Keychron just made some changes to its upcoming split keyboard, the Keychron Q9. Well, it’s now called the Keychron Q8, and beyond the name change, it is also quite a bit more expensive now with a later shipping timeframe.

Originally retailing from $149 (about RM625), the Q8 now starts at $199 (approximately RM835) for the barebone kit. The fully assembled version with keycaps and switches, on the other hand, is priced at $229 (around RM960). Compared to other keyboards in the Q series, the Q8 is certainly more costly.

Aside from that, it will now start shipping sometime in April or May 2022; it was previously set between February to May 2022.

Nick Xu of Keychron also revealed a prototype of the Q8 with what appears to be the company’s OSA keycaps. Beyond its unique split layout, the Q8 should be similar to other keyboards in the Q series. These include a gasket mounting system, full aluminium body, VIA-compatible hotswap PCB, support for screw-in stabilisers, and even a knob at the top right corner.

Although it’s now priced higher than expected, it’s great to see Keychron using an unconventional split layout with the Keychron Q8. After all, it’s not a particularly popular layout. Hopefully, the Q8’s launch won’t be delayed beyond the April or May 2022 estimate.