This is my full review about the TH80 v2 PRO mechanical keyboard by Epomaker. I’ve always been intrigued by mechanical keyboards. The typing experience is completely different compared to a ‘normal’ modern keyboard (like a smartwatch vs a mechanical watch). But they are also big, wired most of the time and not to mention expensive. Epomaker thinks they have ‘solved’ these issues with their new TH80 v2 PRO. And at the first glance this seems to be true, the Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO is wireless (either 2.4 Ghz or Bluetooth), small in size and affordable at about 80 USD. In this review I’ll try to find out if is any good in daily use.
In the box of the Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO
Despite the affordable price, there is quite some stuff in the box:
- The Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO keyboard
- An USB-A to USB-C braided cable
- A key-cap tool
- A spare ‘insert’ key that can be used to replace the volume knob
- Two spare switches
- An old school plastic dust cover – like the ones that came with your IBM keyboard in the 80’s
Design of the Epomaker TH80
The TH80 v2 PRO is a so called 75% ANSI size layout. This means the keyboard is quite compact in size since there is no dedicated number pad. And the arrow keys have been moved directly next to the right shift key without any open space. This design makes the keyboard smaller in width so you have more room for your mouse next to it. For increased durability Epomaker has used double-shot PBT keycaps.
From the side you see that the keyboard has a pronounced wedge shape. The keys on the bottom are quite low and get higher to the back of the keyboard. This feels very natural. There are double feet to increase incline on the keybord. I like the flat setting or the lowest feet myself, but you can also use the high feet for more inclination. A fun little detail is that the 2,4 Ghz USB key is hidden in a small slot behind the feet so it is always near without being in the way.
The keyboard comes with see through, grey and orange double shot PBT key caps. They have an ice/ carbon fibre look, which is very nice and classy. The letters are printed on them in orange, this matches very well with the orange ‘Enter’ and ‘Esc’ key. The downside of the orange letters is that you can’t really see them in low light, even with the key-backlights on.
RGB lights
Of course there is RGB lighting in this keyboard, for extra cool-points. The RGB lighting shines through the keys from the bottom. You can control the lighting via the web-based Epomaker application, which only works via the Chrome browser. You can adjust the lights per key but also choose different programs and preprogrammed functions. And you can change different programs depending on the situation. For instance you can choose to highlight the WASD keys when you are gaming. And if you are not in to RGB lights you can also choose one colour and leave it at that.
Normally keyboards with RGB backlighting this bright and versatile need to be connected to USB to provide enough power. But Epomaker has incorporated a huge 10.000 mAh battery in to the keyboard to make it possible to combine high-end RGB lighting in a wireless keyboard with up to 200 hrs. of use.
Display and app
An other standout feature is the incorporated LCD colour screen. This is a true highlight for gadget lovers like me. Do you need it? No! Does it look cool? Yes! The small screen can supply information about the battery, connection and date and time. It also offers the option to install GIFs and show these in a loop. Of course I’ve tested that with a small GIF of my favourite robot, Bender.
The info shown on the display is also controlled by the Epomaker app. when I first got the keyboard the date and time were wrong, but after linking the keyboard to the app it synced with the time on my Mac.
You can control the display by pushing the FN-key and the (volume) control knob once. The key backlights will flash and after that the dial controls the display. You can switch between the GIF, the time/date and battery info and the menu where you can set the backlight function, but also the language etc.
The volume knob can also be removed and replaced by an additional Insert key. But I don’t know why you would do that. The knob is great and works very well for quick volume adjustment.
Switches
By default the TH80 v2 PRO is available with 2 switch options: Creamy Jade and Sea Salt Silent v2. The Creamy Jade switches offer a more classical, harsher feeling and sound with a more defined click. My review example has the Sea Salt Silent v2 switches. These offer a smooth and refined travel with dampened bottoming out with a soft thud. These are promoted for office use or situations where a normal mechanical keyboard would be too loud.
The Sea Salt Silent v2 switches are pre-lubed and work very smooth with a consistent resistance. The total travel is 3.5mm (which is very deep for people used to regular, modern keyboards) with a 1.8mm pre-travel. There is a tool supplied to easily remove the key caps and switches.
Experience typing on the Epomaker TH80
Typing on the Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO is a very pleasant experience. The keys offer deep travel, and generous feedback. This makes typing on the keyboard fast and reliable. And the soft thud sound when the keys bottom out is fantastic. Enough to feel different compared to a modern keyboard and still silent enough to not disturb anyone. If you are a hardcore mechanical keyboard user you might enjoy the louder Creamy Jade switches, but for everyone else I’d advise to go for the Sea Salt Silent v2.
The Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can replace switches on the board. But I don’t think people shopping in this price bracket will be swapping switches regularly. With the price of switches that would make the keyboard very expensive real fast, and with the great included switches the board already works very well.
Speed
For the best speed you will of course have to connect the keyboard using a USB-C cable. There is a real nice USB-A to USB-C braided cable included in the box. But I’ve been also using the keyboard via 2,4 GHz and Bluetooth and the experience has been great. For typing and day to day use you won’t notice any delays between typing and getting a reaction on screen. I’ve even tried a little gaming via Bluetooth and that is perfectly fine for casual use. For serious gaming I would suggest using the USB cable. Added bonus is that you will also charge the battery while using it via USB.
Points to improve
As you can read I’m very impressed by this affordable mechanical keyboard bij Epomaker. I would not have expected an 80 dollar keyboard to be made this well and offer this much functionality. I honestly believe this keyboard will be a very good choice for at least 99% of the users. Are there no downsides? Well of course there are. To start with it would be good if the supplied manual was a little more comprehensive. For instance there is no information about swapping switches or key caps in the manual.
An other improvement could be the app. The app itself is fine for what it is (maybe a little unpolished) but works well. But finding where to download it and finding the installation conditions could be easier. You can find it on the Epomaker site, but it is not very clear how to install or use it. And I couldn’t find that you need Chrome to run it. So if Epomaker can add some extra information on their website that would be a big improvement.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a well built, cool looking keyboard with a lot of features the Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO has to be on your list. It is affordable at just 80 dollars and has two different switch options. The Creamy Jade for a more hardcore mechanical keyboard feeling and the Sea Salt Silent v2 for a more subtle feeling. The built-in 10.000 mAh battery makes the keyboard also usable without a cable, despite the bright and feature rich RGB backlight. And the option to use it for both Windows and Mac and choose between 2.4 GHz, USB and Bluetooth is great.
All in all the Epomaker TH80 v2 PRO is a great affordable option for people looking for a nice, compact mechanical keyboard!
