Keychron let me know that the production assembled kit will be coming with PBT OSA profile Keycaps as shown on their Q2 site! www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q2-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard
The painters tape you linked @Keybored is to a plastic/vinyl tape made by 3M for Scotts (ie not the paper based crepe painters tape needed for taping the pcb...)
Keep in mind that the Keychron Q1 - Knob edition has some of the same changes that the Q2 got. Thicker bottom plate and silicon tape for force break. I got one and I was surprised how good it sounds stock.
Agree I got mine the other day all I did was the tape mod and put in some tangies and it’s incredible how good it feels/sounds. Honestly feels like a way more expensive board.
keychron really stepping up their game in the keebs community. this is very exciting because we might see more competitor that is on par or better in the future
This is insane value. Keybored, I gotta be honest, you're probably one of my most trusted keeb youtubers. Idk you just seem like you got a good head on your shoulders, like you really know what's actually worth buying. Lots of info, straight to the point.
Thank you so much coley! I really appreciate that comments, and I'll keep trying to bring as much objective and logical information as possible to this hobby!
Even though I’m now passed getting a board like this as a keyboard hobbyist, this was a GREAT & thorough review & I’m glad to see there are some very competitive great options at a very reasonable price point for people to buy! I can tell this board hits well above its class, especially when properly modded. 👍
@@jannclaudebinoya Ha! Yeah, fitness is both a lifestyle for me as well as a career that I’m passionate about…but I’ve always been a huge nerd & love this stuff & actually have quite the keyboard collection now. Im also very into building PC’s, gaming (not that I have much time for that these days unfortunately), racing cars, etc…..
@@Elijah._.7 Yeah, I tend to get that a lot of the time when I leave a comment on keyboard videos… 😂 Just because I’m a fitness channel doesn’t mean I have to stay only in that lane. Nice meeting you Elijah, & thanks for that funny comment. Gave me a good laugh to start my day! 👍
Thank you so much! Appreciate the comment and the Q2 is definitely a board that hits way above its class... I find myself reaching for this vs some other higher end boards these days... Maybe the color haha
What I really like about your channel and content is how you are so good and precise in terms of modding. It's like you can make any board sound really good.
While I was watching this I got a DHL notification letting me know my Q1 knob version just got delivered. I’m so excited to open this thing up. It’s my first custom keyboard.
@@solsonjp That's true ) I've ordered mine anyway. Let's see how long shipping takes. Blue version with brown switches and knob with delivery went to 206$ for me =P Will see how it works stock.
Always getting better! Nice going keychron. Once the case ping was remove the Q2 makes for an amazing sounding board. Now if they can tackle 95% again but with hotswap gasket mount I can share in on the fun.
I followed your mod procedures almost exactly. . .except I used PE foam and Gateron Milky Cap V2 switches. The build turned out brilliant! Thanks for the solid information.
There is more to the q1. The q1 has two types, the regular and ( knob variant). Some people think the q1 is the same as the q1 knob. But different materials and switch types were used between the two. The q1 knob variant using thicker metal and ading steel and changed switches. Also the q1 knob variant doesn't come with the coiled cable. I imagine for the extra cost of said added material compared to the regular q1. The Q2 is basically the q1 knob variant in 65% rather than 75%. Where as the q1 non knob variant is on its own wave length and much more pingy stock until modded.
Yup! Keychron made updates to the q1 with the knob variant they told me. Thicker lower case, thr silicone dampener a between cases (their own take on my "force break" I guess haha)
I loved the Q1 and I was amazed by the stock and modded sound of the q2. I myself tho have a bit of a hard time choosing this because of the looks. I am a big fan of how keyboards look and the q2 having knob/key on the top right a bit higher than normal made me question about the board. The colors look beautiful and is very well made although as I am loving the navi blue q2.
I really love my Q1... It just works so well... No frills about it now. But the Q2... The look and the color! Q1 is more practical, but Q2 makes me smile more lol
youre supposed to roll the kilmat on with a roller onto the case itself so it adheres and eliminates resonance. If you want even more resonance elimination, I recommend Dynamat. It is much more dense and of equal thickness. Tricks from the car audio industry
Thanks for the advice! I initially looked at Dynamat (also from previous car days) but Dynamat is so expensive! haha, probably you get what you pay for tho.
I was ready to buy the GMMK Pro tomorrow (my first mkb), but I was still on the fence because I figured there weren't a lot of changes with the Q1 and Q2 and that they only added the knob. Tbh, I could look past the no flexing and broken gaskets on the GMMK Pro since I was more focused on the sound (which could easily be fixed with the pe foam mod), but your video was super informative, it made me see how much more fun and customizable Keychron was. Tl;dr I think I'm going to hold out and wait for the Q1 knob to restock if it's anything like this updated Q2. Thanks for helping me decide!
@@Keybored Are you going to do a Q1 review as well? I'm really excited and hoping that most, if not all of the improvements from the Q2 will be applied on the Q1 too.
