Page 3 - A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
The disassembly process of the Epomaker Magcore65 Lite is quite simple. I started by unscrewing the bottom case using a basic screwdriver. There are four easily accessible points where the screwdriver will fit. While I could start by removing all the keycaps, I typically have a preference to remove keycaps and switches after disassembly if necessary. It is important to note that you will have to remove the knob to remove the internals from the top frame. Upon removing the screws, I pulled apart the outer case. This disassembly process was quite familiar as it was similar to many of the more premium cases I have worked with. It was a good experience to take apart. Upon exposing the interior design, I was both pleased and displeased.
The Magcore65 Lite is marketed with a gasket mount keyboard. The general design of the gasket structure is quite sufficient for general purpose use. While it is true the performance of the gaskets is quite negligible, it can be improved by adding additional softer gaskets for more customization. As of now, it has a more rigid typing experience. Aside from the stiffer typing experience, I did find the interior to be quite good.
The foam in the case is done well. Epomaker does not hold back, as inside, you will find foam for the case, bottom of the PCB, switches, and plate. Foam usage in keyboards is quite important, so having access to this much foam is excellent. To explain simply, the more foam you use, the more muted your keyboard will be for the most part. Regarding the switch foam, Epomaker uses IXPE foam rather than the PE foam used in the ever so popular Jelly Epoch. Switch foam is a strange usage of foam that I personally find to be a cheat code to get premium sound, but I have no hard evidence to back up my claim. Additionally, there is a silicone bottom pad to help fill up the case, leaving for a less hollow sound.
The plate inside of the Epomaker Magcore65 Lite is an FR4 plate, which is a very popular choice when looking for a middle ground sound keyboard. This plate material better aids in finding solid sound that Epomaker is chasing with the Magcore65 Lite. If you are curious as to how different plate materials affect keyboard sound as an independent factor in the keyboard, the properties that matter deal with stiffness and density. To be more specific, we want the specific modulus or specific thickness, which is also known as the stiffness-to-weight ratio. The lower this number is, the more “thocky” this material will be for a keyboard. As of writing this review, I have not seen any material with a lower specific modulus than polycarbonate.
Upon closer inspection of the Epomaker Core switches, I hope to provide you with more detail in the makeup of the switch. For the Core switches, the top housings, bottom housings, and stem are all made of polyoxymethylene, or POM for short. POM is known for its high stiffness, low friction, and excellent strength. Specifically, this material has a coefficient of friction of around 0.25 to 0.30, which is low when you consider this is a measurement on a 0 to 1 scale. As such, you can see why it is commonly used in keyboard switches.
The stem cannot be considered short or long as the design of the switch is inductive, meaning the stem is longer and metal, but does not ever bottom out. On the note of the length of the stem, I will note the total travel is about 3.5mm, being shorter than the typical 4mm travel of a typical switch. As for the top housing, POM is often used, but the interesting thing I found was the rails of the switch that keep the stem going straight were built into the top housing rather than the bottom. This is not a big deal, but an interesting characteristic to observe. The bottom housing uses POM as well, as previously stated. As I mentioned, the rails are on the top housing, so the bottom does not have it. Instead, it has a little area for the light diffuser at the front. The spring is of average length at 15mm. The initial force required is 30g, which is very light for a switch.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
