Blog

Aug 09, 2023

NUPHY Halo65 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard 2023 REVIEW

The Halo65 is a good connected peripheral for workstations -- especially ones

The Halo65 is a good connected peripheral for workstations -- especially ones that have dual operating systems. The design of the keyboard is sleek and can be customized based on user preferences upon ordering. The compact profile is a little too compact for this writer's taste but it's very easy to use and connect with computers. The price is a little high but comparable to other wireless mechanical keyboards.

Mechanical keyboards are becoming increasingly popular for use in the workplace. They offer an array of features that make them ideal for long typing sessions, such as faster response time, durability, and custom keycaps. I’ve been a fan of mechanical keyboards for many years now and I’ve been on the hunt for the ideal one for my workspace. For a little over a year, I’ve been using the Air75 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard from NuPhy and loving it! So, when the Halo65 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard was introduced, I decided to give it a try.

NUPHY's Halo 65 mechanical keyboard is a great option for anyone looking for a reliable and comfortable keyboard for work. It has a robust aluminum alloy frame that is both lightweight and durable, as well as a full-sized 104-key layout.

The Halo 65 also boasts RGB backlighting with 16.8 million colors for customizing the look of your workspace. Its keycaps are designed for both durability and comfort, providing a great typing experience. With the Halo 65, you get a reliable and comfortable mechanical keyboard that is perfect for working. Explore the full Halo65 story on Nuphy's website.

A stand-out profile

NuPhy's Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard features a solid unibody aluminum frame with a laser-polished ABS base, available in matte black and ionic white, that creates a vibrant, minimalist look. The ‘Halo’ band of light forms the central piece that unites the design.

Easy connection interface

NuPhy's Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard is designed to minimize delays, with a tri-mode connection integration, perfect dual-OS support, and a 4000mAh built-in battery that can sustain 320 hours of continuous use. The NUPHY Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard has been updated to provide native dual-OS support, including shortcuts for Apple's Spotlight and Dictation keys in Mac mode, with the intention of providing extra value to users.

Looks great, feels better

The NuPhy Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard features double-shot PBT keycaps with an ergonomic rounded-corner design that is grease and scratch resistant. It also comes with 17 extra keycaps for personalization. The NUPHY Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard features GhostBar, the world's first noise suppression space keycap, which utilizes Silentcone technology to completely eliminate hollow sound and blend the space bar sound with other keys while maintaining the same weight and touch response.

Less mechanical noise

NuPhy's Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard offers a complete noise-reduction and stabilization solution, combining built-in Plate Silicone, PCB Silicone, Bottom Silicone and Spacebar Silicones, to create a clear and mesmerizing typing sound.

Baby Kangaroo switches highlight Nuphy/Gateron partnership

Description from nuphy.com

Baby Kangaroo switches, or BBK, is the fruit of thousands of experiments to create the optimal tactile and acoustic experience for all purpose normal profile keyboard users, and the partnership between NuPhy and Gateron. With BBK, you get immediate, strong tactile response for each press: the tactility reaches its peak at just 0.5mm of travel, laying a firm ground early on for a well stabilized downstroke, followed by an extra-length two-stage spring enabled swift bottom out and a snappy return during the upstroke. BBK's no-nonsense yet thorough approach translates to a typing experience that is robust, focused, and energetic, and a clean, crisp, lingering sound, thanks to its noise-reduction design and housing construction, as well as Gateron's pre-lubing process and our built-in damper system.

Tech Specs

The NuPhy Halo65 starts at $119.95 and it is available in Matte Black or Ionic White. Users can select the Rose Glacier, Baby Raccoon, Baby Kangaroo, G Pro Red 2.0, or G Pro Brown 2.0 switches. A Twotone Wrist Rest can be added for $29 in either base color (Matte Black or Ionic White). Extra keycaps can also be added for $19 and extra switches can be added for $29.95-$66 (depending on the switch style you choose).

