IQUNIX MQ80 Review: Luxury Low-Profile Typing With Caveats

By Rebecca Stone

The $159.99 IQUNIX MQ80 weighs 2.6 pounds (1,180 grams), packs 80 keys into a 75-percent layout, and reached release on February 25, 2025.

In the verdict, Tom’s Hardware reviewer Chris wrote, “The IQUNIX MQ80 is a very good keyboard,” but cautioned that it is no longer the instant sell it once was. He expects many users to call it Great or Amazing; he recommends it to buyers who do not want magnetic switches and tells others to wait for a sale.

What hardware sits behind the $159.99 price?

• Layout and controls: 80 keys in a 75-percent “Compact TKL,” with a full function row, arrow cluster, seven navigation/editing keys, Fn media shortcuts and four onboard layers/profiles; the case measures 12.64 x 4.90 x 0.41–1.08 inches.
• Switches and keycaps: The specification table lists “IQUNIX Rose Gold (linear),” while the hands-on section calls them Kailh Rose Red linear switches with 40g actuation, 2.8mm travel, a 1.2mm actuation point and 70% of full-height movement. The high-purity PBT caps use dye-sublimated legends.
• Connectivity: USB, 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth 5.1, with a braided six-foot cable that permits wired use while recharging and no additional ports.
• Battery and software: A 4,000mAh battery, per-key RGB adjustable through VIA or shortcut keys, and a browser-based configurator for mappings, layers, macros and lighting.

How does the low-profile design work?

At 0.41 inches (10.8mm) at the front and 1.08 inches (27.5mm) at the rear, the MQ80 uses same-height, scooped keycaps that feel alike under the fingertip. That makes it familiar to laptop and Apple Magic Keyboard users, though first-time low-profile typists face a learning curve.

The CNC-milled aluminum case has a cyberpunk look through fine machining, colored legends and contrasting accents; IQUNIX offers matching white or black keycap sets. Thick PBT caps add texture, while dye-sublimated legends resist chipping and fading.

Thin, yes. Light, no. At 2.6 pounds, the MQ80 approaches a full-size mechanical keyboard or nicer TKL. IQUNIX includes a hardshell case, but Chris considers it a desk keyboard, not something most people will carry daily.

IQUNIX rates the 4,000mAh battery at 350 hours over Bluetooth with lighting disabled. The reviewer got close to two weeks with lights on; RGB at high brightness over 2.4GHz cut runtime to about 45 hours.

IQUNIX promoted PBT caps and premium boards before COVID mainstreamed mechanical keyboards. Its Hall Effect EZ series covers magnetic switches; the MQ80 instead uses conventional low-profile hardware.

What is inside the case?

Following IQUNIX’s SUPER prebuilt keyboards and boutique group-buy designs from r/mechanicalkeyboards, the MQ80 starts with a fiberglass FR4 plate.

Thick PORON fills gaps between switches, plate and PCB, reducing reverb and isolating each switch; thin IXPE foam and PET film add crispness and pop. Another PORON layer below the PCB filters sound and cushions each press.

At the base, IXPE foam reflects mid-range frequencies before sound reaches the aluminum shell. Its modified “Le-Tray Gasket Mount” uses six arms and silicone buffers for pillowy bottom-outs, slightly firmer than many full-height gaming keyboards.

Does it type and game well?

The 40g switches reach their 1.2mm actuation point quickly, so they feel sensitive rather than deliberate.

After using hundreds of mechanical keyboards, Chris says the MQ80 initially felt awkward. He adapted, using the F and J bumps, and found the light switches and floating posture fast and nimble.

The switches are hot-swappable with Kailh Choc V2 alternatives, but options remain scarce; Gateron dominates low-profile choice. Anyone unwilling to accept light linear switches will likely pass.

Raw speed rose slightly, likely because of the light switches and floating posture, but the reviewer’s MonkeyType average fell from 110 WPM on his daily full-height board to 105 WPM on the MQ80 because he needed more backspacing. The multi-layer dampening made each keystroke quieter and deeper, while the mount softened bottoming out.

Since IQUNIX took the MQ80 to Kickstarter in early 2025, Nuphy has released the Air75 V3. Chris considers its typing at least as good and its Gateron low-profile choices more customizable, including tactile and silent options at checkout.

For a heavy-handed typist who wants more tactility, the cited Kailh Black Cloud option would cost roughly half as much as the MQ80 itself.

What does gaming change?

The light switches become hair triggers over 2.4GHz or USB. Its 1,000Hz polling rate registers input quickly, although that trails the 8,000Hz offered by an increasing number of keyboards.

Damping does not improve game performance directly; it simply makes rapid typing more pleasant. Apart from reprogrammable keys and string macros, IQUNIX adds no dedicated gaming functions.

What can VIA configure?

MQ80 owners need no utility or background process. Its browser client shows the keyboard layout, applies changes on the fly and maps media controls, F1 through F24, macros and RGB controls. Each key holds up to four actions or macros across layers; changes save to the keyboard’s firmware and work on any computer.

VIA cannot assign colors to individual keys. The caps themselves are not backlit, making the keyboard poor for non-touch typists in a dark room. Users can adjust brightness, hue and saturation across roughly a dozen preset animations, but custom lighting requires code and manual flashing. Buyers seeking game-synced per-key effects will miss proprietary features.

Is the MQ80 worth $159.99?

Its milled aluminum, layered acoustics and responsive feel justify a luxury price for buyers who like light linear switches and will keep the keyboard on a desk.

Chris says: “If portability is important to you, I highly recommend the Nuphy Air75 V3.” For a more office-friendly option, he points to the Lofree Flow 2, which also offers tactile switches. All three products offer value, but only the MQ80 has the heavy luxury construction.

The MQ80 remains a solid desk choice for someone who wants fast switches and distinctive sound, not a default recommendation. At $159.99, any future price cut will have to place its aluminum build against broader low-profile competition and cheaper switch alternatives.