🧲 Epomaker MagCore 87 Review – Inductive Switches Change the Game, But Is It Ready?
Price: $199.99
Layout: Tenkeyless (TKL)
Switches: Kailh Box Inductive Magnetic
Polling Rate: 8000Hz
Connectivity: Wired USB-C
⚙️ Inductive Magnetic Switches – What Are They?
Forget Hall Effect. The Epomaker MagCore 87 brings a new kind of magnetic switch to the table: inductive switches. Instead of using magnets per key like traditional Hall Effect boards (think Wooting or Mechlands), these use a metal stem and coil system, similar in principle to a metal detector.
When you press the key, it affects the inductance detected by a coil under the PCB. No magnets. No contact. Just good ol’ electromagnetism at work. The result is:
- Lower power draw
- Smoother response
- No physical actuation point required
This tech is futuristic, but it comes with trade-offs.
🧪 Real-World Use: Gaming vs Typing
🎮 Gaming Experience:
This board absolutely slaps for gaming. The switches feel fast, responsive, and stable, with nearly zero stem wobble. The solid aluminum chassis adds to the no-give feel. If you’re looking for a weapon in your gaming arsenal, this might be it.
⌨️ Typing Experience:
Typing? That’s where things get complicated.
If you’re a drag typer (where your fingers glide or slide between keys), the MagCore’s rigid stem housing can cause the keys to not register unless fully pressed from the center. This can lead to missed keystrokes and a frustrating typing experience.
It’s not broken, it’s too precise, almost punishingly so for casual or imperfect typists. For those with floating fingers and proper form, it may be fine. For the rest of us? Prepare for some typos.
📦 What’s in the Box?
- Extra solid keycaps (for replacing the see-through ones if you don’t like the hollow sound)
- USB-C braided cable
- Keycap puller
- Allen wrench for case access
- Kailh Box Inductive switches pre-installed
You’re ready to go out of the box, and the included extras are appreciated, especially the replacement keycaps that help tune the sound profile.
💡 Software: Functional, But Dated
You must run Epomaker’s software as admin, which is annoying right out the gate. Once in, it supports:
- DKS, MPT, MT, TGL, SOCD
- Adjustable travel distances
- Rapid trigger
- RGB controls
- Macro support
❌ Unfortunately, there’s no per-key RGB, which is almost expected in 2025 at this price point. And there’s no web-based configuration, which is becoming the standard.
📈 Specs Breakdown
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Switch Type | Kailh Box Inductive |
| Layout | Tenkeyless (TKL) |
| Polling Rate | 8000Hz |
| Build | Full Aluminum Case |
| Connectivity | Wired only (USB-C) |
| Keycaps | Mix of clear and solid caps included |
| RGB | Bright, but not per-key |
| Software | Windows only, admin required |
✅ Pros
- 🕹️ Exceptional for gaming
- 🧱 Rock-solid build with premium aluminum
- 🎯 Zero stem wobble, most stable switches yet
- 🔊 Smooth, clean sound with great acoustic feedback
- 🧩 Comes with alternative keycaps for sound tuning
- 💡 Bright RGB with a great diffuser effect
- 🧠 Innovative tech – pushes the magnetic keyboard scene forward
❌ Cons
- ❌ No wireless (despite energy-efficient switches)
- ❌ No per-key RGB
- ❌ Key layout quirks (mute/volume placement feels odd)
- ❌ Software feels clunky and outdated
- ❌ Typing can be inconsistent if you don’t bottom out directly
- ❌ $199 with no tri-mode or wireless is a tough sell
🎧 Sound Test
Want to hear it in action?
🎬 Watch the full sound test here:
🧠 Final Thoughts
The Epomaker MagCore 87 is a paradox.
It’s one of the best gaming boards I’ve tested recently, smooth, fast, and ridiculously stable. But it’s also one of the least enjoyable to type on if you don’t have perfect form. It makes bold decisions, but stumbles where polish is expected, like in layout, software, and connectivity.
It feels less like a finished product and more like a prototype Epomaker wants feedback on. And honestly? That’s cool. It’s pushing boundaries. But at $199, it better be more than experimental.
Should you buy it?
If you’re a gamer-first and curious about cutting-edge switch tech? Yes.
If you’re a typist or productivity user? Skip it, or wait for v2.
📣 What Do You Think?
Would you switch to inductive tech over Hall Effect?
Is wireless a must-have for you in 2025?
Let me know in the comments, and check out the full video below:
