Epomaker may have just delivered the best-value mechanical keyboard for gamers on a budget. At only $89, the Epomaker EK68 is packed with features and offers a custom-grade typing experience at an affordable price. That includes pre-lubed switches and stabilizers, doubleshot PBT keycaps, wired, Bluetooth, and fast 2.4GHz connectivity, and a soft gasket-mounted typing experience with layers of sound-dampening foam. It’s a great board on its own but at this price is one of the best values in mechanical keyboards today.
Specifications
- Current Price: $89 (Amazon)
- Layout: 65%, 66 Keys
- Mount Type: Gasket
- Switches: Epomaker Flamingo (linear), Epomaker Budgerigar (tactile), Gateron Pro 2.0 Yellow (Linear)
- Keycaps: Double shot PBT, OEM profile
- Case Material: Plastic
- Plate Material: Steel
- Hot-swap: Yes, 3/5 pins
- Stabilizer Type: Plate-mounted
- Backlit: RGB
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4 GHz and Type-C
- Battery Capacity: 3000mAh
- N-Key Rollover: Support
- Size: 325x117x41mm
- Weight: about 0.8kg
Epomaker EK68 - What Is It?
Epomaker has been a growing force in the world of mechanical keyboards over the last few years. It has released many mechanical keyboards at this point but has been on a steady incline, adding features, improving shortcomings, and consistently listening to user feedback. The EK68 is an excellent example of that, topping even the EP75 we reviewed last week.
Starting with the basics, the EK68 uses a compact 65-percent layout. It does away with the function row and number pad but maintains dedicated arrow keys and a column of navigation and editing buttons. All of the missing buttons are still available as secondary commands by holding the Fn button on the bottom right. It also has a clickable volume wheel just above this cluster that mutes and unmutes your system audio. The 65-percent layout is a great balance between gaming and productivity, which is a key reason for its popularity in new keyboards today.
Despite its appearance, the keyboard uses a plastic case, but it has been painted with a metallic gunmetal gray finish to look like it's made of metal. There’s a pair of two-stage tilt feet around the back to adjust the angle, but I found it very comfortable to use with just a palm rest. Around the back edge is a USB port, as well as a pair of switches to control the Windows or Mac setting, as well as the current connectivity mode between BT, 2.4GHz, and USB. There’s also a cutout to hold the USB dongle when it’s not in use — and thank goodness for that, because they’re far too easy to lose if you’re not actively using the keyboard.
The EK68 is topped with a set of doubleshot PBT keycaps. This means that the legends are formed from a second piece of plastic that has been bonded to the outer shell. They’ll never chip or fade, and the doubleshot process allows the legends to be crisper than the usual dye sublimation process we typically see at this price. There are a couple of inconsistencies, like the slightly too large second “e” in Enter, but they’re overall very good.
Beneath the caps is your choice of Epomaker original switches or Gateron Pro 2.0 yellow linears. My sample came with Epomaker’s linear Flamingo switches, but tactile Budgerigar switches are also available. All three types come pre-lubed. The Flamingo switches are excellent. They’re smooth and consistent and have a lightweight, clacky sound profile. I’ve never used Budgerigar switches, so can’t speak to their sound or feel, but the Gateron Pro 2.0 Yellows are also excellent and are considered one of the best budget switches you can buy today.
If you’d rather supply your own switches, it’s easy to swap out thanks to the keyboard’s support for hot-swapping. Using the included tool, you can simply unplug a switch and press another into place. You don’t even need to unplug the keyboard to do so. This is a great feature, especially for a board like this that’s likely to act as a gateway to the wider world of mechanical keyboards and the hundreds of custom switches available today.
