NuPhy’s upcoming WH80 is shaping up to be a standout gaming keyboard, blending magnetic switch tech with a bold, retro-futuristic design. A fresh preview of the board shows a host of thoughtful touches aimed at both performance and personality, without straying from that distinctive NuPhy aesthetic.
Front and center are two dedicated three-position toggles. One appears to handle connectivity modes, letting you flip the keyboard’s connection state at will. The second toggle is labeled M1, M2, M3, strongly suggesting quick profile switching on the fly. For gamers and creators who bounce between games, apps, or workflows, having hardware-level controls is a big win for speed and consistency.
In the top-right corner sits a prominent control knob. Unlike the free-spinning dials common on many mechanical and Hall-effect keyboards, this one features a red indicator and a set of graduations along the edge. That visual cue hints at a defined range of motion—possibly with detents—rather than an endless turn. If so, it could be tailored for specific tasks like precise volume steps or mode adjustments. Alternatively, the markings may be purely stylistic, but either way, the look is striking and purposeful.
A closer, exploded-view look suggests the main case may be plastic, though this isn’t confirmed. NuPhy offsets that with decorative aluminum plates along the sides and what seems to be the front edge, framing a long RGB light bar. The effect is clean and futuristic, with metal accents anchoring the design while the light bar adds a dramatic glow across your desk.
Under the keycaps, NuPhy is partnering with Gateron on a new branded switch: the NuPhy x Gateron Dragon-N. It appears to riff on Gateron’s Dual-Drive magnetic families like Spark and Sakura, but with a twist—a POM stem that should deliver an extra-smooth travel. For enthusiasts drawn to Hall-effect magnetic switches for their speed and feel, this collaboration is an enticing development.
Keycap options are still a question mark. Transparent caps with dot-matrix style legends are listed as a pre-order bonus, which leaves the standard retail set unclear for now. The product imagery shows smoky gray translucent keycaps, a look that meshes perfectly with the RGB light bar and aluminum accents. Whichever set ends up shipping by default, both styles land squarely in that retro-futuristic sweet spot that mechanical keyboard fans love.
Taken together, the WH80 reads like a thoughtfully engineered package: hardware toggles for immediate control, a distinctive top-right knob that favors precision, magnetic switches tuned for smoothness, and an eye-catching chassis with layered materials and lighting. If you’re after a compact gaming keyboard that looks as sharp as it feels—and you appreciate the nuance of Hall-effect switch design—the WH80 is one to watch.
