations although—the one actual similarity is that they each make the most of magnets to create inputs.

The good thing about these a number of inputs is the flexibility to regulate the actuation level of your key switches—when the swap identifies that you’ve pressed a key. Transferring the actuation level to the highest of the keystroke could make typing extra responsive whereas transferring it towards the underside can forestall unintended mis-inputs. To create a very good center floor, there are settings like “rapid-trigger” that enable a number of keypresses in a row with out the swap needing to return to its resting place.

The Q1 HE is Keychron’s first Corridor impact keyboard. Whereas just a few from different producers have made an influence on the trade already (the Wooting 60HE being probably the most prevalent), consumer-grade Corridor impact switches are nonetheless one thing pretty new and experimental, and Keychron is likely one of the first main keyboard producers to include the expertise.

HE vs. True Mechanical Switches

The Nebula Double Rail Magnetic switches, made by Gateron, are a proprietary design at present unique to the Q1 HE. With each manufacturing facility lubing and a brand new slider design, I’m impressed by how clean they’re. Nevertheless, this type of smoothness ought to be anticipated from Corridor impact switches; the magnet-based system means there’s no want for any bodily contact to occur between the parts of the swap.

The contactless system additionally means these switches will final fairly some time. Whereas Gateron hasn’t launched any info on the longevity of those particular switches, its KS-20 Corridor impact switches are rated for more than 100 million actuations.

The switches, which have a regular 60-gram bottom-out weight, really feel nice to sort on. They’re extremely clean, with hardly any lateral motion or stem wobble when typing. In addition they have constant resistance throughout the whole keypress and really feel pure regardless of the place the actuation level is adjusted to. If the usual 60-gram spring weight finally ends up not being for you, Keychron independently gives its Dawn and Aurora switches, which have 50- and 70-gram weights respectively, though these can’t be ordered because the Q1 HE’s default switches.