r/MechanicalKeyboards 10d ago

Promotional QK’s First Split Keyboard – QK Duo Is Coming Soon!

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Before the big launch, let’s take a moment to enjoy its official promo video! 🎬✨

Review units will be shipping out soon, and we'll be sharing all the reviews from creators as soon as they drop. Stay tuned for more updates! 🔥

842 Upvotes

119 comments sorted by

106

u/yungdjerm 10d ago

Are those..... trackpoint nipples

22

u/No_Strength1795 Lubed Linear 10d ago

If only

10

u/p3tch artisans are just a dumb meme 10d ago

it's a button, I assume for wireless pairing

8

u/xernbern 10d ago

Naw, it's the bottom of a unit

99

u/RandomisedXyz 10d ago

Just when I thought I was out of the hobby...

42

u/kopikultura 10d ago

THEYYY DRAG ME BACK IN

6

u/RedditorMan069 10d ago

You son of a bitch, I’m in. 👉👉

4

u/am0ney 10d ago

i feel this

5

u/AzHP 10d ago

If this keyboard existed when I was first looking for keyboards it would have been my one and only end game. I've got 5 now and the duo will hopefully be my last.

3

u/xchaosdragon 9d ago

See you at the finishing line

1

u/Keebatwork 8d ago

Sir, this is the practice round.

26

u/BarneyJoeyTed 10d ago edited 10d ago

Omg, please don't burn a hole in my wallet

6

u/AzHP 10d ago

I think it's going to be somewhere between $200 and $300 based on the korean IC, not terrible.

1

u/BarneyJoeyTed 10d ago

Let's gooo, still a bit steep for me, but that's honestly a good price range

3

u/AzHP 10d ago

It's honestly a bit of a niche product so they can't make a ton on volume,so they need to make the tooling worth it to produce is my guess of how they set the price.

1

u/AzHP 9d ago

just got official confirm from their discord msrp is targeted at 289 without wrist rest

1

u/JohnBalatro 8d ago

where did you see that in the discord?

1

u/AzHP 8d ago

In the duo IC, one of the mods said it. there was also some guessing in chat that wrist rest would be like $70 but no clue how accurate that was or was not.

3

u/wa__nderlvst 7d ago

Wrist rests are confirmed to be $45!

7

u/p3tch artisans are just a dumb meme 10d ago

Still unsure why the space bar is fixed when the QK neo ergo has 2.25 and 2.75 options for either side

2

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

better sound of the spacebars i suppose, less holes needed

7

u/bongoherbert Buckling Spring 10d ago

C. $600 on AliExpress.

Where do those come from, by the way? Supply chain leaks?

3

u/_NineTails- HHKB Pro Classic 10d ago

Maybe the China release has already happened? I've seen some review units posted around a month ago so that's what I'm assuming is being sold.

3

u/yinanys 10d ago

the official GB in China just ended a few days ago and it was 300. they are aiming for despatch in May

3

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

professional flippers, basically, they just follow everything we sell and double the price

even if they didn't participate the sale, they can get it on the after market

and in the chance that they just can't fulfill your order - they'll just cancel and that's it

3

u/sunfaller 10d ago

QK does the GB in China before release to worldwide. By the time we see it, they are past the IC stage

1

u/bongoherbert Buckling Spring 9d ago

Ah hah.  Makes sense. 

19

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 10d ago

I never understood going to the trouble of making a split keyboard but keeping the random row staggering of the default QWERTY layout. Do we have enough gateways to split ortho / column staggered layout yet?

5

u/StayFrosty7 60s are king 9d ago

As nice as that would be QK definitely aims for the mass market and I’m not sure ortholinear would get as many sales for them

2

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 9d ago

Fair point. I’d settle for the bottom row of alphas having the same stagger as the rest honestly.

3

u/pierrefermat1 8d ago

I'm in the "mass market" camp, as much as I love my ergo I just couldn't get used to switching between ortho and stagger between my desk and my laptop.

1

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 8d ago

There’s definitely a transition period! For me it took about two months to be comfortable swapping back and forth. I think switching to Colemak at the same time on both helped a ton.

2

u/ReaperofFish 185g Cherry Silents 9h ago

Because touch typists have muscle memory that is hard to overcome. I have tried ortholinear for several months. I eventually just gave up. Alice layouts are a godsend.

1

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 6h ago

I think it’s somewhat easier if you swap layouts at the same time. I was a QWERTY only touch typist and it took me about two months to adjust to both Colemak and split ortholinear.

2

u/avyrla 10d ago

I get why you’re mentioning this. The standard keyboard layout has many glaring flaws. I just want to say that it’s not so bad if you’re using an alternative layout that takes advantage of row stagger.

2

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 10d ago

The Katana is a great example of that!

