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Tech head-to-head

Das Keyboard 4 ProfessionalvsKeychron Q1

7 years between them: the 2021 Keychron Q1 at 8.4, the 2014 Das Keyboard 4 Professional at 7.8. The older one still holds Ease of use.

Das Keyboard 4 Professional

Das Keyboard

7.8

A full-size Cherry board that runs with no driver, no account, and nothing resident in the background.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Keychron Q1

Keychron

8.4

A gasket-mounted aluminum board with QMK firmware, sold assembled instead of as a kit.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Design, Keychron Q1 ahead 8.8 to 7.4. They come closest on Durability, 9.0 to 8.9. Left of center is Das Keyboard 4 Professional, right is Keychron Q1.

Das Keyboard 4 Professional versus Keychron Q1 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Das Keyboard 4 Professional run left from the axis labels, bars for Keychron Q1 run right. Das Keyboard 4 Professional: Performance 8.2, Value 6.4, Durability 8.9, Ease of use 8.0, Design 7.4. Keychron Q1: Performance 8.8, Value 7.6, Durability 9.0, Ease of use 7.8, Design 8.8.Das Keyboard 4 Professional (left)Keychron Q1 (right)PerformanceDas Keyboard 4 Professional — Performance 8.2 out of 108.2Keychron Q1 — Performance 8.8 out of 108.8ValueDas Keyboard 4 Professional — Value 6.4 out of 106.4Keychron Q1 — Value 7.6 out of 107.6DurabilityDas Keyboard 4 Professional — Durability 8.9 out of 108.9Keychron Q1 — Durability 9.0 out of 109.0Ease of useDas Keyboard 4 Professional — Ease of use 8.0 out of 108.0Keychron Q1 — Ease of use 7.8 out of 107.8DesignDas Keyboard 4 Professional — Design 7.4 out of 107.4Keychron Q1 — Design 8.8 out of 108.8Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Das Keyboard 4 Professional

Leads on Ease of use.

  • A locked-down work machine where you cannot install anything
  • You want genuine Cherry switches and nothing added on top
  • A volume knob and a media row you can hit without looking

Take the Keychron Q1

Leads on Performance, Value, Durability and Design.

  • You want to remap every key without vendor software running in the background
  • Typing feel is worth more to you than portability
  • You expect to swap switches rather than replace the board

What each one gets wrong

Das Keyboard 4 Professional

  • You expect to remap keys — this board does not do it at all
  • You want backlighting; this model has none
  • Glossy plastic that holds every fingerprint will bother you

Keychron Q1

  • You need it to travel — this is close to two kilograms
  • Wired-only, or the wireless variant premium, is a problem

Specs, side by side

SpecDas Keyboard 4 ProfessionalKeychron Q1
LayoutFull size, 104 keys75 percent
SwitchesCherry MX Brown or Blue, solderedHot-swappable
Top panelAnodized aluminum—
ExtrasVolume knob, 2-port USB 3.0 hub, magnetic footbar—
Case—CNC aluminum
Firmware—QMK and VIA

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Is the 2021 Keychron Q1 the safer pick over the 2014 Das Keyboard 4 Professional?
Keychron Q1 leads on Performance, Value, Durability and Design. If Ease of use matters more to you, take the Das Keyboard 4 Professional instead. The 7-year gap shows in the totals as 8.4 against 7.8.
What does the 2014 model still win?
On Ease of use, yes. That axis still goes to the 2014 model. The 2021 one answers with Performance, Value, Durability and Design.
Which one ranks higher in "Three things retire a mechanical keyboard"?
Keychron Q1 sits at #1 in "Three things retire a mechanical keyboard", Das Keyboard 4 Professional at #2.