NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review: Not your ordinary mechanical keyboard

NuPhy keyboards are no stranger to being reviewed here on AppleInsider. But while the ones we have reviewed haven't been drastically different from one another, the Field75 is on a whole other level.

Mechanical keyboards are great to have because they offer a comfortable typing experience within a customizable body. They can be configured to align with your personal style or desk layout.

While the Field75 supplies a fluid typing experience, it fits more in-line with a gaming setup than in an office setting.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Built different

The NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard has the same underlining features as a traditional keyboard. However, how you access them may be different.

Measuring in at 14.66 x 5.62 x 1.59 inches, the Field75 is equipped with 83 keys. It follows ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards for keyboard designs and is 75% the size of a traditional keyboard in width.

Since the Field75 lands on the heavier side for wireless keyboards — weighing in at 2.81 pounds — NuPhy attached a metal handlebar to it to carry it single-handedly. However, we do not see ourselves traveling with the Field75, and plan on keeping it stationed at our desk.

Unlike traditional volume buttons that keyboard nowadays have, the Field75 has a volume control knob. This essentially is a mechanical wheel that can change the volume on your device by turning it.

However, if your heart is set on using volume buttons, they are still available within the F10 to F12 keys.

In the upper right are three indicator lights. From top to bottom, these will tell you if the caps lock is on, if the scroll lock is on, and if the keyboard is charging.

The charging indicator can change between different colors, and each has a distinct meaning.

• Blue = currently charging
• Green = battery level is 80% or higher
• Amber = battery level is between 20% and 80%
• Red = battery level is 20% or lower

Behind each key is an RGB-LED lighting panel that illuminates across the whole keyboard. However, the lighting is behind the keys and not within them, so typing in the dark will be difficult.

On the top is a USB-C port, USB-A port, and a power switch.

The USB-C port is for charging the keyboard or using it in wired mode, and the USB-A port can be used as a hub to plug in an external mouse. Although, to take advantage of the hub, you must be using the Field75 in wired mode.

Beneath the Field75 are two kickstands to prop the keyboard up. They are built with fiber-rubber feet so your desk stays scratch-free.

Underneath the right-sided kickstand are 70's DIP (Dual In-Line Package) mode switches. You can use these to change the functionality of select keys without going into the software to do so.

A 4,200 mAh battery is built into the Field75, and it can get up to 160 hours of use with the RGB lights turned off. With them on, you can get up to 25 to 42 hours of usage on a single charge.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Multiple ways to connect

You can connect the NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard to your computer through Bluetooth, the included USB-A receiver, or a USB-C wired connection that plugs into the top of the keyboard.

The Field75 is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, which has a pulling rate of 125 Hz. Both wired and 2.4G modes have a pulling rate of 1,000 Hz, which is good for intense gaming.

On other keyboards, the switch to indicate the keyboard's connection method would be on the back. With the Field75, it's placed underneath the volume control knob.

You can connect the Field75 to up to four different devices. You can switch between them by invoking various keyboard commands through the Fn keys.

The keyboard is compatible with macOS, iPadOS, iOS, Windows, and Android operating systems. Unlike other wireless keyboards, there is no switch to identify which operating system you are connecting to.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Customization to the bone

One of the best parts about mechanical keyboards is how customizable they are. You can swap out the keycaps and underlying switches to make the keyboard uniquely your's.

The NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard — which is built with a hot-swap PCB (Printed Circuit Board) — is no different from other keyboards like it, and the customization process is straightforward.

The Field75 is built with Cherry Profile PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) keycaps, but you can swap them out for ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) shine-through ones if you would like. However, these keycaps won't be as durable as the PBT ones.

Polaris and Fleet Gold switches are compatible with the Field75, and they both focus on fast pre-travel and response time. For pre-travel, the Polaris is at 1.2mm and the Fleet Gold is at 2mm.

You can also install Cherry Speed Silver and Cherry Ergo Clear switches for different function speeds.

NuPhy includes a tool to easily pluck the keycaps and switches out of the keyboard. One side is for the keycaps and the other is for the switches.

Removing the keycaps was unchallenging, and came off with one tug. However, do be cautious of your surroundings when removing them, because they will go flying once they come off.

Switches — while still uncomplicated to remove — were slightly tougher to get off than the keycaps. We had to add a little elbow grease, but once they were loose, they snapped right off.

NuPhy includes four separate keycaps and switches in the box, but you can buy additional ones on their website. The extra keycaps included are for switching out specific function keys so they comply with macOS.

When installing keycaps or switches, all you have to do is slightly push down on them and they will snap into place. This means you do not need to violently push down to have them function properly.

Swapping these out is not the only way to personalize the keyboard, you can also customize the RGB backlit system too.

The RGB panel has 18 different lighting modes to choose from. These, and the brightness of the lights, can be controlled with the dedicated rotating knob located above the connection method switch.

These modes can range from different lighting patterns behind the keys, or keeping the backlit panel one solid color.

You can push the knob to change the action of the lights, or you can turn it to increase and decrease the brightness.

On the bottom and left side of the keyboard are customizable G-Keys. While you can change the function of them, they ship as media controls by default.

NuPhy Console, the program to customize the G-Keys, is currently not available for Macs.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Comfortable typing experience

The NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience; with soft keys that are gentle on the fingers.

The distance between each key is adequate and is a better than previous NuPhy keyboards we have reviewed.

While NuPhy advertises the Field75 as having low latency, we began to see some lag after typing for a long period. The lag seemed to come and go, so there was no string of difficult usage. This occurred when using the 2.4G connection.

That being said, the typing experience was very enjoyable when the lag was not apparent.

For the keys, they bounced well without getting stuck, they made the serotonin-inducing clicking sound that many have come to love, and the action keys were very responsive to commands on our device.

However, it is good that the keycaps are replaceable because the text on the black keycaps was hard to read. This made it difficult to find certain action keys without leaning in closely to the keyboard.

If you are colorblind or have bad eyesight, we recommend purchasing replacement keycaps for certain keys on the Field75 — especially keys F5 through F8.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Not for ordinary typers

The NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is a great keyboard to type on. However, unlike other mechanical keyboards that are solely for typing, this keyboard is made for gaming.

With its unique design layout and multiple customizable buttons, the Field75 was very fun to type on and explore.

The greatest highlight of the keyboard was the volume control knob. It allowed us to change the volume without fiddling around with different keyboard shortcuts.

For intense gaming, you are going to want to use a wired or the 2.4G connection. However, if you are playing an Apple Arcade game, then a Bluetooth connection will work well enough.

This keyboard will not be for everyone, but that should not take away from the fact that it is an exceptional keyboard. It's great for people who type up documents during the day and then are gaming into the night.

If you are a computer gamer and are looking for a keyboard to bring your gaming setup to the next level, then the Field75 may be a good choice for you. However, if you want a good mechanical keyboard to type your assignments on, then we suggest looking at NuPhy's other keyboards.

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Pros

• Unique design
• Comfortable typing experience
• Volume and lighting adjustment scroll knob
• Easy customization process

NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Cons

• Less-helpful backlit keyboard system
• Occasional lag
• Certain keys are hard to read
• NuPhy Console is not compatible with macOS

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Where to purchase the NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

You can purchase the NuPhy Field75 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard from their website for $169.95. It is available in Electro, Ethereal, Noether, and Gravity.