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Earlier this year I reviewed the IQUNIX MQ80 (video embedded below). It still holds up as a top-tier option for a low profile mechanical keyboard, in fact it’s one of the best of 2025. But I’ve made some updates in my assessment since the release of the NuPhy Air75 V3.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I want to mention that IQUNIX sent me the MQ80 for review, but they had no say in this review. I wasn’t paid to write this or make the embedded video below, and as always, my opinions are my own. If you decide to pick up the MQ80 through the affiliate link in this article, it’ll help support the site and YouTube channel.

Features and Specifications

While the price is a bit higher than its sibling the Magi65, the MQ80 offers a lot and still undercuts the price of many high profile keyboards with similar build quality. The combination of 4 wireless connections (one of which is 2.4GHz with 1K polling rate), 350 hours battery life with lights off, VIA for full remapping ability, and all-aluminum construction in a popular 75% layout make it hard to beat – but it’s not quite perfect.

Specifications

• Layout: 84 keys (compact 75% layout, ANSI)
• Case: Solid aluminum construction, anodized finish (available in Black or Silver)
• Dimensions: 321mm × 124.5mm
  • Front height: 10.2mm
  • Rear height: 20mm (without keycaps)
• Weight: 1180g (2.6 lbs)
• Typing angle: ~4° (no adjustable feet)
• Mounting: Gasket mount with flex-cut PCB and FR4 plate
• Switches: Kailh Gold Red low profile (40g actuation, 1.2mm pre-travel, 2.8mm total travel)
• Hot-swap support: Compatible with Kailh low profile switch lineup
• Keycaps: Dye-sub PBT with anti-oil coating, sub-legends included (Windows & macOS keycaps provided, non-shine-through)
• Stabilizers: Plate-mounted and factory-lubed
• Connectivity:
  • Bluetooth 5.1 (3-device pairing, 125Hz polling)
  • 2.4GHz wireless (1,000Hz polling)
  • USB-C wired (1,000Hz polling)
• Battery: 4,000mAh (up to 350 hours via Bluetooth with lighting disabled)
• Lighting:
  • South-facing RGB backlight (18 modes, VIA control supported)
  • Side light with battery and connection status indicators
• Software: VIA-compatible with 4 customizable layers (macOS & Windows modes included)
• Price: $159 USD (IQUNIX site)

The MQ80 comes with a flex cut, hot-swappable PCB, FR4 plate, a tray mount with silicone cushions and stabilizers that are plate-mounted. I tested it out for a little over a week prior to reviewing it, and since my review I’ve actually continued to use it with my Macbook because I enjoy the typing feel and sound. However, the NuPhy Air75 V3 has changed the competitive scene for 75% low profile keyboards, especially if you want something more travel-friendly. Nonetheless, there are still reasons to consider the MQ80.

Pros

Premium build quality: Solid aluminum construction that feels closer to a quality high-profile keyboard than a typical low-profile board. Excellent machining with no QC issues on my unit. Next to the very nice Air75 V3 from NuPhy, the MQ80’s case still is the more premium-feeling of the two.

Robust connectivity: Bluetooth (3 devices), 2.4GHz wireless with 1K polling, and wired USB-C with 1K polling. Wireless connections were stable for me within about 3 feet of my computer. There is no storage for the 2.4GHz receiver on the keyboard which would have been a plus (the Air75 V3 does have a storage slot for the receiver).

VIA support: The MQ80 uses the VIA web tool for straightforward remapping and macros with plenty of functional layer space. There are also pre-programmed macOS and Windows modes. The only downside to this is that there is a small learning curve for anyone who hasn’t customized a QMK-based keyboard before.

Excellent battery life: The 300+ hours with lighting off was a top performer at the time the MQ80 was released. It’s still very good for this type of keyboard, but now the Air75 V3 beats it, with its power-efficient firmware getting up to 1,200 hours of use with the lights off. QMK-based firmware just isn’t going to achieve that kind of battery life without a massive battery, but the MQ80 still performs well in this category, especially compared to options like the Keychron K3 Max which gets less than 100hrs between charges.

Quality keycaps: PBT dye-sub with an oil-resistant finish and good texture. I observed a couple minor inconsistencies but nothing noticeable in daily use – if you look closely at my unit you might notice slight alignment differences for a couple legends but you really have to look for it.

Smooth switches: Stock Kailh Gold Reds performed well with no spring ping issues. The actuation force is on the light side of medium at 40g, with plenty of aftermarket switch options from Kailh available if you prefer something tactile or heavier.

