This review is another double whammy, folks. Today, I’m going to be covering another keyboard and another accessory (which, let’s face it, is a complementary keyboard in and of itself) in a single entry. If you’re looking for a new mechanical keyboard or an accessory to expand your existing mechanical keyboard, this review should help you. Without further ado, let’s get to it!
This review is another double whammy, folks. Today, I’m going to be covering another keyboard and another accessory (which, let’s face it, is a complementary keyboard in and of itself) in a single entry. If you’re looking for a new mechanical keyboard or an accessory to expand your existing mechanical keyboard, this review should help you. Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Epomaker RT80 Mechanical Keyboard Review
I have kept the Epomaker RT100 in my personal rotation of daily driver keyboards for the past several months for several reasons, the first being its retro aesthetic. Unlike just about every other 75% keyboard I have used (yes, I know the RT100 is a 95% keyboard), the fact that I was able to add a screen to the keyboard as an external accessory is quite unique. Other keyboards’ implementation of a screen involves a compromise that results in a shift in the keyboard’s layouts, resulting in sections of the keyboard being cramped or missing several important function keys to accommodate for the screen being on-device. Sure, I prefer having larger keyboards (read: at least a 95% keyboard) for my data analytic work and my gaming, but the RT100 has cemented itself as a must use because of how well it utilizes its space without issue. I’ve since modified the keyboard, swapping out its stock keycaps with my Cerakey V2s and replacing the Sea Salt switches (which were too mushy and sensitive for my liking) with Kiiboom’s Matcha Lattes. It’s a hodgepodge of keyboard elements, sure, but that dang screen is keeping using the RT100 as a daily driver.
All this time, I’ve hoped that Epomaker would find the time and space to expand their RT line of keyboards to give users who want a screen access to a slightly smaller keyboard that isn’t a full 95% keyboard or a 65% keyboard which is far too small for gamers.
I no longer need to hope for that future thanks to Epomaker’s RT80, which is available for pre-order now!
The RT80 was announced in the late summer and shown off at IFA 2024 in Berlin, Germany, alongside some of its existing keyboards and switches. I don’t expect you all to have attended this convention (we weren’t present, either), nor do I expect you to have kept up with every single manufacturer’s keyboard announcements in early September. However, when I saw the RT80’s announcement, I was excited for more users to try out Epomaker’s RT line of retro keyboards with a screen accessory. I was also intrigued by its second screen…
…wait. Second screen? When was that added?
Yes, dear reader. The RT80 has a second screen – a touchscreen on the right hand side of the keyboard. It’s customizable, too!
The Epomaker RT80 is a 75% keyboard, meaning that it has most keyboard keys except for the number pad and a few missing keys (in this case, the HOME, END, and volume-specific keys). It has the critical mass of keys that most users need to accomplish their day-to-day tasks. For gaming, 75% keyboards end up working just fine given that they have the function keys and assumedly are laid out in such a fashion that the keys aren’t cramped (with some notable exceptions, but I won’t get into that). As much as I’ve waxed poetic to my friends and family about full keyboards being needed for everyone, I would be lying if I had said that I wasn’t using a 75% keyboard about 50% of the time for work and gaming without any issue. If anything, I am able to get through the workday just fine without a numberpad, but I do miss it…
The RT80 comes in two colors, black and beige. I was sent the black unit to review. Compared to the RT100, the RT80 has shaken off its original retro aesthetic and instead has adopted a non-traditional appearance that blends retro with modern elements thanks to having two screens. It has a similar plastic construction as its RT100 older brother, remaining a lightweight keyboard with customizable feet that can add some height to the keyboard for those needing ergonomic adjustments.
The black model is uniformly colored, all black, only containing white legends on the keyboard’s cherry profile PBT keycaps. The legends are easily readable, adopting a serif-like font unlike the RT100’s larger font. If anything, the font and its placement are similar to standard stock keyboards you would see from the likes of Dell and Lenovo. I have no complaints about this design choice, as it makes the keyboard easier to blend in a professional environment.
In case you don’t like the existing keycaps and want to swap them out, the RT80’s keycaps and switches are hotswappable, merely needing a generic keycap and switch puller to modify the keyboard to your liking.
