CES 2026: Keychron unveiled the Q Ultra and V Ultra keyboard series with up to 660 hours of battery life
By ForGeeks
Keychron’s wireless mechanical keyboards have always had good battery life, albeit not record-breaking. The Keychron Q13 Max, for example, lasted about 83 hours, enough for one to two work weeks, but you still have to charge it about once a month. The situation is similar with Keychron K4 HE, which showed about 100 hours of stable work. But the company’s new flagship keyboards promise to take battery life to a whole new level — we’re talking months between charges, not weeks.
The new Keychron Q Ultra mechanical keyboards retain all the familiar wireless connectivity and customization via the Keychron Launcher familiar from the Max series, but move to ZMK firmware. It’s known for its high power efficiency and is often used in lightweight split ergonomic keyboards. It is thanks to it that Keychron claims a battery life of up to 660 hours. The exact battery capacity has not been disclosed yet, but it is known that the Q1 Ultra, Q3 Ultra and Q6 Ultra models will be the first in the Q Ultra lineup. They differ in layout, but share the same gasket-mounted design, common internal architecture and similar specifications.
Keychron Q6 Ultra — is a full-size wireless mechanical keyboard with a number pad, full navigation cluster, and an enlarged zero key. Above the number pad are macro keys, and the row of function keys includes a customizable encoder. The Q3 Ultra uses a TKL layout: there is no number pad, but the arrows, navigation keys and encoder are retained. The Q1 Ultra is 75% — it also retains the arrows and encoder, but sacrifices some of the navigation keys for a more compact layout.
The Q Ultra series keyboards all feature a CNC-milled aluminum body, gasket mounting, internal damping inserts, and a redesigned aluminum encoder. Its design resembles the Keychron Q1 HE 8K, but is not a complete copy. Keychron’s signature Keychron KSA double-cast PBT keycaps with retro design, which have worked well in previous models, are used. The polling frequency is 8,000 Hz — a parameter that even gamers are unlikely to notice, but which is gradually becoming the new standard. Connectivity is via 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth and USB Type-C wired.
The Keychron Q Ultra keyboards will be sold through the company’s official online store. The Q1 Ultra and Q3 Ultra models are priced at $229.99, and the Q6 Ultra — $239.99.
At the same time, Keychron introduced the more affordable V Ultra series, which borrows much of the Q Ultra’s innovations but utilizes a simplified case and different keycaps. The lineup includes the V1 Ultra with a 75% layout, the V3 Ultra in TKL format, and the V5 Ultra with an 1800 layout instead of a full-size layout like the Q6 Ultra. The V5 Ultra retains the number pad and customizable encoder, but uses a 1u-wide zero key and a stripped-down set of navigation keys placed above the number pad. This layout is reminiscent of the Epomaker Galaxy 100, but takes up even less space, freeing up extra mouse room.
The V Ultra Series is different in a number of other ways. These include the OSA profile keycaps, which are also made of dual PBT plastic. They feel closer to Cherry or OEM profiles and are noticeably different from KSA. The plastic case makes the keyboards lighter and easier to carry.
The Keychron V1 Ultra, V3 Ultra, and V5 Ultra wireless keyboards will go on sale in late January, though an exact launch date has not yet been announced. They’ll be available in black and white with a minimalist design and a red Escape accent key. The V1 Ultra and V3 Ultra will cost $114.99, and the V5 Ultra — $119.99.
