Disclaimer
Mechlands sent me the Epomaker x Aula F75 with the LEOBOG Reaper switches to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. Make sure you check out my reviews for the Mechlands Vibe 99 and the Vibe 75 V2.
What’s in the box?
- Epomaker x Aula F75 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
- 2.4G Dongle
- USB-A to USB-C Cable
- Key/Switch Puller
- User Manual
Features
Epomaker and Aula have reunited to bring us a stylish and fordable solution to gaming. Whether you need a budget keyboard for work or play, the F75 promises to bring enough utility for any occasion.
The Keyboard
The keyboard has a modern clean design with well manufactured parts and clearly printed PBT keycaps. This 75 percent keyboard measure 143.2mm by 322.7mm for usable form factor experience. The 80 keys that make up the keyboard all are all lit with a beautiful south-facing RGB profile for that coveted gaming aesthetic. The switches are blubbered and as easily hospitable as the keycaps. The keyboards gimmick is the smooth volume dial that also controls the media.
Comfort and Design
The F75 has a very desirable typing angle for a comfortable typing experience out of the box. This angle can be adjusted for a more tailored experience. The prelubbed switches come in three different styles: Crescent, LEOBOG Reaper, and Ice Veign. Each designed to provide users a unique experience, the only questions is what sound and level of actuation you prefer. The five-layer padding design helps dampen the sound, while keeping a bit of that Typing ASMR alive.
Sound Test
Utility
The F75 supports three connections: 2.4G wireless (with included dongle), Bluetooth, and wired. These connections can be swapped easily with a flick of a switch. Both wireless and Bluetooth settings a fast, low latency connection ideal for most gaming environments. The included high quality cable can pick up the slack for anything else. But fast wireless connections are worthless without a strong battery supporting them. The F75 features a respectable 4000 mAh battery that is more than enough in most cases. User experience varies, especially if you’re going crazy with the RGB effects.
Review
As far as budget keyboards go, the Epomaker x Aula keyboard is a solid contender. The features and quality keep it from being a luxury upgrade, but it does enough to be worth the price price tag.
Quality
At first glance, users will be impressed by the design. Everything looks clean and the printing is clear. Picking up the keyboard doesn’t raise too many flags. The keyboard has a good weight for home and travel use, and the construction feels sturdy. I didn’t notice any concerning flex with my unit. Actually using the keyboard is where the cracks start to show.
Unfortunately, the keycaps are cheap, and they feel cheap the more you use them. They feel sharp and harsh to the touch, and they produce the ugliest typing sound. If you’re looking for good typing ASMR, you might have to swap out the caps or switches, but that defeats the purpose. If you’ve never used good keycaps or need something affordable to throw around, this doesn’t matter. They’re good enough.
Comfort
Despite the cheap keycaps, I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the F75 actually is. The typing angle out of the box is fantastic and the switches are solid. Although the keycaps are harsh to my fingers, the switches were soft to my joints. The don’t trigger my repetitive stress injury like other cheap keyboards do, and that is a huge win for me. While I wouldn’t say it is an ergonomic keyboard, it is an ergonomic enough design to keep my hands functional after prolonged use.
Performance
The F75 gets the job done out of the box. The switches all worked and were responsive, and the connection was stable. I didn’t notice any ghosting or faulty switches through my tests. This is a keyboard that is very easy to install, and even easier to tweak if needed. The preprogrammed shortcuts were all easy to find and incredibly helpful. I like the little cheat sheet included in the box. Most importantly, the battery life is great. I got about eight hours of continuous use off a single charge with the RGB on. This is enough for most cases.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a keyboard at this price range, it doesn’t get much better. With the F75, you are getting a cool looking keyboard with comfortable switches and enough keys for most work flows. The media nob is a fantastic gimmick, especially if you like working while listening to music. The Switches may feel cheap, but I never got the impression like they would fade or start to look ugly. If this is your budget, get the F75.
You can pick up the Epomaker x Aula F75 on the official Mechlands store, or through Aliexpress.
