Keychron Q6 Max: Two-minute review
The Keychron Q6 Max is a premium mechanical keyboard that doesn’t come cheap. But nor should it, considering how many high-quality features Keychron has managed to cram into it. You’ll pay a pretty penny, but this is a board that will give you years of typing satisfaction.
From the rock-solid aluminum construction and ear-pleasing acoustics to the superb typing feel and hot-swappable switches, this is a keyboard made for those who want the best. Its large size isn’t for everyone, but chances are you’ll love it.
While there are a few drawbacks – aside from the price, its software quirks and phenomenal weight are worth considering – they’re not enough to do any serious damage to our final assessment. This is one of the best mechanical keyboards you can buy right now.
Keychron Q6 Max: Price & availability
- How much does it cost? $219 / £193 / $349 AUD
- When is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available globally
The Keychron Q6 Max costs $219 (£193 or $349 AUD). It’s undoubtedly expensive, but this is an unashamedly premium board. You can buy it from Keychron’s website, Amazon, and other third-party retailers.
Keychron Q6 Max: Design
Let’s get straight into the first thing you’ll notice about the Keychron Q6 Max upon unboxing it: this thing is built like an absolute tank. Its chassis is made from heavy, dense aluminum, weighing in at 4.85lbs (2.2kg) on my scales. It’s far too heavy to sling around in a backpack, and I’m honestly not sure if it would be more accurate to characterize it as a keyboard or an offensive weapon. All that weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, as it feels incredibly well made and is a far cry from the cheap plastic builds of more affordable keyboards.
Its quality is felt in other ways. The keycaps are made of double-shot PBT plastic, which gives them a subtle texture and means that the legends will never rub off. They come in an absolutely gorgeous off-white and navy blue “Carbon Black” design with teal highlights on the Esc and Enter keys (there’s a creamy gray alternative color scheme, but I only have eyes for Carbon Black). It looks even better with the south-facing RGB enabled, which comes with 22 different lighting styles.
This is a full-size keyboard, which means there’s a numpad and four macro keys on the right-hand side. This is ideal if you work with data or just like having the numbers close to your mouse hand, but it can get in the way, especially during gaming.
Nestled at the end of the function key row is a control knob. By default, turning it adjusts your computer’s volume and pressing it in mutes or unmutes your sound. Its function can be adjusted using Keychron’s Launcher web app, which I’ll come back to in the Performance section.
Around the back are two switches: one to flip between Bluetooth, wired or 2.4GHz connectivity, and another to change from Windows to macOS keyboard layouts (there are also Windows and macOS-specific keycaps in the box). These switches are quite stiff, and the former is particularly problematic because it’s very difficult to find the middle (wired) position. They would also be easier to access if they were on the side of the keyboard, as is the case with some of Keychron’s other products.
There aren’t many other things to criticize about the design, but a wrist rest would be a welcome addition (you can purchase a Keychron wrist rest separately, but none come included with the Q6 Max). You also can’t adjust the height of the board, and I had to wedge a thin book underneath to get it to the height I’m used to. With its current weight, perhaps it’s no surprise that the Q6 Max lacks height-adjustable feet or stands.
Keychron Q6 Max: Performance
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One of the most important aspects of any keyboard is the way it feels to type on, and the Q6 Max is excellent in this regard. My review unit shipped with Gateron Jupiter Brown switches, which provide a tactile bump without being loud and clicky. They feel brilliant to type on all day long. I also didn’t find any issues with key ghosting in my testing.
As for gaming, the Q6 Max performs pretty well here too. The Jupiter Brown switches are fast enough in FPS games for all but the most hardcore of pro gamers, while remaining comfortable during long sessions. The main issue, though, is the numpad, which can get in the way of your mouse from time to time.
The Q6 Max has hot-swappable switches that can be quickly and easily replaced thanks to the included keycap/switch puller. My review unit came with a set of tactile Gateron Jupiter Banana switches as well as the Browns, and they feel firmer to the touch and require a little more force to press. They also produce a very slightly deeper, more “thocky” sound. Keychron says the Q6 Max will work with almost any 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches on the market, giving you a great deal of flexibility and customization.
Aside from feel, how does the keyboard perform acoustically? Well, the good news is that the Q6 Max sounds fantastic in use. Keychron has built in a double-gasket mount and stuffed the board with acoustic foam, and the result is a soft, clacky acoustic profile that is satisfying to the ear without driving your coworkers mad.
Keychron has a Launcher web app that taps into the board’s QMK compatibility and is used to adjust backlighting, create macros, change key bindings, and more. It requires the keyboard to be in wired mode and only works in Chromium based browsers like Chrome and Edge, which is less than ideal. You can also use the VIA web app to perform many of the same tasks. While these web apps are powerful and straightforward, they feel like a half-baked solution compared to a dedicated desktop app.
For instance, these web apps can’t display the keyboard’s battery life, so you have to look elsewhere for that. You’ll find it on the system Bluetooth settings page in Windows and macOS, or by pressing Fn+B, which lights up the numbers one to zero to indicate battery level (each key represents 10%). Having to open a different app to find out your battery status feels sub-optimal, although the keyboard shortcut is a neat trick.
Should you buy the Keychron Q6 Max?
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| Value | There’s a difference between expensive and overpriced, and the Keychron Q6 Max is the former but not the latter. It’s pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for. | 4.5/5 |
| Design | The Keychron Q6 Max is highly customizable, looks amazing, and is full of top-quality features. | 5/5 |
| Performance | Beautiful typing feel and sweet-sounding acoustics. | 5/5 |
| Average rating | If you’re after a full-size keyboard and don’t want to compromise on quality, the Keychron Q6 Max is a superb choice. | 5/5 |
Buy the Keychron Q6 Max if…
Don’t buy it if…
Keychron Q6 Max: Also consider
How I tested the Keychron Q6 Max
I spent a week with the Q6 Max, using it as my daily driver for everything from writing articles to playing games. I changed out its switches to see how easy the process was, and tested Keychron’s web app and QMK/VIA functionality.
First reviewed November 2024
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
