The best low-profile 75% mechanical keyboards? (REMATCH)
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- Опубліковано 5 сер 2024
- Ding ding! It's time for round 2 of the low-profile 75% mechanical keyboard royal rumble and this time we're comparing the Lofree Flow, Keychron's K3 Max, and Nuphy's Air75 V2. I explore all the key differences and put each through their paces to help you find which of these is best for you.
🛒 PRODUCT LINKS
Lofree Flow (direct): bit.ly/4ajQWh6 (use code TMG for 10% off any order)
Lofree Flow (Amazon): geni.us/irT1N7
Nuphy Air 75 V2: bit.ly/46hzRlV (use code TMG10 for a 10% discount!)
Keychron K3 Max: bit.ly/4aVrHlZ
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⌚️TIMESTAMPS
0:00 : Intro
0:52 : Pricing
1:31 : Design & build quality
4:09 : Features & functionality
9:43 : Typing test
10:59 : Conclusion
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Which one of these keyboards comes out on top for you?
My rankings:
1. Lofree Flow v2.0 (coming in 2024 with QMK/VIA etc)
2. Lofree Flow current version, with Ghost Linear switches, XVX shine through keycaps and 30A O rings. Best typing experience. Excellent power management.
3. Nuphy Air 75 v2.0 with Cowberry switches, XVX shine through keycaps and 30A O rings. Best for features.
4. Lofree Flow current version, with Phantom tactile switches (switches are too heavy/fatiguing for my liking).
5. Keychron K3. Power management, bluetooth wake, battery life etc is still terrible. Rattly, cheap keycaps. Feels very generic.
@@bojack3827 I gotta get my hands on a set of Cowberry switches.
@@bojack3827approximately when in 2024 can we expect lofree flow?
For me, the whole point of a mechanical keyboard is the quality of the typing action and sound. In that regard, the Lofree comes first for me.
@@bojack3827 Where did you read that there will be a Lofree Flow with QMK/VIA support? I can't find an article about that 😅
great video but tbf I prefer when the rgb shines thru keycaps showing what letters I am pressin
OMG THE LOFREE SOUNDS SO GOOD - great info, man!!!!
They just released a new keyboard which sounds/feels just as nice! ua-cam.com/video/DrIcLfMT2rc/v-deo.html
I’d love a low profile board as I had only used laptop keyboards till high school when I graduated to a full size membrane. (Didn’t tough mechs till college) The lack of keycap options though has kept me from going back.
Great comparison video, I've got these 3 in my sights but can't decide which one to get. Being in UK, the Keychron has the option of the UK ISO layout but really not sure if that's a deal breaker at all on the other two!
Yeah I’ve been using all three of these for a while and I’ve never found lack of ISO a problem! Thanks for the feedback Dean 👍🏻
Thanks. I like the Keychron K3 Max. Difficult to get.
Yep, I was lucky to get one in the preorder. Keychron seem to like to carry limited stock of new runs.
Which is your personal favourite? I have the lofree, and am enjoying it but am wondering whether I would like either of the two more?
On paper the smart choice is the Nuphy. You get absolutely tons for your money and their customer service is top notch too. Even though I went with the Wistera switches, I also like their Daisy switches if you want a good all-round linear option.
But for me (even though it doesn’t have as many features) the Lofree’s typing sound and feel is just sublime. Nothing I’ve tried can touch it for typing experience alone.
All that being said, Keychron’s new one isn’t a bad choice. Very responsive and well-built whilst being pretty portable and excellent value for money. Even with the new dampening added, it’s just a tad too rattly for me after using the Lofree.
I was about to get the key keychron k3/s1 with the brown switches, but they are quite high pitched and loud. I currently am trying a sharkoon purewriter tkl with the low profile Kailh blue switches and writing on it is orgasmic 😍, but the noise they make is pretty much the same as the gateron browns on the key keychron you are showing. Definitely too loud for when gaming (even with the headset I use). I was using a ducky one 2 mini with cherry silent reds and apart from the keys being too bulky and sensitive when writing, it's great for gaming. I know I want a low profile keyboard. Should I maybe take this keychron but with gateron reds or the sharkoon with kailh reds?
