NuPhy Air96 V2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard

Full Review

The Air96 V2 is what happens when you take everything that made the Air75 V2 a default recommendation and add a numpad without making the keyboard feel like a slab. It’s still low-profile, still wireless, still hot-swappable — just longer.

Build and Feel

The aluminum frame and double-shot PBT keycaps are the same recipe NuPhy has been refining for a few generations now, and it still works. Typing feel sits in that uncommon middle ground where it’s clearly mechanical but the slim chassis keeps your wrists flatter than a full-height board would. The MDA-profile caps have a soft scoop that helps your fingers find home row faster than the flatter caps on a Magic Keyboard or a Logitech MX Mechanical Mini.

It weighs enough that it doesn’t slide around, but it’s still light enough to toss in a backpack. The rubber feet flip out to give you two angle options, and the underside has a recessed channel for the USB-C cable when you’re plugged in.

The Numpad Argument

This is the whole reason to pick the Air96 V2 over the Air75 V2. If you live in spreadsheets, accounting software, or anything where you’re punching numbers all day, a 75% layout is a tax. The Air96 V2 gets you a full numpad and dedicated arrow keys without the bowling-alley footprint of a 100% board — it’s roughly the width of a standard tenkeyless plus the numpad, with the function row trimmed close.

If you don’t use the numpad weekly, save yourself the desk space and grab the Air75 V2 instead.

Wireless and Battery

Tri-mode connectivity is table stakes at this price, but NuPhy nails the execution. Bluetooth pairs with three devices, the 2.4GHz dongle handles your main machine at 1000Hz polling, and USB-C is there when the battery finally dies. With backlight off you’ll go weeks between charges. With RGB cranked you’re looking at more like a workweek — fine, but plan accordingly.

Customization

QMK/VIA support means you can remap any key, build macros, and tune layers without trusting a sketchy proprietary app. Hot-swappable sockets let you try Gateron Cowberry, Moss, Aloe, or any other low-profile switch with a compatible footprint — no soldering required.

Who Should Buy This

Buy the Air96 V2 if you want a mechanical keyboard with a numpad but you’re tired of full-size boards eating your desk. It’s the right pick for accountants, data folks, finance workers, and anyone who’s been gritting their teeth at a 75% layout for the sake of aesthetics. If you don’t need the numpad, the Air75 V2 is cheaper and tidier. If you want full-height switches and a heftier feel, look at the Keychron Q6 Max instead.