Key Takeaways
1. Keychron is set to release two new mechanical keyboards: the Q6 Ultra 8K and the V1 Ultra 8K, featuring updated layouts and functions.
2. The Q6 Ultra 8K introduces new Keychron Silk POM switches, departing from the usual Gateron switches.
3. The design has evolved to a dual-tone black and blue keycap style, maintaining a high-quality KSA profile.
4. Both keyboards feature an 8 kHz polling rate and wireless connectivity, with the V1 Ultra 8K being a more compact 75% layout.
5. Customization options are available through Keychron’s Launcher software, although it may face challenges with the unreleased Q6 Ultra 8K.
Keychron is constantly bringing out new models for its mechanical keyboards, featuring updated layouts, fresh functions, and minor design adjustments. Recently, two new wireless mechanical keyboards seem to have appeared before their official launch. The Q6 Ultra 8K full-size mechanical keyboard and the V1 Ultra 8K 75% mechanical keyboard were spotted on Best Buy’s site. These listings showed up without any mention on Keychron’s own website or any other sellers. The unusual text on Best Buy’s product pages hints this might be a pre-release listing, possibly an error. As the names imply, these new keyboards come with 8 kHz polling, which, based on our testing of the C1 Pro 8K, doesn’t dramatically change the experience for a mechanical keyboard, but there are other updates.
Discovery of the Q6 Ultra 8K
The news about the Keychron Q6 Ultra 8K first surfaced on Reddit when a user, u/Jseepersaud10, found the keyboard at his local Best Buy and bought one. While the Best Buy listing lacks detailed information apart from the layout, form factor, 8 kHz polling rate, and price, photos shared by the Reddit user offer more insight about the Q6 Ultra 8K. According to the Best Buy listing, the Q6 Ultra 8K is priced at $239.99, while the original Q6 Max is available for $219.99 on Amazon.
Key Features and Changes
To start, the image of the keyboard’s packaging and the ensuing comments confirm that the Q6 Ultra 8K comes with new switches, keycaps, and a refreshed design. Instead of the typical Gateron Jupiter Brown, Red, and Banana switches that are common in Keychron’s premium wireless keyboards, the Q6 Ultra 8K uses Keychron Silk POM switches. These seem to be a new type of switch that hasn’t been officially announced yet. This follows the recent release of the Keychron K9 Max, which introduced Keychron low-profile Milk POM switches, suggesting that Keychron may also be ready to launch a full-height POM switch in this model. The brown tactile switches suggest there might be red linears and possibly banana tactiles available too, which provide a sharper tactile feedback.
Design and Customization Options
Another notable change is the shift from a mix of black, white, and blue keycaps to a dual-tone black and blue design. The keycaps retain the same KSA profile as the recently reviewed Keychron Q13 Max, suggesting they should be of good quality based on previous experience. The knob’s cap has seemingly been updated as well, though it’s uncertain what material will be used for it.
Details like the plate material, internal sound dampening, and RGB setup remain undisclosed, but it appears the stabilizers on the new Ultra 8K keyboards might have been redesigned to minimize rattling and ticking, which would be a significant advancement.
Alongside the Keychron Q6 Ultra 8K, Best Buy has also listed the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K, which is a more affordable and compact alternative to the Q6 Ultra 8K. It appears to include the same 8K polling rate, wireless connectivity, and updated design, but it features a 75% layout that removes the num pad and navigation cluster found on the Q6 Ultra 8K. However, there is still a knob in the upper right corner, and it seems Keychron is sticking with the OSA profile for the V1 Ultra 8K instead of the KSA profile used in its full-sized metal counterpart.
Speculation on Switches and Software
Both keyboards are said to utilize magnetic switches according to the Best Buy listings, but this is worth examining closely. Keychron already has similarly priced wireless Hall effect keyboards with the same layouts. They are known to use only two types of magnetic switches, neither of which are labeled “Red” or “Brown” like these new keyboards. The Reddit user who bought the Q6 Ultra 8K has also mentioned that the switches seem to be standard 5-pin mechanical switches, adding weight to the theory that these are not Hall effect or TMR keyboards.
Both keyboards can also be customized using Keychron’s Launcher web-based software, which has previously received positive reviews for its ease of use and extensive customization options. However, it seems that the Launcher is currently unsure how to handle the unreleased Q6 Ultra 8K.
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