Keychron Q8 (Alice Layout) QMK Custom Mechanical Keyboard

Keychron Q8

Keychron Q8 is a 65% Alice layout all-metal mechanical keyboard. With its all-metal CNC machined body, a full-size layout, double-gasket design, QMK/VIA support, and knob option, the Q8 meets all your practical needs and gives you a high-end typing experience.

A Refined Piece of Metal Art

The entire metal body is crafted with 6063 aluminum that is processed through CNC machined, polished, anodized, sandblasted, and undergoes 24 more manufacturing stages to make this solid metal piece of art that is the Q8. 

Double Gasket Design

The Double Gasket Design is a new innovative structure in the industry. In addition to the gaskets on the plates, we added silicone pads between the top and bottom cases to significantly reduce the sound resonance between the metals and reduce the noise of the impacted metals. This design allows the keyboard to maintain the flexibility of the gasket structure and improves the overall typing sound. 

An Epic Core Inside The Keyboard

A brand new ultra-low-power MCU Arm structure that is powerful and armed with 128K Flash to provide more flexibility for developers. The polling rate is up to 1000 Hz out of the box, which makes latency non-existent for the competitive game.

OSA Profile Double-shot PBT Keycaps

For the new double-shot PBT keycaps, we built a new profile. It has a similar height to the OEM profile and has an SA-like shape. We named it the OSA (OEM spherical angled) keycap. The PBT keycaps will provide excellent oil resistance, enhance the type feel, and prevent the legends from fading out.

Switch layouts between macOS & Windows

Built with the Mac users’ experience in mind while still retaining compatibility for Windows devices, the Keychron Q8 comes with a system toggle and an additional set of customized keycaps for both Windows and macOS systems. You can now save two different layouts on the keyboard, one for each system.

Get the Q8 keymap working on VIA

To get started, please follow the steps: Download the appropriate keymap JSON file below, open VIA, turn on "Show Design tab" on "Settings" tab, and drag the JSON file into the “Design” tab on VIA to get the Q8 keymap working on VIA.
Since the VIA code for the Q8 is still awaiting approval from Github, it is not yet automatically recognized, you will need to manually download and enter the Q8 keymap.

Note: Only the right JSON file can be input, please find the right version keymap JSON file which matches your keyboard to download.

Q8  Knob Version Keymap JSON Files

Q8 Non-Knob Version  Keymap JSON Files

Hot-swappable

The hot-swappable sockets are mounted on the PCB, so you can install or change the switches without soldering. The PCB supports both 3 pin and 5 pin MX mechanical switches.

South-facing RGB LED Lights

The south-facing RGB LED is designed to better illuminate the keyboard backlight from the typist’s angle with the premium non-shine-through PBT keycaps installed. The south-facing RGB is also free from interference when the users install OEM or Cherry-profile alternative keycaps on the keyboard.

Note: The Q8's top case has sharper corners to make it much more compatible with third-party keycaps.

ANSI & ISO Layouts

ISO layout is widely used in Europe while the ANSI layout is widely used by the rest of the world.

Note: If you live in Europe, we recommend you purchase the "Barebone ISO” version with the corresponding ISO keycaps. The "Barebone ISO” is suitable for all ISO keyboard countries like the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, etc.

ANSI Layout

ISO Layout

What's in the box?

Specs