The Halo65 comes in a well-designed, protective retail package. When you open the box, you find the keyboard wrapped in plastic with a simple user manual and its extra pieces kit. I really like that Nuphy includes both Windows and Mac options for the keyboards. I think this is something that every external keyboard should include but most of them do not. A 1.5m charging cable (USB-C to USB-A) is also included as well as the keycap/switch puller tool.

Setting up the keyboard is easy. There are a couple of options the user can choose from — cable, Bluetooth, or USB Wireless. Because I utilize a docking station and switch between two different computers it's easiest for me to utilize the USB 2.4G Wireless connection. That way, all I have to do is change the computer and I don't have to worry about switching inputs on the keyboard. Nuphy does make that process pretty easy because I do it with the Nuphy Air75 but I appreciate having the ease of the USB Wireless key.

Another design feature I really like is the lifts on the back. It may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference to me. As much as I like the Air75, it does lay quite flat. In fact, I have to add a third-party lift to it so that it's more efficient for me to use. The Halo65 already has the lift built-in and you have more than one level to choose from.

Nuphy provides several options for the keyboard when you order it including main color and switch type. I opted for the ionic white keyboard with the Gateron G Pro 2.0 Switches. The brown switches feature a total travel of 4.0mm and an operating force of 55±15 gf. They are tactile switches and are considered to have a ‘medium’ sound level in comparison to the other Gateron G Pro switches. It's a good switch for midway gaming and/or office use.

In addition to the brown switches, I also had the opportunity to try out the Gateron Baby Kangaroo Switches. They are also tactile switches and have a much more firm feel when you type. The brown switches and the Baby Kangaroo switches have a similar sound when you type but the Baby Kangaroo switch has a deeper bump than the browns. They do have a more shallow total travel distance of 3.4mm but they have a two-stage spring along with an operating force of 59±8gf. It's a nice typing experience but since I prefer a bit softer feel when I type, I kept the brown switches as my primary switch type.

The Halo65 is very comfortable to type on. The brown switches have a nice clicky sound and feel but it's not too loud. Personally, I do like my keys to be a bit softer sound-wise but I like the tactile feel and I can notice when I make a keystroke.

I really like the compact frame of it although there are a few keys I end up missing. I am used to the smaller form factor from the Air75 use but the extra 10% really does make a difference. For example, I’m used to the arrow keys living on the far right column of the keyboard, but I am also used to the home key being present and it is not on the Halo65.

This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the keyboard and I don't mark it down for my personal opinion of the layout. Not too long ago, I got to try out another mechanical keyboard with taller keycaps. That keyboard was just a little too compact for my taste. So, the Halo65 was a very welcome change.

The Halo65 is quite a heavy keyboard weighing in at just over 2 pounds. I don't carry it around my home office frequently, but I do notice its weight when I adjust the items on my desk. One big benefit to having a heavier keyboard is that it doesn't slide around. The RGB lighting effects on the keyboard are also very nice. They aren't super bright but they highlight the keyboard enough to show off the design features.

One of the optional accessories that can be ordered along with the keyboard is the Twotone Wrist Rest. This product is made with aluminum, acrylic, and rubber. There are several colorways to choose from. I selected the Ionic White version so that it would best match the keyboard. It does help even out your typing experience but it's not exactly a soft resting option.

The NuPhy Halo 65 Mechanical Keyboard is a great option for anyone looking for a reliable and comfortable keyboard for work. It has a robust aluminum alloy frame and a full-sized 104-key layout with RGB backlighting and 16.8 million colors for customizing the look of your workspace. It also has double-shot PBT keycaps with an ergonomic rounded-corner design, and it comes with 17 extra keycaps for personalization.

The Halo65 features dual-OS support and a 4000mAh built-in battery that can sustain 320 hours of continuous use. It also features GhostBar, the world's first noise suppression space keycap, and Baby Kangaroo switches, the result of a partnership between NuPhy and Gateron. It starts at $119.95 and is available in Matte Black or Ionic White.

For more information, visit nuphy.com, Facebook, and Twitter.