The Epomaker HE68 is an amazing deal of a Hall Effect keyboard that offers gamers all the power of Hall Effect switches in an affordable package. While it might be a wired and plastic keyboard, it is still an excellent entry-point into the Hall Effect subcategory that many players are excited to use when playing high-intensity shooters.
Hall effect keyboards are becoming increasingly popular in the mechanical gaming keyboard space thanks to manufacturers taking a chance on a technology that would otherwise be inaccessible for many consumers. Despite more and more HE keyboards making their way to the market, they price many consumers out of the market because they’re so expensive. It shouldn’t be too surprising, though – look at the cost of a “pro” console controller like the PS5’s DualSense Edge!
Unless, of course, you’re Epomaker and you have the HE68 Gaming Keyboard – a 65% Hall Effect keyboard that is not only priced under $100, but closer to the $50 price point at $59.99! Consider me stunned, intrigued, and even more – excited for the future of affordable Hall Effect keyboards for those who want them.
Epomaker is a mechanical keyboard company who specialize in prebuilt mechanical keyboards that are equally as affordable as they are uniquely designed. I’ve tested multiple Epomaker keyboards over the past year, and I’m continuously surprised by how each of their keyboards adopt a distinctive aesthetic.
Check out the Epomaker HE68 on Epomaker’s website! (Non-affiliated URL)
Epomaker’s HE68 is a Hall Effect keyboard – this means that it doesn’t use traditional mechanical switches like you would find on a regular ol’ keyboard. Instead, the switches feature magnets that reduce friction and are far more durable! The best part about magnetic / Hall Effect switches is that their actuation points can be freely configured. If you want your switches to be super sensitive and activate on the slightest touch, you can easily make that dream a reality using Hall Effect switches; if you want some switches to activate when you press further down, you can make that happen, too!
The HE68 looks similar to one of the leading HE keyboards – the Wooting 60HE. I say this not just because of its compact form factor and magnetic switches, but because of the side strap connected to the side of the keyboard. It comes in two color schemes – black red and purple white. I was sent the black red model to review.
The HE68 is constructed out of ABS plastic which keeps it light but relatively sturdy. Inside of that case are some light sound dampening materials (PPRO sandwich foam and a silicon bottom pad). The keyboard also uses a gasket mounting structure, which means that typing on the keyboard is a sturdy affair. Because the HE68 is a 65% keyboard, the layout is extremely compact and portable. It’s not compact to be a burden, but as someone with big hands I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have some growing pains in getting used to the keyboard. I’m not the biggest fan of plastic keyboards nor 65% layouts, but the HE68’s price point is outstanding — making up for the form factor and construction.
My biggest issue with Hall Effect / magnetic keyboards is their price point – typically, they’re anywhere from $150 to well over $300 depending on the model. Even worse – you can’t just swap out your current set of mechanical switches for a set of magnetic switches, as you need a separate PCB that has been customized to support magnetic switches. As a result, it’s hard for me to recommend Hall Effect keyboards for anyone except enthusiasts, as I don’t want folks to invest hundreds of dollars into a new keyboard and end up hating how the switches feel or not needing the unique functionality of magnetic switches.
The HE68’s $60 price point makes it a perfect recommendation for current mechanical keyboard owners who are unfamiliar with Hall Effect switches and want to test them out without breaking the bank. It’s the best entry point into the Hall Effect subcategory before going deeper into the likes of Keychron, Wooting, or Meletrix. If you like how the magnetic switches function on the HE68 and want a larger keyboard or a keeb with more premium construction – the HE68 will assuredly give you the best idea of what to expect from the Hall Effect switches before taking the pricy plunge.
That said, the HE68’s Epomaker Magnetic Pink Switches are easily removed using a keycap puller. I’ve been informed that the HE68 is compatible with most Magnetic/Hall Effect switches, so if you’re like me and want a thocky magnetic switch, you can easily slot in the Gateron Jades (which are my current favorite magnetic switch by a country mile) and get on just fine.
The Magnetic Pink switches are very smooth and feature an excellent midranged strength of a spring that requires ~45gf of force. Their sound profile sounds poppy, in part because of the HE68’s aluminum plate and ABS plastic case. The PPRO sandwich foam does a decent job of absorbing some of the keypress sounds, but they don’t do enough to produce a deeper or muted sound profile. When I was playing games on the HE68, my rapid typing ended up sounding loud, so I wouldn’t recommend that you use this keyboard if you’re in a shared space or if you’re trying to keep quiet.
Hall effect keyboards are known for their gaming potential, specifically amongst those who want to use their keyboards to play high-intensity games like FPS titles that ask players to peek to avoid being detected by enemies. With things like mod-tap, rapid trigger, and dynamic keystrokes (DKS), gamers are most likely those to take advantage of them. Let’s face it – the average typist doesn’t need to have a single key having two separate effects based on how far the key is pressed.
I remain convinced that magnetic switches don’t make me a better player. Are inputs easier because I could customize sensitivity on a per-key basis, yes; I didn’t become a professional VALORANT player by switching to a magnetic keyboard, though.
To adjust the keyboard, I used Epomaker’s computer driver. It’s a relatively straightforward affair to customize the keyboard’s south-facing LEDs along with adding macros. To take advantage of the Hall Effect features and adjust the switches’ actuation points or enabling SOCD (simultaneous opposite key direction), all I had to do was go into the settings. It wasn’t too difficult for me thanks to my prior experience with magnetic keyboards, but understanding what settings do what can be difficult to pick up as a new user.
The biggest opportunity that Epomaker or another manufacturer should take advantage of is refining Hall Effect customization software to make it easier to use and easier to understand. Many of the software suites I have used seem to have been designed with only pro users in mind, which is an additional barrier for new users to pick up and consider when attempting to get used to the power and potential of Hall Effect switches.
The other drawback of this keyboard is that it is entirely wired – no wireless optional available. Personally, I’m willing to consider that a worthy compromise if the Hall Effect features are made more accessible at sub-$100, but don’t expect this keyboard to come with the wireless functionality that most assume to be standard in the mechanical keyboard market.
With that said, let’s wrap this up.
The Epomaker HE68 is an amazing deal of a Hall Effect keyboard that offers gamers all the power of Hall Effect switches in an affordable package. While it might be a wired and plastic keyboard, it is still an excellent entry-point into the Hall Effect subcategory that many players are excited to use when playing high-intensity shooters.