@@Agentfirestarter I got a completely different board. The Akko PC75B+ had a good sale price so I couldn't pass it up. It ended up being the most affordable against Keychron and GMMK too. Except being QMK and Via compatible, and having lighter plastic parts, all the features I wanted were the same. An exploded 75% layout, knob, and having a Mac-specific function so no need to remap keys. The north leds don't bother me since I use transparent keycaps. I have yet to do any mods except have lubed switches (which already came with the full kit) because I don't want to void the 1-year warranty. I don't mind though because it sounds fine out of the box. Now I'm just looking to get better switches because the speed silvers (linear) feel too light. I really want to try tactiles.
how does that occur? the electricity jumps from the PCB and then goes to the metal of the case, which then causes that? this reminds me of my friend saying he's scared to add dampening to keyboards, because it could be a fire hazard. is that a valid worry or is that only for some keyboards?
I just ordered mine today. I personally think this will be the board for me. I will be putting in Holy Panda Xs and most likely keeping the new caps they will come with. I’m stoked for this one and if it’s as good as I hope, I will be getting one as a retirement gift for my boss that I will be customizing as well. Once again, another great video.
Also, Kilmat/Noico is AMAZING and should be more of a mainstream mod than it is. It's so good for eliminating ping/hollowness! And when you buy a little bit of it, you get so much for the money.
I looked at the kilmat, looks good, but I decided to try neoprene foam instead. I like the idea of having the ability to have a flat layer of 1/16 foam and then adding a second layer as I go. Thinking I can create a foam channel with the second layer. I probably will be lazy and go with either a single or double layer.
That looks and sounds great honestly for a stock keyboard. But the mods you did plus using GMK Hammerhead with the blue case matched so well and was just beautiful.
@@JRKicks856 Tried Noico 80mil and you lose a lot of flex. Ended up removing it. I am not really keen on paying for 25sqft of 50mil Kilmat for one keyboard.
Great sounding board! Interestingly in BadSeedTech's review his board came with preinstalled force break mod and had a lot less ping stock. I'm curious to see if the preinstalled force break mod is standard. Great to see Keychron improving their products so quickly
@@Keybored his is the knob version. It's weird, but in your vid, when you go over the top case, you can see the cutouts for where the force break mod silicone pads should go, but I guess they forgot to install them on your review unit?
@@rurouni572 You know what... I see it in all the other reviewer's units... I think they just forgot on mine! Also, I think most others have a black one... Mine is blue too haha. But I like this blue one so I'm good!
@@Keybored Damn I watched ur review but didnt saw that there where no silicon pads installed bust be one of the pre production units Keychron used for testing, I will pass this but this isnt like it should be sorry for that
I use the Q2 stock atm with Akko CS Sponge switches. I love it but I messed the backspace stab up while switching keycaps so your mods+review really helps me to get the damage fixed and mod it while I'm fixing it up also (I run a Polyfillmod Akko 3061S with Akko CS Jelly pink switches and Cherry MX Silent Black for Spacebar. Lubing the Pink switches are also on the To do list).
I've got a Keychron K2A3 and its layout is the bare minimum i can go. I do need my ESC, end/home, delete, print screen and function keys for my daily/gaming use
I wish they used a more standard plate material like aluminum and also I wish they had more plate options, this board with the bakenko 65 is going to be awesome
Haha, I don't but I should. Probably just picking up too many keyboards like that and also just pulling switches, caps, etc. builds finger strength haha
I would really like to see the q6 pro with banana switches review from the perspective of a non-modder enthusiast. I hope its great out of the box cos its expensive in australia!
The painters tape you linked @Keybored is to a plastic/vinyl tape made by 3M for Scotts (ie not the paper based crepe painters tape needed for taping the pcb...)
Hey, Keybored! I was wondering if you had a video where you discus which product or technique is best for each mod? For example which material is best for dampening. If not I would love if you covered that subject. I love your analytical mindset.
Thank you for the suggestion! I've thought about doing something like that but I was just waaay too lazy haha. I should just stop being lazy and do it this year lol
I got the Q1 for less than 130$ thru a local vendor and I loved that board ever since. Now I'm waiting for my local vendor to bring in the Q2 at a slightly lower price.
Wow keychron is listening to the feedback of the community. I hope they do more keyboard layouts in the Q-Series. I'm just waiting for some company to create a budget compact 1800 layout with no function row like the Wind X.
Mmm, interesting! That would be an 85% keyboard. I don't think there is a market for it. People that buy 1800 want a keypad. I think they would also want the Function keys. It's a tiny market, and even if they captured 50% of said market, I don't think it is big enough to recoup their investment! My guess is the gaming market is the bread and butter of MKB.
@@Sola_Scriptura_1.618 Yeah the only reason I want that layout is because of my cramped desk setup xD. If I bought the q5 the keyboard would hang a bit on my desk cause of the function row. Good thing I found and bought a diy acrylic board with that unique layout and it's gasket mounted too.
