Lighting and Performance

The Epomaker Shadow-X supports N-key rollover USB as well as 2.4 GHz out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. It defaults to 6KRO with Bluetooth as expected. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and seen above are all the functions with dedicated keys on the base layer. This 70-key, 70% keyboard gives you a lot of functionality compared to a 75% keyboard, and even a TKL keyboard, in a smaller foot print. As usual, we see that R. Win is replaced by the Fn key which is used for the Fn layer itself.


Speaking of which, here we see the pre-programmed functions tied to the Fn layer on the Shadow-X. These are different based on whether you are using a Windows or macOS system, which also confirms dual OS support for the keyboard. The functions include switching between the various connected clients in Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz mode as well as some quality of life improvements in the form of shortcuts for volume control and media playback in addition to pulling up programs including your default browser, although I would have have liked to see pre-programmed functions to get back all the missing keys from a TKL form factor for those who do not wish to use the software. We also get some onboard control over the LEDs on the keyboard if you want to quickly try out the various lighting effects.


Now we get back to that rotary knob and, well, how disappointed I was. I went in expecting smooth volume control only to find out it's a gloried connection mode selector and you need to use Fn and -/= for volume control by default. I'd have rather had key shortcuts to choose the connection mode which, hang on now, also exists anyway. I am sure there are people who would like to easily go between different connected clients using the knob but I am quite confident the vast majority of end users would rather have a programmable smart wheel, or at least just volume control. On the flip side, the OLED display is quite good in that you get all the relevant keyboard status information immediately. It tells you whether you are in Windows mode, which layer you are on, whether caps lock is on, the current battery level, as well as the connected device in addition to the current day, date, and time. You can also customized it with pictures or GIFs as seen above, and it handles larger animations better than I expected too—the refresh rate is clearly higher than 24 FPS.


Seen above are some of the available lighting effects accessible via both onboard controls and software, with full 16.8 M RGB per-key lighting on offer. The opaque keycaps do nerf this to where there is no backlighting on offer at all, and the LEDs just shine around the keycaps for accent lighting. As such, there's not much point in testing for light bleed here although color fidelity could be improved given the LEDs set to white still had a pronounced blue hue. Overall, I'd say this is not a keyboard for those who want a strong light show, especially as alternative options these days come with clear keycaps or even a clear case for plenty of side/under lighting too.

That said, I will give Epomaker props for making the Shadow-X a solid keyboard to actually type on and use. The various connection modes are handy allowing as many as five clients to be simultaneously connected, albeit only one is active at any given time. You can also use the screen to quickly see how everything is working and I have only positive things to say about the wireless modes on offer. The 2.4 GHz dongle was already paired to the keyboard out of the box and I had no issues getting a similar typing experience with it as wired itself for my needs. Battery life is ~7-8 hours with the LEDs on in this mode which increases to ~13.5 hours with Bluetooth. Keep the default sleep settings that turn off the LEDs and then the keyboard after certain periods of inactivity and now you can get the keyboard to last weeks of regular use without the LEDs on. Given the opaque legends here that's mostly what I did outside of deliberately leaving the LEDs on to verify the battery life. Suffice to say that I only had to charge the keyboard only once during my testing period and I am still on the second use cycle with the LEDs off as I write this review on this very keyboard. The slight amount of space savings over a TKL keyboard form factor also has a few inherent ergonomic benefits in that your fingers do not have to travel as much to hit the required keys and you can also have the mouse placed closer to the keyboard so as to have your arms be in line with your shoulder width. Gamers will also benefit from more real estate to move the mouse around, although you should be considering a dedicated gamepad too. This is more for those who do not require the numpad and find macros useful for ergonomic typing, with wireless connectivity and the OLED display being useful or gimmicky depending on where you stand.


As for the actual typing experience, this review sample of the Epomaker Shadow-X came with the Epomaker Budgerigar switches, which we examined both inside and out over the course of this review. These are relatively new, good quality switches using POM for the stem and nylon for the switch housing itself. The stem and spring also come pre-lubed and there is minimal wobble in use which makes for a solid-feeling, yet smooth typing experience. Epomaker does not have a force/travel graph but it is immediately obvious this is a medium-force full-size tactile switch that actuates at ~2.0 mm and has a total travel of 4.0 mm. The switch is rated for an initial force of 55 gf and actuation force of 47 gf, with the tactile bump coming before the switch actuates. Peak force at bottoming out is 60 gf so unfortunately you are very likely to bottom out, in case you were looking for touch typing with tactile switches that you can actuate but not bottom out. I'd say this is a better version of the Cherry MX Brown, although admittedly that is not a high bar to pass.


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 an example sound clip of me typing on the Epomaker Shadow-X keyboard sample at ~85 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Epomaker Budgerigar switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches. I did bottom out constantly here for reasons mentioned above, and this helps demonstrate the overall typing sound you will likely experience too. There is a good amount of dampening in play here, be it the gasket mount, the silicone and foam sheets, or the polycarbonate plate with IXPE switch pads. It's not a quiet keyboard by any means but one that presents a deeper sound having minimized the higher frequencies and pings/reverberations. The thicker PBT keycaps also help here, as do the pre-lubed stabilizers, and the overall typing experience is one best suited for a more private work environment. It does feel quite nice to type on and I am personally happy with the sound too.