Yes. I have used browns on the Keychron K3V2 but they sounded completely different. These were much higher pitched. I will probably try reds next time or try to mod them to reduce the rattle. Can highly recommend the Nuphy V2 with Daisy switches - there’s a full review and sound test of this setup over at ua-cam.com/video/UgGYEaTf3ZI/v-deo.html
@ThatMarkGilroy you mean there are big differences between Gateron, Keychron, Kailh browns and even between normal and low profile ones?!
@@dereklang4451 The switches not so much. But the keyboards and the way the sound moves around them, can be night and day difference. I tried Gateron low profile reds on a bunch of keyboards and they sounded/felt slightly different on them all.
I know. Minefield.
Honestly - I’d give the Nuphy a look with either Daisy or aloe switches.
excellent information
Glad it was helpful!
To me, the features and battery life alone makes Air75 superior to both. I ordered the cowberry switches and the shine-though keycaps.
DO U LIKE IT NOW?
@@mikeyd9953 I love it, also bought a 2nd one for my office
Lofree is way more premium in terms of quality amd sound
@redzeppelin6659 I would agree with that. And battery life doesn’t matter that much to me (unless it’s terrible)- I’m usually not far from something that can top it up. Sound/feel are top of my priorities when choosing a keyboard.
Could you please advise between Keyboard Lofree and Keyboard Nuphy, which one would you choose? Which one did you like the most? This is my first time choosing for myself, and it's very hard to make a decision without making a mistake.
I understand the challenge, it’s so hard to know what to choose.
In my opinion, the best value for money and all-rounder is the Nuphy. I like their Daisy or Aloe switches best but the Wisteria are also a nice bumpy tactile number if you like that style of switch. This keyboard also lets you do all sorts with lights, is height adjustable and has a great battery life.
The Lofree is more expensive, has a shorter battery life, fewer options for lights etc. BUT the typing experience on the ghost/white switches is unmatched. It’s sublime to type on. If you care most about the typing experience over everything else I’d go for the Lofree. If you’re not too bothered about the typing feel/sound, the Nuphy is the best all rounder (and still feels/sounds great).
Thank you for your response. Could you tell me if the Aloe keyboards are not too loud? I currently have a Logitech MX keyboard.
@@i_help_you Any mechanical keyboard will be louder than the MX. I’d go for something like Red, Aloe or Cowberry for a similar feel. I’ve heard good stuff about Cowberry.
How do you think the Monokei Systems upcoming low profile keyboard will stack up in comparsion with these? It looks nice, but it's more expensive than the Lofree with a similar feature set.
I’m going to try and get hold of this as it looks stunning!
Make a video if you do!@@ThatMarkGilroy
So, Mark, which one was your favorite typing experience and why?
Based purely on typing experience, it's the Lofree Flow. It sounds and feels sublime.
Any idea if the Keychron keyboard works in wired mode at all, or does is it always use Bluetooth?
Yes, the Keychron Max works with Bluetooth, 2.4ghz and wired modes. You need to have it in wired mode to use QMK.
Qmk?
Sorry, VIA!
Thanks for the comparison. The Keychron is my favorite followed by the Nuphy. Its a real shame I cant get any of these. None of them support UK ISO layout
Hopefully Keychron will release an ISO UK version in the future- they’ve done with with pretty much all the other K3 models. Nuphy…not so sure.
Does it really matter? There aren't that many differences. I was used to ISO DE Layout and it wasn't that hard to change (at least in English).
@@poppers7317 I don’t find it makes a huge difference to me but can see if someone has to switch between different options for home/work keybs it would become annoying.
