The Keychron Q3 HE is a great compact mechanical keyboard, one that offers lots of customization thanks to its Hall Effect switches.
It’s 2025 and it’s raining keyboards, be they big, small, mechanical, low-profile, RGB lights, wired, or wireless. With a cavalcade of features as vast as the acts from an 1880s Vaudeville show, the industry is busting at the seams.
Companies around the world are producing amazing keyboards, but Keychron stands out as an industry leader with its staggering array of styles, colors, and features. Unlike many manufacturers, Keychron offers keyboards targeted at Mac users with cross-platform compatibility.
The Keychron Q3 HE is one of the latest releases from the company, and I put it through an extended test drive in my search for the mechanical keyboard to earn a permanent position in my workspace.
Keychron Q3 HE review: Inside the box
The Q3 HE is a mechanical keyboard that supports 2.4GHz, Bluetooth connectivity, and wired connections with a variety of customizations. It’s an 80% Tenkeyless design, in that it loses out on the numpad usually positioned on the left-hand side.
The sturdy and well-packed Keychron Q3 HE box
It arrives in a black box with a metallic logo. The keyboard and accessories are packaged in heavy foam cutouts for maximum travel safety.
Inside the box:
- Q3 HE Max keyboard
- Quick start guide
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- USB adapter
- USB 2.4 GHz dongle
- Hex driver
- Keycap and puller tool
- Extra keycaps (for Mac or Windows configurations)
- PCB Stabilizers
- Manual
Keychron Q3 HE review: Build Quality
The Q3 HE has a metal case, and even at the reduced size, I was shocked by the weight of it. This is a very weighty compact keyboard that will withstand the rigors of daily use, and it looks stunning as well.
Keychron only offers the Q3 HE in two colors: Carbon Black and Shell White.
The Keychron Q3 HE has Hall Effect magnetic switches
The Q3 HE arrives with Gateron Magnetic Nebula switches as standard. They are the only switches available for the Q3 HE on the Keychron website.
The HE refers to the switches being magnetic Hall Effect switches, which uses magnetic field sensing to deal with switch actuations. This enables a considerable amount of customization for the user to say how much they have to press on the key for it to be counted as an actual press.
Every Keychron product I have tested thus far feels like it’s made from premium materials and constructed to last for years. The Q3 HE is no exception.
From the case to the keycaps, the adapters and tools, everything in the box feels like a white glove service.
The back of the keyboard includes a USB-C port for charging the internal battery, or using the keyboard in wired mode. There are also two switches next to the USB port.
One switch allows you to switch between Bluetooth or cable connection types. The other switch toggles between default Mac and Windows configurations.
Keychron Q3 HE review: Customization
The Q3 HE offers a wide variety of customization options. From custom third-party keycap customizations to the remapping variations available from Keychron’s proprietary Keychron Launcher tool, the sky is the limit.
The Keychron Launcher tool is web-based, and it allows you to change everything from keymapping to the internal RGB lights, as well as allowing you to add custom macros.
Rear switches and USB-C of the Keychron Q3 HE
As with previous Keychron keyboards, the Keychron Launcher requires you to connect the Q3 HE to your computer with the USB-C cable provided to customize it. You also get a USB-C to USB-A adapter, just in case you need it.
Previous versions of the Keychron Launcher did not play well with Mac and several browsers. Now, the process is smooth, and it is nice to see a manufacturer address quality of life issues.
The RGB lights on the Q3 HE are gorgeous. The contrast of the bright lights against the white metal body and keycaps makes everything pop visually in a way that dark RGB keyboards cannot manage.
Keychron Q3 HE review: In use
I used the Q3 HE for a week, prior to writing this review, and I can report that it was a very, very good experience. This is the best Keychron experience I have had to date.
The Q3 HE is the quietest mechanical keyboard I have ever used. This is a compact keyboard, and I absolutely love the tactile feel of the keys and the soft, deeply satisfying non-sound from the keys while typing.
The Keychron Q3 HE’s RGB lighting system
If you prefer to use low-profile keyboards or the Magic Keyboard, like I do, I can report that I never had a moment where I felt my hands cramping, and there was zero adjustment time needed. The Q3 HE just works for me.
The volume adjustment push knob on the Q3 HE is amazing, and it is a simple quality of life feature that I love. It certainly not something I expected, and the clickable knob made quick-muting feel satisfying.
On my workspace, I use a digital drawing tablet with my right hand and a wireless keyboard with my left hand for key commands. I need to move the tablet and the keyboard around often throughout my workday, and I find most full-size keyboards to be cumbersome in this space.
I recently tested a Keychron K10 Max, and it was on my desk when I tested the Q3 HE. As good as the K10 Max is, for me and my workspace, the Q3 HE is better.
The compact size of the Q3 HE uses the same footprint as a Mac Magic Keyboard. The heavier weight of the keyboard also prevented unwanted movement while working and playing games.
Keychron Q3 HE review: An excellent compact mechanical keyboard
The Q3 HE is an amazing mechanical keyboard, and I highly recommend it.
The retail price of the Q3 HE is $239, and that is not anywhere close to inexpensive or budget-friendly for most, but the sticker price is worth it.
You get a lot of essential keys on the Keychron Q3 HE, but not a numpad.
I have tested many Keychron mechanical keyboards, and I love the build quality, the weight, and the wide potential for customizations with the Q3 HE.
The Q3 HE has the same drawback Keychron has with most of their keyboards, namely a severe lack of case color options. With the Q3 HE, it is either black or white, nothing else.
Outside of a few small notes, the Q3 HE is excellent, and it is part of my workspace now. I am thrilled to have one.
Keychron Q3 HE Pros
- Quiet tactile keys
- Small workspace footprint
- High build quality
- Excellent customization options in software
Keychron Q3 HE Cons
- High entry price for keyboards
- Case color options are limited
Rating 4.5 out of 5
Where to buy the Keychron Q3 HE
The Keychron Q3 HE is available on the Keychron website for $239. It is also available on Amazon for $244.
