You’ll have to buy it all now at this price.
Are you familiar with the Epomaker brand?
This keyboard brand has a global presence with official stores in Japan, Germany, Korea, Australia, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Spain, and France.
We offer high quality keyboards at low prices, with very good cost performance.
The RT65 released by Epomaker is an ingenious product that can be considered the ideal system for 65% keyboard layouts.
This article will tell you what makes the Epomaker RT65 so appealing.
- コストパフォーマンスに優れている
- 打鍵感が良い
- 65％レイアウトとして非常に優れている
- キーマップ変更が直感的ではない
- ジョイスティックの使い勝手は良くない
- ミニディスプレイの使い勝手は工夫が必要
- Mac用のキーキャップは検討の余地あり
Representative of GreenEchoes Studio
He launched his own media as a site operator and web writer, and now plans and manages multiple corporate media. He often types heavily in his work, and in his search for greater efficiency, he became addicted to the keyboard swamp and established “GreenKeys”.
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Epomaker RT65 Overview
The Epomaker RT65 is a mechanical keyboard with an English-language 65% layout.
The cheap price of just a little over 10,000 yen is attractive, but there is no compromise at all in the functionality of the mechanical keyboard.
With gasket mounts and multiple layers of sound absorption, there is no compromise in keystroke sound and feel, and with double-shot PBT keycaps, triple-mode support, hot-swap support, mini-display, and support for keymap changes, this is truly a “cost-effective mechanical It is truly a “cost-effective mechanical keyboard”.
Available in two colors: Grey White and Pink.
Wisteria Linear(Factory Lubed)
- Material: POM+PTFE stem, PC top housing, PA66 bottom housing
- Spring: 20.4mm extra-long spring
- Pin: 5 pins
- Actuation force: 45gf
- Pre Travel: 2mm
- Total Travel: 3.6mm
Flamingo Linear(Factory Lubed )
- Material: POM stem, PC housing,
- Spring: dual spring
- Pin: 5 Pins
- Actuation force: 47 ± 5gf
- Actuation Travel: 1.50-2.00mm
- Initial force: 35gf min
- Bottom force: 60gf max
- Total Travel: 3.80mm
| (data) item | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of buttons | 67 |
| layout | 65% |
| array (programming, programing) | ANSI (US layout) *No Japanese layout model |
| access method | Wired Type-C, Bluetooth, 2.4G Wireless |
| backlight | RGB (South-facing) |
| Case Material | ABS Plastic |
| mount(ing) system | Gasket Mount |
| Sound-absorbing foam | Poron sandwich foam IXPE switch pads Socket foam PET film Case foam |
| switch plate | PC |
| hot swap | support |
| keycap profile | Cherry |
| printinng formulas | Double shot (2-color molding) |
| Keycap Material | PBT |
| battery | 3000mAh |
| anti-ghost | NKRO (N-key rollover) Supports simultaneous pressing of multiple keys |
| Size | 332.8 x 130.5 x 38.3 mm |
| weight | 0.67kg |
| Body Color | Grey White/ Pink |
| Selectable key switches | Epomaker Framingo Linear Epomaker Wisteria Linear |
| contents | Keyboard body Manual Keyboard cap Switch puller 2.4G dongle Type C cable Mini display |
| Configuration Software | Epomaker Driver (Win/Mac) |
| keymap change | Possible (using dedicated software) |
| mini display control | Possible (using dedicated software) |
Epomaker RT65 keystroke sound
Due to the characteristics of the keyswitches, the bottom strike sound is slightly high.
The echoes of the case and the rubbing of the stabilizers are virtually inaudible.
The gasket-mounted structure provides a soft hitting feel.
In addition, the switch plate is made of PC and has a slit in it, which contributes to the softness of the keystroke feel.
Epomaker RT65 in pictures
Let’s take a look at some actual photos of RT65.
The packaging is very solid.
You can also see at a glance the array, supported operating systems, and mini-displays.
As for the reverse side, you also show a straightforward feature, such as being gasket-mounted.
This is indeed the packaging of a major manufacturer’s product.
Upon opening the package, you will find the accessories on the rear side and the keyboard itself in the center.
The just right sizing to prevent movement during transportation is also brilliant.
Contents include: main unit, replacement keycap, mini display, 3 spare key switches, Type-A to Type-C cable, keycap & key switch puller, and manual.
As for the cable, the fact that it has a rubbery band is another detail that has been taken into consideration.
As described later in the disadvantages section, unfortunately, the replacement keycaps for the Mac did not match the default color for some reason, and the fonts were different.
KawamuraMost of them are Windows users, so you may not have to worry that much.
The weight is quite light at 625g in actual measurement.
This lightness with a built-in battery is probably due to the ABS plastic body.
Overall view with mini-display.
The overall coloring is a quiet, classic beige color, but the chocolate-colored accent key caps give it a very nice retro game-like flavor.
KawamuraPersonally, I like the look outstandingly.
Zoom in for a closer look.
A cap is fitted in the upper left corner of the unit to block the depression for the 2.4GHz dongle storage.
Remove this lid to reveal the receiver.
Further, when the receiver is removed, there is a connection for a mini-display.
When connected, it looks like this.
KawamuraAs a side note, if you use a mini display, there is no place to store it unless you use a USB dongle. Also, please note that even if you do use it, you may lose it because the cover cannot be stored.
Nine decorative LEDs are installed in the upper center section.
LED lighting can be edited in detail with the dedicated “EPOMAKER Driver” software.
By default, the lighting is colorful like this.
Here is the configuration screen of the dedicated software.
Normal backlighting can be edited from the “Light” tab, while the upper lights can be edited from the “Light Strip”.