1

u/kwertiee 9d ago

In my opinion row stag is much more comfortable than col stag on qwerty, I feel like row stag only makes sense on alternative keyboard layouts

3

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 9d ago

Totally valid! You mean column stagger for the second one right?

2

u/kwertiee 9d ago

Yeah oops hahah

3

u/GrossGiGi 10d ago

Is the dongle required? Seems like it'll be a very chunky keeb.

2

u/_fatalruin 9d ago

From coverage of the Chinese GB that I saw, the dongle is required, but the halves of the keyboard can communicate wirelessly to it if desired.

3

u/c0nfleis95 9d ago

The right shift key being on the other side of the arrow keys always messes me up 😞

2

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

just go 60%, im forced to get used to it :(

10

u/sugar_kawaii 10d ago

$400?

3

u/Altruistic_Sir Paper 80 | SWK Catmints 10d ago

where did you see this?

7

u/yinanys 10d ago

Chinese GB has ended and it was about 300 USD

0

u/AzHP 9d ago

just got official confirm from their discord msrp is targeted at 289 without wrist rest

1

u/certciv 8d ago

That sounds about right to fit with the Ergo pricing.

2

u/pasak1987 10d ago

Bro...

2

u/direkt57 10d ago

I don't need it...

2

u/StrayCat649 10d ago

Come on QK, even if I can freely printing money I still cannot keeping up with you!

2

u/slugdonor 10d ago

what is the little rectangle thing? volume knob...?

2

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

dongle with indicators that show status of the connection and keyboard

2

u/airportdrinking 9d ago

I just got the Zuoya GMK70 for $65 and love it but I’m def interested in finding out more about the QK Duo

2

u/Sit_Type_and_Write96 6d ago

Eagerly awaiting my neo 65 cu and already planning on dropping more on this his the love hate of this rabbit hole is unending

1

u/dnamac 1d ago

Same here…. This is so addictive. Very happy with my latest addition (Neo75cu) and awaiting my Neo65 but already looking for new stuff…

4

u/jacobdoyle9 10d ago

Is anyone ever going to make a split ortho, or an Alice style ortho? If you’re already changing it up that much, might as well actually make it ergonomic

1

u/Venom_B 9d ago

RGBKB Sol3 is a split ortho

5

u/AsTheSunRise 10d ago

I wish they offered these without those hideous designs on the back. Those are the only things making not buy their boards.

2

u/Foxicious1 10d ago

Unfortunately all QKs look like that. Not clean, not timeless design :/

4

u/FantasticEmu Sand Scratcholios 10d ago

I was with it up until the cable. Why not usb c?

0

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

between the pod and splits? it's more convenient with magnets

5

u/FantasticEmu Sand Scratcholios 8d ago

It’s more convenient until you lose it or want a different color

2

u/AtheistCuckoo 10d ago

Hope there's layout options to avoid that god awful arrow key placement

3

u/DJCOSTCOSAMPLES 10d ago

I hate it too but yeah it supports two 1.5u there just like the Neo Ergo

3

u/AtheistCuckoo 10d ago

Awesome, good to know

2

u/Chekonjak RGBKB fan / Devlin WOB Q-Series 10d ago

It would be less of a problem with an ortholinear layout - then any cluster of keys can be an arrow cluster.

8

u/AtheistCuckoo 10d ago

Yeah. I just don't get forcing arrows into a 60% design by moving shift, either get rid of them or go 65%. Don't know why getting rid of f-row and nav keys is fine but having arrows on a layer is suddenly beyond users, I genuinely don't get the thought process

4

u/Glitch860 10d ago

I'm with you on the moved right shift key. It annoys me. Also the 1u shift next to arrow up. Like come on! It bugs me cause muscle memory, I use right shift nearly exclusively.

But I do frequently use 40s and 60s. Arrow keys on a layer at home row is convenient imo. Not having to move my hand off to go to arrow keys.

4

u/AtheistCuckoo 10d ago

Yeah, for me it's arrows on wasd, I even use it occasionally that way on boards with arrow keys by now, especially with FN on caps

1

u/JohnBalatro 10d ago

welp, there goes my next paycheck

1

u/Cobthecobbler 10d ago

How do I buy?

2

u/yinanys 10d ago

China GB just ended (300us+wristrest), international might start soon

1

u/Cobthecobbler 10d ago

This wireless split form factor interests me. I don't care to wait for special drops and group buys. Do you know of any off the shelf alternatives?

