Nuphy Field75 HE Review

Even just the name of the NuPhy Field75 HE will tell you a lot about what you can expect from its performance. It's a 75% keyboard, so it's a bit more compact and has 83 keys compared to the typical 104 of most full-sized keyboards. The “HE” stands for hall effect, a gaming-focused technology that uses magnetic sensors to facilitate precise actuation and rapid input. To see how much of a difference these features can make, we compared the Field75 HE to other market-leading gaming keyboards based on six key metrics.

Performance Comparison

Performance

After testing this keyboard's latency, polling rate, and key rollover, we are prepared to say that the NuPhy Field75 HE is as close to perfect as you can get in terms of gaming performance.

Even the pinnacle of pro players would be impressed by the lightning-fast responsiveness of this keyboard. With a polling rate and scan rate of 8000 Hz and a keystroke latency as low as 4 milliseconds, the Field75 HE can keep up with even the most hellishly difficult rhythm game levels. It also has N-key rollover, so there's no risk of inputs failing to register even if you manage to press 30 or more keys at once.

The numbers alone are impressive, but we also appreciate the performance customization you can achieve through the NuPhyIO web software. For example, you can adjust the “protection mode” to configure the actuation distance of the magnetic switches. It's possible to really fine-tune how this keyboard conforms to your specific gaming preferences.

If there is any downside to mention in regard to this keyboard's performance, it's that it has noticeable chord splitting the more you lower the polling and scan rates. When we decided to save system resources by lowering these settings to 1000 Hz, we measured an added delay of up to 7 milliseconds when we tried to register eight key presses at once.

Comfort

The NuPhy Field75 HE is a spectacle in many regards, but comfort is one category where this keyboard phones it in. It has a nice adjustable angle, allowing you to switch between 3º and 8º, but it doesn't bring much wow factor to the table.

Our testers brought particular attention to the low actuation force of this keyboard. Typing feels nice because the keys are “so ready to press,” but it almost feels as though you are straining yourself to hold your fingers back because the switches are so sensitive. A bulk of the discomfort our testers experienced could be solved with a palm rest. The good news is that NuPhy does provide the option to purchase this product with a proprietary palm rest at an extra cost. If you choose not to opt for this, though, you might quickly find yourself shopping for a third-party solution.

Hardware Options

For the most part, NuPhy does a solid job of providing choice to the gamer when they purchase a Field75 HE keyboard. The switches and keycaps are completely hot-swappable, and in fact, NuPhy sells a wide variety of stylish keycaps on its website. You have plenty of freedom to make sure your hardware matches your desired aesthetic.

You can also choose between two switch colors at checkout: Gateron Magnetic White and Gateron Magnetic Jade. Both of these are hall effect switches, which are touted by some as superior options for fast-paced gaming. Some gamers are turned off by just how sensitive these switches can be, though, and unfortunately, the non-HE version of this keyboard was discontinued by NuPhy.

Choosing this gaming keyboard will set you up with some fun hardware quirks to play with. There's a tactile volume knob that we found to be surprisingly fun to use for controlling media.

A row of macro keys along the left side of the board is set to provide additional media controls by default, but you can configure these to perform any other function you like as well.

Typing Noise

The NuPhy Field75 HE is right there with the best of the best in terms of gaming performance, but where it puts the competition to shame is in terms of typing volume. This is a gameplay powerhouse that you can use to smoke the competition all night, and then take it to your quiet office building for a day of discrete productivity without anyone batting an eye.

One of our testers explained that the Field75 HE is “quiet and pleasing while typing on.” Another tester said that the sound reminds her of steady rainfall with a “flowy, watery rhythm while you're typing.” Some keys are louder than others, though, including the spacebar, but one tester commented that the spacebar “compliments the other keys” in a way that's different from most keyboards. From a distance of two feet, we measured the volume of the Field75's keys at an average of 40 dBa. With many gaming keyboards being unashamed for producing 50 decibels of sound or more, the subtlety of this product comes as a pleasant surprise.

Type Experience

Whether you use this keyboard for work, play, or casual online conversation, you will have a smooth typing experience. The hall effect switches have a linear, smooth feel with no tactile bump. While this may dissuade some fans of mechanical keyboards, others will appreciate the lightness and effortlessness of pressing the keys.

In our force-displacement tests, we found that it only takes 31.88 gram force to actuate the keys and 47 gram force to bottom out. To put it plainly, it's an extremely light press. One tester reported constantly hitting the wrong keys or making typos because of how easy it is to input a press. On the other hand, those who put in the time to get used to this keyboard or adjust the actuation settings to their specifications will likely arrive at a stellar experience.

Hitting the keys is smooth overall, especially for gaming. The SOCD or “snap tap” feature makes it even smoother, allowing you to optimize your gameplay capabilities by prioritizing the function of your latest key press without releasing the previous key. This feature lets you instantly change the direction of movement in-game, and the lightness of the Field75 HE's keys enables you to do so even quicker.

Lighting

While you get plenty of function in an attractive enough package with the Field75 HE, its lighting options are fairly standard. You get 20 onboard presets you can cycle through at the push of a button, with more customization available through the NuPhyIO web software, but the amount of customization you can do is on the average side.

You do have the option of assigning colors on a per-key basis, though. You also have practically every color at your disposal, but we found the yellows to tint a bit toward green and the orange-tinted heavily toward yellow. We appreciate how evenly lit the entire keyboard is — there are no areas that are noticeably brighter or dimmer than the rest. Our biggest complaint about the Field75's lighting is that there is no static color option by default. No matter which colors you choose, the areas around the keys will fluctuate with a distracting animation. Custom configurations via NuPhy's software may address this, but such functionality was not yet available at the time of our testing.

Should You Buy the NuPhy Field75 HE?

Very few gamers could go wrong with purchasing the NuPhy Field75 HE. It's a highly capable gaming keyboard with innovative functionality and a stylish appearance that makes you feel like you're holding a secret weapon known only to the most elite players. As a 75% keyboard, it's also a great space-saver if you have limited real estate on your desk, but it doesn't sacrifice any crucial keys. However, gamers who value tactile feedback from their keyboards should check out different options before making a decision.

What Other Gaming Keyboard Should You Consider?

The NuPhy Field75 HE sits at a crossroads between hardcore and affordable. It's a premium gaming keyboard to be sure, but enthusiasts who want to go all the way might consider investing in a truly top-of-line option like the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3. On the other hand, you can save a bit of money without losing gaming capability by purchasing the reliable HyperX Alloy Origins instead.