@Christian Cabiles where there is a need, there is a market! Happy to hear you found a device that fits your need! I know all too well about cramped desk space. I am currently fully maxed on my real estate and went with a Q5 to save on the valuable asset (-:
Weird that you had to do the break mod. I've seen other reviews of this board over the past day and they had gaskets added already where those cutouts on the frame were so they didn't have to do it. Did they forgot to add the gaskets there for yours?
Someone else did ask about it. He did confirmed that his review sample didn’t have it but everyone else had it installed. Maybe due to the rush they missed this one out
Great review as always. Went with the GMK Hammerhead Keycaps on the Q1 I built for my son after watching your review on that board. I need to go back and do the small tape mod to the top case that I completely missed from that video but was reminded of in this one to reduce some of that ping! Thanks again for all of your efforts.
The owl stabs, do they stand up to the durock v2 stabs after holee modding? for a beginner in the scene would you recommend these over durock v2 because you just have to lube them?
The owl stabs actually feel like durock V2 holee modded. It doesn't reinvent the wheel or blow your mind away, but a lubed owl stab feels like a holee modded durock V2!
@@Keybored Thanks! Wow, didn't expect it to be that thin. Good to know as I've just ordered the Q2 and I'm considering either putting bitumen or silicone in there.
@@Keybored I'm fully making things up so if it's a thing it's a lucky guess. I would honestly love to see those keebs even though I'm not someone who can justify owning multiple enthusiast keyboards I would love to build in them for friends who might be interested.
Hmm... From my experience before with the 2, polyfill works really well for certain boards, and doesn't do anything for others. I think the Q1 was actually pretty well effected by it... I'll have to see if the Q2 is also benefitted by the polyfill as well
I added lubed ink black v2’s then tape modded with 2 layers and 3 under the space bar, had no poly fill but added a thin sheet of foam, swapped the stabs for Durock V2’s with g205. Sounded better but I still felt something was missing, tossed in a set of Idobao PBT key caps I had laying around and it got me like 98% to where I wanted to be. That space bar just would not get closer to the sound of the rest of my keys which was a bit annoying. Finally, my younger brother popped by the house and gave me an acrylic novelty just out of nowhere, I tossed it on the Q2 on a whim and WOW, the whole board came together.
It wouldn't unless you actually adhere to the case like I did with the q1. Then it would actually dampen the case even better! But use tape mod then to keep the pcb from touching aluminum!
Given how the q1 and Q2 are, it'll be a banger also! But the gummy mount in the freebird tkl makes a very unique sound. From a sound quality perspective, I'm sure they'll be on par, but a different sound. Like a great guitar vs a great violin...
I hope keychron offers more options in the future, the knob stem is standard, but the knob size is a bit skinnier than some others... I wonder if there are some other vendors that sell compatible
@@Keybored I guess a point of comparison would be against the GMMK Pro? Seems a lot of people have found it easy to replace those, so if the GMMK Pro knob fits, I guess most customs would fit.
I'm looking forward to the Q65. It's like... the perfect layout. Probably won't ship for another 3 months though, and it'll probably be way heavier than necessary. And Keychron hasn't been great about getting their code up to the standards necessary to merge upstream. But otherwise, it seems really really nice.
now I am just waiting for a version with wirerless connectivity and rgb or at lelast underglow. reasons: my K6 is falling apart (well, the bezels are and I have not yet found a way to mod around that, since thte screw holes are so loose, I would basically have to replace a whole plastic side, so I am looking for an alternative...
I got a q1 knob version.. kind of thinking to get q2 as well. Why? idk... would be nice to see both of these versions in wireless. also low key excited about their Q0 release coming up sometime in April. Good review my guy.
Keychron let me know that the production assembled kit will be coming with PBT OSA profile Keycaps as shown on their Q2 site! www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q2-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard
Damn, those keycaps on the Q2 look a lot better than the ones on the Q1 (knob version) that I got the other week. I'm kind of bummed about that.
I really want to know what speaker you're using
The painters tape you linked @Keybored is to a plastic/vinyl tape made by 3M for Scotts (ie not the paper based crepe painters tape needed for taping the pcb...)
Keep in mind that the Keychron Q1 - Knob edition has some of the same changes that the Q2 got. Thicker bottom plate and silicon tape for force break. I got one and I was surprised how good it sounds stock.
Sounds good! Thank you for the info!
Yes! I got mine a couple weeks ago and I swapped the metal plate for an FR4 and sounds amazing with Bobas U4T and SA keycaps. 👌🏼
@@mrfranco91 I want to do the same build ! What's the son with boba u4t ?
Agree I got mine the other day all I did was the tape mod and put in some tangies and it’s incredible how good it feels/sounds. Honestly feels like a way more expensive board.
