What are we doing here?

I’m glad you asked! I’ve been enjoying a new mechanical keyboard I’ve wanted to write about, but a review felt out of place and boring. A Q&A seems fun and strange, so I’m going with that.

Why should anyone care what you think about mechanical keyboards?

They probably shouldn’t, actually.

I used whatever clunky keyboads came with my first Windows computers and computer lab Macs. Then years of super-thin Apple keyboards interrupted by a Logitech MX Keys that was pretty much the same thing, a WASD CODE keyboard with cherry MX clears, a Keychron K1 with red switches, and now this new thing.

I’ve dabbled and always given up and retreated to the default, non-interesting keyboards for one reason or another.

How awkward. Let’s get this over with: what’s this new keyboard?

It’s a NuPhy Air75 V3 with Blush nano switches.

I can see you’re not going to elaborate. Why this one?

A friend stirred my mechanical keyboard curiosity again, which seems to happen every few years. A smaller desk footprint would be ideal for less mouse collision, and I’ve never actually had a nice mechanical keyboard.

(For the uninitiated, red switches are typically quiet and linear, meaning least sonically annoying and absolutely no tactile personality whatsoever.)

I decided that a keyboard represents the most significant tactile experience I have with the computer I spend lots of time on, so improving that feel would very likely increase my productivity and solve all my life’s problems.

Reviewers seemed to generally like this thing and it’s not crazy expensive, so I picked the quiet switches and went for it.

And how is it?

It actually feels great to type on.

Reviewers like to throw around the word “creamy” and it makes me wonder what sort of experiences we’re all having with cream because that word would never cross my mind otherwise. But it is smooth and pleasant and there’s something about a complete lack of secondary movement or hollowness or wobble that’s quite satisfying. Not unlike going from a car with a creaky, bouncy suspension to a sports car that seems to smoothly and capably eat bumps and stay tight to the road. I can return a library book just fine with either one, but there’s a tactile experience with the latter that leaves me faintly sad to stop driving.

Unlike my K1 with wobbly keys and the slightly warped base it came with, this NuPhy keyboard feels nicely dampened and utterly solid. The movement is all in the keys with none in the base. When I really get going the sound of it is a treat, in the same rhythmic ballpark as gentle rain on a roof.

I was also excited about the glorious little knob, to have a quickly-accessible physical control for volume and muting. Unfortunately it was disappointing and nobody seemed to mention that in reviews. The knob is stiff and unsatisfying to turn, and so close to its neighboring keys that I often end up bumping them. I replaced it with a regular key.

I don’t care much about the backlighting, but the little bars on the sides are useful and the battery life is great. Mostly I just like the feel of typing on it, enough that I’m willing to type out my password roughly a thousand times per day in lieu of Touch ID.

I can control how long it waits until going into sleep mode, but even with its defaults I spend less time waiting around when I get back to my desk for some computering.

It takes up less space on my desk, it sounds great, and I like staring idly at it.

I think even these fancy key caps are going to get worn and shiny by my caustic fingertips, but I’m starting to accept that it’s just a thing that happens that no amount of cleaning is going to solve. No material known to mankind is going to withstand the erosive force of my fingers.

What did you want that knob to feel like?

Smooth and heavy with lots of rotational resistance, like an old stereo receiver. Ideally a solid hunk of metal with a knurled barrel.

Was that was a realistic expectation at this price point?

I suppose not, but I’ve been surprised before.

Why do you prefer boring switches?

I’m a quiet person that works from home where I live with another quiet person, and I’ve previously worked around people with jackhammer keys and wanted to strangle them.

People seemed to like these “Blush nano” switches and I thought I was daring to move away from reds. Since it’s just us here I’m willing to admit that I’ve wondered what blues or browns would feel like in this keyboard. Would I want to strangle myself? Would I adapt to the noise and have a blast with key presses that feel more crisp and distinct and less mushy?

I’ve had one of those little switch tester sets for a while, which was a nice way to try them without buying multiple keyboards, but one switch can only tell you so much.

I love that this keyboard’s switches are hot-swappable—that’s a first for me—and I have some quiet tactile ones picked out that are sadly out of stock.

I’d love to let my hair down and try some not-silent switches and see if I still recognize myself a week or two later.

So would you recommend this keyboard?

For anyone thinking about it that’s on the verge, yes.

However!

I also thought about the newer Node series and I probably could have gone with that, saved a little money, and been just as happy.

It’s still low profile. Its base is not aluminum, but I honestly doubt that matters. More than one reviewer grabbed and twisted the keyboard base to illustrate how sturdy (or not) it was, but who ever does that for any reason in real life?

Instead of a disappointing knob, the Node has a touch-sensitive control I imagine feeling equally clunky and unsatisfying. If I’m wrong about that, great! If I’m not, it’s at least visually hidden and easy to ignore. The Node otherwise seems to be a similar keyboard that’s just as handsome, and I’m intrigued that they offer 3D-printable accessories for it.

Did the keyboard solve all your problems?

No. But I’ll for sure find something else to buy that will.