The NuPhy Air75 is a compact (75%) mechanical keyboard with low-profile keycaps and a slim frame. Its connectivity options are outstanding, as you can use it wired with its charging cable or wirelessly with its USB receiver or Bluetooth. You can also pair it with up to three devices simultaneously. The Gateron Low-Profile Brown switches offer a comfortable and light typing experience, but you can get this keyboard with low-profile clicky Blue or linear Red switches. Also, it's hot-swappable, meaning you can change out the stock switches for any of your choosing. Its low-profile, spherical PBT keycaps feel nice on the fingertips, and overall, the keyboard feels very well-built. Unfortunately, the key legends aren't shine-through, so you can't see them with the RGB backlighting on in the dark. Also, its compact size could take some getting used to, as the keys are slightly closer together than standard spacing.
Disclaimer: Owners of this keyboard in the broader community have reported it can develop a swollen internal battery, typically after one to two years of ownership, but unrelated to rough handling or misuse. For more details, see the Wireless Versatility section below.
Our Verdict
The NuPhy Air75 is a remarkable keyboard for gaming use. Thanks to its low-profile switches, the pre-travel distance is incredibly short, meaning keypresses feel responsive. It feels well-built and comfortable to use without a wrist rest, thanks to its low profile. Its latency is great, meaning games will feel fluid and responsive. Also, every key is macro-programmable, and its companion software allows for profile creation and RGB lighting customization. Unfortunately, the RGB backlighting doesn't shine through the keycaps, so the legends are hard to see in the dark.
- Great latency.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
The NuPhy Air75 is a very good keyboard for office use. It has a low-profile design that's comfortable for long periods as you don't need to bend your wrists upwards. It feels well-built, and the Gateron Low Profile Brown switches offer a light typing experience with a nearly instant tactile bump. These switches are also quiet to type on, so they're well-suited for use in an open office environment. Unfortunately, the key legends aren't shine-through, which is disappointing if you tend to work in dark environments as it's harder to see the keys.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- Supports multi-device pairing with up to three devices.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
The NuPhy Air75 is a great keyboard for mobile devices and tablets. It feels very well-built and has a slim design that's easy to carry around. You can connect it wirelessly with its USB receiver or Bluetooth, and it supports multi-device pairing with up to three devices. There's a switch at the top of the keyboard to set your connection type and set the operating system you're using with the keyboard. It's mostly compatible with all operating systems, though a few keys don't work on Linux, iOS, Android, and iPadOS. Unfortunately, it's a bit heavier than some dedicated travel keyboards.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- Supports multi-device pairing with up to three devices.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
The NuPhy Air75 is a great keyboard for programming. The Gateron Low Profile Brown switches offer a light typing experience with a nearly instantaneous tactile bump. Notably, it's hot-swappable, so if you don't like the feeling of the stock switches, you can change them out for ones you prefer. It feels very well-built and comfortable for extended use even without a wrist rest. Using a switch at the top, you can set the keyboard's operating system and connection type, and it pairs with up to three devices wirelessly. Also, all keys are macro-programmable. Unfortunately, while it has outstanding RGB backlighting, the key legends aren't shine-through, so you can't read them in a dark environment.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- Supports multi-device pairing with up to three devices.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
The NuPhy Air75 is a decent keyboard for a home theater PC setup. You can use it wirelessly with a USB receiver or Bluetooth, so you won't worry about running a cable to your HTPC. Although it doesn't have a trackpad or a volume wheel, it does have media hotkeys, so you can navigate through media very easily. It does have full RGB backlighting, but the key legends aren't shine-through, so you can't see them in a dark environment.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
- No trackpad.
- Low-profile design feels comfortable to use.
- Feels very well-built.
- Keycaps aren't shine-through.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 21, 2024:
We've added a link to the newly-reviewed NuPhy Nos75 in the Typing Quality section.
- Updated Jun 03, 2024: We've added a disclaimer to several places in this review, including the Introduction, Build Quality, and Wireless Versatility sections regarding reports of potential of battery swelling.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Nov 16, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed NuPhy Air75 V2 in theSingle-Key Latency section of this review.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the NuPhy Air75 with Gateron Low Profile Brown switches and the low-profile COAST keycaps. You can buy a different color of keycaps and a folio travel case for an additional cost. You can check out the label of the unit we tested here.
Note: Initially, this keyboard was only available with Gateron Low Profile Brown, Red, or Blue switches. This keyboard is now available with updated Gateron Low Profile 2.0 Brown, Red, or Blue switches and can no longer be purchased with older ones. These newer Gateron Low Profile 2.0 switches are similar to the originals but are now pre-lubed from the factory and have a longer total-travel distance.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The NuPhy Air75 is a low-profile 75% compact mechanical keyboard. It's very similar to low-profile models from Keychron, like the K1 and K7, and the NuPhy even has the same switch system at the top of the keyboard to toggle between connection types and operating systems. However, the NuPhy Air75 has much better latency than these Keychron models, so it's well-suited for gaming use. Compared to other low-profile gaming keyboards, it's one of the few that comes in a compact size and is hot-swappable, making it a unique entry in the market. Also, the low-profile, spherical PBT keycap design is a rare feature that many other low-profile keyboards lack, as they tend to use ABS plastic for their keycaps.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best mechanical keyboards, the best wireless keyboards, and the best quiet keyboards.
The Keychron K3 and the NuPhy Air75 are both compact, low-profile mechanical keyboards intended for different uses. The Keychron is better suited for office use, whereas the Nuphy is better for gaming since it has better latency, and every key is macro-programmable. Also, it uses PBT keycaps rather than ABS. On the other hand, the key legends on the Keychron are shine-through, so you'll be about to see your keys in the dark. The NuPhy is hot-swappable, and the Keychron also comes in a hot-swappable variant, so you can change out the stock switches without soldering.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 and the NuPhy Air75 are two compact mechanical keyboards, but the NuPhy performs better overall. The NuPhy uses PBT keycaps, which feel more premium. It has much better latency, better ergonomics thanks to its low profile, and has companion software for easy customization. On the other hand, the ROYAL KLUDGE comes in a 60% form factor rather than 75%, so if you don't need arrow keys or any navigational buttons, it's more compact.
The Logitech MX Keys Mini and the NuPhy Air75 are both compact keyboards with outstanding wireless connectivity options; however, they have some key differences. The NuPhy uses low-profile mechanical switches, and it's hot-swappable, meaning you can change those switches out at any point without having to solder. Also, every key is macro-programmable, and it has full RGB backlighting and much better latency. On the other hand, the Logitech uses scissor switches, and its white-only backlighting shines through the key legends, meaning you can see them in the dark.
The Ducky One 3 and the NuPhy Air75 are two similarly performing mechanical keyboards, but they have some key differences. The NuPhy Air75 is a low-profile keyboard that uses low-profile mechanical switches, while the Ducky has a standard, high-profile. Both keyboards are hot-swappable. The NuPhy only comes in a 75% compact size, but the Ducky has a few different size and color variants. Also, the Ducky doesn't come with companion software, but you can customize the board using hotkeys and switches on the board itself.
Test Results
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