NuPhy Halo65 V2 Review: A Compact With Big-Board Confidence
Link to product: https://nuphy.com/products/nuphy-halo65-v2?sca_ref=6478883.vEyJw0HgQ7
I am a TKL person at heart. The Halo65 V2 is the rare 65 percent that pulled me out of my comfort zone and kept me there. It sounds mature, it types like a well tuned custom, and it brings a lighting package that actually elevates the design instead of turning the desk into a rave. At 129 dollars it undercuts a lot of boards that do less.
Below is the full deep dive with sound impressions using NuPhy’s Raspberry linear and Blush Max silent switches, build notes, lighting behavior, software and connectivity, plus the quirks that kept it honest.
What Is It
A 65 percent wireless mechanical keyboard with an aluminum top shell, a frosted plastic bottom, full per key south facing RGB, a continuous halo light around the chassis, and a bright underglow strip that spills into the desk. It is hot swappable, supports QMK and VIA, connects by USB C, Bluetooth, or 2.4 GHz, and advertises 1000 Hz polling on the dongle. The layout includes arrow keys with a clean separation that is easy to hit without looking.
Who it is for
- You want compact travel friendly size without giving up arrows
- You care about sound and feel as much as specs
- You want a quiet option for office and night work with the ability to switch to thock later
- You prefer real programmability through VIA and QMK
Unboxing and Accessories
NuPhy packs more than most at this price. You get extra legends for Mac and Windows, a color matched keycap puller, a switch puller, cable, stickers with a playful vibe, and the infamous clear dust cover. The cable and tools match the board’s palette which is a small thing that makes the whole kit feel intentional.
If you swap between Mac and Windows, having both keycap sets in the box is a quality of life win. No need to hunt extra caps or tolerate mismatched legends.
Build, Fit, and Finish
Chassis
The top shell is aluminum and gives the board its heft and rigidity. The bottom case is frosted plastic that diffuses the underglow and keeps the weight reasonable for a travel bag. The seam line between the two pieces is even. There are no odd gaps around the port or the rear toggles.
Feet
There are two stages of flip out feet. The larger feet lock in with confidence and do not collapse. The smaller feet are still the weakest link and can fold if nudged. If you like a shallow incline, set expectations or stick to the large feet.
Badge and rubber pads
The front Halo badge is magnetic and removable. It looks great on a desk but it is easy to imagine it disappearing into a backpack pocket. The underside has wide rubber pads for stability and smaller stick on pads for laptop mode so the board does not scratch a palm rest.
Labels and switches
The rear has clearly printed labels for Mac or Windows, wired or 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth, and the USB C port has a tasteful accent ring. This sounds minor until you have owned boards that force you to guess a tiny unmarked toggle in dim light. The clarity here reduces setup friction every time you move the keyboard between devices.
Layout and Everyday Ergonomics
It is a standard 65 percent with arrows and a small nav cluster on layers. The gap around the arrow block is wide enough that you can land on the right arrow by muscle memory. Modifier sizes are normal. If you come from TKL, the transition is painless. Laptop mode works well because the footprint is small and the weight is sane.
Switches and Sound
I tested with two NuPhy options.
Raspberry linear
A medium light linear that gives a smooth travel and a clean bottom out. The board with Raspberries has a rounded, slightly creamy tone that stays consistent from the alphas to the nav cluster. It is quick for gaming and controlled for typing. If you like a modern, thock leaning linear without extra weight, Raspberry is an easy first pick.
Blush Max silent
This is one of the quietest silents I have used that still feels energetic. The built in dampening is firm enough to avoid mush, and the board’s internal treatment helps avoid hollow resonance. If you type late at night, this is the stealth mode that saves roommates and meetings.
Stabilizers and tuning
Stabilizers are prepped well from the factory. No rattly spacebar, no tick on Enter or Backspace. The alpha row and modifiers share the same general character, which is not a given on mixed material cases.
The Spacebar Trick
NuPhy installs a silencing insert for the spacebar and backs it with silicone. With Blush silents the bar becomes whisper level. With Raspberries the rest of the board thocks and the bar becomes the odd one out. The fix is simple. Pull the cap, remove the insert, and you get your thock back. I would love to see NuPhy ship the insert loose with thock forward switch kits to avoid confusion. As shipped, the silent spacebar is a blessing for quiet setups and a curve ball for thock chasers.
Mounting, Plate, and Internals
The board uses a gasket style mount with a silicone pad stack that kills high pitched case ping. You get the pleasant give of a soft mount without a wobbly trampoline feel. The aluminum top plate keeps key feel crisp. The plastic lower shell and silicone work together to produce a warmer signature than a full aluminum case. It reads premium rather than hollow.
Lighting That Serves The Design
This is the most cohesive lighting package I have seen in this price class.
