EPOMAKER TH85 Review: A Budget-Friendly Board That Surprises in All the Right Ways

If you’re searching for a mechanical keyboard that’s compact, travel-ready, and won’t break the bank—yet still manages to offer decent thock and solid features—the EPOMAKER TH85 may just be your new go-to. Priced at only $79.99 (and often with discounts via Amazon), this keyboard delivers more than you’d expect from a plastic build in the budget category.

First Impressions: Lightweight Yet Bold

The TH85 arrives with a clean and minimalist aesthetic. The model featured in this review sports a Milky Blue switch configuration with a black-and-white colorway, and the styling instantly calls to mind the sleek key layout of premium brands like Wooting—especially with how the arrow cluster is separated from the enter key. This small distinction in layout makes a huge difference when typing fast or gaming; you’re far less likely to fat-finger the wrong keys.

Though it’s an all-plastic body (aside from a sleek rear metal mesh accent plate), the board doesn’t look or feel cheap. The plastic is rigid, the design cohesive, and it screams portability. This could easily live in your backpack without adding much weight—making it an ideal travel board.

Layout & Build

While the TH85 is advertised as a 75% layout, the company also references it as 80% in some places—confusing, yes, but ultimately forgivable. The real win is the Wooting-style S-cluster and thoughtful separation of key zones. Everything feels well-proportioned, except for one caveat…

That Delete Key Placement Tho…

There’s an odd design choice with the delete key being placed higher than expected, disrupting muscle memory. It’s one of those things that you might either adapt to—or curse every time you accidentally hit “End” instead. Worse still, due to non-uniform keycap sizing, you can’t easily swap it into a lower position without affecting visual alignment or feel.

RGB & Connectivity: Surprisingly Premium

South-facing RGB LEDs shine super bright through the keycaps, and this board doesn’t hold back. If you’re a fan of aesthetic setups or just want your desk to glow at night, the TH85 delivers. Combine that with:

Tri-mode connectivity (USB-C wired, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz with dongle)
Mac & Windows OS support
Hot-swappable sockets
VIA/QMK compatibility

…and you’ve got a keyboard that punches well above its price point.

Bonus points for the dongle storage slot under the keyboard feet. It clicks in tight and won’t fall out during travel.

Typing Experience: Firm, Focused, Functional

Typing on the TH85 feels solid and tight. This isn’t your squishy, cloud-like keyboard. It has five layers of dampening—Poron, IXPE, silicone, sound-enhancement foam—and a rigid plate that gives each keypress structure and immediacy. It’s not harsh, but it’s definitely not soft.

The Milky Blue switches included in our test unit are linear, smooth, and deliver satisfying acoustics with minimal wobble. The sound signature leans toward “clacky thock,” and combined with the foam layers, it sounds tuned right out of the box.

Gaming vs. Typing

If you’re a gamer, you’ll appreciate the firm plate. The board doesn’t flex or give under pressure, which is great for FPS and RTS where response times and consistency matter.

If you’re a writer or typist, you may find the harder feel fatiguing over long sessions. This isn’t a super forgiving typing board—but it is extremely accurate and satisfying in short bursts.

What’s in the Box?

Plastic dust cover (aka “grandma cover”)
USB-C braided cable
Extra switches
Keycap/switch puller

No Mac-specific keycaps are included, so you’ll need to source Option and Command keys yourself if you’re all-in on macOS aesthetics.

Price & Value

At $79.99 (often with a 20% Amazon coupon), the TH85 offers incredible value for a VIA-compatible tri-mode keyboard with solid stock sound, hot-swappability, and smart layout choices. You can grab it in several color configurations, including:

Black and white
White and black
Blue and white
With switch options like Milky Blue or Creamy Jade

This is the type of board you buy once—and are surprised you don’t need to mod right away.

Final Verdict

The EPOMAKER TH85 might be the most fun you can have under $80 in the mechanical keyboard space right now. It’s feature-packed, sounds great out of the box, supports advanced customization (VIA), and travels well thanks to its plastic build and solid connectivity.

Is it perfect? No. The delete key layout will definitely trip up some users. And if you’re a die-hard for aluminum builds or premium aesthetics, you’ll notice the tradeoffs.

But if what you want is a great everyday keyboard or a portable second board with premium sound, RGB flair, and real usability—it’s hard not to recommend the TH85.

TL;DR

✅ Pros:

VIA/QMK compatible
Bright south-facing RGB
Tri-mode wireless with dongle storage
Hot-swappable switches
Great stock sound
Lightweight and travel-friendly
Firm and responsive for gaming

❌ Cons:
– Delete key placement is awkward
– Plastic chassis (subjective)
– No Mac modifier keycaps included

💬 What do you think? Would you grab the TH85 as your travel board? Sound off in the comments, and don’t forget to check the Amazon listing here for current deals.

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