On the topic of switches, the RT80 currently comes with one of two switches – Epomaker’s Wisteria Linears and Flamingoes. I have experience using both of these switches thanks to reviewing the DynaTab 75X and the Shadow-S (respectively). My model came with the Wisteria Linears, which I greatly prefer to the Flamingoes. From experience, the Flamingoes are louder than the Wisterias while having a slightly greater actuation-force but a lower pre-travel. The Wisteria Linear switches require 45gf actuation force, which is a decent amount of pressure (not too much while not too sensitive). They also have a slightly extended pre-travel of 2.2mm, making them a good candidate for moderate gaming. I prefer switches with 1.7-2.2mm of pre-travel so that the switches activate at the theoretical halfway point, assuming the total travel is 4.0mm. If I’m playing a game of higher intensity, namely a FPS, I need slightly less pre-travel so I can activate the key sooner, but the 2.2mm of the Wisteria Linears is a good middle ground for most PC players.
Epomaker’s Wisteria Linears feel great to use and sound even better on the RT80. While I wish they had used a more premium material (like metal or something with more heft) for the keyboard’s case, Epomaker has added multiple layers of foam, a gasket mounting system, and plate-mounted stabilizers which reduce rattle and shakiness. One of the first tests I do on a keyboard involves strongly pressing down on multiple keys to see if there is any bending or movement – there was not. There’s very little stem wobble, either.
This keyboard is surprisingly durable. The sound profile of this keyboard is not too loud – each keypress produces a deep clackiness. Some would misinterpret this sound to be thocky – it is not. The keyboard’s internal foam gives the keyboard a unique clackiness that some might find from a keyboard with heavier switches. It sounds pleasing and far from sharp. Imagine if you were typing on an aluminum keyboard with a small degree of sound dampening – that’s what it’s like typing on the RT80 with the Wisteria Linears.
Let’s chat about the keyboard’s most unique feature – its two screens! The removable screen (dubbed “Smart Screen”) plugs in via USB-C at the top left of the keyboard. It has a slightly different UI than the RT100’s UI. This iteration shows the time, date, and other important information at the top of the screen while the bottom 80% can be customized to feature an image or .gif of the user’s choice. I wish that I could remove the time and date altogether while having a full-screen .gif playing on repeat. It’s also odd that this version has a slightly different placement of the information – I hope that a future update can give users the ability to remove the information altogether and just have a simple image on their unpluggable screen.
The second screen, found on the right-hand side of the keyboard, is a touch screen! By default, it has four built-in features that can be accessed with a simple swipe or tap. I could take a screenshot, mute the volume, and increase/decrease my computer’s volume on the touchscreen. Using Epomaker’s driver, I could add four custom app shortcuts that can be accessed via a secondary swipe. It was easy to configure while also easy to access. Thankfully, the touchscreen is not too sensitive. When I was typing, my pinky would rarely grace the screen and activate it from its typical screen-saver mode, but I would never unintentionally activate the screen to the point of it impacting the volume or another function.
Mechanical keyboard traditionalists might dismiss the RT80’s screens as gimmicks. I wholeheartedly disagree. I love it when keyboard manufacturers take big swings in changing up keyboard designs and giving users something new play with on their keyboards. I don’t expect all keyboards to have screens or all users to want a touchscreen on their keyboard, but I can expect some users to find delight in having a keyboard that looks and feels different from others. Some folks choose the mechanical keyboard route because they want something unique on their desks, so having a funky looking keyboard with a second screen should be celebrated.
The only downside to having a second screen and media control buttons on the right hand side of the keyboard is that it squishes the arrow keys and puts them directly underneath the Enter key. For some users (and gamers), this may be a dealbreaker, as the arrow keys are often used in some 2-D games (instead of WASD). My only recommendation would be to rebind your favorite games’ keys that initially use the arrow keys.
The RT80 contains other features that most other users would think of as commonplace, such as NKRO and multiconnectivity (wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4Ghz). It also has south-facing LEDs that can be customized with the Epomaker Driver (which also customizes the Smart Screen). I won’t go too much into detail on these features seeing as most keyboards these days have these features at the bare minimum.
All right, now comes the important question: How does the RT80 perform as a gaming mechanical keyboard? I alluded to its potential several times throughout this review, but I’ll make it clear here as a topline overview: The RT80 is a fine keyboard for most gaming because of its switches and construction, but it may take some adjustment for some users.