Thanks man. If possible then you could help on something
1. I am very much confused between LoFree Ghost vs Phantom. I haven’t yet found any detailed comparison for sound, keypress differences wrt force and other things.
2. It would also be great to see comparison of LoFree Phantom vs LoFree Ghost vs Nuphy Wisteria vs Nuphy Cowberry.
3. Sharing specs is ok. What I am looking for is real life battery duration comparison of all LoFree vs Nuphy (lights on & off)
Happy to help mate.
1) I haven’t tried the Phantoms but the general consensus from the other reviews I’ve seen/read is that the ghost switches are far superior. The bump on the phantoms is for many a little too heavy,
2) In my Nuphy Air75 v2 deep dive (linked in description) I trial the Daisy switches which are pretty close to Cowberry and you can compare them to the Wisteria switches on show here. I’m thinking about getting a Cowberry set anyway so watch this space. My Air96 review also ran a quick test of all Nuphy switches so you might find that helpful.
3) I very rarely use lights at all on keyboards. My experience of ‘lights off usage’ is that the claimed battery duration for regular usage is about spot on from both Lofree and Nuphy. Obviously Nuphy’s battery is double the size so you are automatically getting more options there if you want a mix of lights on/off usage. But Lofree can easily go a week or more before you need to charge.
@@ThatMarkGilroy Thank you for your comment.
1. As you are mentioning others experience. Can you share your experience?
From technical
Phantom Actuation Force: 45+-15gf
Wisteria operating force: 55±15gf
Wisteria end force: 50±5gf
Seems like wisteria should be more hard as compared to phantom. That’s first confusion.
2. Out of Ghost vs Wisteria how much difference you feel w.r.t feedback and pressing force?
Lofree Phantom switches are horrible IMO. They just feel 'heavy' to use like there's a bit too resistance to the switch action. Fine if you're someone who like's hammering the keys but I prefer keys with the lighter touch. Lofree Ghost switches (the white keyboard) are excellent though.
I would ignore the 'specs' because real world feel can can be quite different. Just because a switch requires say 45gf to actuate doesn't mean that the switch action doesn't feel heavy because don't forget that there's the rest of the physical action of the key being pressed down. @@kanhatop
@@kanhatop It's pretty close me when it comes to actuation force/feel. The main difference is on the bounce. Wisteria feels a touch heavier feedback after actuation, whereas the ghost switches have a much keener bounce. No doubt due to the gasket pad. I'm quite an aggressive typer though.
Great video .... I ended up going for the Nuphy Air 75 v2 because of the custom key mapping ... I really like the colour of the white light you have on your keyboard... if you get a chance can you please share the colour code you have it set to .. I have been playing around with it a bit and I end up getting a blue-ish colour
Thanks buddy! I just upgraded my Air75v2 to the Cowberry switches and have been loving them.
The white light is just the stock one. If you flick through the colour settings it’ll show up.
@@ThatMarkGilroy Legend !! Thank you
can i use keychron k series keycap on nuphy air?
I don’t think so. Nuphy sell a similar coloured set for the Air75 called ‘Coast’ which would give you a similar effect. Looks clean with the Lunar Grey board option.
I'm using Lofree Flow, and I'm willing to buy it as soon as v2 comes out.
Did you see my recent review of the Lofree Edge? It’s worth a look (both the keyboard and the video!) ua-cam.com/video/DrIcLfMT2rc/v-deo.htmlsi=KgANPyUO8HkmWwqA
I usually really like your reviews and how you cover all aspects in order to provide the most detailed information, but this time I really missed your feedback about the typing feel of each of these boards. No information how the switches feel or the convenience of each of these boards in general. This was more like a specs comparison than an actual board comparison. A lot of time was spent to compare lighting effects - something that many people looking at this form factor would probably not even consider, while no i formation was provided on the feel of the self lubing kailh switches in the lofree compared to the others for example, or the new options for switches from nuphy.
