By: Ben Joubert
December 6, 2024
I was recently reminiscing with a friend of all the old games we used to play growing up and the consoles we played them on. I distinctly remember spending hours playing all sorts of games on the Game Boy Advance many years ago. The struggle was real trying to sit in the light, since the screen had no backlight. I think playing on the Game Boy Advance was some of my earliest memories of playing video games, and I had the purple see-through version of the handheld, which I wish we had some more see through options today. A close friend of mine had the original PlayStation, which I thought was the coolest thing ever. The fact that you could play the game on your television was new to me at the time. We spent perhaps too much time playing Crash Bandicoot and Tekken 3. The PlayStation compared to the ones that followed truly had its own distinct color and design. The gray definitely communicated the more retro design of the console. The first thing I thought of as I unboxed the Epomaker RT65 was that we have the PlayStation with us today. The keyboard features a color scheme that is evocative of cutting edge technology decades ago. However, the RT65 definitely has some more modern features to help it stand out from the crowd. What and how? Read on to find out!
The Epomaker RT65 arrived with a few other products, including the CIDOO C75, Tide 65 QMK/VIA, Cypher 21, and RT80 to us here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada via Canada Post. This package made the long journey from Shenzhen, China, via a few different couriers, which is why Canada Post picked it up when it crossed the border here. The package was mostly intact with no clear areas of damage found anywhere. It is a bag, however, so hopefully the retail boxes survived the long journey.
The Epomaker RT65 has a fairly modern design retail box. The exterior is mostly black with some white and blue accents. The front of the box highlights a few of the selling features of the RT65, which is the triple-mode gasket-mounted mechanical keyboard and the included mini display. Compatibility with both Windows and Mac is advertised on the front as well. The back of the box features a few more valuable features, like the wireless connectivity or the programmable RGB LED backlight. The rest of the box has miscellaneous information on it.
Before we move on, here are the specifications, as found on the manufacturer's website:
Brand: EPOMAKER
Model: RT65
Number of Keys: 67
Layout: 65%
Connection: Wired Type-C, Bluetooth, 2.4G Wireless
Backlit: RGB (South-facing)
Case Material: ABS Plastic
Structure: Gasket Mount
Position Plate: PC
Hot-Swappable: Yes
Keycap Profile: Cherry
Battery Capacity: 3000mAh
Anti-Ghosting: NKRO
Dimension: 332.8 by 130.5 by 38.3mm
Weight: 0.67kg
After opening the box, I was met with the Epomaker RT65 under a plastic shroud and covered in a soft plastic sleeve. Most of the accessories were tucked behind the cardboard cover, which revealed several extra keycaps, switches, keycap puller, and a cable. At each end of the cable, there are metal coverings, which provide a sleek contrast with the rest of the white rubber cable. The cable is 1.8m long, which is excellent for different setups. Overall, these are good included accessories to help make the keyboard your own, providing plenty of flexibility.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
