Mechanical keyboards are getting popular nowadays, as they give a better touch, feel and typing experience. Here we have the compact Epomaker EK68 mechanical keyboard. Read on to find out how it works and if it is suitable for you.
A Compact Keyboard for You?
The Epomaker EK68 is a 65% Gasket mount mechanical keyboard. What this means is that its length is only 65% of the size of a regular keyboard. It only has 66 keys (missing the number pad) and a rotating knob at the top right corner that allows you to quickly adjust the volume. With a weight of 0.8kg, this is a compact keyboard that is ideal to bring with you wherever you go.
There are three connection modes available to pair this keyboard with your PC (or phone). It supports a wireless connection with Bluetooth 5.0 or over 2.4GHz and a wired connection with a USB-C cable. You can select the mode with the toggle switch at the back of the keyboard.
Another switch allows you to switch between Windows and Mac. There are no options for Linux, Android or iOS. However, I had no issue pairing and using it on Linux and Android in “WIN” mode.
There is no indicator on the keys, so I had to read the manual to figure out how to pair the keyboard over Bluetooth. In Bluetooth mode, you have to press and hold the Fn + Q/W/E buttons to activate the pairing mode. It can pair with three devices, so you have to press the Q, W or E buttons, respectively, to switch to each device.
For the 2.4GHz mode, you just have to insert the dongle to the PC USB port, and it should work immediately. If not, press the Fn + R buttons to pair with the dongle.
The Fn key is particularly important in this keyboard, as it is the key to accessing many of its hidden options. For example, to access the F1 through F12 buttons, you need to press Fn + 1 - 12, or Fn + PgUp for the Home function. Fn + | will toggle the various RGB backlight modes.
Like any other mechanical keyboard, it comes with RGB backlights that can display a lighting pattern that you can configure to your delight. Personally, I am not a fan of the RGB backlight, as I find it distracting. The first thing I always do when I got a new mechanical keyboard is disable the lighting option.
What I really like about this keyboard is the light indicator beside the arrow keys that shows the connection status and battery life. This allows you to see quickly whether your keyboard is connected to the PC and/or the battery is depleted and needs to be recharged.
Performance
When typing on the EK68, it gives a tactile feeling, yet it is not noisy. I am impressed with this, considering that the other Epomaker keyboards that I have used are loud when I’m typing. This is definitely one of the quieter mechanical keyboard that I have used.
This keyboard comes with a 3000mAh battery, which is good for at least two weeks of use. After the first charge, I have been using it continuously for two weeks (about five to seven hours per day) without it requiring a recharge.
If you are a DIY lover, you will be glad to know that it has a hot swappable PCB that is compatible with 3-Pin/5-Pin switches, so you can swap out each key to use a different switch if you don’t like the default. It is compatible with most 3-pin and 5-pin mechanical switches, such as Cherry, Gateron, Otemu, Kailh and other MX switches and clones. There is no soldering involved. Simply unplug the keycap and the switch (using the tool provided) and swap it with your preferred switch and keycap. It is that easy.
My keyboard is the black-gold version, which is a mix of grey, black and gold keycaps. It ships with extra keycaps for the Space, Enter, Backspace and Esc buttons so that you can change all the keys to the same uniform color. What is missing, though, is an extra Command keycap to switch out with the Win key when using it on a Mac.
Conclusion
After testing several Epomaker keyboards, I personally enjoy using this EK68 keyboard due to its comfort in typing and quietness. The inclusion of Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection modes makes it even more useful and versatile. All in all, this is one keyboard that just works – and works perfectly. That’s what we really wanted, isn’t it?
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