Keychron Q3 HE vs Keychron Q3 Max

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Q3 HE compared with Q3 Max

	KeychronQ3 HE	KeychronQ3 Max
Overview
Released
Released	September 2024	January 2024
Typing
Layout
Layout	Tenkeyless	Tenkeyless
Switches
Switches	Magnetic (Hall effect)	Mechanical
Backlight
Backlight	RGB	RGB
Keys labelled for
Keys labelled for	Mac, Windows and more	Mac, Windows and more
Touch ID
Touch ID	No	No
Switches
Switches	Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula switches; hot-swappable with Gateron double-rail magnetic switches only; actuation adjustable from 0.2 to 3.8 mm with 0.1 mm sensitivity; screw-in PCB stabilisers	Gateron Jupiter switches (Red, Brown or Banana); hot-swappable; screw-in PCB stabilisers
Keycaps
Keycaps	OSA-profile double-shot PBT, not shine-through	KSA-profile double-shot PBT (not shine-through), or OSA-profile side-printed double-shot PBT; keycaps for Mac and Windows
Layouts
Layouts	80% TKL with a knob; ANSI; UK, German, Nordic and Swiss ISO (ISO Layout Collection, keychron.com)	80% TKL with a knob; ANSI (keychron.com); UK ISO (keychron.uk)
Backlight
Backlight	South-facing RGB LEDs; 22 RGB backlight effects	South-facing RGB LEDs
Special keys
Special keys	Programmable rotary knob; Rapid Trigger; four-in-one Dynamic Keystrokes; N-key rollover wireless and wired	Programmable rotary knob; N-key rollover wireless and wired
Connections and battery
Connects by
Connects by	Bluetooth, USB receiver and Cable	Bluetooth, USB receiver and Cable
Devices it switches between
Devices it switches between	3	3
Power
Power	Rechargeable	Rechargeable
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 100 hours	Up to 180 hours
Receiver
Receiver	2.4 GHz USB receiver at 1,000 Hz polling; Bluetooth 5.2 at 90 Hz to up to three devices; USB-C wired at 1,000 Hz	2.4 GHz USB receiver at 1,000 Hz polling; Bluetooth 5.1 at 90 Hz to up to three devices; USB-C wired at 1,000 Hz
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	4,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery; up to 100 hours with the backlight off	4,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery; up to 180 hours with the backlight off and up to 100 hours with RGB at its lowest brightness
Charging
Charging	USB-C; 1.8 m Type-C cable with a Type-A to Type-C adapter	–
Works with
Works with	macOS, Windows and Linux	macOS, Windows and Linux
Software
Software	QMK firmware; Keychron Launcher web app for actuation, Rapid Trigger, key remapping and macros	QMK firmware with VIA and the Keychron Launcher web app
Design
Weight
Weight	1775 g	1770 g (better)
Size
Size	365 × 137 mm; 22.6 mm high at the front and 35.8 mm at the back without keycaps; 2.4 mm feet; 5.2° typing angle; 1,775 g ± 10 g fully assembled	365 × 137 mm; 19.7 mm high at the front and 32.6 mm at the back without keycaps; 2.7 mm feet; 5.2° typing angle; 1,770 g ± 10 g fully assembled
Materials
Materials	Aluminium body and plate; double-gasket design	CNC aluminium body; PC plate; double-gasket design; acoustic foams
Colours
Colours	Carbon Black, Shell White (keychron.com)	Carbon Black, Shell White (keychron.com); Carbon Black (keychron.uk UK ISO)