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Apr 06, 2023

Higround Opal Base 65 Review: Who Is This Keyboard For?

The Higround Opal Base 65 is a mixed bag. The Higround Opal Base 65 mechanical

The Higround Opal Base 65 is a mixed bag.

The Higround Opal Base 65 mechanical keyboard has an interesting translucent design and decent TTC Silent Glacier switches, but its pricing and other issues hold this keyboard back.

I'm always skeptical when sent a product that I've seen more of on TikTok than on other tech websites. You know, sites that actually review tech rather than make 30s clips that provide zero detail.

And the Higround Opal Base 65 definitely fits that bill. Still, it did have some features I wanted to check out, like the TTC Silent Glacier switches, the translucent keycap set, and the overall build quality.

All in all, the Higround Opal Base 65 mechanical keyboard is a mixed bag, with a handful of pros and cons.

The Higround Opal Base 65 uses the familiar GK68 style and shell, modeled on this keyboard as the HG68. For those wondering what that means, GK68 is a commonly used 65% mechanical keyboard frame and style that forms the base of many other keyboards. For example, there is the Epomaker GK68, the Skyloong GK68 and SK68, Royal Kludge RK68, and many others.

The Opal Base 65 has 68 keys, doing away with all of the function keys and numpad, but keeping a handful of useful keys like Del, PgUp, and PgDn. Its dimensions are 309mm x 100mm x 30mm (rear measurement), with a keyboard pitch of around five degrees. Overall, the Opal Base 65 is a comfortable size, as you'd expect for a 65% keyboard. The key spacing allows for quick movement between keys without creating any fatigue, and while the Opal doesn't have any integrated feet, the 5-ish degree angle is comfortable.

There is a lot of plastic on show with the Opal Base 65. Its outer case is molded opaque ABS, with a slight lip around the keyboard edge. It seems like reasonably decent-quality plastic, though, and with the keyboard weighing 715g, its internals have some good qualities, too. For example, Higround built the Opal Base 65 with an aluminum plate to increase its durability, reduce keyboard flex, and better reflect the RGB lighting, while the dual-silicone dampening foam layer reduces the sound of the already quiet TTC Silent Glacier switches (more on these in a moment).

Although it is heavy on the plastic, that is the style the Opal is attempting to replicate; those heady days when all of the best tech was translucent or transparent, making everything a little bit more exciting. The Opal Base 65 is translucent white, but you can also pick it up in Amythest.

Higround's Opal Base 65 comes with translucent ABS keycaps, which a great for maximizing the RGB under each key. The keycaps are relatively comfortable to type on, and each has a slight concave for comfort and accuracy. There isn't a great deal of space between each key, as you'd expect with a 65% keyboard, but it means your hands aren't working extra hard to cover the distance.

Back to the RGB lighting. Higround states that the TTC Silent Switches have a "special light guide" to enhance LED brightness by up to 60%—a huge gain for those that like shiny things. The light guide appears to be a combination of a larger cut-out on the switch itself with the addition of a light diffuser, allowing the north-facing LEDs a larger gap to shine through and wider distribution of the light. It works well, and the translucent keycaps illuminate nicely across the extensive range of RGB lighting options.

I stuck with the default color scheme, but you can use the Higround desktop app to customize the RGB, create macros, customize keybindings, and more.

One of the Opal Base 65's best features is its TTC Silent Glacier switches, which I wanted to try. Combined with the Opal's dual-noise dampening layers, the TTC Silent Glacier switches live up to the name. Something that helps them remain at least relatively silent is the 39g actuation force, which is very light compared to other switches (for reference, the Cherry MX Red Silent switch requires 45g actuation force). Furthermore, with an actuation point of 2.0mm, you don't have to work hard to register a keypress.

The noise of the switches is one positive, but the light switches can have knock-on effects elsewhere—like typing accuracy. The rapid and lightweight actuation means you'll move around the keyboard much faster than before, but you may begin to make typing mistakes. It's a balance, that's for sure, but it might not be the best option for gamers.

Of course, we shouldn't forget that the Higround Opal Base 65 is a hot-swappable keyboard. This means you can swap out the TTC Silent Glacier switches for any Cherry-MX compatible three-pin switch, meaning you can customize the keyboard switches (and, of course, keycaps) to your heart's desire. Just be aware that you'll want north-facing keyboard switches to maximize the RGB lighting, otherwise, you'll lose some of its effects.

Higround's desktop app also adds extra customization options to the Opal Base 65. For example, you can use the Higround app to create custom lighting plans or peruse the numerous programmed options, or switch to the keyboards Gaming Mode (which switches off Alt + Tab, Alt + F4, and the Windows Key).

One of the main reasons you might use the Higround app is to create custom keyboard bindings. There are many options, with mouse functions, macros, combo keys, and more. But the interface is far from intuitive, and I would go as far as to say downright useless as you can't see any of the existing bindings for Higround's custom functions (yes, there is a card, but this functionality should clearly be present in the app you use to change them). Furthermore, creating specific combo keys or otherwise appears to have no effect on the keyboard functions. You can create them, sure, but whether they'll do anything when you need them to is another question.

The desktop app feels very much like an afterthought and needs some work to make it usable outside RGB lighting options.

The Higround Opal Base 65 retails for $135 and is part of Higrounds "Always Available" range. Though, it isn't technically "always available," as Higround frequently sells out of this and its other Always Available options. This is opposed to its "Limited Drops" range, which typically includes one-off designs and unique collaborations.

Now, the big question is whether you should drop $135 on this mechanical keyboard. For me, it's hard to recommend. Higround as a company appears to be based more on a culture of drops and exclusivity around certain products rather than creating mechanical keyboards that anyone can use. While anyone could pick up the Opal Base 65, there are better quality keyboards on the market, despite the features that Higround touts, such as hot-swappable keys and customizable RGB.

That's not to say the Opal Base 65 doesn't have good features. The combination of the keycaps and the switches does make the RGB look good, and if that's something you value in your desktop configuration, this will fit right in. I also enjoyed the typing experience of the TTC Silent Glacier switches, but the lightweight keys might not be a good option for gamers when it comes to keypress accuracy.

The price is the major sticking point. You could pick up the excellent Keychron K6 65% wireless keyboard for around $75 or the Royal Kludge RK68 for between $50-$60. These keyboards might not be hot-swappable or have comparable RGB, but they deliver where it really matters: price and typing. And for most mechanical keyboard users that aren't deeply invested in the scene or want to show off their latest mechanical keyboard drop on TikTok, these are the features that will win folks over.

Gavin is the Technology Explained Section Editor, co-host on the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a degree in Contemporary Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.