My thoughts exactly just a spec run down
Hey buddy. Thanks for your comment, and hands-up, you're right. I usually talk about the feel and not entirely sure why I didn't here - I DO talk about this in lots more depth in my dedicated Flow/Air75v2 reviews.
Let me summarise. The Flow is absolutely king when it comes to my specific taste for how a keyboard should feel/type. The self-lubricating POM switches and gasket mount are a killer combo that just can't be beaten. Very creamy, very light and responsive.
Keychron and Nuphy are both very similar in terms of FEEL. Thocky, accurate and bumpy, as you'd expect with wisteria/browns. The Keychron is a smidge lighter and feels like there is a touch more travel.
Keychron and Nuphy differ quite a bit in terms of sound. You can hear the Keychron is a bit more rattle-y (even with the new dampening features in the Max), and slightly higher frequency sound profile, whereas the Nuphy feels more dampened and all round deeper, bassier-sounding.
Hope that helps 😊
@@ThatMarkGilroy hey Mark, thanks for the amazing explanation. I am used to getting exactly this type of info in your comparisons and this is why I always find them very very useful. We can all see the specs on paper but you are a reliable source of info when it comes down to that subjective "feel" part.
What you are stating above is the best explanation of the feel difference between the lofree and the nuphy I could find online. Thank you so much.
Btw do you think that a person who is happy with the feel of a MX keys mini would also like the nuphy with cowberry linear switches? Does that seem like an easy transition?
@@tsankotsankov760 Cowberry is REALLY nice, in fact I'm thinking of switching my wisteria switches out for a full Cowberry set. If you're looking for the least resistance you'll probably get along best with Aloe as it'll be a step closer to the mx keys and feel less jarring as a transition.
@@ThatMarkGilroyi recently bought a K3 Max after months of thinking about the Air75 v2. What did it for me was the difference in the sound between the 2 brands. I was surprised to discover that my modded Air60 still sounded hollow (boomy) compared to the crispness of my unmodified K7.
It's funny, there's actually a 4th good option, the Azio Cascade. But I've only ever seen videos comparing 3 of the 4 keyboards, nobody ever remembers to include all 4
I’ve got the Azio slim 75. It’s excellent. Switched to it from the Nuphy 75 v1. Much better feel/sound.
@jtd3421 interesting- which switches?
@@ThatMarkGilroy brown. I think they were the only option at the time I bought this. I really like this thing. I think the only thing I'd upgrade for is a Lofree Flow. But sound and feel are the most important things to me.
شكرا على الشرح الجميل استمر
Thanks for watching!
I got free shipping on Lofree Flow tho. I live on the west coast, US
That’s great! They have direct shipping locations in US, Asia and Europe but not all will be free so I have to mention it really.
I paid way too much money for a Deathstalker V2 Pro because at the time I bought it there was nothing else. Not even 6 months later the market is flooded with low profile mechanical keyboards and I'm just stuck here like 🗿
It’s a deep rabbit hole!!
Great video. No hat, though 😢
Cheers Ray. Might try a fez next week 👍🏻
I mean the lofree just sounds amazing while the other 2 sound awful 🤷♂️
I would say that the Nuphy feels awesome even if it doesn’t have the same ‘poppy’ sound as the Lofree. If you want a similar sound profile the Aloe or Daisy switches would be a better choice than the Wisteria set on show here.
@@ThatMarkGilroyi believe the Cowberry solves this issue
@@andrewcatubig9239 Already on order my friend. They should be here this week! 🤞🏼
half the time the camera on ur face. WTF
really like WTF ..
WTF boys. What’s wrong with my face?
@@ThatMarkGilroy Nothing. WTF aside, just ignore the non-productive rude comments. Thanks for the review, although I am still having hard time to decide.
@marinaalex0510 Let’s discount the K3 Max. For me the decision between the other two is about whether you want/need lots of hot swapping, customisation and light options. If yes, get the Air75V2, if not get the Flow which is biblically nice to type on.