You may know EPOMAKER for their pre-built keyboards such as Shadow-X and also their new barebones kit such as the EK75. They also sell various accessories to make your desk setup more interesting. We’ll be checking out three of them:
- EPOMAKER EP-01 Cable (US$49.99)
- Cidoo V21 (US$59.99)
- Megalodon Mini TV (US$110)
EPOMAKER EP-01 Cable
The keyboard sets on EPOMAKER usually throw in a USB-C cable, sometimes you get a nice braided one. While they work as intended, they might not look as nice since the thin cable is not the straightest. If you want to make the connection to your keyboard look more aesthetic, you can consider getting a coiled cable. In particular, the EPOMAKER EP-01 Cable as it has a nicer lemo connector compared to the typical aviator style that is thicker.
I personally prefer lemo connectors as they have a slimmer profile and looks more sleek. The EPOMAKER EP-01 Cable only comes in one colour which is a grey complemented by a silver lemo connector which is safe colour that matches well with most keyboard colours.
The USB-C and USB-A ends are encased in metal and have some heft to it, especially on the USB-A portion. Quality of the EPOMAKER EP-01 Cable is good. The cable is thick, sleeved in nylon then double-sleeved in a durable tech flex mesh that keeps that cable in a nice shape. The coiled portion is generally neat, but could be a little better. Unfortunately, the USB-C end has the ‘EPOMAKER’ branding on it, so it may not look the most clean.
Cidoo V21 – Hot-Swappable Number Pad
If you do use the number pad often for work but don’t want to use a full-size or 1800 layout, then getting a separate number pad is the next best option. There are quite a few options for number pads, but I particularly like the Cidoo V21 as it has (1) VIA support, (2) a knob, (3) three modes of connectivity, and (4) encased in an aluminium alloy case.
The Cidoo V21 features a boxy design with recessed sides so that it is easier to grip and move from one place to another. There is only one colour available for the Cidoo V21, which is beige colour that will match seamlessly if you have the Cidoo V87 keyboard, with similar keycaps and switches pre-installed. You get a extra larger sized backspace key to swap out the default 1u sized if you wish. Build quality is solid due to its aluminium alloy case. There is a good amount of heft from the small number pad, and the rubber feet on the bottom of the case keeps it well placed on any surface it is on.
The addition of knob adds more functionality especially if you like using it to adjust your volume. The addition for VIA support brings about more versatility to its use case as you can fine tune each key to your preferred way of using it. As the VIA support isn’t exactly official, you have to load the .json file depending if you are using it wired or via 2.4GHz for the VIA app.
Last thing to point of is the three modes of connectivity. I personally like using the Cidoo V21 either on Bluetooth or 2.4GHz as there won’t be an additional wire laying on my desk. Another benefit of having a separate number pad is the freedom to position it anywhere you like on your desk. I starting to get used to putting it on the left of my main keyboard, as it frees up space for my mouse.
Megalodon Mini TV
Last on list is the Megalodon Mini TV ie. DOIO MO29-01, which serves more of an aesthetic appeal rather than any functional use. Well, you could definitely play some videos on it once you have connect it via USB-C and HDMI, but I wouldn’t expect much productive use out of it since the screen is small.
The Megalodon Mini TV is available in two materials – (1) aluminium, or (2) acrylic. There are three colours for aluminium (grey, blue, and purple), and the unit I have is the grey colour. Acrylic has either a clear or white option.
The 2.9-inch display has up to 120Hz which is nice to have, and has a HD resolution of 1440 * 1440p. I think it would have be great if the Megalodon Mini TV option for a 3.5-inch display instead as it will make it more suitable for use with Aida64 to monitor computer stats. For more advanced users who tinker with MCUs can opt for the Megalodon Mini TV as a fancy looking 2.9-inch HD screen.