Recently I was on the hunt for a new gaming keyboard. Enter the Epomaker G84 HE. I’d heard good things about Epomaker, and the G84 seem to have everything I was looking for while being more compact and quiet. Let’s see how it stacks up.
Per Epomaker’s site, the spec sheet looks as follows:
- 75% layout
- 8K polling and 256K scan rate
- 0.1 to 0.33mm adjustable actuation
- Magnetic switches
- Sound dampened thanks to gasket mount
- Tri-mode (wireless, bluetooth, USB)
- Software enabling customization of the RGB, actuation, macros and key remapping, etc.
- Gradient design and shine-through keycaps
- Windows and Mac compatible
Immediately upon taking the G84 HE out of the box, you get the sense that it’s a quality product. It’s heavy, solid, and feels well-constructed. The gradient is also a nice touch, so whether you want to go full RGB to match a lighting setup or simply leave it entirely off, it can easily match your preferences. Note, there is also a full white edition if you prefer.
Typing on the G84 HE took a little getting used to for me. First, I’ve traditionally used a full-scale keyboard so the compact size and shifting of a few key buttons took some getting used to. But most noticeable is the sound dampening of the keys. Instead of the traditional “klickety klack” of mechanical keyboards (it’s what we’re going with as a descriptor…), the G84 HE sounds rather subdued when typing and more akin to a “thockety thock.”
While you still get the satisfying click and instant response, it’s a far less intrusive sound. Now that I’ve been using it for a few weeks, I’d likely find it difficult to go back if I’m honest. When I first heard it described as “creamy” I wasn’t sure what to think. But after using it, it makes total sense. You can get a better sense from the video here:
While I primarily use it via USB, the ability to quickly switch between wired and wireless is certainly a benefit. Combined with it’s more compact size, it makes it easy to setup in different locations as I’m often moving around while writing for SG.
Meanwhile, if you’re really into fine-tuning, the Epomaker software (v4.0) is rather extensive and let’s you customize to your heart’s content. Obviously if you’re a competitive gamer you’re going to want to fine tune for your game of choice so I consider this more of a must than an addition. But it’s great to see Epomaker leaning into it.
Overall I’ve been extremely pleased with the G84 HE. It’s highly customizable, well built, and reasonably priced. If you’re on the hunt for a new gaming keyboard, I’d certainly recommend giving Epomaker a look.
