Hey number pad lovers, this is a keyboard we can finally agree on

I cognize a vocal group of group who committedness by the number pad connected their keyboard. And yet, for years I haven’t cared astir utilizing 1 — until I put my hands connected the Epomaker RT98. It’s a mechanical keyboard pinch a charming retro aesthetic, a nosy CRT-like screen, VIA compatibility, a bully typing feel, and astir importantly, a modular number pad that tin beryllium moved to either side. It’s a clever discuss successful a fund friendly-ish board, allowing you to further customize your setup without losing the functionality of the coveted “tenkey.”

But for illustration galore mechanical keyboards retired there, it’s sewage immoderate unsocial quirks and tradeoffs.

The RT98 is Epomaker’s astir precocious crowdfunded mechanical keyboard, costing $119 for a prebuilt exemplary configured pinch either the brand’s ain Creamy Jade linear switches aliases Sea Salt Silent V2 linears. You tin besides take to person your number pad connected the correct aliases the near erstwhile it ships to you, but being modular, this is thing you tin alteration connected your own.

Southpaw keyboards pinch left-handed numpads aren’t caller (Keychron has made them easy accessible for years), but this keyboard’s switch-hitter position is rare. There were a mates of old Asus ROG Claymores and the Mountain Everest Max pinch swappable / removable number pads, but they were costly and garish gaming keyboards. The Epomaker RT98 is overmuch much understated and charming.

To afloat trial the RT98, I started disconnected utilizing it successful right-handed mode pinch silent switches earlier moving the numpad to the near and swapping to the Creamy Jades. The typing experiences from some switches are solid. The RT98 is designed pinch the aforesaid hallmarks of astir modern enthusiast keyboards: an soul gasket mounted creation pinch layers of foam nether the PCB to springiness the typing acoustics a fuller sound — moreover successful a integrative chassis. It uses a coagulated PCB and polycarbonate move sheet without immoderate flex cuts (cutouts allowing the full committee to flex nether pressure). This makes the RT98 consciousness a touch sharper compared to different boards that person a pillowy bounce to their typing.

Whether you prime the RT98 pinch silent aliases creamy switches, you’re successful for a good typing acquisition that sounds nice. The Sea Salt Silent V2 linears person a soft quietness to them, though that’s somewhat betrayed by the louder plate-mounted stabilizers successful the abstraction bar, enter, shift, and backspace keys. It’s a good setup for not bothering a table neighbour aliases disrupting a video telephone pinch your on-the-down-low typing, but the Dry Studio ATM 98 I precocious reviewed (while overmuch pricier) is simply a better-sounding silent committee pinch overmuch nicer keycaps. Epomaker’s included PBT keycap group has bully beige nostalgia vibes, but their dye-sub printed legends look inexpensive and not very crisp.

The RT98 is an absolute dainty erstwhile you usage it pinch Epomaker’s Creamy Jade linears, delivering a crisp, marbley reside that’s ever pleasant. When I perceive “creamy” I deliberation of the ace celebrated F75 and akin boards from Aula, a marque that collaborates pinch Epomaker connected immoderate keyboards. The F-series has a spot of that sought-after raindrops-on-a-window tone. The RT98 and its Creamy Jades play successful that ballpark but person a richer, darker reside than the F75 Max I’ve concisely used. I for illustration the Epomaker.

The typing and acoustics are very bully here, but the main tie of the RT98 is that modular number pad. I don’t activity successful information entry, truthful typing the occasional digits connected the number statement is good by me. But I don’t mind the thought of having a numpad disconnected to my near and retired of the measurement of my rodent hand, which I tin ever do pinch a dedicated wireless pad. So I was excited to usage the RT98 successful a southpaw layout.

Changing the position involves removing the bottommost screws, popping disconnected the apical cases from some the main conception and numpad, swapping the internals, and reattaching everything. It’s not the astir labor-intensive process, but you do person to temporarily unplug the cablegram for the detachable screen’s pogo pin connectors and reposition the numpad’s ribbon cable. I couldn’t find instructions successful the container connected doing this, but I recovered Epomaker’s step-by-step video tutorial and had it each done successful astir 30 minutes. I’m ever somewhat worried astir messing up ribbon cables, but the process — while fiddly — was easy enough. But it did uncover an uncomfortable weakness: Prying this integrative point unfastened and pressing its clips backmost into spot was nerve-wracking. I’d emotion to spot this committee made pinch metal.

I ideate astir group will apt bargain the RT98 successful the numpad predisposition they for illustration and conscionable time off it that way. Or, for illustration me, alteration it only once. But location is thing cool astir not being locked into 1 shape of 1800-layout board. Part of the nosy of mechanical keyboards is really customizable they are, from the keycaps and switches to the stabilizers and down-the-rabbit-hole modifications you tin make — particularly if you’re an enthusiast who conscionable mixes things up erstwhile successful a while to consciousness alive.

The RT98’s silly small detachable surface is different measurement to person immoderate customizable fun. It tin show the date, time, and relationship statuses aliases loop immoderate built-in feline GIFs. Connecting the keyboard to Epomaker’s web-based driver allows you to sync its timepiece and customize the 3 GIFs. It was easy capable to load up immoderate silly GIFs of my ain and watch them endlessly loop. There’s not overmuch different usage for this CRT-like keyboard screen, but it’s fun. The magnetic quality of it would beryllium much useful if Epomaker creates an ecosystem of attachable accessories, but institution reps ne'er replied to our questions asking if that mightiness beryllium successful the cards.

The RT98 is simply a very bully keyboard pinch a cool and unsocial hook. But it costs anyplace from $40 to $60 much than various Aula aliases different entry-level boards, and its build value is only a tad nicer. For $119, you’re astir the starting value of fancier keyboards pinch aluminum cases. It’s conscionable $10 awkward of thing for illustration the Wobkey Rainy75, which besides includes overmuch nicer keycaps. You person to really want the modular numpad and retro vibes of the RT98.

There are truthful galore mechanical keyboards retired there, and betwixt various sizes, layouts, and optional number pads and macro pads, you tin put your workspace successful limitless ways. The Epomaker RT98 is conscionable different cool action pinch yet 1 much measurement to customize really you usage it. It’s a nosy point to tinker pinch and enjoy, moreover if you’re apt to conscionable group it and hide it.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge