The Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model presents a high-quality customizable keyboard expertise, albeit at the next worth level.
Keyboard lovers love customizability and making their very own selections to design a singular typing expertise. However, the common shopper merely desires a stable keyboard for working, gaming, or writing.
Keychron strikes a steadiness between these two crowds, making Mac-friendly and high-quality keyboards. The Keychron Q5 Professional is a 96% format keyboard for any consumer, providing customization and ease of use.
Out of the field, the Q5 Professional comes with 4 further gaskets, a USB-C-to-C cable, an A-to-C adapter, and the suitable instruments for pulling keycaps and switches. Moreover, it features a screwdriver and hex key for disassembling the outer chassis.
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model – Design
The Q5’s physique is all steel, with a CNC-machined aluminum physique and a polycarbonate backplate, guaranteeing a long-lasting expertise and sturdiness. There’s additionally a silicon pad between the highest and backside a part of the keyboard case, decreasing the noise generated contained in the case and making a crisper typing noise.
As for the keys, the Q5 has angled and oil-resistant PBT keycaps that guarantee sturdiness and lessened shine over time. You’ll be able to select from Keychron’s in-house switches: Keychron Ok Professional Pink, Professional Brown, and Professional Banana switches for various typing preferences.
Keychron has an total minimalist method to its keyboard, selecting easy shade combos with a matte end. Coming in Carbon Black (blue/black, Silver Gray (purple/gray), and Shell White (purple/white), the implication is that the keyboard is an empty slate on your customization should you so select.
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model – Customization
The Q5 Professional is VIA suitable, permitting a digital layer of customization for mapping keys, macros, and adjusting the backlights. VIA can run on Chromium-based browsers, however Safari and Firefox customers can obtain it right here.
The Q5 Professional is not acknowledged but by VIA software program, that means you may need to obtain the JSON file for the Q5 and drag it into the design tab, which is revealed by going into the settings tab.
VIA allows you to configure your keyboard by way of 4 layers: layer 0-1 is for Mac, and 2-3 is for Home windows. Layer 0 is the default for Mac, however layer 1 might be activated by urgent the fn key together with the keys you have mapped.
Even the knob is customizable, permitting you to vary it to regulate brightness, zoom in/out, or different helpful macros.
Keycaps and switches are hot-swappable, making it handy to vary the format and really feel of the keyboard with out a soldering iron. The Q5 Professional is available in a barebones mannequin as properly for folks within the aluminum body however need a extra tailor-made expertise.
Keychron additionally sells keycaps and switches individually should you want a unique shade format or need totally different switches.
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model – Use
The Keychron Ok Professional Pink Keychron switches are very responsive and really feel good to sort on for writing, gaming, and coding. The keycaps undoubtedly make for a extra “clack”-y typing noise, however the sound is refined and never distracting.
Weighing in at nearly 5 kilos (2160 g) absolutely assembled, the Q5 Professional is supposed to be a fixture in your workspace or desk. We would not carry this anyplace until you are setting it up on the workplace.
The Q5 may also pair to a few separate gadgets, permitting you to probably use the Q5 to modify between your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This additionally works properly with the Home windows/Mac swap on the again since you might pair the Q5 to each your PC and Mac and swap between the 2 without having to have two keyboards.
To pair, press fn+1, 2, or 3 and maintain for 4 seconds to hook up with a brand new gadget, evenly press fn and the quantity on your gadget to modify to that particular one.
The latency on the Q5 is extraordinarily low as properly, as a processor is embedded within the case for a 1000 Hz polling charge whereas wired and 90 Hz whereas wi-fi. Both means, it is fairly quick, however we suggest having your keyboard plugged in whereas taking part in aggressive video games.
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model – An all-around stable medium-budget alternative
The Keychron Q5 Professional Knob model is an effective keyboard throughout. It is a good mid-to-high worth vary for an everyday expertise however nice for individuals who need to experiment with their keyboard configuration.
The selection of switches makes it good for the spectrum of customers between workplace and gaming wants. It is particularly optimum for individuals who need to construct a desk setup with a single keyboard to hook up with all their gadgets.
For the alternatives it presents to totally different audiences, we will see the Q5 Professional is beneficial for anybody who’s prepared to dish out the additional cash for a long-lasting customizable keyboard.
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model Professionals
- Customizable design
- Mac-friendly
- Excessive-quality construct
Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model Cons
- Difficult VIA setup for Safari/Firefox
- Caters extra to lovers
Score: 4 out of 5
The place to purchase the Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model
The Keychron Q5 Professional Knob Model is obtainable on Amazon for $225.99, and the Keychron retailer for $210.00.