Keychron Q11 Review Summary
I bought Keychron Q11 because I wanted a split keyboard with hot-swappable switches. Many of split keyboards tend to be relatively cheap, which is good, but they also tend to lack many of the keys I regularly use, like the functions keys. Which is why I opted for Keychron Q11. Not only it has more keys. But also comes with additional macro keys to compensate for any missing keys, which was neat. It also features two knobs that can be useful for a lot of stuff. I use one of them to control the volume, as that’s one of the things I prefer to have in my keyboards.
The metal chasis, along with the awesome typing feeling, and the lovely typing sound, makes this a really good keyboard to use. And probably then only split keyboard I would want to get (Not that I mind trying out another split keyboard just for the enjoyment of it).
My only complaint about is the silly placement of the left fn key, which made using the keyboard harder, even after remapping to to left CTRL, as I explained below.
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Technical Specifications
- ECHOME Split Mechanical Keyboard
- Color:- black/grey
- Material:- plastic, metal
- Connection:- Type-c wired
- Keys count:- 87 keys
- Supported OSs:- Windows 7/8/10 or macOS10.14.6 or above (It has a Windows/Mac switch on the front).
Overview
As the term “split keyboard” implies, Keychron Q11 can be split into two halves. But it’s also made so you can join the two parts & use it as a regular 75% keyboard:-
Just like the case with similar mechanical keyboards, Keychron Q11 comes with additional keycaps for basic customization. Like having command keys instead of alt, and so on.
The keyboard itself features multiple macro keys, as well as two knobs. Along with the regular keys, all these can be customized using VIA, as we will see in the rest of the review.
Typing On Keychron Q11
Keychron Q11’s keys feel so soft to the touch. I am not sure what’s the best way to describe it, but there’s certain amount of resistence to the linear red switches it came with. That makes it very stylish & posh to type on. Besides red switches, there is a version with brown switches, as well as no switches version, where you use your own switches.
The split layout takes a bit of time to get used to, specially since you are forced to press certain keys using a certain hand. In my case, there were many keys I used to press with my right hand that I had to learn to press with my left. I didn’t have any issue with the space key, since there are two of them. I can see how this keyboard can be great for playing retro MSX games & the like thanks to that.
I am not a doctor, so I can’t comment much about the actual ergonomics, but it feels nice to my shoulders being able to spread my hands while typing. Speaking of ergonomics, I highly recommend you consult an actual doctor about these things, since there’s a lot claims when it comes to what is ergonomic or not. Sometimes, it’s better to stop working altogether rather than try to get around your issues by getting a new keyboard.
One lovely advantage of split keyboards is how many unique setups I can come up with. I can, for one, place a graphics tablet in the middle of the two parts. That way, I can switch between typing & drawing any time I want, without shuffling things around. I made sure to buy a longer USB-C to USB-C cable for that purpose, since the one that comes with it is a bit short.
The internet is full of funny setups people did with their split keyboards. I once saw someone place a fan between the two parts, and in one case, someone had their cat sleep between them.
If you want, you can connect only the left half of the keyboard, turning it into a half-keyboard. That makes it a nice option to play with the mouse & keyboard, while having the more space to move the mouse.
The keyboard itself feels sturdy while typing, with no metal ding, even when I pound on the keys. The typing makes a nice sound too, this includes the larger buttons, like Enter or Shift. I say this because I noticed over the years that many of the cheaper mechanical keyboard make beautiful sound when you press the smaller keys (e.g A M Y keys), but the sound of the larger keys like Enter can be very cheesy and clunky.
The one thing I really didn’t like about typing with this keyboard is where the left fn key was placed, right to the left of the left space bar. That’s where the left ALT key tends to be in regular keyboards. I did remap it to be CTRL like I am used to (I always remap left ALT to that). That solved this particular problem, but since left ALT tends to be right below the ZX keys in regular keybvoard, more often than not, I found myself pushing the windows key instead whenever I entered certain shortcuts. This is much harder to get used to compared to the split layout. It’s the only major complaint I have against this keybaord.
Hot-Swappable Switches
As I mentioned above, one of the key features I liked about Keychron Q11 is how hot-swappable the switches are. While I already got my favorite red switches with the keyboard, it still feels good being able to experiment with different switches, rather than having to buy a new keyboard every time I wanted to try a new kind of switches, which is something I have done many times in the past.
Even if you don’t intend to replace the switches for the time being, being able to replace a broken switch within minutes can be golden at times. Specially if you don’t know how to solder. Although to be 100% fair, replacing a soldered switch doesn’t require that much of soldering skills, but there’s still some risk of damaging the keyboard if you’re not careful.
Key Customizations
Every key of the keyboard can be customized using the VIA software. I mainly used that to customize the Macro buttons, since I needed some of the missing keys, like page up & page down. VIA can be installed on your computer (where it will still need an Internet connection, sadly speaking), or simply be accessed & used from your browser:- https://www.usevia.app
Each key can be remapped to another key, or to a macro you record and many other functions. You can have multiple layers too.The two knobs on the side can also be remapped. They control the volume by default. You simply chose what key the knob sends whenever you turn it clockwise, counterclockwise, or when you press it down.
RGB Lights
For the most part, I am not a huge fan of RGB lights in PCs, but when it comes to the peripherals that stays in front of me like mice or keyboards, I tend to appreciate them more. Like almost any mechanical keyboard, Keychron Q11 supports a nice variety of them. The first time I plugged it, the rainbow RGB animation welcomed me. You can adjust the RGB from solid color, breathing, cycling between colors & more. This can be done either by using the fn key along with certain keys, or directly from VIA.
And Finally
Keychron Q11 is an expensive keyboard, even compared to many of the other keyboard, but I am satisfied with it, both when it comes to the number of keys in it, the metal chassis. It feels like the ultimate split keyboard for the most part. The one I probably won’t need to replace ever, assuming I got used to the left fn key placement (I am fine with it not being wireless or supporting bluetooth). It is great premium entry into the split mechanical keyboard. If you want something cheaper, there are many other options, but I guess they might feel less premium, and they will likely contain less keys, but they could totally serve your needs.
I hope you liked my Keychron Q11 review, and see you with another one. Check out my Fairy mobile apps here to see some of the mobile apps I developed.
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