NuPhy Field75 Review — Attack of the Anime Waifu

By now, it should not be a surprise that NuPhy is known for making some great keyboards. The NuPhy Air60 V2 won me over by being one of the best low-profile gaming keyboards. The NuPhy Gem80 is my all-time favorite, so when NuPhy asked me if I would like to review the Field75, I replied to the email with just one eye open as I was waking up in the morning. I have faith in NuPhy, the same level of faith I have had in the likes of Razer and Corsair and I can tell you that after spending a good chunk of time with the NuPhy Field75, this keyboard is made for those who are looking for an excellent typing experience but without having to go through building a keyboard themselves.

The NuPhy Field75 is what happens when a keyboard enthusiast company designs a prebuilt keyboard

Now, considering how both the NuPhy Field75 and the NuPhy Gem80 are from the same company, it is safe to say that there will be some comparisons drawn between these keyboards. I am going to be honest and put it as I understand: if the Gem80 is the cousin that went to business school, the Field75 is the cousin that ended up in art school, and there is nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, both keyboards are just as good at what they do. The Field75 is a keyboard that does not require you to get your hands dirty, and sometimes it is fine.

The unboxing experience of the NuPhy Field75 is not as glamorous, but that is fine. The box itself is attractive enough and there is not a lot going on. This is one of the best keyboard boxes that I have seen in some time and looking at the box, you will realize why the title of this review is written the way it is written.

The NuPhy Field75 is unapologetically artsy, and it starts from the box. This is one of the most attractive boxes I have seen and it reminds me of those really cool GPU boxes we used to get a while back. Yes, I am talking about those wicked boxes with some really crazy designs. NuPhy understood the homework and is doing it right. Thankfully, the box is not overbearing in any way; it looks great, and it’s tastefully done, so I cannot really complain about this at all.

Taking the sleeve off presents a completely matte black box that just has the Field75 printed on it. There is no color, no fancy text, no anime waifu, just tastefully done box art that shows that the company means business and is not afraid to show it.

Lift up the top cover and there you have it, the NuPhy Field75 sitting inside its box in all its glory. I love how NuPhy has made sure that the unboxing experience is just as good as the keyboard. I know so many companies that mess up one aspect or the other. That is not the case here, the keyboard looks just as good as it does on the box as it does in real life.

Considering how the NuPhy Field75 is sold only as a prebuilt, there are no fancy accessories included in the box. If you are someone who wants the plug-and-play experience, this is the way to go. The box contains the keyboard itself, extra keycaps for MacOS, a switch puller and a keycap remover, a USB dongle, and the cable itself. There is also a small box containing four extra switches in different variants should you wish to change that later. Yes, the keyboard does have a hot-swap PCB for all you keyboard nerds and the switch options are virtually unlimited.

Now, considering how the NuPhy Field75 is not a “custom keyboard,” some users might find themselves under the impression that NuPhy has not paid enough attention to detail in this keyboard. Well, I am more than happy to tell you that it is not the case. The keyboard can be customized just as much as you want, and inside the keyboard, you will find everything that is synonymous with a good custom keyboard.

The NuPhy Field75 is built like a custom keyboard from the ground up. This means that inside the keyboard, you will find a thick metal switch plate, plate poron, and PCB IXPE to ensure that the typing experience is just as good as a custom keyboard. But if you think you want to go ahead and customize it even more, you can open it up and make changes to your heart’s content.

Speaking of typing experience, another thing that makes the NuPhy Field75 so much fun to type on is the use of the new Cherry Ergo Clear switches–these are factory lubed, and the Ergo Clear variant is made for those who love to type because it is a very nice and pronounced tactile bump. I was a bit worried in the start because I have had a terrible experience with Cherry Brown switches as they are notorious for not having any noticeable tactile bump despite being tactile switches, but these are really good, and there is satisfaction when you type. I can even go as far as saying that the typing experience is just as good as the one that is on Gem80, and oh my god, I absolutely love the Ghost Spacebar that NuPhy executes. This is the best-sounding spacebar you will find on a keyboard.

Since we are on the topic of switches, the NuPhy Field75 comes in four options: the Cherry Silver Speed, the Cherry Ergo Clear, Polaris, and Fleeting Gold. But since you are looking at a keyboard with a hot-swappable PCB, NuPhy allows you to choose from a total of 16 switch options, making this keyboard one of the finest in terms of switch choice. I have experienced the Mint switches as well, and they are among my favorites, right next to these amazing Ergo Clear switches from Cherry.

Now, the thing that I am about to tell you guys is something that might make some of you sad. The NuPhy Field75 is not compatible with QMK/VIA like its other siblings. It does, however, have its own console, and honestly, it works really well for a prebuilt keyboard. Sure, the granular customization is not something that you are going to be able to enjoy but with the NuPhy Console, you do get access to pretty much all the basic functionality you want.

The NuPhy Field75 has better lighting effects than the Gem80, mind you. And thanks to the north-facing LED lights, you also have access to more options in terms of shine through keycaps, and the RGB is also comparatively bright. You can have a look at the RGB below.

Now bear in mind that this keycap set is non-shine-through, but NuPhy does sell a set in the same colorway that is shine-through. So, if you ever want to go ahead and spend your money on that, then you can go ahead and make that happen. in either case, I think the RGB lighting is tastefully done, and the steampunk-ish design of the Field75 is more than enough to make the keyboard a welcomed addition to your gaming desk. I don’t believe in the idea of having two keyboards, but if I had the chance, the Field75 and the Gem80 would have been the two keyboards on my setup.

Circling back to the software, the NuPhy Field75’s console works as well as any other software. It is simple to use and navigate, and I believe that is developed by the same team that developed the console for Lofree Edge due to how similar they look. This one, of course, has more features. You can have a look at everything you can find in this software below. Do keep in mind that in order for the console to work, you will need to remove the 2.4GHz dongle, and connect the keyboard with the cable. Having the dongle plugged in will not let you customize the keyboard.

The NuPhy Field75 is one of the best gaming keyboards that I have had the chance to use. I would even go as far as calling it the Gem80 Light because it does so much of what the Gem80 does but without costing as much. As a matter of fact, it even has some features that I wish were a part of the Gem80. For instance, there are eight extra programmable keys that you can program to pretty much anything that you want. Not to forget, it has a volume knob, as well as an additional knob that lets you adjust the brightness of the RGB on the fly. It also has feet for adjusting the height which allows it to sit on top of a laptop keyboard, which is something that is overlooked all the time.

I can even go as far as saying that I would rank this next to the NuPhy Gem80 because of how both of these keyboards trade blows with each other. On that note, I would also like to wish NuPhy all the best for their future releases. The NuPhy Field75 is an absolute joy to use, and it more than solidifies NuPhy as a company that is genuinely interested in making keyboards so good that you just take them out of the box and get started with them. I have never come across a keyboard company that is so good at delivering consistent experience as NuPhy, and I hope I continue working with them on their future products, too.