- Halo ring around the entire chassis that diffuses softly into the frosted lower shell
- Underglow strip that runs the length of the bottom and paints the desk surface with a clean edge
- South facing per key RGB that plays nicely with cherry profile caps
- LED homing bars on F and J so touch typists can find anchors in the dark without lighting the whole cap
If you shoot desk photos or video, this board looks fantastic at low to mid brightness. The diffusion hides hotspots and the halo reads as a single continuous element rather than separate dots.
Software and Customization
The keyboard supports VIA and QMK. That gives you per key remapping, layers, macros, and custom toggles without vendor lock in. If you already live in VIA, the board drops into your workflow in minutes.
On desktop lighting suites, NuPhy lists SignalRGB support. It works and it is common in the ecosystem. I prefer OpenRGB because it is lighter and friendlier to resource usage. If your setup is already standardized on SignalRGB, you will feel at home. If you like lean utilities, OpenRGB is a good alternative.
Connectivity, Polling, and Latency
You get USB C wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz wireless. The 2.4 GHz mode advertises 1000 Hz polling which is what you want for gaming and fast input work. In practice the connection feels tight and stable with no visible stutter or wake delay from idle. Bluetooth is fine for travel or phones and tablets. If you sit at one desk all day, wired removes charging from your life and ensures maximum consistency.
Battery Behavior
Exact life will vary with brightness and effect choices. The halo ring and the underglow strip are bright and will pull more power at max. At mid brightness with breathing or static effects, you can stretch multiple days of mixed use. If you want the longest life in wireless, keep the underglow modest and use reactive only on keystrokes. Wired mode remains the simplest option for desk setups.
Colorways, Keycaps, and Add ons
NuPhy offers a healthy set of finishes. The black and white builds look clean with almost any desk. The pastel sets like Mojito, Blue Lagoon, and Sakura Fizz let you lean playful. The company also sells matching wrist rests and see through cap sets. The frosted rest in particular plays beautifully with the underglow since the light spills into the edge and gives a soft gradient.
Daily Use
- The board is small enough to clear space for a mouse, a tablet, or a notepad
- The dongle has a dedicated bay which helps prevent loss
- The labeled rear toggles save time every single time you switch devices
- The sound signature hides desk material quirks better than many plastic bottoms
- The magnetic badge looks great for static desk use and is easy to misplace in a bag
Price and Value
At 129 dollars the Halo65 V2 lands in a sweet spot. A lot of boards at this price ask you to trade lighting for sound or sound for software. The Halo65 V2 checks all three categories with no glaring hole. If you want a brighter desk without sacrificing typing quality, it makes a strong case for itself.
What I Would Improve
- Make the small flip out feet lock as confidently as the large ones
- Ship the spacebar silencing insert loose when the board is configured with thock forward switches to avoid mismatched tone
- Offer the halo badge with a stronger magnet or an optional click plate for people who travel
Alternatives To Consider
- If you need a dedicated volume knob or an F row, you will prefer a TKL or 75 percent
- If you want a heavier all aluminum block feel, look at thicker two piece cases or customs in a higher price band
- If you want maximum battery life without lighting, a simpler wireless 65 with no halo ring will last longer between charges
Verdict
The NuPhy Halo65 V2 is a compact that acts like a grown up. It sounds cohesive across the board, the switch options give it real personality shifts, and the lighting is tasteful and fun. QMK and VIA make layers painless. The wireless stack is responsive. The price amplifies the win.
If you want a smaller board that does not feel like a compromise, this is an easy recommendation.
Buy it here: https://nuphy.com/products/nuphy-halo65-v2?sca_ref=6478883.vEyJw0HgQ7
Pros
- Rounded, premium sound with Raspberries and near silent control with Blush Max
- Gasket style compliance without wobble
- South facing RGB and LED homing bars that are actually useful
- Halo ring and underglow strip look refined at realistic brightness
- Tri mode with 1000 Hz on 2.4 GHz
- VIA and QMK support out of the box
- Clear rear labels and thoughtful dongle storage
Cons
- Small feet can collapse if nudged
- Magnetic badge is easy to lose in a bag
- Spacebar silencer ships installed which can confuse thock focused users
Recommended Layer Map
- Fn + WASD for arrows on laptops that lack room for a mouse
- Fn + number row for media and volume
- Fn + Esc for toggle mute
- Fn + Backspace for Delete if you miss it from TKL
- Fn + Caps to flip Mac or Windows modifier order on the fly
Final Thoughts
I came to this as a TKL loyalist and left with a 65 percent that could live on my desk full time. The experience is consistent, the design is confident, and the sound is more expensive than the price tag. If NuPhy builds a TKL with this same halo and underglow treatment, I will be first in line. Until then, the Halo65 V2 is the compact that finally makes sense for a lot of people, including me.
