Lighting and Performance

The Epomaker SK61 keyboard supports N-key rollover USB out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys. Note also the base layer above, which shows which functions get dedicated keys on the keyboard. Finally, Switch Hitter does not care about the order in which the keys were pressed, but we still have the bottom row being different from the usual with Fn instead of R. Control in the bottom-right corner.

When first connected, the SK61 and SK21 both light up in a spiral rainbow effect that shows off the RGB feature, but also confirms the difference in backlighting intensity between the two at default settings. The transition animation is smooth and a good demo to ensure the keyboards are both powered on and working properly.


Seen above are a few other photos and videos of the set all lit up. You will have to tone the brightness of the SK21 down to match the SK61, which is a shame and once again goes back to the different keycap design on both. To be fair to Epomaker, this SK21 was never marketed as a Red or Red Wine themed version, so it's not like this set is sold together either. Regardless, there are several effects to choose from and edit once you figure it out. Light bleed is minimal owing to the higher-profile case, even with the white plate on both.

Profile switching and the various other functions necessary on this 60% keyboard are all pre-programmed and tied to the Fn key layer, which is critical on smaller form factor keyboard. Epomaker/Skyloong has also added some multimedia and volume controls in addition to the Ins-Pg Dn cluster, arrow keys, and, of course, Fn keys. These are denoted by the extra legends on the keycaps, which reduces the learning curve significantly, but layers are your friend here, and key mapping is just as useful in making your time with the keyboard a pleasure rather than a pain. You might ask why you should go through all of this and have fewer keys than a TKL or full-size keyboard. The general answer for all smaller form factor keyboards tends to be ergonomics, with shorter finger travel leading to lower fatigue over longer typing sessions. You can also have the mouse closer to the keyboard and in line with your shoulder. Many companies these days make a 60% keyboard for other reasons, the biggest of which is aesthetics. The smaller form factor allows for different materials and designs without the increased cost when scaled up to a full-size keyboard. This also goes for custom keycaps, such as this Red Wine set, which can at times end up more expensive than the keyboard itself. Lastly, if paired with the SK61, the SK21 adds the numpad along with its own set of other pre-programmed functions outlined in the manual.


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 both the Epomaker SK61 in the beginning and the SK21 towards the end of the audio clip as they comes out of the box with the Gateron Optical Brown RGB switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches. The higher-profile, empty case does result in some reverberations on the SK61, more so than on the much smaller SK21, and the lubed stabilizers being coupled with the thicker PBT keycaps also results in a bassier response than usual. The main source of noise ends up being the switch bottoming out on the metal plate, although the space bar gets in there at times too. The SK21 has a different sound signature overall owing to the smaller case, and the switches behave quite well. Since I do not see a retail SKU with these switches just yet, I will refrain from testing them further.