Epomaker didn’t spare any expense on the structure of the keyboard either. It uses a gasket mount system, which leads to a soft typing experience. There are also layers of sound-dampening foam between the plate and PCB, another between the switches and the PCB for some added pop, and a final layer in the bottom of the case. You can’t feel the keys bounce beneath your fingers but the flex is visible when typing normally and even more so when pressed down intentionally. The experience is soft and well-dampened, which brings out the sound of the keys without ever sounding generic. It’s a big improvement from some of Epomaker’s earlier boards and has a much lighter sound than the EP75 thanks to the Cherry profile keycaps and gasket system.
Epomaker also did a great job with the stabilizers. They came pre-lubed and there wasn’t any rattle. The stabilizers are plate mounted but were very tight so there wasn’t and wiggle to create unwanted noise. I added a bit of extra Krytox to the wireless to make them sound a touch smoother but it wasn’t necessary and is more something I do with every keyboard I review at this point.
The EK68 also features programmable RGB lighting and supports full key remapping. There are 19 different lighting presets onboard that support brightness, speed, and color adjustments, as well as three modes for first-person shooters, League of Legends, and just illuminating your main typing keys. The software works for remapping keys and other basic programming tasks but is a bit rough around the edges. It will get the job done, but don’t expect Razer Synapse levels of deep programming.
Battery life is the biggest shortcoming as the EK68 only sports a 3000 mAh battery. With RGB on, it will need to be charged at least once a week depending on how much you play. Turning RGB off makes a big difference and could get you closer to multiple weeks or even months of use. There’s a handy battery indicator next to the arrow keys to let you know your current status, but it’s still a good idea just to plug it in when you log off for the night so it’s not a worry.
Epomaker EK68 - Performance
The Epomaker EK68 blew my socks off. I am a bit of a mechanical keyboard fanatic. And by “a bit,” I mean that I currently own about a dozen custom keyboards with more coming in all the time. I build my own, carefully selecting the switches, keycaps, and other components. When I get pre-made keyboards in to review, I often disassemble them, lube stabilizers, add foam, tape, and complete other mods. It’s crazy, I know it, but I love it.
So take it from me: the EK68 is shockingly good for the price. Somewhat unpolished software aside, for $89, it delivers a typing experience that’s at the top of its class. I’ve heard and felt more expensive custom keyboards, like the NovelKeys NK65 Entry Edition — a very good keyboard in its own right — that force you to buy your own switches and keycaps that don’t sound and feel as good.
The Flamingo switches are great. They’re very smooth. The factory lubing on them was consistent on my sample, so there were no random keys that sounded different from the rest. Combined with the doubleshot PBT keycaps, the sound they make is on the clacky side without being thin or completely high-pitched. It’s very good and offers a satisfying sound and feel.
The gasket mount implementation is also the best of any Epomaker keyboard I’ve tested yet. Prior keyboards tended toward the stiff side. They were gasket mount in isolation more than feel, but here you also get some flex, which is fun to type on and puts it up there with some custom keyboard kits. Epomaker has learned and the EK68 is a prime example of that.
The only things it’s really missing are QMK/VIA support and support for screw-in stabilizers. These two things would put it on par with custom keyboard kits properly and right now neither are present. Looking at Epomaker’s wider catalog, both of those features are becoming more common, so it’s exciting to see what may come over the next months.
Even with that in mind, the software makes it possible to program what you need to program, the stock keymaps cover most bases the average gamer will need, and the plate-mounted stabilizers are very good on their own. The missing features would be nice to have but didn’t leave me feeling disappointed in what I actually had.
Final Thoughts
The EK68 surprised me. I’ve used many Epomaker keyboards at this point and the company almost always does a good job of delivering value for the money. The bring enthusiast features to affordable price points and that’s always admirable. But the EK68 may just be my favorite keyboard they’ve produced yet. The combination of switches, keycaps, and very good tuning of sound and feel make it an exceptionally great choice if you’re looking for a keyboard under $100. If you’re keyboard shopping, do yourself a favor and push this keyboard to the top of your list.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Some articles may contain affiliate links and purchases made through this will result in a small commission for the site. Commissions are not directed to the author or related to compensation in any way.