@@maurizioblotta7189 what's a tangie?
keychron really stepping up their game in the keebs community. this is very exciting because we might see more competitor that is on par or better in the future
That's the beauty of competition! Keep pushing each other to do better!
@@Keybored agreed👍
im super happy about this as well. also i love the yuji pfp
This is insane value. Keybored, I gotta be honest, you're probably one of my most trusted keeb youtubers. Idk you just seem like you got a good head on your shoulders, like you really know what's actually worth buying. Lots of info, straight to the point.
Thank you so much coley! I really appreciate that comments, and I'll keep trying to bring as much objective and logical information as possible to this hobby!
Even though I’m now passed getting a board like this as a keyboard hobbyist, this was a GREAT & thorough review & I’m glad to see there are some very competitive great options at a very reasonable price point for people to buy! I can tell this board hits well above its class, especially when properly modded. 👍
I see you everywhere man 😂 good to see there are people who are in fitness and keyboard enthusiasts
@@jannclaudebinoya Ha! Yeah, fitness is both a lifestyle for me as well as a career that I’m passionate about…but I’ve always been a huge nerd & love this stuff & actually have quite the keyboard collection now. Im also very into building PC’s, gaming (not that I have much time for that these days unfortunately), racing cars, etc…..
Dude I saw your profile picture and for a moment I thought my comments section was bugged out. 😂 Cool to see you here tho.
@@Elijah._.7 Yeah, I tend to get that a lot of the time when I leave a comment on keyboard videos… 😂 Just because I’m a fitness channel doesn’t mean I have to stay only in that lane.
Nice meeting you Elijah, & thanks for that funny comment. Gave me a good laugh to start my day! 👍
Thank you so much! Appreciate the comment and the Q2 is definitely a board that hits way above its class... I find myself reaching for this vs some other higher end boards these days... Maybe the color haha
big props to keychron for catering to the keyboard enthusiast hobby. id totally love a TKL or FRL version of this tbf.
Yup! I think they're planning on a TKL and a 60%!
Q3 TKL and Q4 60% are already in testing
@@z4k1_zaki65 then i’m hyped.
What I really like about your channel and content is how you are so good and precise in terms of modding. It's like you can make any board sound really good.
Haha thank you so much, and I really appreciate that! I probably spend too much time into keyboards
Man your videoquality gets better and better keep it up
Thank you so much Huca! I appreciate it!
While I was watching this I got a DHL notification letting me know my Q1 knob version just got delivered. I’m so excited to open this thing up. It’s my first custom keyboard.
Congrats on the q1! It's a great board and you'll love it!
Ayo that sounds amazing, super surprised by how this turned out
It really turned out nice! The looks, the feel, the sound, it's become one of my favorite rotations!
I'd argue that this is one of the best value keyboards on the market rn, you are really getting a lot for your money
Very true! For the price of some lesser boards, you get something that will rival a $300 board after mods.
It’s definitely good but the shipping also costs 30$ so it’s 189$ barebones where you could get better boards like the ikki68 or the kbd67 lite
@@solsonjp If you like cheap plastic cases, sure thing
@@balkeep just saying it really isn’t that budget friendly when you add it all up but what is building a custom without spending a lot of money 😅
@@solsonjp That's true ) I've ordered mine anyway. Let's see how long shipping takes. Blue version with brown switches and knob with delivery went to 206$ for me =P Will see how it works stock.
Your content is always top notch. Definitely one of my fav channels to watch. Keep up the good work mate!
I appreciate it mate!
awesome video and build! This is making me want to dive into the custom keyboard rabbit hole so bad
Thank you so much! It's definitely an endless rabbit hole but it's been pretty fun and engaging at the same time!
Always getting better! Nice going keychron. Once the case ping was remove the Q2 makes for an amazing sounding board. Now if they can tackle 95% again but with hotswap gasket mount I can share in on the fun.
The Q2 definitely was improved over the q1! Really nice to see progress!
Just ordered my black Q2 knob version. I'm so excited after watching this! :)
It's a great board even out of the box! You won't be disappointed!
@@Keybored love your videos man, keep up the great content. I followed your Tofu60 mods and I'm gonna use this for my Q2 too haha
I followed your mod procedures almost exactly. . .except I used PE foam and Gateron Milky Cap V2 switches. The build turned out brilliant! Thanks for the solid information.
Glad I could be helpful!
Insane paper towel mod! I know PE foam isn't that difficult to get a hold of, but dang the paper towel is next level 🤝
Haha... I was thinking huh? Paper towel? But the credit goes to my discord member!
But PE foam is also anxiety inducing with all the stories about short circuiting😂
This man is better than literally every other keyboard channel. His keyboards actually sound good
There is more to the q1. The q1 has two types, the regular and ( knob variant). Some people think the q1 is the same as the q1 knob. But different materials and switch types were used between the two. The q1 knob variant using thicker metal and ading steel and changed switches. Also the q1 knob variant doesn't come with the coiled cable. I imagine for the extra cost of said added material compared to the regular q1. The Q2 is basically the q1 knob variant in 65% rather than 75%. Where as the q1 non knob variant is on its own wave length and much more pingy stock until modded.
Yup! Keychron made updates to the q1 with the knob variant they told me. Thicker lower case, thr silicone dampener a between cases (their own take on my "force break" I guess haha)
And you nailed an other amazing review!
Thanks icey! It was a good board to tinker with, just so easy and the end result was what I wanted!
I loved the Q1 and I was amazed by the stock and modded sound of the q2. I myself tho have a bit of a hard time choosing this because of the looks. I am a big fan of how keyboards look and the q2 having knob/key on the top right a bit higher than normal made me question about the board. The colors look beautiful and is very well made although as I am loving the navi blue q2.
I really love my Q1... It just works so well... No frills about it now. But the Q2... The look and the color! Q1 is more practical, but Q2 makes me smile more lol
I love the SMACK of that space bar on the stock config. Great video!
Butyl dampener inside haha
Awesome board! Stock still sounds pretty good
Completely usable out of the box. I'd do the bare bones and throw in some nice Keycaps and switches and you're golden!
youre supposed to roll the kilmat on with a roller onto the case itself so it adheres and eliminates resonance. If you want even more resonance elimination, I recommend Dynamat. It is much more dense and of equal thickness. Tricks from the car audio industry
Thanks for the advice! I initially looked at Dynamat (also from previous car days) but Dynamat is so expensive! haha, probably you get what you pay for tho.
I was ready to buy the GMMK Pro tomorrow (my first mkb), but I was still on the fence because I figured there weren't a lot of changes with the Q1 and Q2 and that they only added the knob. Tbh, I could look past the no flexing and broken gaskets on the GMMK Pro since I was more focused on the sound (which could easily be fixed with the pe foam mod), but your video was super informative, it made me see how much more fun and customizable Keychron was. Tl;dr I think I'm going to hold out and wait for the Q1 knob to restock if it's anything like this updated Q2. Thanks for helping me decide!
You're absolutely welcome! The keychron are the better option for sure! You won't regret the choice!
@@Keybored Are you going to do a Q1 review as well? I'm really excited and hoping that most, if not all of the improvements from the Q2 will be applied on the Q1 too.
Did you end up liking the q1 knob version?
@@Agentfirestarter I got a completely different board. The Akko PC75B+ had a good sale price so I couldn't pass it up. It ended up being the most affordable against Keychron and GMMK too. Except being QMK and Via compatible, and having lighter plastic parts, all the features I wanted were the same. An exploded 75% layout, knob, and having a Mac-specific function so no need to remap keys. The north leds don't bother me since I use transparent keycaps. I have yet to do any mods except have lubed switches (which already came with the full kit) because I don't want to void the 1-year warranty. I don't mind though because it sounds fine out of the box. Now I'm just looking to get better switches because the speed silvers (linear) feel too light. I really want to try tactiles.
Awesome review as always!
Thank you so much! I always appreciate the support!
The plastic sheet is likely to prevent the motherboard from shorting out on the case when it is being pressed down.
Yup! That's what Keychron told me today haha
how does that occur? the electricity jumps from the PCB and then goes to the metal of the case, which then causes that? this reminds me of my friend saying he's scared to add dampening to keyboards, because it could be a fire hazard. is that a valid worry or is that only for some keyboards?
I just ordered mine today. I personally think this will be the board for me. I will be putting in Holy Panda Xs and most likely keeping the new caps they will come with. I’m stoked for this one and if it’s as good as I hope, I will be getting one as a retirement gift for my boss that I will be customizing as well. Once again, another great video.
bro it sound so clean, I want this.
Btw great review
Thank you so much cloudie! It's a great keyboard... just overall package
Video: "This is Scott"
In an AA group voice: "Hi Scott"
Haha, Hilarious!
Keychron is for sure the best keyboard manufacturing company
They are definitely doing a great job with the q series!
"Way above its weight class", he said, his fingers white and shaking with the strain of holding up that massive unit
Haha it's a heavy board! Lol
This is the most beautiful keyboard I’ve seen on youtube so far.
Thank you so much Esther! I really love how this color combination worked out :)
ooooh i just did all the mods, less the stabs, and used different foam. I love this keyboard even more now.
Also, Kilmat/Noico is AMAZING and should be more of a mainstream mod than it is. It's so good for eliminating ping/hollowness! And when you buy a little bit of it, you get so much for the money.
You are very right about that! It's more expensive because it comes in such a big box, but you have enough to last a long long time!
I looked at the kilmat, looks good, but I decided to try neoprene foam instead. I like the idea of having the ability to have a flat layer of 1/16 foam and then adding a second layer as I go. Thinking I can create a foam channel with the second layer. I probably will be lazy and go with either a single or double layer.
Awesome Vid Man!!! Planing to get one for myself
You wouldn't be disappointed!
Is there any Kilmat alternatives??
That looks and sounds great honestly for a stock keyboard.
But the mods you did plus using GMK Hammerhead with the blue case matched so well and was just beautiful.
It's an interesting board, might look into this as a working board
I've been using this for a good full week now and it's a good board just overall. I'm not disappointed :)
Awesome review! Definitely the Kilmat mod helps a lot with the ping.
The Kilmat and other butyl dampeners do amazing things to metal!
@@Keybored think noico 80mil would do just fine?
@@JRKicks856 Tried Noico 80mil and you lose a lot of flex. Ended up removing it. I am not really keen on paying for 25sqft of 50mil Kilmat for one keyboard.
Hell yea Keychron again! Company is for the people, I swear!
Really good to see all this activity coming from a major manufacturer!
You should try the Q1 Knob version, it is updated and the same as the Q2.
I've heard that as well! Well, glad to see Keychron making some progress!
Love the review and I have the keychron q1 but this video showed up when I looked up swedish pancakes recipe and I don to know why
Haha that's hilarious!
The quality of this video is just amazing! Such a detailed and neat review! Thank you so much. I hope they will release a white Q2 version with knob.
That would be great! A white with a gold knob!
Loving the Video and Sounds Amazing! Keep up the Good work!
Thank you so much! I appreciate the support!
Best Q2 review till now!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Great sounding board!
Interestingly in BadSeedTech's review his board came with preinstalled force break mod and had a lot less ping stock. I'm curious to see if the preinstalled force break mod is standard.
Great to see Keychron improving their products so quickly
That is really odd! I'll have to check it out and see why mine didn't haha... Did he also get the knob version?
@@Keybored his is the knob version. It's weird, but in your vid, when you go over the top case, you can see the cutouts for where the force break mod silicone pads should go, but I guess they forgot to install them on your review unit?
@@rurouni572 You know what... I see it in all the other reviewer's units... I think they just forgot on mine! Also, I think most others have a black one... Mine is blue too haha. But I like this blue one so I'm good!
@@Keybored Damn I watched ur review but didnt saw that there where no silicon pads installed bust be one of the pre production units Keychron used for testing, I will pass this but this isnt like it should be sorry for that
I use the Q2 stock atm with Akko CS Sponge switches. I love it but I messed the backspace stab up while switching keycaps so your mods+review really helps me to get the damage fixed and mod it while I'm fixing it up also (I run a Polyfillmod Akko 3061S with Akko CS Jelly pink switches and Cherry MX Silent Black for Spacebar. Lubing the Pink switches are also on the To do list).
what a nice keyboard! definitely got to get on it
The Q2 is really nice... I been comparing it to my D65... Not sure if I'd buy it again vs the q2
seems like keychron nailed it on this one, cool
They sure did! It's actually a better execution than the original Q1!
I've got a Keychron K2A3 and its layout is the bare minimum i can go.
I do need my ESC, end/home, delete, print screen and function keys for my daily/gaming use
I think the q1 would be a better choice for you!
Which plate you think would give the deepest sound?
Probably the PC usually. Alu is a good middle ground as well!
I wish they used a more standard plate material like aluminum and also I wish they had more plate options, this board with the bakenko 65 is going to be awesome
Yeah the steel plate was an interesting option... I wonder what the major motivation in that was, since q1 comes with aluminum
Helps with the ping and reverb. But they also sell additional plates like brass, pc and fr4 too
0:07 that pinch grip. Do you rock climb? Honestly would be scared to drop the keyboard, and I'm surprised you didn't!
Haha, I don't but I should. Probably just picking up too many keyboards like that and also just pulling switches, caps, etc. builds finger strength haha
0:08 thats some finger muscles there 😯
Haha yeah it was straining... Especially after a few takes
Yo this solid, what a board! This hobby is going place, alright!
For sure! I mean just the evolution from q1 to Q2... It's in the right direction
Really digging that navy blue!
Thank you! Its a great color!
Just ordered it this morning
Enjoy your new Q2!
@@Keybored From what I've heard you get a lot for the money you pay with this keyboard
More to come:
Keychron Q3: www.keychron.com/pages/keychron-q3-customizable-mechanical-keyboard
Kechron Q4: www.keychron.com/pages/keychron-q4-customizable-mechanical-keyboard
Keychron Q5: www.keychron.com/pages/keychron-q5-customizable-mechanical-keyboard
Leychron Q6: www.keychron.com/pages/keychron-q6-custom-mechanical-keyboard
So many more keyboards coming from Keychron!
10:37 wowww this is crazy
DICO! The innovator of the paper towel mod!
Am still confused on how you only have 50k subs, should be WAY more than that.
:( I think it's my channel name being difficult to find... RUclips keeps moving people away from it thinking it was a spelling error
@@Keybored I see, yeah that makes sense. Also damn, did not expect you to respond haha, thanks so much :)
Correction: that's Cap v2 Gold,not yellow :). Scott, great job as usual. Thank you for all you do!
