The best thing I bought this year: a portable mechanical keyboard

As a writer, I take the tools of my trade relatively seriously. I’m not crazy enough to spend $3,600 on a keyboard, but I also find typing on a MacBook for extended periods of time to be deeply unsatisfying and distracting. So this spring, I started thinking about distraction-free writing setups, which included an electronic reader/writer and a mechanical keyboard.

I started with the Boox Palma 2 because its E Ink screen and limited connectivity could make it a solid distraction-free solution if paired with a good keyboard. After a lot of research, the keyboard I settled on was the NuPhy Air60 V2, with the company’s heaviest Moss tactile switches and the beautiful NuFolio case in “nostalgic beige,” which is really more of a bold yellow.

Now, I’m not a connoisseur of mechanical keyboards, but I find the Air60 V2 to be pleasant to type on. Its low-profile keys don’t have the same travel and feedback as my regular keyboard or vintage IBM Model M, but it’s still a huge improvement over my MacBook’s scissor-switch keyboard. The Moss switches provide pretty decent noise, but they’re not so loud that I would avoid using the keyboard in public. It might be a bit much for a quiet coffee shop, but I sat and worked on articles and news while sitting at a bar and certainly didn’t feel bothered by it.

The ability to pair it with three devices means I can easily move the NuPhy between my home laptop, my work laptop, and the Boox. It also comes with a 2.4GHz wireless dongle, but I had little need for it.

I frequently take the Air60 with me to write on quiet nights when I’m bartending. (Come see me at Flagship Brewery on Tuesdays and Thursdays.) If I need to use my laptop, the Air60 is designed to fit snugly over a MacBook keyboard while still allowing easy access to the trackpad. But more often than not, I’ll bring the Palma 2. The NuFolio acts as a stand as well as a keyboard cover, and the Palma’s flip case hangs neatly on top, creating a nice little standalone writing setup that’s ideal for when I don’t want (or need) to access the Internet.

I even use it at home sometimes. When I decided to start writing fiction again for the first time in almost 20 years, I installed Obsidian on the Palma and, combined with the Air60, it became my choice. As someone who frequently relies on timers to stay on task, I found NuPhy and Palma to be a panacea for my attention issues. Part of the reason is that I can’t wait to type on the Air60. The feel, the sound, and even the color palette are all deeply satisfying in a way no laptop keyboard ever could be.

It’s not a perfect solution. The 64-key layout is great for portability, but it can be a little cramped: I make a few more mistakes typing on the Air60 than on a more generous keyboard. And its shallow angle can be a little uncomfortable for long periods of time sitting at a desk. But it’s actually perfect with a standing desk (or bar) or even resting on your lap.

I wasn’t sure the NuPhy would be a wise use of my limited funds when I purchased it earlier this year (I had been unemployed for a little over a year and was counting on fewer freelance assignments). But nine months later, it has become an indispensable part of my writing routine.