Lighting and Performance

We get full N-key rollover USB with the Epomaker AK84S, as tested successfully with Aqua's test. Unsurprisingly, it drops down to the standard 6KRO in Bluetooth mode. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys, and we actually get an R. Win key on the base layer as recognized by Windows, although with the Menu instead of the usual Fn key we still get here. Note also the missing Home, End, and R. Ctrl keys compared to the US ANSI TKL layout. Not much is lost functionally, but a good amount saved in space!

You may end up having the keyboard on and lit up out of the box because this time around, it still retains toggles for Bluetooth connectivity despite the power button. So even in Bluetooth mode, every lighting effect is still available. Out of the box, the AK84S lights up in a rainbow wave effect that gets brighter in wired mode but is plenty bright here. Note that the ABS keycaps are the only ones that will support backlighting.


Given we can not only remove the keycaps but also the switches, seen first up above is a look at two switches lit up by the LED underneath, and then the actual LED on the switch socket underneath, which is brighter but less diffused. The ABS keycaps do block most of the light and only allow some through the doubleshot-injected legends. You will need to use the software drivers for finer backlighting control, including the specific R/G/B color from among the 16.8 M on offer (0–255 brightness steps for each R/G/B channel). White (255/255/255) actually was quite decent here, especially considering RGB LEDs have a harder time depicting a true white, and there is not much light bleed either on this configuration because of the high profile two-piece case and dark black plate.

Here is a look at two other dynamic lighting effects that can be accessed through onboard controls or the software. I expect most users will get a set of PBT keycaps with the AK84S, in which case you will only have accent lighting through the gaps in the keycaps.


Every single backer on Kickstarter will get a free set of the GK2 silicone keycaps, and these are a good way to illustrate my point about the PBT keycaps since these are opaque too. So you can see above how the same lighting effects will look here and on the other GK1 PBT keycaps. There is also an acrylic case option, which no doubt will be the one to go for if you fancy a light show.

Onboard backlighting controls for simple things, including changing the preset effects, are generally easier to use than those in the software. You may select between nine preset modes, the first five of which can be further customized with brightness, speed, and even a pause control in addition to turning it off altogether. In addition to these, there are a bunch of other functional controls that do not need the software at all. The manual does a decent job going over the Bluetooth pairing settings with which up to three devices can be connected to the keyboard. There are also profile/layer selection shortcuts, including for the Windows and macOS default layers and the Driver mode layer ("Driver 1" described on the previous page), which has a default lighting effect for easier identification. I did like the shortcut options, especially to put my computer to sleep or wake it up.

Epomaker has addressed one of my complaints with the GK96LS here since there is a dedicated power button to turn the keyboard on/off in wireless Bluetooth mode to save ambiguity on whether the device is quietly sipping battery juice or not. In Bluetooth mode, you do have increased latency and higher ghosting potential, but the ability to store most functions onboard does mean fundamental differences aren't large compared to when wired. This is especially so given the generous 4000 mAh battery inside, which lasts a long time even with the lighting on, and longer with it off, of course. Indeed, given I hardly had any lighting on, I have yet to exhaust the battery completely once in my two weeks of testing. Charging happens via the provided USB-C cable in wired mode and is indicated by the LED below the 4 key in the alphanumeric section, which is why it may be lit up in a static color that does not match the lighting effects. Finally, there is a sleep timer option if away from the keyboard. The Bluetooth 5.1 connection is backwards compatible with pretty much everything Bluetooth, and I had no problems whatsoever when connecting it to a laptop, phone, or even smart TV, as well as switching between them from time to time.

Using the AK84S reminded me of the recently reviewed Akko 3084, but it was immediately obvious that this is an upgrade in nearly every way. There are more switch options, more keycap options, updated wireless connectivity, a bigger battery, RGB backlighting, software support, and better build quality overall even with the least expensive option that still sports an aluminium plate and frame with a plastic bottom panel. The switches and stabilizers are lubed out of the box, and pricing is on par too. I dare say that the 84 chosen keys are better here too, and I did not find myself missing anything when it comes to TKL keyboard functionality. The pre-programmed functions are nice too, and you of course have full key remapping with the software to enable different typing layouts if QWERTY is not your jam. This works fine on the OEM profile ABS keycaps, and probably better with the Epomaker GK1 PBT keycaps. Doing so on the GK2 profile silicone keycaps is a whole other story, though, and daily typing with the high profile GK2 keycaps may indeed not be for everyone. Read page five for more of my thoughts on these keycaps, including typing on them.


As previously mentioned, there are a LOT of switch options with the Epomaker AK84S, be it optical or mechanical switches. For either type, there are multiple switches from Gateron and the Epomaker-branded switches the brand is introducing alongside the AK84S. Given my sample has the Epomaker Chocolate Optical Silver switch, I will focus more on it while clarifying that the Chocolate switches come in both mechanical and optical flavors, and they are functionally identical for the same switch type. So the Chocolate Optical Silver has the same typing and force-travel diagram as the Chocolate Mechanical (5-pin) Silver switch. Epomaker also provided the force-travel diagrams for all four Chocolate switch designs, including the one for the Optical Silver seen above.

As such, I can tell you that this switch is based on the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) in that it is a linear switch with a lower actuation point than the usual 2.0 mm. Indeed, the Chocolate Silver (optical or mechanical) has an actuation point rated at ~1.2 mm, and with a total travel distance of 4.0 mm, it is one of the most trigger-friendly switches out there. Actuation force is kept at 45 gf; however, Epomaker is proud of the tuning done with the molds to where the switches have a much tighter tolerance of +/-5 gf rather than the usual +/-15 gf for anything non-Cherry. You might have noticed the housing on these switches being slightly different from the usual optical switches too, and I am told the mechanical version has more updates internally to reduce wear on the switches. Both types, and indeed all the Chocolate switches, come pre-lubed to where this is quite a smooth switch throughout. Speed switches are not really my go-to, and I am curious to see how the others fare on a full keyboard.



As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above a sound clip of me typing on the Epomaker AK84S keyboard sample at ~100 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Chocolate Optical Silver switches and the ABS keycaps, and another sound clip of me typing on the keyboard with the GK2 silicone keycaps. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out more often than not, especially with the relatively lighter switches, and you can hear the downstroke ping off the aluminium plate. Typing on the GK2 silicone keycaps takes practice, especially with the aggressive profile, but it really pays off, with a deeper, more satisfying listening experience, especially on the larger modifiers. The ABS keycaps sound quite cheap even with the lubed switches and stabilizers, and what I know coming out of this is that I definitely want a full set of silicone keycaps in an OEM profile or lower!