The Epomaker RT100 lets me work like a machine and stare at puffins to relax — it’s a winner on all fronts

I’m always on the lookout for a quiet keyboard that won’t disturb my coworkers, and I’ve struck gold with the Epomaker RT100. This is one of the best mechanical keyboards money can buy, thanks to the lovely design and build. The RT100 strikes the perfect balance between vintage aesthetics and modernity with its detachable mini screen that lets you display GIFs and provides other useful information — it’s fun and practical. The Sea Salt silent switches I tested provide a wonderful typing experience, too.

There isn’t a lot wrong with the RT100 either, but the volume knob feels out of place with its plasticky build, and you need to remove the dongle (and store it carefully) if you’re plugging in the screen.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Epomaker RT100 review.

Epomaker RT100 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 95% mechanical keyboard for productivity
• Who is it for? For serious typists who like a bit of whimsy
• How much does it cost? The Epomaker RT100 is available for $115 / £119
• What do we like? The retro design, the awesome typing experience thanks to the smooth switches, the mini screen for GIFs and useful information, and the user-friendly software
• What don’t we like? The volume knob could have been designed better and the dongle could get lost

Epomaker RT100 review: Specs

Epomaker RT100 review: The ups

The Epomaker RT100 is a winner on all fronts: from its retro design and silent switches to its user-friendly software and mini screen.

Maximum productivity

Contrary to the 100 moniker in its name, the Epomaker RT100 sports a 97-key, 95% layout: you get a number pad and a full row of Function keys, making it the ideal productivity keyboard. I usually prefer TKL ‘boards — like the Keychron V1 ($94) or the Gamakay TK75 Pro ($109) — but I’d be lying if I said the RT100 hadn’t won me over with its size. The keyboard measures 15.6 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches and weighs 2.97lbs so it’s meant to stay put on your office desk.

If you work across operating systems like I do, you’ll be pleased with the dedicated switch on the top right to swap between layouts. I find myself to be much more productive when I can rely on muscle memory for key combinations, so I always appreciate dual OS layouts. Another reason why the RT100 is fit for the office is because of how quiet it is — depending on switch choice, of course — and I’ll get into that soon.

Retro design

If you want a keyboard fit for the office, you can get the Epomaker RT100 in a retro white or dark grey colorway. If you like a bit of fun, it comes in stunning green and purple colors, too. I tested the retro white variant, which looks fantastic, and — you guessed it — oozes with retro charm. I was a little skeptical when I saw the beige and off-white keycaps on the box but when I took the keyboard out, I instantly liked its look. While the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard ($99) remains my favorite retro-looking ‘board, the RT100 is a close second.

Silent as a lamb

The Epomaker RT100 is an absolute treat to type on thanks to its A-grade construction and switches. First, the RT100 features gasket PCB mounting that offers a softer typing feel and reduces vibrations versus firmer mounting styles like top or plate mounting. And the switches are lovely.

The keyboard is fully hot-swappable and compatible with 3- and 5-pin ones, but you’ll be satisfied with the stock switches. I tested the Sea Salt silent switches, and the “silent” moniker is no lie. These make the RT100 the quietest keyboard I’ve used so far.

The Sea Salt switches don’t require a lot of force to register a command either: 35g with a total travel distance of 4mm. This is why I could type quickly without making too many typos. The keyboard also uses double-shot PBT keycaps that feel soft to touch and are oil-resistant, while being far more durable than ABS ones.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the keyboard fared against others I’ve tested, and I’m very pleased with the results above. It’s still second to the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, which uses Kailh switches, but it’s a fantastic result nonetheless.

Watching TV

I don’t mean that literally, of course. Imagine if you could watch TV on a keyboard — that would be something! If you’re familiar with my keyboard reviews, you’ll know that I can’t resist a mini-screen that allows me to display GIFs or static images — and I love the Epomaker RT100’s. The keyboard comes with a detachable screen that the brand labels as “a mini TV,” which you can plug into the USB-C port on the left-hand side. Using Epomaker Driver — available on Windows and macOS — you can customize the screen to display GIFs and static images.

It’s a tiny screen but it still looks detailed and sharp, and it’s definitely sharper than the screen on the Gamakay LK75 ($129). And it may feel like a gimmick, but it displays useful information — like battery life, connection mode and time — alongside your chosen image. Now I can stare at Kathryn Hahn as Agatha all day while also being aware of how much time I have left to meet my deadlines. Work and play.

User-friendly software

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Epomaker Driver used to customize most Epomaker keyboards is very straightforward to use. Simply plug in your Epomaker RT100 with a USB-C cable to begin personalizing. You can use the software to remap keys, record macros, customize the south-facing RGB backlighting and more. The main attraction here is the ability to upload GIFs and static images, and Epomaker Driver gives you lots of personalization options. You can upload any GIF you like but you can also browse the community’s creations, or use a paintbrush to write your own text.

You can also add your location and the screen will display the local temperature, and synchronize the screen’s clock with your computer’s. All these extra goodies make the screen fun but also practical, and I love that.

Epomaker RT100 review: The downs

I struggled to find much wrong with the Epomaker RT100, as my issues are more minor niggles and may be down to personal preference.

That volume knob though…

While the Epomaker RT100’s TV attachment is a nice touch, I can’t say the same about the volume knob. With its plasticky feel and bright multicolored playback icon, it sticks out like a sore thumb from the RT100’s otherwise lovely design. This could be down to personal preference, of course, but I would have much preferred a solid, metallic knob similar to the one on the Epomaker TH80 Pro ($99) or the Epomaker EK68 ($89).

2.4GHz anyone?

To use the Epomaker RT100’s attachable screen, you need to plug it into a USB-C port on the left-hand side of the keyboard. This space doubles as the onboard dongle compartment, and the 2.4GHz dongle must be removed if you want to use the screen. If you’re planning on using the keyboard via Bluetooth or a wired connection, make sure you look after the dongle as it can easily be lost. This is a minor complaint though, but I wanted to bring this to your notice either way.

Epomaker RT100 review: Verdict

If you’re in the market for a mechanical keyboard that combines retro aesthetics with modern features, you won’t go wrong with the Epomaker RT100. I love this keyboard for its design, double-shot PBT keycaps, user-friendly software and most of all, the detachable mini screen. You can use the companion software to display GIFs, static images and information (like the temperature) on it, and it works like a charm.

I had to nitpick to find things wrong with the RT100 and both of them come down to personal preference: the volume knob, to me, feels out of place with its plasticky build, and the dongle may be easy to lose.

But these are minor complaints about an otherwise excellent keyboard. The Epomaker RT100 is retro, chic and a little whimsical. It might just be the most fun keyboard out there.