If you’ve been curious about Hall Effect keyboards but didn’t fancy dropping a small fortune, the Epomaker HE80 might just be the gateway you’ve been waiting for. After spending real time with it, I can confidently say this little 75% board punches well above its price tag. It’s fast, it’s customisable, and it sounds far better than you’d expect from something in this range.
Unboxing and first impressions
Straight out of the box, the HE80 feels like it’s trying to make a point. Epomaker packs in a braided USB-C cable, a keycap and switch puller, a handful of spare magnetic switches, and even a set of plain black keycaps if the purple accents aren’t your thing. It’s not overloaded, just thoughtful.
The board itself is understated: a clean black shell, shine-through caps, and a tidy 75% layout with 82 keys. The LEDs sit south-facing, which does mean some colours don’t pop through as clearly as they could, but in person it still looks slick.
Build quality and typing feel
Despite the plastic case, the Epomaker HE80 doesn’t feel cheap. The slightly curved top edges add a touch of polish, and the gasket-mount design with layered Poron and silicone foams gives it that coveted “thocky” sound profile. I was surprised by how muted and refined it feels straight away – no annoying ping or hollowness, just smooth acoustics that could easily pass for a pricier board.
Hall effect switches and gaming
This is where the Epomaker HE80 really flexes. Epomaker’s magnetic Hall Effect switches are linear and come with fully adjustable actuation – down to a ridiculous 0.1mm. That means you can tune your keystrokes for feather-light gaming triggers or push them deeper for a more deliberate typing feel. Paired with its 8000Hz polling and 32000 scan rate, input lag simply doesn’t exist here.
In fast shooters, the instant actuation is obvious. In RPGs and MMOs, the consistency of the keys shines. There’s also advanced stuff like Snap Key (SOCD cleaning) and Dynamic Keystroke, which lets you layer actions on a single press. It’s the sort of tech usually reserved for premium boards, but here it’s surprisingly accessible.
Software and customisation
No dodgy installs, no bloat. Everything runs in your browser. Remapping, macros, per-key RGB, and – most importantly – actuation tweaking all live in a clean web interface. It worked seamlessly on Windows and macOS during my testing, but it took too much time to load and though Linux users will be left out.
The RGB lighting is bright, colourful, and smoothly animated. My only gripe? The shine-through on the caps doesn’t always align perfectly with the south-facing LEDs, so in dim light the legends can look a bit washed out.
Wired only, but rock solid
Connectivity is straightforward on the Epomaker HE80. My unit only supports a wired USB-C connection, and honestly, that’s not a bad thing. Latency is rock-solid, and you don’t have to think about battery life or dongles – just plug it in and go.
It does mean you’re missing out on wireless flexibility, but for a board focused on speed and precision, a stable wired link makes perfect sense.
Verdict
The Epomaker HE80 nails that tricky balance of affordability and premium features. Hall Effect switches with adjustable actuation, great typing acoustics, responsive software, and tri-mode connectivity – it’s a gamer’s dream wrapped in a budget-friendly package.
It’s not perfect: the shine-through keycaps aren’t the best, and I do miss having a rotary knob. But those are nitpicks. For the price, the Epomaker HE80 doesn’t just compete, it dominates.
If you’ve ever wanted to try Hall Effect without emptying your wallet, this is the board to start with.
You can grab the Epomaker HE80 directly from Epomaker for $62.99. For more hardware reviews like this, check out the hardware review section!
