Page 2 - A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
The Epomaker RT65 is a fairly standard 65% keyboard. It has a frame around each edge, rather than just ending where the keys end. Each of the corners has a curve to it, avoiding sharp corners. Along the top, there is a black bar, which has a few RGB LEDs underneath that light up. Other than that, we find the housing for the 2.4 GHz receiver, while on the other end, we find an on/off switch. A peculiar feature found on the RT65 is a joystick. The joystick can either be used as a mouse, which is an interesting experience, or can be used to control media playback on your computer. Moving towards the bottom of the keyboard, we do not find a palm rest. Taking a full step back, the Epomaker RT65 comes with NKRO rollover, which means you can press as many keys as you want, and they should all be recognized.
The color scheme for the Epomaker RT65 made me think of a retro style. The white keycaps with gray accents brought back memories of old keyboards I have owned, but the brown color providing a secondary accent made me think of Noctua. If you are aiming for an all-out Noctua build, then the RT65 would fit right at home. The letters on each keycap are bold and large, making the keys seem a bit bigger than they actually are. The Epomaker RT65 also comes in a pink color variant, providing a completely different feel than this gray-and-white combination.
The RT65 is 332.8 mm in width, 130.5 mm in depth, and 38.3 mm in height. These dimensions make it slightly larger than other 65% keyboards on the market. However, the keyboard is light, coming in at 0.67 kg. This is largely due to its mostly plastic construction. Plastic flexes more than other materials used for keyboards, such as aluminum. Therefore, the RT65 has a bit of a flex to it. The plastic is ABS, providing a good amount of flexibility, although it is still strong to handle most of the wear and tear a keyboard will experience.
The Epomaker RT65 has a standard QWERTY ANSI layout. For a 65% keyboard, it is standard to have either 67 or 68 keys. The RT65 is no different, having 67 keys. To reduce the number of keys and to adjust to the smaller form factor, a few of the keys need to be moved around, particularly those above the arrow keys. Instead, these are found to the right of the arrow keys in a single column. In the far left corner, we find the housing for the 2.4 GHz receiver, which can be easily removed and stored away. This side of the keyboard is completely standard, and probably looks the same as most other keyboards you have seen before. The keycaps themselves have a Cherry profile design, angling them down in a way that is pleasant for typing.
On this side of the Epomaker RT65, we get a look at the single column of keys that are usually located above the arrow keys. There are also several status LED lights to indicate whether Caps Lock is on, battery status indicator, and if the Windows key is locked. In the top right corner, we find the joystick, as we have mentioned, but also the on/off button. Moving the joystick up or down, by default, controls volume levels. On the other hand, pressing in the joystick in conjunction with the Fn key switches the joystick into mouse mode, which is difficult to use. The joystick is in an awkward position to make it worth using it as a mouse compared to just moving your hand slightly further for the actual mouse.
As far as secondary functions go, there are quite a few to keep in mind with the Epomaker RT65. Fn in conjunction with any of the top row buttons from the number 1 and on is to access an F-row key. There are handy shortcuts one can memorize as well, such as mute volume and so on. Most of the RGB LED controls are accessed through the Fn key combined with other keys to adjust the level of brightness, the RGB LED effect, and even to check the battery level. Holding down Fn+B lights up the top row of the LEDs to one of the numbers in the top row, so if the green LEDs go all the way to the number eight, then there is 80% of battery left. It is a unique way of keeping track of battery life. Using Fn in conjunction with Q, W, E, or R is to pair the keyboard via Bluetooth to a new device or to search for the 2.4 GHz receiver. The polling rate for these connections is different. For the wired and 2.4 GHz connection, the rate is set at 1000 Hz, but for Bluetooth, it falls down to 125 Hz. Overall, there is tons of functionality built into the secondary functions of the RT65.
The included keycap puller for the Epomaker RT65 makes it an easy job to pull out the keys and the switches. As you can see above, the switches can be pulled out, changed, and new ones can be installed. This is a helpful feature for anyone wanting to spend time tinkering with their keyboard or adjusting the switches. Included with the Epomaker RT65 is the Flamingo Switch, but one can also pick the Wisteria Switch Linear. These are switches developed by Epomaker. These Flamingo switches have a polyoxymethylene housing, which should help with durability. The actuation force is 47g with an actuation travel of 1.50mm. The full travel is 3.8mm, and a bottom out force of 60g. The Epomaker RT65 has support for both 3-pin and 5-pin switches. As for the keycaps, they are made of PBT to help with strength and provide some oil resistance. This is helpful for the lifespan of the keyboard to prevent the lettering from wearing off. Underneath each of the keycaps, we find south-facing RGB LEDs.
