The new EPOMAKER P87 feels like the first aluminium TKL keyboard from EPOMAKER that comes with VIA support fully assembled. I’ve always had a preference for VIA support and in the tenkeyless (TKL) layout – the P87 is something up my alley. Also, coming it at US$136 it is relatively affordable.
Unboxing
Here is what you will find the box:
- EPOMAKER P87 keyboard
- 2.4G Dongle (hidden in the keyboard)
- Type-C Cable
- 2-in-1 Keycap/Switch Puller
- Spare switches
- Allen keys
- User Manual
Build quality and design
The EPOMAKER P87 is only available into two colour options – (1) Black, or (2) Khaki. And the accompanying keycaps do match the keyboard case colours. You get either a clean black-on-black or a retro beige keycaps on the Khaki board. These are simple and minimalistic design choices perhaps targeted for folks who want to use it for work.
When it comes to design, the EPOMAKER P87 also features a simple understated look. The borders are slightly thicker on the top and bottom, and you have a LED diffuser above the arrow cluster with a beveled tab with the EPOMAKER branding. The bottom wedge has subtle curves along its side profile that gives the EPOMAKER P87 a little bit of design identity to avoid looking too classic. As for build quality, the aluminium feels good quality and have a nice smooth to touch feel to it. No ping and hollowness were felt from the aluminium. The included keycaps of the EPOMAKER P87 are double-shot PBT plastic in Cherry profile – which is personally my go-to keycap profile.
There is RGB lighting that helps add some customization and pop. You can toggle between the various RGB lighting effects via the “Fn + \” shortcut. The LED strip above the arrow cluster will also be illuminated, adding some fun to the classic TKL design. If RGB isn’t really your thing, you can simply turn it off with the “Fn + Backspace” shortcut.
There isn’t any special backweight on the EPOMAKER P87. Instead, it is just a clean one piece aluminum back with the EPOMAKER brand embossed on it. The USB-C port is weirdly slightly off-center. The one/off switch instead is located right smack in the middle, and it doesn’t have any text indicators to tell which direction is 2.4GHz or Bluetooth. Toggling the switch to the keyboard’s left will enable 2.4GHz connection. Next to the on/off switch, I like how there is a magnetic small aluminium drawer to store the 2.4Ghz dongle when it is not in use.
Typing acoustics & experience
EPOMAKER P87 has three switch options to choose from; two are linear and one is tactile. I prefer linear switches so between the two linear switches, I went with the heavier Wisteria V1 linear switch. The plate used in the keyboard is a PC plate.
As for mounting style, the EPOMAKER P87 uses a typical gasket mount.It is not very bouncy and soft, but it minimizes any harshness upon bottoming out on a keystroke. The gaskets feel even across the board. There are a total of 5 layers of sound dampening built into the board to minimize any ping and resonance. Two layers (sponge and EVA foam) are located at the bottom underneath the PCB, while the remaining three layers (latex pad, IXPE switch pad, PET pad) are sandwiched between the plate and the PCB. The silicon gaskets are fitted on the PC plate which rest along the grooves of the case.
As for sound, the PCB having no flex cuts allows the EPOMAKER P87 to have a fuller sound. The IXPE switch pad that lies on the PCB also helps to create a more rounded off marbly sound that is reminiscent of the hugely popular “PE foam” mod. The sound profile leans more towards a low end thocky kind of sound.
EPOMAKER P87 uses plate-mounted stabilisers which are pre-lubed and the stock performance is really good. There weren’t any keys having rattling or tick sounds at all. The PCB is hot-swappable supporting both 3-pin and 5-pin switches, so it allows you to change the switches into something else in the future. There is also a knob that takes the place the standard ‘Pause’ key. You can’t swap out the knob for a key but perhaps more prefer having the knob as it is useful for adjusting volume.
Connectivity and battery
EPOMAKER P87 offers three modes of connectivity – (1) wired via USB, (2) Bluetooth 5.0, and (3) 2.4GHz wireless. If you’re planning on using it wired, you may want to consider getting a nice coiled cable such as the new EPOMAKER MIX Pro cable. I have a black variant to match the P87, and the quality is pretty good.
P87 is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery but there is no advice of how long the battery will last. You can check the battery percentage status of the keyboard by holding the Fn + Spacebar. If the keys from 1 to 8 light up it means that the battery is at 80% – it’s quite a nifty feature. I alos like how there is a keyboard shortcut to switch between Mac and Windows mode. For other functions, you can refer below:
The strongest function of the EPOMAKER P87 is actually the support it has for VIA software, making it highly customisable to each individual. Being able to do key remapping and customise your own keyboards shortcuts is really useful and I’m glad that EPOMAKER chose the VIA software approach instead of the usual custom driver setup.
Conclusion
The EPOMAKER P87 is a really good aluminium pre-built option. If you’re someone who appreciates things that are simple and just work well, the EPOMAKER P87 fits that bill. It doesn’t have too fancy of a design, and comes in just two modern colours, but the simplicity works out. The typing experience is good and has VIA support for easy customisation. Overall, the EPOMAKER P87 is a TKL keyboard that you can just buy and start using without getting into any mods.