Thank you for the correction!
I would really like to see the q6 pro with banana switches review from the perspective of a non-modder enthusiast.
I hope its great out of the box cos its expensive in australia!
Hi Scott, sick vid! :)
Thank you Michael!
The painters tape you linked @Keybored is to a plastic/vinyl tape made by 3M for Scotts (ie not the paper based crepe painters tape needed for taping the pcb...)
Great vid as always, might have to pick one up
You wouldn't be disappointed!
I'd want to use this in my work if I have money in the future.
It's definitely a great board, and for the price, it performs as well as something much more expensive!
Gonna try rolling the killmat in my q1 now, hopefully I can get a bit more flex out of it
Yup! It'll make it thinner and also bigger, so prepare to trim it a bit after rolling!
i think on your Q2 there is something missing. Watch "BadSeed Tech" video of the Q2. On min 2:10 u can see rubber between the case
Yup mine is missing that for some reason...
Hey, Keybored! I was wondering if you had a video where you discus which product or technique is best for each mod? For example which material is best for dampening. If not I would love if you covered that subject. I love your analytical mindset.
Thank you for the suggestion! I've thought about doing something like that but I was just waaay too lazy haha. I should just stop being lazy and do it this year lol
Great review, Keybored!
Thank you Jay! Thanks for the support!
Your ultimate mod sounds really pro 👍...!
Your ultimate mod >> just swapping to (lubed) Gateron Yellow >> Stock
Thank you! The Q2 is a good modding platform for sure
I got the Q1 for less than 130$ thru a local vendor and I loved that board ever since. Now I'm waiting for my local vendor to bring in the Q2 at a slightly lower price.
:) Q1 and Q2 combo is amazing!
WHAT VENDOR???
@@adventureedit5776 KeyBot on Shopee Malaysia
9:45 Why are these added? The case already has these clear silicone pieces in place that separate the top and bottom housing acoustically.
Keychron forgot to ship his unit with the dampeners like the other reviewers.
@@drumdover I realized later that the force break mod still improves the over all result. The stock silicone pads are not enough.
Wow keychron is listening to the feedback of the community. I hope they do more keyboard layouts in the Q-Series. I'm just waiting for some company to create a budget compact 1800 layout with no function row like the Wind X.
That is such an interesting layout haha
They have a 1800 Q5 coming out.
The f row less 1800 is too unique for them to recapture their investment on it.
Mmm, interesting! That would be an 85% keyboard. I don't think there is a market for it. People that buy 1800 want a keypad. I think they would also want the Function keys. It's a tiny market, and even if they captured 50% of said market, I don't think it is big enough to recoup their investment! My guess is the gaming market is the bread and butter of MKB.
@@Sola_Scriptura_1.618 Yeah the only reason I want that layout is because of my cramped desk setup xD. If I bought the q5 the keyboard would hang a bit on my desk cause of the function row. Good thing I found and bought a diy acrylic board with that unique layout and it's gasket mounted too.
@Christian Cabiles where there is a need, there is a market! Happy to hear you found a device that fits your need! I know all too well about cramped desk space. I am currently fully maxed on my real estate and went with a Q5 to save on the valuable asset (-:
Weird that you had to do the break mod. I've seen other reviews of this board over the past day and they had gaskets added already where those cutouts on the frame were so they didn't have to do it. Did they forgot to add the gaskets there for yours?
Someone else did ask about it. He did confirmed that his review sample didn’t have it but everyone else had it installed. Maybe due to the rush they missed this one out
Yeah I think they straight missed it on mine haha... Or they thought...thisnis the guy that did this mod on the Q1... He don't need it installed haha
Great review as always. Went with the GMK Hammerhead Keycaps on the Q1 I built for my son after watching your review on that board. I need to go back and do the small tape mod to the top case that I completely missed from that video but was reminded of in this one to reduce some of that ping! Thanks again for all of your efforts.
You're very welcome Stevie! I hope it works out well for you, and grats on that Q1!
The owl stabs, do they stand up to the durock v2 stabs after holee modding? for a beginner in the scene would you recommend these over durock v2 because you just have to lube them?
The owl stabs actually feel like durock V2 holee modded. It doesn't reinvent the wheel or blow your mind away, but a lubed owl stab feels like a holee modded durock V2!
Nice review!
How thick can the dampening material at the bottom be, before hurting the flex of the board?
Very thin lol. Like 1mm max I would say
@@Keybored Thanks! Wow, didn't expect it to be that thin. Good to know as I've just ordered the Q2 and I'm considering either putting bitumen or silicone in there.
I wonder if they will have a Q0 and Q3. And for a TKL/full size and a full 60% respectfully to keep with the naming scheme
I heard that there will be a Q3, but Q0 is a new thing for me. Someone did mention that Q0 was a real thing though!