Higher-intensity games often require split-second and twitchy inputs. When I say this, I mean games like Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, ANGER FOOT, and Starfield. Just about all FPS titles (regardless of competitive presence) require players to have fast inputs. The RT80’s Wisteria Linear switches’ 2.2mm actuation point won’t help these types of players as they would need to press each key halfway down before it registered. I know that some players could make it work with that actuation point, but those who play competitively may need an increasingly sensitive switch (or even a Hall Effect keyboard) to play adequately. In my testing, I was personally fine, but the 2.2mm distance did not do me any favors when it came to peeking and strafing.
Games of medium-intensity played quite well on the RT80, assuming that they were not the type to utilize the arrow keys. I tested this keyboard on games like League of Legends, Duck Paradox, NInza, and Kitsune Tails. This keyboard performed just fine in my testing; I was not prohibited from succeeding nor did I have issues with pressing the wrong key or accidentally activating a key too early. Instead, I was more having issues with the arrow keys’ placement. If you’re planning on playing a game of medium-intensity and intend to use the arrow keys, be prepared to rebind your arrow keys to another set of keys.
Finally, lower-intensity games performed just fine. I had no issue using the RT80 for games like Guayota, Minds Beneath Us, ONE BTN BOSSES, and Teamfight Tactics. I usually prefer keyboards and switches that produce a deep and meaningful thock to complement the fewer keys I press when playing a game, and the RT80’s acoustics were just fine. I wish there was a deeper sound, though – perhaps an aluminum construction or different switches (like the Kiiboom Matcha Lattes…) would yield that thock I and many others desire.
This is all to say that the Epomaker RT80 is a unique keyboard. Its two screens are aesthetically pleasing while having a great degree of utility. Some users might think these screens are unnecessary, but I implore you to think outside the box when it comes to a keyboard. Once you get used to the screens, it’s hard to go back.
Epomaker Cypher 21 Review
I complain quite often about 75% keyboards lacking a number pad. Despite most of the keyboards I review lacking that number pad, I must admit that most players don’t actually need it. It’s a nice-to-have more than anything…unless you input numerical data like I do. A number pad comes in handy for quickly typing in numbers in Excel along with custom keybinds for the games I play.
If you own a 75% keyboard and desperately need a numberpad, the Epomaker Cypher 21 may solve your worries. The Cypher 21 is an interesting specimen – it’s an 18-key dual-mode hotswappable numpad with a rotary knob on the side (for volume control, of course).
The Cypher 21 looks like an old-school calculator, screen and all. It comes in two colors, pink and black. My model is the black model, featuring black-to-grey gradient keycaps that complement the numpad’s aesthetic. It also is backlit, making it easy to use in the dark assuming you like a simple white backlight.
You may be curious what I mean when I mention the Cypher 21’s screen. It has two modes – a typical number pad (like you would find on a 95%+ keyboard) mode and a calculator mode. In calculator mode, Cypher 21 can be used like any old calculator for simple calculations. I’ll be honest, as much as it’s a unique feature, I’m unsure if the calculator mode is truly needed. When using a numpad with a computer, Excel functions are often faster in crunching numbers while most calculator applications (like the one found on Windows 11) has a history function to let users see the recent calculations they made. It’s hard for me to justify the need for a calculator mode knowing that other functions do it better.
It would improve the Cypher 21 to simply be a number pad, only because it does everything else quite well. If the 0 key was expanded (doing away with the AC button) and the arrow was replaced with a NumLock button (or another function-specific button), it would feel more natural to use and configure to the user’s liking.
That said, it held up well in my testing. The Cypher 21’s 1000 battery held it up for two full working days before I needed to plug it in. It connected easily to my computer, and it shut off after a few minutes of it not being in use. It didn’t need to be configured once it was properly set into the numpad mode.
As far as numberpads go, the Cypher 21 sounded excellent thanks to its Wisteria Linear switches. I tested it alongside the RT80, which made my desk look and feel like I had a fullsized keyboard. It had a similar sound profile of the RT80 because of its internals – Epomaker has added several layers of foam to the device to give it a deeper sound profile. While the device is made of plastic, it still sounds premium.
I loved using and setting up the Cypher 21 when using a 75% keyboard as a daily driver. However, I won’t mince words here, I don’t think the calculator mode helped the Cypher 21 at all. If it lacked the calculator mode altogether and served a single purpose of being a numberpad that looked and sounded well, it would make this numberpad a more-compelling purchase. If you’re in the market to add a numberpad to your setup, consider the Cypher21 to complete your desk!