On the right side of the unit, there is a power on/off switch “for wireless connection” and a joystick.
Also, the arrow keys and special keys are independent, which is a nice feature to reduce miss-tapping in touch typing.
Usability considerations are also evident in the LED light to the left of the special key that indicates the status of CapsLock and the remaining battery charge.
On the right rear side of the unit, there is a Type-C port for wired connections.
Although it is installed slightly higher, it does not feel that uncomfortable when actually connected.
The overall body of the keyboard is processed with beautiful curves, and the term “streamlined beauty” is aptly suited to this keyboard.
The bottom has five non-slip spots for an excellent grip.
The keyswitch is Epomaker’s original flamingo switch (linear).
The pressing pressure seems to be 45gf, but I had the impression that it was much lighter than that.
KawamuraThis is probably because, in addition to the gasket-mounted structure, the switch plate is a soft POM plate with slits between each key, which allows for more flexible sinking.
The legends are printed well without any blotches.
In this price range, most keycaps are made of ABS material and UV printed, but the two-color molding and use of PBT material is astonishing.
This is what lighting in dark areas looks like.
The keycap is made of PBT material, so the backlight does not penetrate through it.
The light overflowing from the gaps is very beautiful.
A photo of the actual desk is also included.
Personally, I thought the color looked great on a chic black-based desk.
About Epomaker Driver
Changing the keymap and lighting of RT65 is done by installing dedicated software on your PC.
Epomaker Driver (Win/Mac)
To change the keymap, select the key you want to change by clicking on it, then click on the keyboard symbol in the lower left corner of the screen→select the key you want to change from the list of keys→press the “Confirm” button in the right frame in the center of the screen to complete the process.
Advantages of the Epomaker RT65
- Excellent cost performance
- Good keystroke feel
- Very good for 65% layout.
Excellent cost performance
After all, the most attractive feature of RT65 is its excellent cost performance.
It is hard to believe that this is a keyboard that can be purchased for a little over 10,000 yen.
Until recently, most mechanical keyboards priced at 10,000 yen were of “poor quality” with no sound-absorbing material and pre-lubricated key switches, but the RT65 has “specifications equivalent to a high-end keyboard” at this price.
Of particular note is the good feel of the keystrokes.
The gasket-mounted structure, which floats the board inside the case, creates a soft keystroke feel, and the five layers of sound-absorbing material create a dead sound.
In addition to this, the keyboard has all the features you would want to have on a keyboard, including the ability to change keymaps, hot-swap support, full backlight support, mini-display included, triple mode, and double-shot PBT keycaps.
Good keystroke feel
As mentioned above, the RT65 is attractive because of its good key feel.
In addition to the soft hitting feel of the gasket-mounted structure, there is no echo inside the case due to the five layers of sound-absorbing material.
In addition, the pre-lubricated keyswitches made by Epomaker produce a very pleasant “kotokoto” mid-bass sound.
Very good as 65% layout
RT65 is my image of the “ideal system” for a 65% layout keyboard layout.
After all, as you get used to the keyboard, you will naturally be able to type without “looking at your hand.
It is the keys around the lower right corner where the “miss-touches” are more frequent at that time.
In particular, with regard to the arrow key, it is often mistaken for the right shift key or special key because it cannot be hit without once breaking the home position.
In this respect, the RT65 can be said to greatly reduce the risk of mistouch because the arrow keys and special keys are “independent”.
Disadvantages of the Epomaker RT65
- Mod-TAP and other functions are not available with keymap changes.
- Joystick is not easy to use.
- Usability of mini-displays needs to be worked out.
- Keycaps for Mac are worth considering.
Keymap changes are not intuitive.
RT65 can change the keymap and lighting with the Epomaker Driver software.
However, there is no such information on the sales page, and it may not be convenient for users to find the information themselves.
Epomaker Driver (Win/Mac)
Also, the specification for changing the keymap is not clear at first sight: select the key you want to change and then press the keyboard symbol on the “Combination” screen in the lower left corner of the screen to change it.
Since there is no tutorial on how to operate the system, there may be cases where you do not know how to change the correct keymap.
In addition, special functions such as “MOD-TAP” that are available on the QMK base are not available, so “people who are used to using a keyboard” may find it somewhat difficult to use.
KawamuraHowever, since most people who purchase this keyboard are probably keyboard novices, there is no need to worry about the details in this area.
Joystick is not easy to use.
The RT65 joystick can be used as a volume control and pointing stick, but as a pointing stick, the feel is not quite right.
In addition to not being able to change the speed of the pointer, diagonal movement is a bit difficult, and the functionality is inadequate for use as an aid.
Usability of mini-displays needs to be worked out.
This is a very cool mini-display, but we need to think about how to best utilize it for practical purposes.
It is very useful to be able to see at a glance the battery status, calendar and time, connection status, etc., but some thought will need to be given to which images to display and how to utilize them.
Keycaps for Macs are worth considering.
The RT65 comes with keycaps for Mac, but unfortunately the color and typeface do not match the regular ones.
I think this should be matched.
summary
This has been our review of the Epomaker RT65.
Although there are some concerns about the worldwide distribution of the product, we must say that it is astonishing to create this type of keystroke feel at this price.
A point that bothered me a little
- No place to store dongle and cover when mini display is attached
- When using in wired mode, the connection specifications may be a little confusing with the switch turned off.
- It may be quite difficult to control the pointer with a joystick.
- I need guidance on software to change keymap.
- Keymap change software is not intuitive.
- Mismatched default keycaps for Mac
If these points of concern can be cleared, then having one of these keyboards is enough to enjoy it.
The product can be purchased from Amazon, as well as from the official website and AliExpress.
If you are interested, please use it.
