Page 4 - Conclusion
The Epomaker Tide 65 is definitely a great contender when it comes to aluminum 65% keyboards. The Tide 65 offers an aluminum case that comes in three different colors, has excellent build quality, and comes with tools to better customize your keyboard. Our black unit is nice and simple, but there is a level of sophistication with the bronze chamfer accents. This is complemented with the matching color legending on the keycaps. The Tide 65 uses VIA, which is an amazing software that allows you to rebind keys, change layout, customize lighting settings, setup macros, and save the profile. The pre-lubricated Zebra switches offer great performance and smoothness. The sound profile offered using these switches is quite poppy, partially due to the foam throughout the internals of the keyboard. Inside of the case, we find a gasket design with gasket socks on the edge of the plate. This offers a good amount of bounce when typing. Given the flexible nature of this mounting style, Epomaker has made a conscious decision to add a layer of plastic below the PCB, underneath the foam, to prevent the user from shorting out the keyboard. There was an excellent level of care when designing this keyboard. The lighting options are quite appealing, but the visibility is quite limited. There are no shine through keycaps, and the switches are opaque, which hinders the lights. Another small gripe I had with the keyboard is that it comes with an unbraided cable. Having a sturdier cable would have been appreciated, but the wireless capabilities make up for that. It is important to note that the battery life is much weaker with the LEDs on, lasting only about 15 hours compared to its week long battery life with the LEDs off. Picking at fine details, flipping the space bar to be a south-facing LED would be a good general update to avoid accidentally bending pins. At a price of $120 USD at press time, the Epomaker Tide 65 is a great choice for anyone looking for an aluminum 65% keyboard that has wireless capabilities.
Epomaker provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.5/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Epomaker Tide 65 is a great wireless 65% mechanical keyboard for anyone seeking a solid aluminum build without needing a cable.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look – Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
