Mechanical keyboards are so popular right now. People love their positive and clacky action compared to the soft and spongy feel of a membrane keyboard. However, some Mac users find the chunky look of a mechanical keyboard detracts from the aesthetic of their computer. So, how about a mechanical keyboard that looks as if it were made to go with a Mac?
That’s what keyboard brand NuPhy thought, too. The company has just announced the NuPhy Air75 V3, a new and low-profile mechanical keyboard with a 75% ANSI layout and 83 keys. It looks like it was designed with Mac users in mind, thanks to its 220-grit anodized finish, which gives it a sophisticated look that chimes with the keyboard’s minimalistic colorways.
Thin And Light NuPhy Air75 V3
The new Air75 V3 is the third generation of NuPhy’s low-profile keyboard and it has plenty of innovations and improvements. This new iteration of the Air has been on a diet and now measures just 13.2mm thick, making it easy to carry around for use with a MacBook without weighing down a workbag.
Like most of NuPhy’s keyboards, there is a hardware switch for changing the keyboard from Windows to Mac layouts. A hardware switch is so much easier to use than keypresses. Also, there are modifier keycaps in the box for both Windows and Mac users, making the keyboard suitable for use with either operating system.
Other new features include a programmable rotary knob, which can be used as a volume control or whatever else you want it to do. The switches on the Air75 V3 now offer as much travel as a high-profile keyboard, even with an ultra-low profile.
There is a choice of three types of switches: Blush Nano, Brown Nano and Red Nano. All three switches are Gateron 3rd generation low-profile and made completely from polyoxymethylene with a travel distance of 3.5mm.
Hot-Swappable Switches
The Blush Nano switches are completely silent, making them a suitable choice for a busy office. For those who prefer something with more clack, the Brown or Red switches should suffice and all switches are hot swappable.
The battery fitted to the NuPhy Air75 V3 has also been transformed. The rechargeable battery has a capacity of 4,000mAh, which means it can run for up to 1,200 hours with the RGB backlights turned off, which is more than 900 hours more than the NuPhy Air V2. Using a bigger battery reduces the strain from constant recharging and makes the keyboard suitable for portable use away from the office.
Variable Typing Angle
As well as being slim and light, the new Air75 V3 has a variable typing angle with kickstand legs offering 4, 8 or 10 degrees of slope. With 108 keys and a full row of function/multimedia keys designed to make the keyboard both agile and adaptable.
When it comes to connectivity, there are three options with the NuPhy Air75 V3. For starters, there is plain old Bluetooth which can switch between three different devices without the need to re-pair. This feature means you can have the keyboard connected to a computer, tablet and smartphone or a second computer and switch between them with a keystroke.
The second connectivity option is 2.4GHz wireless. This uses a high-speed wireless link with a 1,000Hz polling rate, which means much lower latency than using Bluetooth, making the wireless option as responsive as using a wired connection. This is suitable for gamers who want the freedom of a wireless connection but with the agility of a USB connection. Finally, there is a USB-C port for connecting the Air75 V3 to a computer and it is also used to recharge the built-in battery.
Easy Configuration With NuPhy IO
Other features on this new keyboard worth noting are two multi-segment LEDs, which NuPhy calls a Rhythm RGB Light Bar. The one on the right is a battery charge display, while the bar on the left side shows status like Caps Lock. The side bars can be customized.
Finally, NuPhy has developed a web-based configurator for the NuPhy Air75 V3, which is easy to use. Simply connect the keyboard to a Mac or PC and then, using HID-compatible browsers, such as Google Chrome, you can reprogram the Air75 V3’s keys. It’s an elegant solution with drag-and-drop keycaps, enabling complete remapping of the keys.
Pricing and Availability:
The new NuPhy Air75 V3 low-profile mechanical keyboard is on sale now at the NuPhy website and is priced at $139.
Tech Specs:
- Model: NuPhy Air75 V3.
- Layout: 75% ANSI with 83 keys.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth (x3) / 2.4GHz RF dongle / USB-C.
- Colorways: Black or Silver.
- Switch options: Gateron 3rd Gen Blush Nano, Red Nano, Brown Nano.
- Hot-swappable: Yes.
- Switch material: POM.
- Case: 220-grit zirconium sand anodized.
- Battery: 4,000mAh (up to 1,200 hours in low-power mode).
- Structure: Gasket.
- Custom knob: Yes.
- Typing angles: 4, 8, 10 degrees.
- System support: Windows / macOS / Linux.
