NuPhyX BH65 Keyboard Review

This keyboard features a compact layout and a fixed profile height. Its smaller footprint frees up desk space, providing more room for broad mouse movements. Its aluminum case is quite weighty for such a small board, which makes it very stable.

The 65% form factor includes dedicated arrow keys, which are usually missing on smaller 60% keyboards. It also retains many navigation keys like Delete, End, and Page Up/Page Down. However, it omits both the function row and the numeric keypad

This keyboard's build quality is excellent, with an all-aluminum case construction that results in a very rigid board with no noticeable deck flex.

The keyboard's weight, combined with two rounded rubber strips on the underside, provides excellent stability.

The switches and stabilizers are pre-lubed from the factory and provide a very consistent feel. There is no rattling whatsoever, and the keys are very stable. The double-shot PBT keycaps have a slightly textured, pleasant feel, though they tend to attract fingerprints. The aluminum case is also prone to fingerprints and may need to be cleaned often if you move it a lot.

Notably, the keyboard lacks NuPhy's signature GhostBar spacebar, which reduces hollow acoustics thanks to added silicon dampeners. As a result, the spacebar sounds noticeably clacky and can be disturbing.

The NuPhyX BH65 features a standard profile with a single incline setting. It's generally comfortable to type on and doesn't put much strain on the wrists, but using a wrist rest is recommended for extended typing sessions.

The NuPhyX BH65 has south-facing LEDs, offering optimal compatibility with aftermarket keycaps.

It has a hot-swappable PCB that supports magnetic Hall effect switches, though NuPhy and the broader industry provide unclear guidance on exact compatibility.

The configuration software supports calibration for certain TTC and Gateron magnetic switches. Others can still fit physically but may lack automatic calibration support. You can check the Configuration Software section for more information on switch compatibility.

This keyboard features fully customizable RGB backlighting, which can be adjusted using hotkeys or through the configuration software. It also includes two side light bars and a small RGB indicator above the Escape key, all of which are entirely adjustable as well.

The backlight is relatively dim, even at maximum brightness, and the keycaps don't have shine-through legends, making them hard to read in low light. The NuPhyX BH65 uses a top-emitting LED design that, according to NuPhy, improves heat dissipation. However, it also impacts lighting quality. When set to white, the LED emits noticeable pink, green, and blue hues, which can be a bit distracting. Testing the keyboard with shine-through keycaps taken from a separate keyboard in our inventory yields similarly lackluster results.

The included color-matched cable is rubber-coated and fairly flexible.

The NuPhy BH65 features LED strips on both sides of the board and a status indicator next to the Escape key. This indicator changes color based on various functions, such as Caps Lock, battery level, and connection mode. You can customize these lighting effects using the software or programmable shortcuts. You can find more details in the online version of the user manual.

The BH65 includes two mounting points secured by pairs of screws, one located along the top edge and a smaller one on the underside of the left edge. NuPhy offers 3D printing files to produce custom accessories for these spots. They include blueprints and example pictures for a tablet stand for the rear mount and a small hook for attaching a strap on the left side.

Note that the screws used are not standard Phillips screws but Torx ones that require a T6 screwdriver that isn't included with the keyboard.

• USB-A to USB-C cable
• Keycap/switch puller
• User documentation
• 4x additional Torx screws

The NuPhyX BH65 delivers a satisfying typing experience. The factory-lubed switches and stabilizers feel smooth, with no noticeable scratchiness or rattling. The switches are firmly seated with minimal wobble. The keycaps are made of high-quality, textured PBT and offer a slightly grippy surface.

The 65% layout features standard key spacing, making it easy to adapt to. Key travel is responsive and consistent across all keys, including larger ones. While overall comfort is good, the lack of incline options may cause fatigue during long sessions. A wrist rest is recommended for extended use.

We tested this keyboard with Gateron Magnetic Jade Gaming switches. They are smooth, linear switches that produce a slightly clacky sound. Overall, the keyboard is fairly loud and not ideal for office environments. The spacebar is particularly distracting due to its loud, hollow sound. This is unexpected, as NuPhy typically includes their GhostBar spacebar, which features a silicone dampener. However, that keycap is compatible and available for purchase separately.

