Summary and Conclusion

Prices

• The Epomaker Skyloong GK108 kit comes in black or white and costs $89 from the Epomaker web shop. There is also a GK108S with added Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity for $99.
• The Epomaker Skyloong GK2 140-key silicone keycap set comes in three color combinations, and either costs $65 from the Epomaker web shop.
• The Kailh Red Bean Pudding switches cost $9 for a set of 10 switches from the Kailh Aliexpress store.
• The Kailh Fried Egg switches cost $6.50 for a set of 10 switches from the Kailh Aliexpress store.
• The Kailh Canary switches cost $9.59 for a set of 10 switches or $74.26 for 90 switches from the Kailh Aliexpress store.
• The Kailh Polia switches cost $9.83 for a set of 10 switches from the Kailh Aliexpress store.
• The Kailh White Owl switches cost $9 for a set of 10 switches from the Kailh Aliexpress store.

This is not a review as much as a retelling of my own experiences of building a keyboard, or keyboards, more custom than the typical keyboard purchased from a retailer. There are far more customization options once you get on this slippery slope, and more articles are planned in this series, which I hope to be ongoing to cover multiple product combinations.


No matter what you do with your keyboard build, make sure every single switch is working. This is especially important with hot-swappable switches since the metal contacts may be bent if not perfectly inserted into the socket. Simple tools, including those I use for my reviews, will help you test for key rollover and key chatter in addition to key actuation and recognition. For example, this GK108 adopts a full-size form factor, but with four extra media keys up top. As per usual, R.Win is also replaced by Fn key. Everything else is as expected as well, and there is software support with the Epomaker GK6XPlus drivers for key mapping and macro assignment.


If the PCB supports lighting, as is the case here, it is a great and fast way to visually see whether all the contacts are working. It's also fun to see the individual switches light up, at least until you get to where these keycaps support no backlighting at all. Seen above are a couple of photos and a video of the setup that has the five switches arranged in the exact configuration used in the title image on the first page of this article. It also shows the light diffusion built into the switches and how these keycaps turn the RGB lighting into just accent lighting once installed. Note the difference in transmitted, diffused light based on the switch types, with factors such as the light guide posts, integrated diffuser, translucent vs. opaque top, and just an empty space all affecting it. I'd say out of the five, the Kailh Polia switches work best with backlighting.


It feels like I started writing this article ages ago, and I do now realize that single-item builds might not be so bad after all! At first look, the entire combination may end up more expensive than buying a pre-built keyboard, but one would argue that gaming keyboards are already expensive compared to your bog-standard OEM membrane keyboard. There are functional benefits to going with a more expensive keyboard offering ergonomics and customization for the typing experience. This route is for those interested in the latter by using different switches, perhaps even on the same keyboard by including, say, linear switches on WASD and tactile switches everywhere else. But make no mistake: The main reason for doing so is to customize the aesthetics to your preferences, and custom keycaps are the quickest way of going about it. A standalone case/PCB with different materials and color finishes takes one further down the rabbit hole, one others will now perhaps be tempted to head down too. If the switches used in this article interest you, get in touch with Joanna from Kailh (joannazou@kailh.com) and refer to the Kailh website to know more.