NuPhy Node 75 / 100 Review: Remarkable Value

NuPhy Node 75 / Node 100 Review Summary

Overview and Price

The Node series is available in 75% and 100% layouts, each in low-profile or high-profile form. The reviewer describes it as a major step forward in keyboard value. The Node 75 costs $100, and the Node 100 costs $110. The reviewer says code CAMERON saves $10.

Design and Build

The cases are made of ABS plastic, but the reviewer finds them solid and high-quality-feeling for the price. The simple, retro design features a dotted top section; the tan color especially recalls vintage IBM computers.

The available colors are Lunar White (more off-white or light gray), Ink Gray (black), and Light Pink. The reviewer finds the first two names confusing and recommends checking the product images before ordering. All color options have a black or “ink gray” bottom case, which the reviewer thinks detracts from the white and pink versions. Three accent keycaps are included.

A small cluster of status lights indicates things like connectivity and Caps Lock. It can also be set to illuminate more as typing speed increases.

Layout Differences

The reviewer emphasizes checking the exact model before buying, since the layouts vary by both profile and size:

• Node 75 low-profile: Standard 84-key layout, like the Air75, with a full function row, navigation keys, and Print Screen.
• Node 75 high-profile: Adds spacing but omits Print Screen and the right Control key.
• Node 100 high-profile: Traditional 109-key full-size layout, with a number pad and generous spacing.
• Node 100 low-profile: More compact, but retains a full-size number pad and oversized zero key. Compared with the high-profile model, it omits F13, Print Screen, Lock, Pause, right Control, and right Option/Windows. Its layout is essentially the high-profile 75% layout with a number pad added.

NuPhy’s stated rationale is that low-profile users prefer easier access to navigation controls, while high-profile users favor traditional layouts. The reviewer finds the differences confusing and the explanation not fully convincing.

Typing and Switches

The typing feel is described as characteristically good for NuPhy. The keyboards have a gasket mount, internal foam and pads, and double-shot PBT keycaps designed to resist shine and fading. High-profile boards use mSA keycaps, while low-profile boards use nSA keycaps. The reviewer likes both profiles and their concave shapes. The keycaps are not shine-through.

Switch options include red linear, brown tactile, and silent Blush switches. The low-profile versions are called Nano, while the high-profile versions are called Max. The reviewer identifies the red and brown switches as Gateron 3.0 and the silent switches as Kailh.

Brown switches sound satisfyingly poppy but may be loud for shared spaces. Blush silent switches are a good quieter option. Minor sound caveats include faint pinging from some Blush Nano switches, a low-profile silent spacebar that can bottom out when pressed hard at its far ends, and a slightly hollow sound from the otherwise consistent high-profile spacebar. The reviewer considers these issues relatively minor and hears no noticeable ping over the Brown Max switches.

There is no clicky switch option, but the reviewer considers the available choices good.

Touch Bar and Customization

A roughly 2-inch touch bar controls functions such as volume by swiping. The reviewer likes the idea but finds it finicky: the default volume increments are too large, so they recommend reducing the sensitivity setting to 1 or 2. The touch bar can also be disabled.

The keyboards use NuPhyIO rather than QMK/VIA. The reviewer would prefer open-source QMK/VIA but says NuPhyIO is intuitive and reliable. It runs in a browser, requires no installation, and saves changes to the keyboard. It supports remapping, macros, lighting and status-light controls, and other settings. An offline version is also available.

The reviewer recommends adjusting Auto Sleep if the keyboard’s slow wake-up from its default deeper sleep mode is bothersome. The deeper sleep setting can be extended to a maximum of 127 minutes or disabled, at the cost of battery life. 3D-print files for accessories provide another customization option.

Lighting, Connectivity, and Battery

North-facing RGB lighting offers numerous effects and looks good across the polycarbonate top plate. There are no other elaborate case lights. Lighting can be controlled with function-key shortcuts or through NuPhyIO.

A rear switch selects off, wired, or wireless operation. USB-C wired mode and the 2.4 GHz receiver both support 1,000 Hz polling, making them suitable for basic gaming as well as productivity. The receiver has a storage slot.

Three Bluetooth devices can be selected with function-key shortcuts. The boards support Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile operating systems. Mac and Windows keycaps and a mode switch are included.

Advertised battery life is up to 1,000 hours with lighting off or 60–100 hours with lighting on. The reviewer reports good longevity but did not conduct a detailed battery test. Low- and high-profile models have different battery capacities—3,000 mAh and 4,000 mAh, respectively—even though NuPhy lists the same battery-life estimates. The reviewer suspects the high-profile model may last longer, while the larger Node 100 may fare worse with lighting on because it has more LEDs.

AirFeet and Laptop Use

Rubber AirFeet on the underside slot into a MacBook keyboard so the Node can sit above it. On the low-profile model, this works similarly to the Air75 V3, though its longer frame covers slightly more of the MacBook trackpad.

The high-profile feet differ in thickness and spacing, making placement less straightforward. The reviewer found a workable position, especially when using a mouse, but says the feature is less convenient with the trackpad and may block more of it. The reviewer is unsure whether this arrangement was intentional.

Comparisons and Verdict

Compared with the Lofree Flow Light, the reviewer says the Node is the better buy for most people. Compared with Keychron’s low-profile K Max series, the reviewer prefers the Node’s typing feel and switches and says it avoids potential Bluetooth issues they associate with Keychron.

The reviewer also notes the low-profile Node 75’s similarity to the Air75 layout and AirFeet behavior, as well as differences from NuPhy’s existing Halo high-profile layout.

Verdict: The reviewer considers the Node series one of the best dollar-for-dollar keyboard values available, offering strong typing, connectivity, battery life, and useful model choices for $100–$110. The main drawbacks are the ABS construction, confusing layout variations and color names, inconsistent AirFeet usefulness, and a touch bar that needs adjustment or may be best turned off. No numerical review score is given.

Speaker’s Perspective

The video presents one reviewer’s assessment. They are broadly enthusiastic about the value and typing experience while flagging the layout confusion, finicky touch bar, and a few minor sound and design issues.