Keychron Q12 Max QMK/VIA Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard

TLDR: Overall, great keyboard experience. I simply enjoy typing on this thing and finding new ways to make myself more efficient in my work and hobbies!

Computers used on: MacBook Pro (Silicon), Windows Surface (Windows 11), I think I have used on my iPad Pro as well (via bluetooth)

I was in search of a keyboard that fit a particular want...my number pad on the left hand side and match the rest of my keyboard. Finding this keyboard skeleton was super exciting! This was also my first mechanical keyboard, so I had to look at switches and keycaps. I found a "silent" tactile option on the website and just selected a set of keycaps that look cool.

THEN I saw that I can COMPLETELY customize the keys and little wheel (not sure why this seemed super cool to me, even though I did not have a particular use in mind). The use of macros on this keyboard is SO AMAZING! In my particular profession, I type a lot, switch between browser tabs, and have certain phrases that are typed multiple times across those tabs. The new keyboard customization website is much nicer to use than the previous. There was one way to customize in July 2024 when I got my keyboard and now a Keychron specific website in Dec 2024.

I created a macro to use on the wheel. Spinning one way switches my tab to the right, the other to the left. I can customize the keys to type phrases based on the key pressed. With 3 dedicated macro keys, I can quickly create a macro to type out a sentence, or paragraph, to make repetitive tasks much faster. I have become WAY more efficient with my time using this keyboard.

The reason I wanted the number pad on the left was to ease the strain on my shoulder from reaching across the desk (is what it felt like) to get to my mouse and back to the center for typing. Now, my mouse is super close to my keyboard AND I still get the great functionality of a number pad. I just wanted it to match my keyboard, because I am a little OCD like that.... Learning to use the left hand for numbers took a little to get used to, but the left hand "enter" has been super great, too!

The keyboard is beefy, in a good way. It does not move unless you want it to. I love the "thock" from whatever the insides do acoustically, in conjunction with the switches I found.

I love the idea of a keyboard with the number pad on the left, because placement on the right means your mouse is too far to the right, and/or your keyboard is nowhere near centered on the screen. I looked into southpaw mechanical keyboards, and surprisingly few companies make them. I ordered the K12 Max.

After about a week of use, I put it aside and returned to using my old Keychron K8. Here's why:

The number pad isn't just moved. The other six keys I've grown used to using in their standard locations are move or gone:
*ins - gone
*end - gone
*del - moved up above backspace (this is the biggest issue)
*pgup and pgdn - moved and changed from lateral to vertical
*home - moved to laterally below pgup and pgdn
The movement of these keys is a problem for any touch typist who has memorized their standard locations, especially if you have other applications (like an office computer) that means you will continue to use a standard keyboard. Maybe the brain can eventually memorize touch-typing locations on two different layouts, but I don't have the time or commitment to deal with it.

Additionally, there is no illuminated indication that caps lock is on, which is inconvenient.

Quality is amazing, lighting looks great, solid as a brick and very weighty. If you can commit to relearning the layout, go for it. If you want a keyboard that only moves the number pad to the left without changing other key locations, this isn't your keyboard.

As a right handed (non southpaw) person, using the mouse with my right hand and having a full size keyboard was always odd to me, the keyboard was never centered and not ergonomic because of that. This was due to the fact the numpad was on the right side, making me move my mouse more to the right then it should and my keyboard more to the left then it should. But now with this layout my keyboard is front and center for perfect ergonomics while typing and my mouse is right where it should be for my right hand to use it. Plus I can use my mouse and the numpad at the same time!! Honestly I am guessing the original keyboard layout with numpad on the right existed because mice weren't invented yet and that made since back then.. but as soon as mice came out, keyboard makers should have switched!! I am grateful keychron sells this config!! And yes, all of that really has less to do with the quality/features of the keyboard, but I wanted to call that out for others looking at this style of keyboard. Get it!!!!

Ok now onto whats specific to Keychron and this Q Max keyboard.

First, overall great value for sure, having both bluetooth and 2.4ghz is a must for me due to working form home and having multiple devices I switch between, so thank you!!!! Also the volume knob is great, love how solid it is and clicky :). Never change that!

Second, I do wish the key caps were standard OEM Cherry style, just my personal preference though.. I went out and bought some myself and replaced them and have been very happy with them since! I will say even with the stock keycaps the stabilizers leave something to be desired.. they cause some rattle.. sometimes a little more lube helps, but I think at some point ill end up replacing them, but for now they are ok and I deal with the small rattle in some keys like spacebar, enter, etc..

Third, I do wish the lighting was normal lighting so I could use your typical shine through keycaps. Although the ones I upgraded to don't have any shine through so I just deal with no lights. Its not a deal breaker obviously, but I do miss the normal light up keycaps... Maybe if they made a OEM Cherry shine through that would work and i'd be happy :). But I don't see that happening.

Last, the switches for BT/2.4/Cable and Mac/Win.. they need to be a little bigger and more responsive, they feel soft and muddy, a little hard to tell what position its in on the connection type for sure.

So all that said I still gave it 5 stars yes.. it has some flaws for sure, but I do love this keyboard. Hoping they will one day address a few of my complaints and then ill upgrade right away to a new southpaw keyboard!!

All keycaps that are sized 2u+ on this board will get stuck toward the side you press against, so you'll need to reset its 'position' before you can start typing again.

Obviously a manufacturing defect as, for example, the space bar only gets stuck on one side. The stem isn't long enough or the hole is too deep.

Purchased with Banana switches, fully assembled. Overall, extremely happy with the board!
Five months in, and the issue I've had is with the spacebar (was experiencing double presses). Changed the switch to a Cherry MX Black, and no longer have any issues. It's likely that the banana switch is 'too light' for how hard I press and would recommend anyone else who may do the same to consider a heavier switch for that key.

Wasn't sure if I would like the 'southpaw' style at first, but I have found it to be a very enjoyable experience (not having to take right hand off mouse) and now I think it's faster. Also, Seconded for a possible 100% layout version.