Head-to-head · Best Premium Mechanical Keyboards

Glorious GMMK Pro vs Keychron Q1

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Glorious GMMK Pro and Keychron Q1 score essentially the same (4.2 vs 4.2). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

Ranked #1 in Best Premium Mechanical Keyboards

Glorious GMMK Pro

4.2

$300.34as of May 29

The Glorious GMMK Pro is a popular entry point into the custom keyboard hobby with its premium aluminum case and extensive customization options. While it offers excellent build quality and QMK/VIA support, it comes as a barebones kit requiring additional purchases. The stabilizers often need work, and the price is steep for what you get out of the box.

Strengths

— Premium CNC aluminum case with excellent build quality
— Hot-swappable PCB with 3-pin and 5-pin switch support
— Rotary encoder knob included for media control

Watch-outs

— Barebones design requires own switches and keycaps
— Stabilizers need lubing out of the box
— Heavy and not portable

$300.34 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Premium Mechanical Keyboards

Keychron Q1

4.2

$169as of Apr 17

The Keychron Q1 is a premium 75% mechanical keyboard that delivers excellent build quality and customization options. With its CNC aluminum case, gasket mount design, and QMK/VIA support, it's ideal for enthusiasts who want a high-quality typing experience. The main drawbacks are its weight, price, and the fact that stabilizers may need work out of the box.

Strengths

— Premium aluminum CNC-milled case with excellent build quality
— Hot-swappable PCB compatible with most mechanical switches
— Gasket-mounted design for soft, satisfying typing feel

Watch-outs

— Heavy and bulky - not ideal for portable use
— Expensive compared to plastic alternatives
— Barebones version requires own switches/keycaps

$169 · Buy at keychron.com Full review →

How they stack up

Glorious GMMK Pro

Like the Keychron Q1, the GMMK Pro is a wired 75% aluminum gasket board, but it ships as a barebones kit (no switches/keycaps) where the Q1 can be bought fully assembled. It lacks the wireless versatility of the Keychron Q3 Max and the analog Hall-effect gaming features of the Wooting 60HE+, and it is far heavier and less portable than the low-profile NuPhy Air75 V2.

Keychron Q1

The Keychron Q1 covers the same wired 75% aluminum gasket-mount territory as the Glorious GMMK Pro but can be bought fully assembled, making it the easier first board. It trades the wireless connectivity of its sibling the Keychron Q3 Max for a lower price, lacks the analog Hall-effect rapid-trigger switches of the Wooting 60HE+, and is dramatically heavier and bulkier than the travel-friendly NuPhy Air75 V2.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Glorious GMMK Pro	Keychron Q1
Layout	75% (gasket-mounted)	75% (gasket-mounted)
Case Material	CNC-machined aluminum	CNC-machined aluminum
Mounting	Gasket mount	Double-gasket mount
Switches	Hot-swap (3-pin & 5-pin)	Hot-swap (5-pin)
Connectivity	USB-C wired	USB-C wired
Firmware	QMK/VIA	QMK/VIA
Extras	Rotary encoder knob	—
Weight	3.3 lb (1.5 kg)	3.7 lb (1.7 kg)
Lighting	—	South-facing RGB

← See the full ranking of best premium mechanical keyboards