If you’re like me and know a bunch of gamers who love fast, responsive keyboards, then you probably heard them talk about the perfect gaming keyboard — low profile, super quick, and with cool features like Rapid Trigger. One keyboard that promised all that was the Zenaim HE, but let’s be honest, it was way too expensive and most people didn’t even know it existed. Now, Nuphy is bringing us the Air60HE, another low-profile keyboard with Rapid Trigger, and this time, it looks like we might have something worth checking out without breaking the bank.Disclaimer: this unit was sent out to me for testing purposed, however, NuPhy had no influence on this review.

Disclaimer: this unit was sent out to me for testing purposed, however, NuPhy had no influence on this review.

SPECS

IN THE BOX

• the Air60HE keyboard

• USB-A to USB-C cable

• Waifu poster with some manual

• spare keycaps

• dust cover

• plastic sleeve

• keycap/switch puller

DESIGN and BUILD QUALITY

Air60HE is actually 2nd low-profile HE keyboard that was released as I've mentioned already. The first one was ZenAim but that was crazy expensive and released only in Japan as far as I know. This one is very sleek, slim and compact 60% layout, wired only, connected through a cable that you insert in the left frame of the keyboard (typically for a portable keyboard that you can connect to a tablet). It features a mechanical profile switch at the back of the board called Rapid Switch by Nuphy (3 profiles available), two side LEDs, south-facing RGB, ABS nSA non shine-through keycaps (also translucent ones), a really good Shenzen Arbiter board, place-mounted stabilizers, a powerful NU2–8k-D-2407 MCU that enables 8k polling/scanning rate (that’s a different unit than the one on Field75HE), and is hot swappable with Gateron Mini Jades or Mini Jades Pro. The keyboard is very low, so I don’t think a wrist rest is required. It also has kick-out feet that enable you to change typing angles.

The bottom is made of ABS plastic that also features a nice-looking steel plate that mirrors your reflection when you look at it, the top is full aluminum. The overall look and feel is that you’re touching a durable and sturdy construction, perhaps the only part that seems a bit different to me are the kick-out feet that seem to me as if they were about to break down. Fortunately, it never happened to me though so it might be only me.

I can imagine that creating a low-profile keyboard with magnetic switches can be hard when it comes to all sound dampers etc. Looks like Nuphy’s main focus was on making sure the latency was exceptional. They skipped skip some popular parts like gasket mounts, PC/POM plates, sound dampers, and switch pads and decided to add PCB foam, plate foam, and silicone at the bottom to get a nice, clean typing sound. It’s a pity they couldn’t incorporate their Ghost Bar solution due to design constraints though, even though there are silicon dampeners around the space bar (but it’s not the same sound and quality as Ghost Bar). Still, for a low profile keyboard with Hall effect, the build quality and solutions they used are very good and you shouldn’t be let down. I can also understand why it is only wired — the technology is not ready yet, because wireless would mean higher latency and that’s not what you need when you are a pro gamer.

SWITCHES

Basically, Air60HE gets shipped with Magnetic Jades Mini as default, but you can also opt for slightly more expensive Jades Pro Mini. The difference is in initial/end force you have to use (Pros are slightly heavier to press) and sound (Pros are slighly thockier and are featured with full POM for top housing, bottom housing and stem). However, the sound difference is subtle, but the typing/gaming feel with heavier switches is noticeable. They are also nicely pre-lubed in Gateron factories, just like the plate-mounted stabs. Somehow, Gateron achieved pretty same travel distance as in regular Jades (by building the spring deep into the switch itself), which is impressive.

I’d say that Jades are becoming now the industry’s standard and are definitely my favourites as of now. But paying extra money for Pros is debatable and I don’t think it’s worth it.

Mind you, in my copy I accidentally removed some keycaps with their corresponding switches when I was doing some changes to the looks of Air60HE (especially applied to the space bar). So be careful while doing it and make sure to repress it down.

KEYCAPS

Air60HE features five-sided dye-sub nSA keycaps, built to handle heavy use with great durability. Plus, the transparent version of the nSA keycaps, introduced for the first time, adds amazing visual appeal to the Air60 HE. They really go well with the overall design choices of this keyboard, but can also be a bit distracting in a dark room if you set your RGB brightness really high.

Yet, I have to say that the texture on the translucent keycaps is more grippy than on the stock, dye-sub ones, which in my opinion are a bit too slippery, especially if you come from Cherry profiles. So, replacing them could be an option here, which I did right away.

I even used cherry profile keycaps on Air60HE which worked really well and gave me this feeling of belonging to two worlds of keebs, normal gaming ones and low profiles. I suggest you tried that because it really did the trick to me.

LATENCY

When Nuphy announced that their Field75HE was only 0.5 ms latency per key, many didn’t believe that, including me. It turned out that the latency per single press was only 0.8 ms per key (tested by RTINGS) which is incredibly fast and made the Field75HE faster than Wooting 60HE. But this arms race never stops so Wooting released their Wooting 80HE (not tested by me yet) while Nuphy accounced that Air60HE would run at 0.1 ms delay…. Taking this with a grain of salt, also knowing that Nuphy cut wireless option out to save on latency, I expected something similar. Even though, I haven’t tested that in a tech lab, I can attest that this board doesn’t choke, it’s very fast, incredibly responsive and the latency is among those 2–3 keyboards that are my main choice in this category. Obviously, to achieve such results you should use the lowest possible RT settings of 0.01 mm (yes, Nuphy software makes is possible). Waiting for some hardware to test it, I’d assume the latency of this one could be even slightly lower than Field75HE (8k polling and scanning rate would alleviate that) but honestly, no human being will be able to differentiate 1–2 ms without proper tech. Diminishing returns is the field we’re getting ourselves into more and more with each passing day.