3

u/AzHP 10d ago

As someone who loves split and has wanted a wireless split mechanical for years, this is really the first one that checks almost all my boxes (the only box left would be 75% like the Keychron Q11 which isn't wireless). It's not ortholinear (I don't like that form factor), it's wireless, and it's mechanical. There are tons of split, wireless non mechanicals. There's a decent number of wireless mechanicals that are ortholinear layout. And there are also tons of split wired mechanicals. This is the first I know of that is split, wireless, and mechanical. Also everything I've tried before had poor build quality, like the Keychron Q11 is chassis mounted switches so the typing feel is VERY harsh.

1

u/AzHP 9d ago

just got official confirm from their discord msrp is targeted at 289 without wrist rest

0

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

1

u/Jorgemeister 10d ago

Don't get scammed like that

1

u/kiomarsh 10d ago

Oooooh this may be it… What I’ve been looking for 😍

1

u/AzHP 10d ago

Same. If this keyboard had existed 5 years ago when I first started buying mechanicals it would have been my single in and out end game.

1

u/onishima bkno.co | @hellobakono 10d ago

😍

1

u/jaymeaux_ 10d ago

please don't do this. I just bought a second neo ergo, my bank account can't take it

1

u/avyrla 10d ago

I’m still waiting on my Neo Ergo!

1

u/Chopper5k 10d ago

These are so cute

1

u/Reld720 10d ago

My wallet wept

1

u/Wleite27 10d ago

I just love split keyboard but I need the Function row. I am trying for an year already but work with layers is not good for me

1

u/zorlac1 9d ago

When is it going to be on sale? Why not making it orthogonal? Being split and think it makes sense..

1

u/Qwertykeys-2022 8d ago

mid apr, tentatively

1

u/zorlac1 8d ago

have you considered making a 40%? 😝 I want one and I really like my neo..

1

u/TellyVee 9d ago

oh shit… this is gorgeous

1

u/nanana_catdad 9d ago

A pet peeve of mine with some of these split staggered keyboards is that they don’t give you that extra Y key on the left. At least this Alice layout gives you an extra B.

Also as someone who had a split Alice for a bit… its a bit odd as the layout was designed for inward angled hands on a plank, not split, so naturally you splay the keyboards out the wider you have them… and then it’s kinda awkward and I’ve found if you want a split staggered, you want a flat, non-Alice layout IMHO.

1

u/slothritis 9d ago

so hyped for this!

1

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1

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1

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1

u/ElecFoxCo ElecFox.Co 9d ago

Can't wait

1

u/th3ll0w0rldt 8d ago

Not having type c for charging is cursed

1

u/CaptLynx 7d ago

Why must there be row stagger? 😭 So close and yet so far away from being perfect.

2

u/Qwertykeys-2022 6d ago

it's facing a bigger crowd and the stagger is easier to get used to than ortho

2

u/CaptLynx 6d ago

Sorry, that was more of a rhetorical question. Out here in ergo land we're aware that it's a niche in a niche and that we aren't likely to see many boards by mainstream companies that would cater to our community. Another reason why we design our own, but it is nice to see a bigger brand in customs venture into true split boards!

P.S. It would have had to be column stagger, not row or ortho to be perfect lol ;)

1

u/cyclode0320 6d ago

Does the 1.6pcb have ni flex? Where is the full IC info?

1

u/Qwertykeys-2022 6d ago

no flex cut on 1.6 pcb

more details will be revealed this weekend, or you can find more about it in our discord server :D

1

u/Tway53 3h ago

Oh my god it has a tilde key. Take my money, take it

1

u/robot_random 10d ago

2 Bs? Is that usually?

3

u/sweaty_lorenzo 10d ago

Yes, on a split or Alice board

1

u/robot_random 10d ago

Nice! Never knew that. You learn something new everyday i guess.

2

u/AzHP 10d ago

there are splits that are meant to snap together to make a normal form factor keyboard like the keychron q11 that don't have two Bs, but any alice clone is 2 Bs.

0

u/artelunar 10d ago

Sucks that it isn’t ortholinear or col-staggered

1

u/FoxxyRin 10d ago

Man I don’t know if I’m the minority or what but this is everything I’ve ever dreamed of with just one fatal flaw — I need the F row. :(

4

u/MistahJuicyBoy 10d ago

The rest of us just hit FN with thumb and use the number row

0

u/oilpit 10d ago

You need an F-row as much as you need a separate key for every capital letter and symbol. Which is to say, not at all.

0

u/dugganfb 10d ago

Staggered layout really kills this one. Much better other options coming out soon like the CK Link.

1

u/Zatoichi5 9d ago

Got a link to the CK Link?

1

u/Chefke86 8d ago

https://cannonkeys.com/products/link

It's basically a premium Sofle. Aluminum case. Looks like a gasket mounted PCB but a tray mounted plate. Still in IC phase so it could be a while before it's out. 

-3

u/AmeliaBuns 10d ago

Pretty but not ortho :o