@@Keybored I'm fully making things up so if it's a thing it's a lucky guess. I would honestly love to see those keebs even though I'm not someone who can justify owning multiple enthusiast keyboards I would love to build in them for friends who might be interested.
Open it up and look at the force break they did. And the daughter board connector differences.
Unfortunately, the sample they sent me doesn't have it... odd
Would love to hear a stock Q1 with badseed techs new upcoming switch’s
Man that sounds lovely after the mods, great job. Will be stealing this.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful! It truly is a fantastic keyboard!
Can you do a polyfil vs kilmat video on this setup? Doesn't have to be to long just cover the sound dif and your thoughts on it.
Hmm... From my experience before with the 2, polyfill works really well for certain boards, and doesn't do anything for others. I think the Q1 was actually pretty well effected by it... I'll have to see if the Q2 is also benefitted by the polyfill as well
I’m very impressed!
Thank you so much! I was also after it was fully built out! I just love how it looks!
PBT caps in this made a huge difference for me after modding.
Hmm... I should try that out! I do have some epbt sets that could work with this
I added lubed ink black v2’s then tape modded with 2 layers and 3 under the space bar, had no poly fill but added a thin sheet of foam, swapped the stabs for Durock V2’s with g205. Sounded better but I still felt something was missing, tossed in a set of Idobao PBT key caps I had laying around and it got me like 98% to where I wanted to be. That space bar just would not get closer to the sound of the rest of my keys which was a bit annoying. Finally, my younger brother popped by the house and gave me an acrylic novelty just out of nowhere, I tossed it on the Q2 on a whim and WOW, the whole board came together.
Great review! Your final version sounds so good 😍
Thank you Morgan! I just love how it turned out! The look of it also :)
Does it make a difference in the sound if you flip the kilmat a different way but protect it with the tape mod.
It wouldn't unless you actually adhere to the case like I did with the q1. Then it would actually dampen the case even better! But use tape mod then to keep the pcb from touching aluminum!
Do you feel like the upcoming Q3 might be better than Freebird TKL?
Given how the q1 and Q2 are, it'll be a banger also! But the gummy mount in the freebird tkl makes a very unique sound. From a sound quality perspective, I'm sure they'll be on par, but a different sound. Like a great guitar vs a great violin...
Can you do a review on the Mammoth 75
Unfortunately I didn't get my hands on one... Hopefully I'll have the opportunity in the future!
@@Keybored US drop is jan 14th on cannon keys, good luck
Would you say the owl stabs were a significant upgrade over the stock stabs? If so, did you have to lube and tune them?
Yup! The owl stabs were definitely an upgrade. Just lube was adequate!
@@Keybored you think the owl stabs would be good enough until I can grab some staebies? Those are my ultimate goal.
@@avuci for sure
@@Keybored nice. Just picked some up thanks
Omg that keycap set looks so nice what r they?
Am I crazy or is the paper towel between the PCB and the switch? How does it still actuate if it’s not making contact?
Been waiting for the q1 to come out where I live...now I have to wait again
(q1 never came out)
:( sorry to hear that! Hope they expand soon!
Wow I think the stock sounds amazing! It’s a really good budget option for whoever is new to custom keyboards.
This thing, just like the Q1 punches way above its class!
How easy it is to find replacement knobs? Like a polished aluminum version for example.
I hope keychron offers more options in the future, the knob stem is standard, but the knob size is a bit skinnier than some others... I wonder if there are some other vendors that sell compatible
@@Keybored I guess a point of comparison would be against the GMMK Pro? Seems a lot of people have found it easy to replace those, so if the GMMK Pro knob fits, I guess most customs would fit.
I'm looking forward to the Q65. It's like... the perfect layout. Probably won't ship for another 3 months though, and it'll probably be way heavier than necessary. And Keychron hasn't been great about getting their code up to the standards necessary to merge upstream. But otherwise, it seems really really nice.
I hope they can get those QK65s shipped out!
Interesting, Badseed posted his review and his came with little rubber bumpers inside essentially a stock force break mod.
I know... they forgot it on mine :( But it's ok haha, I did my own
Hey, was just wondering if you screwed in the standoffs. Just got mine today after hearing your sound test and excited to build!
Yup! I did end up using all the stand offs for this build!
now I am just waiting for a version with wirerless connectivity and rgb or at lelast underglow. reasons: my K6 is falling apart (well, the bezels are and I have not yet found a way to mod around that, since thte screw holes are so loose, I would basically have to replace a whole plastic side, so I am looking for an alternative...
They’ll be releasing acrylic version later this year
The q series are definitely much more robust! I hope they do wireless soon!
@@Keybored They will be releasing acrylic version this year. They’re considering adding Bluetooth too
I got a q1 knob version.. kind of thinking to get q2 as well. Why? idk... would be nice to see both of these versions in wireless. also low key excited about their Q0 release coming up sometime in April. Good review my guy.
Thank you Serge! I didn't know about the Q0! I need to look it up now haha