Sound profile: Clean, with no hollowness, resonance, or ping. Moderately quiet compared to competitors, but still would benefit from silent switches if you share office space.

Typing feel: Cushioned and flexible, rare for low profile keyboards. The gasket mount and flex-cut internals bring it closer to a premium high-profile experience. This is one category where, although this is subjective, I feel the MQ80 still slightly out-classes the Air75 V3.

Neutral Aspects (very subjective things)

Typing feel & sound: Continuing with sound & feel – it’s more cushioned and flexible than the NuPhy Air75 V2, but the V3 is closer. Slightly softer than the Lofree Flow. Fantastic if you like flexibility, but stiffer-keyboard fans may find it a little soft. The sound is marbly and a little “popcorny” like the Lofree Flow, but can be altered a bit by different switches.

Design: Simple, elegant aluminum with one red accent piece that is fixed regardless of case color—some may love the accent piece, others may not. Overall I like this design but it comes down to your preferences.

Layout: Compact 75% with no spacing around arrows or nav keys. Efficient and doesn’t take up your whole desk, but could feel cramped if you’re coming from a roomier layout like a TKL or full size.

Stabilizers: My spacebar was a little bit rattly out of the box. Lubing improves them, but consistency could vary across units.

Weight: At 1180g, portability suffers. Excellent for desk use, but heavy for a travel board compared to alternatives like the NuPhy Air75 V3 which weighs 724g (just about a pound less).

Cons

Power switch design: Main “sleep” function (Fn + Esc) doesn’t fully turn off the keyboard, only puts it into deep sleep which disables key entries. The actual hard power switch is hidden beneath the Caps Lock key and requires a tool to access. If you never plan to turn it off, this is less of a big deal but if you do like to disconnect power from the battery regularly, it could get old quick.

Bluetooth sleep behavior: This one is strange and I actually learned more about it from a viewer comment after publishing my video review. With all the lighting turned off, when the bluetooth connection times out (which happens rather quickly at about 5 minutes), the connection goes to sleep and the next key press only wakes it back up, it doesn’t register on the computer. I found this sleep timeout to be too short, and there was no setting to make it longer. What I then discovered thanks to a viewer comment is that if you turn off the main backlighting but leave the side accent LED on, the bluetooth connection does not timeout and go to sleep until after the ambient light turns off, which takes much longer than 5 minutes. So leaving the accent light on basically solved the issue for me, but I find it very strange that these two things are connected and to get the absolute best battery life I’d like to turn the accent light off.

Conclusion

Four months after my initial review of the IQUNIX MQ80, it’s still a standout addition to the low profile keyboard market. But now we have to consider it against NuPhy Air75 V3 and the Lofree Flow 2 which are more recent releases.

For me the MQ80 is still an easy pick over the Flow 2. Ironically, if Lofree had simply done what IQUNIX did with the MQ80, they would have had a very successful follow up to the original Flow. But they made some rather controversial decisions with the design that make the Flow 2 hard for me to recommend (my review here).

The Air75 V3, however, is another story. NuPhy came darn close to mechanical low profile perfection with their third iteration of the Air75. Advantages over the MQ80 include a huge 1,200hr battery life (with lights off) and lighter weight for easier travel. Customization is done with NuPhy.io instead of VIA, but the capabilities are very similar. The ace up the sleeve of the Air75 V3 is the optional knob module which can replace the top right corner with a tall or short encoder knob. It’s an innovative feature that lets the user decide whether to go all-keys or add the knob, and the knob function can be customized. And lastly, you get these benefits for a lower price of $139 (before shipping).

While it sounds like a one-sided win for the Air75 V3, the MQ80 does still have appeal for the right person. If you are looking for something low profile that still retains the higher-end feel of a solid metal custom mechanical keyboard, the MQ80 is it. There’s no plastic in sight and it’s got the weight of a more expensive board. The Air75 V3 still features a plastic bottom, though the top frame is aluminum. The MQ80 also has a slightly more flexible typing feel, so once again, if you were hoping for that “high profile custom board but thinner” experience, it nails that as well.

So overall, what has changed since my initial review of the MQ80? Mainly, the Air75 V3 has now become my overall top low profile keyboard of 2025 due to the better battery life and optional knob. Nonetheless, I would’t overlook the MQ80 if you’re looking for the most premium build quality in this category.

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