Epomaker have once again very kindly sent me one of their keyboards to try out. This time it’s the feature-packed RT65.
The RT65 is a 67 Key / 65% keyboard. It has an ANSI layout, is compatible with Mac, Windows and Andoid, and connects via USB-C, Bluetooth 3.0/5.0, and 2.4 Ghz wireless (dongle stashed in a little compartment at the rear left of the board). A two-position on/off switch at the top right of the board switches between wired and wireless modes. The RT65 also has a 3000mAh onboard battery.
The RT65 comes in a choice of Grey White or Pink White colourways. I got Pink, because why not? Keycaps are Cherry profile PBT and match the colour scheme of the board, with pink characters on the white keys and white characters on the pink.
The RT65 comes with a choice of Epomaker Flamingo or Wisteria (linear) switches. I got the Wisterias which, even though I’m not usually a fan of linear switches, seem to suit this board well. The switches are, of course, hot-swappable, meaning that they can be easily swapped out for other 3/5-pin switches with no need for soldering or unnecessary messing about.
The RT65 incorporates five layers of sound and feel-enhancing materials, including Poron sandwich foam, IXPE switch pads, socket foam, PET film, and case foam. Combined with a gasket mount, these layers dampen vibrations, soften keystrokes, and minimize noise, creating a deeply satisfying and smooth typing experience. Finely tuned plate-mounted stabilizers further reduce unwanted rattling, ensuring every key press is consistent and enjoyable.
The RT65’s body is plastic and weighs just under 70g, making it a very lightweight, portable board. Four silicone feet on the underside of the board ensure that it’s stable despite its featherweight.
The RT65 has RGB south-facing backlights with all the usual customisation options, and more available via the free-to-use Epomaker software. It also has a lightbar across the back of the board (where the Function keys would be on a larger board). The lightbar effects can be toggled through using Fn+PgUp, or further customised via the software. The lightbar isn’t the only interesting extra feature on the RT65 though.
The RT65 comes with a detachable RT100 Mini Display, which plugs in inside the little compartment that houses the wireless dongle at the rear of the board. The screen displays time/date, battery status, and connection mode. It can also be loaded with custom images and animations via the Epomaker software.
The RT65 also has something else which I have never seen on a keyboard before: an inbuilt joystick. The joystick isn’t actually for playing games, but serves in place of a vol knob. It does a lot more than a vol knob, however, because while left / right serve as +/-, and clicking as mute/unmute, up and down also allow you to skip between tracks. But there’s even more to it than that because Fn+click on the joystick activates Mouse Mode. This means that the RT65 is a keyboard and mouse in one. Clicking the joystick in Mouse Mode = left mouse click. Now, while it’s not perfect, and you certainly wouldn’t want to be trying to cut and paste big chunks of text or anything of that nature, as a basic navigation mouse, the joystick works great.
Ultimately, the RT65 is a great looking, lovely feeling, fantastic take-anywhere portable board, and is absolutely packed with extra features. The joystick/mouse could be a real game-changer (and a lifesaver in certain situations) for a lot of coffee shop and library corner writers, and it’s a feature I hope and expect to see in other future boards.
The RT65 is available from Epomaker for $69.99 USD.