The Flamingo switches included with the Epomaker RT65 are not too dissimilar to Cherry MX Red switches. The actuation force of both keys are similar around 45g, while the bottom out force for the MX Red switch would be quite a bit higher at 75g rather than the 60g found on the RT65. The keys are definitely sensitive to touch, but if you are used to having a Cherry MX Red keyboard, which I did, the switch is not too different. However, I did find keystrokes to be noticeably smoother with the Flamingo switch, and quite a bit softer. The entire experience was more satisfying than on the previous keyboard I had been using, where the switches were quite a bit louder and felt more clunky. The keyboard, as you can tell in the above audio, has a bit more of a reserved sound from other mechanical keys. The different layers of foam definitely do their job absorbing the many different vibrations and sounds that come from typing to provide a rounder final sound. All in all, the RT65 had a pleasant typing experience, especially if one is looking for a sensitive switch.
The Epomaker RT65 has a Type-C wired connection. The connection is on the back right of the keyboard. The Type-C cable included is a good quality rubber cable with metal on each end for further strength. There is a small blue LED light that turns on when the cable is plugged in. On this end of the keyboard, we also find the joystick, which can be used in two main ways as aforementioned. Media control is the default function, while one can switch it to being used as a mouse. As for media control, when I adjust the volume, I would sometimes get the angle wrong, and it would skip whatever I was watching. Adjusting volume or using the media functions with the joystick was a bit hard. The placement of the joystick makes using it like a mouse difficult. There is no comfortable way to rest your hand when using the joystick for longer periods of time. Furthermore, the joystick does not respond that well. The mouse is difficult to move around, and takes much longer than simply moving one's hand slightly further to a mouse. Lastly, there is a small on/off switch to control the wireless mode or wired mode. Overall, this feature does not seem like the best use of space in my opinion.
On the other end of the Epomaker RT65, we find the housing for the USB wireless receiver. It clicks out fairly easily to keep the receiver safe. The wireless connection is 2.4 GHz, with Epomaker claiming a 10ms latency. Throughout using the device wirelessly, I encountered no issues or lag. The RT65 can also connect through Bluetooth to different devices. This connection was slightly slower with noticeable delays between keystrokes and them registering on screen. The reported latency was 20ms, but occasionally, it took quite a while for a keystroke to be registered. The Type-C connection here doubles as a plug in for the small screen accessory, which kind of looks like an old CRT screen. The LED screen is quite small, but easily slots into place. The screen can be modified through the software to display different information about your computer. It can also be customized with images to be on the screen at any point. The screen is definitely a novel accessory for the Epomaker RT65, adding a bit of customization to the entire process.
The back of the Epomaker RT65 is straightforward. There are four rubber feet found in each corner to keep the keyboard in place. With the lighter weight, it was easy to shift the keyboard around, but once the feet were down, the keyboard stayed in place. One noticeable absence is adjustable feet to lift the keyboard slightly. The RT65 sits fairly flat, which, if this is what you are used to, is not a problem, but the inability to make any changes to the height of the keyboard is missed. Right in the middle of the keyboard, we find a sticker indicating product information on the RT65.
The software for the Epomaker RT65 took some time to track down. After installing and opening it up, we are met with the image above. On the first screen, many of the settings can be adjusted to customize the keyboard as you would like. The rest of the tabs control different settings like how the Fn key combinations work or to set up a few macros. Figuring out how the screen works took a bit of time. The software was not clear enough to be self-explanatory. After some trial and error, I was able to load an image. Although the RGB LED lighting of the RT65 can be adjusted using only the keyboard, the software provides a visual accompaniment to these changes. The LEDs cannot be individually programmed, but there are several lighting effects. The brightness and speed of the effects can be adjusted. There are several lighting effects to customize your keyboard. Again, they can also be completely turned off. The software for the RT65 was adequate in providing enough customization in a usable format.
By default, the Epomaker RT65 had a static rainbow effect on the keyboard. From one end of the keyboard to the other, the LEDs change color. The south-facing LEDs do provide consistent lighting throughout the keyboard. Although the lighting is consistent, the brightness does suffer a bit, since the keycaps are solid, not allowing any light through. This way of lighting the keyboard could be exactly what you are looking for, but if you want something brighter, it might not be the RT65. The LEDs definitely bring a touch of modern design to the otherwise retro feel of the RT65.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