SOFTWARE

A high-end keyboard is never complete without strong software to reach its best performance, and the Air60HE’s case is similar. Actually, this software is not something just extra — it is main thing that makes this keyboard so powerful. And from my last review on Field75HE, it has received a few updates (the dev team updates it around twice a month), including macro support.

I won’t totally sugarcoat it because bugs happen here and there (for example, there is still a bug on Mod Tap that needs to be addressed), something some profiles won’t import properly and the overall UI could be more intuitive here and there. But here are things you can do via software:

1. SOCD (Simultaneous Opposite Cardinal Directions): For gamers, especially those playing fast-paced shooters like Valorant or Quake, this feature is a game-changer. SOCD enhances your strafing by allowing precise movement inputs, improving your control in-game. Although it’s banned in some games like CS2 due to the advantage it gives, in games where it’s allowed, it’s an absolute must for serious players.

2. Rapid Shift (Rappy Snappy Equivalent): NuPhy’s software offers Rapid Shift, their equivalent of the popular Rappy Snappy feature. This feature allows for near-instantaneous key response changes, making it perfect for competitive gaming, where speed and precision are critical.

3. Hyper Shift (Rapid Dual Trigger Equivalent): Perhaps the most impressive gaming feature is Hyper Shift, which is NuPhy’s answer to DrunkDeer’s Rapid Dual Trigger. Hyper Shift counter-strafes your key input, making it incredibly useful for games like CS where timing your movement is crucial. Frankly, it feels almost overpowered, giving you a serious advantage by perfecting your strafing in intense combat scenarios.

4. 8K Polling Rate & 8000Hz Scan Rate: The software enables an impressive 8000Hz polling rate and a 8000Hz scan rate for the keyboard, something rarely seen among competitors. While many hype up the 8K polling rate, NuPhy’s development team has delivered 8K scan rate, which is actually more critical for delivering faster input times than the polling rate.

5. Rapid Trigger and Actuation Point customization with 0.01mm accuracy: The software allows for Rapid Trigger and Actuation Point customization with a precision of 0.01mm (RT) and 0.1 (AP), giving users unparalleled control over their key actuation points. This level of accuracy is perhaps even too precise for FPS gaming, but I am sure some will appreciate it. One small nitpick: it resets to default 0.01 mm even after I set it to 0.1 mm once I try to customize another key. A bit annoying.

6. Dead Zone configuration, switches recalibration (you might have to do this after a new update is released), DKS, Mod Tap, Toggle Key features.

7. Tick rate (for games that may require it like CS2), anti-wobbliness switches level and gaming optimization — all to enhance your gaming experience and reduce errors and obstacles that may come in your way

8. Comprehensive Customization: Of course, the software also includes all the standard customization options you’d expect from a high-end keyboard — key remapping, macro creation (added recently), RGB adjustments, and more. The ability to assign macros and remap keys is intuitive, allowing you to tailor your layout to suit your workflow or gaming style seamlessly.

There’s one more thing you need to know — some people from CS reported to me that Nuphy’s SOCD is not detected by server software. I checked in Quake on my side and it is true — it is indeed undetectable. That’s something you have to know before purchasing this keyboard. Looks like this war will rage on…

GAMING PERFORMANCE

It took me very little time to get used to the layout while gaming, actually, it was a flawless transition. When I needed function keys, I used Mod Tap in the software, so that I could use two functions at a time with one key. To get a better grip of WASD, I swapped the stock keys with the translucent ones and it helped. Mind you, if you’re coming from Cherry profiles, you will need some time to adapt. But once there, you will appreciate the transition. Low keycaps gave me this impression that I am faster with reaction and movement — it is probably placebo effect but we all know how well placebo feels when you change your gaming gear. Also, a gamer with heavy fingers, I really liked how Jades Mini Pro gave me feedback while gaming — I always press down keys fully, so havinf low profile switches and keycaps did the trick to me. One piece of advice: if you’re afraid it would be too much for you, try cherry keycaps on Air60HE, they work great.Air60HE has become my main now, I had to put Field75HE into a drawer — the layout was something that hooked me in for good and I don’t plan to go back now.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Nuphy deserves some real kudos for creating first (technically second but the Japanese one was not available to buy worldwide) low-profile HE keyboard. They were to choose how to cater to different needs of both gamers and people who use keyboards for productivity. I also have Wooting60HE and I prefer Air60HE in every aspect, both for gaming and productivity. Some solutions may be controversial to some people (like the side cable instead of the back one), some might even question why create a HE low-profile keyboard in the first place, or whatever else… But to me, it is a banger of a keyboard. It is small, very compact, features great switches, offers very good software and is incredibly fast and responsive. My nitpick would only be the keycaps (that you can replace of course), kick-out feet that seem a bit fragile, or some loose switches when you try to hot-swap them. I’d also like Nuphy to offer more colour options of this keyboard.Other than that, if you do like the 60% layout and how Air60HE looks like, I don’t see any reason not to try it, especially that the price is pretty affordable.

BULLET POINTS

• actually the very first low-profile HE keyboard worldwide if you skip ZenAim exclusivity for Japan

• pretty affordable for what it offers

• absolutely minimal latency with 8k polling/scanning rate

• very sleek, ultra compact, great looking

• great switches from Gateron, hot swappable

• no Ghost Bar in this keyboard due to design constraints

• very potent software

• you might wanna use different keycaps though, the stock ones are a bit slippery

• the space bar is unfortunately clacky, compared to overall good sound of the rest of the board

• works and feels also great with cherry profile keycaps

• cool translucent keycaps to pimp up the looks

• manual profile switch at the back of the keyboard (3 profiles)

• the board is only connected from the side

• good support on discord, the dev team also listens to feedback

Looks like this keyboard will stay with me for a while guys.

Thanks for reading.