We bought and tested this keyboard with Gateron Magnetic Jade Gaming switches, which are medium linear switches that come pre-lubed from the factory and feel smooth and consistent. They offer a customizable actuation range from 0.1 mm to 3.4 mm, with increments as small as 0.02 mm.

We took measurements using the gaming mode default setting: actuation was set at 0.8 mm, no Deadzone and Rapid Trigger set to off. We confirmed that the actual measured actuation is typically within 0.1 mm of the software setting. Here are some of the measurements we took:

• Setting 0.1 mm: Actual: 0.31 mm
• Setting 0.5 mm: Actual:  0.56 mm
• Setting 1.0 mm: Actual:  1.08 mm
• Setting 1.2 mm: Actual: 1.28 mm
• Setting 1.5 mm: Actual: 1.57 mm
• Setting 2.0 mm: Actual:  2.06 mm
• Setting 2.5 mm: Actual:  2.54 mm
• Setting 3.0 mm: Actual: 3.04 mm
• Setting 3.4 mm: Actual: 3.33 mm

The NuPhyX BH65 offers exceptionally low single-key latency, delivering a highly responsive and consistent experience ideal for all types of games, including competitive play.

We conducted this test using the following settings:

• Polling rate: 8000Hz
• Actuation: 0.1 mm
• Rapid Trigger: 0.01 mm release
• Rapid Trigger Stabilizer: Off
• Continuous Rapid Trigger: Off
• Deadzone: Off
• No tick rate

Multi-key latency is outstanding, with extremely low press and release delays. It's perfectly well-suited for playing any game that requires additional keystrokes while multiple keys are pressed and maintained.

We conducted this test using the following settings:

• Polling rate: 8000Hz
• Actuation: 0.1 mm
• Rapid Trigger: 0.01 mm release
• Rapid Trigger Stabilizer: Off
• Continuous Rapid Trigger: Off
• Deadzone: Off
• No tick rate

NuPhy advertises that this keyboard can reach up to 16,000Hz scan rate to go along with the 8,000Hz polling rate. The scan rate dictates how often the keyboard checks for inputs, while the polling rate is the rate at which your computer then checks your keyboard for input. Theoretically, a higher scan rate ensures that the most up-to-date key states are captured and sent with every poll. While we can't measure the scan rate with our current methodology, we can confirm there are no bottlenecking issues, and the keyboard is able to saturate its advertised polling rate. 

The NuPhy BH65 has very good 4-chord, making it well-suited for playing rhythm titles or other games requiring many simultaneous inputs.

The NuPhy BH65 uses a web-based configuration utility that you can access on NuPhy's website. The platform provides impressive fine-grained control and customization.

The software includes all the standard features you'd expect. While the keyboard can automatically detect the installed switches, you can also manually select the switch type if needed. The calibration section currently supports various Hall effect switches from TTC and Gateron.

This keyboard supports several advanced features ubiquitous with modern Hall effect switches. Note that these settings are somewhat unintuitively located in the Key Bindings section rather than under Trigger Settings. They can be accessed by right-clicking on individual switches to open a pop-up menu:

Dynamic Keystroke: Allows you to map up to four different actions to a single key based on actuation distance.

Mod Tap: Allows you to map two actions to a single key based on actuation distance: a held key for the first action and a tap for the second.

Toggle Key: Toggle a command between on/off states by tapping a key. Holding the key activates the normal key behavior.

Rapid Shift: Allows you to pair two keys and prioritize the one that is pressed more deeply.

SOCD (Simultaneous Opposite Cardinal Directions): Specifies a pair of two keys with custom trigger behavior along three optional parameters: 1) Last input priority, where the last pressed key overrides the first if both exceed the actuation point. 2) No priority, where neither key triggers if both exceed the actuation point. 3) Absolute priority, where one key always overrides the other if both exceed the actuation point. 

Hyper Tap: Automatically triggers another key the moment a specific key stops registering.

Tachyon Mode: This preset is found separately under the Mode Settings tab. It applies the switch profiles that NuPhy has designated as optimal dead zone, actuation, and rapid trigger points.

Disclaimer: Some settings, such as SOCD and Toggle Key, may not be allowed in some competitive games.

You can program and switch between different operating system layers. By default:

FN+W = Windows mode (Blue color on the status indicator light next to the Escape key)
FN+E = Mac mode (White on the indicator light)