Do these budget boards check all the boxes? • Epomaker TH66 & TH80 Review

[@melleslotema6452]

Today I received my th80 with flamenco switches. I'm deeply impressed... It feels fantastic. And solid I do miss the home and end keys. More and sooner than I expected. So, it would be great to have the same board in a tkl version.. Overall, I'm impressed with the look, feel and sound

[@robertdavenport7802]

TH80 Monet version with budgie tactile switches (factory lubed), used for typing only. Love the tactile feedback of the switches, sounds clean and not too clicky (I've read they compare to browns that way), bluetooth works well. Feels solid and fun to use. Very happy with it, would recommend for anyone wanting a better typing experience for a stock keyboard coming from a less expensive gaming or office keyboard. Well worth the $90 IMO.

[@ILLTh1ef]

I just got the TH80 with Gateron pro yellows and it sounds and feels great. Definitely takes a little getting used to with the MDA profile keycaps. The way the keys slant upwards is something you have to watch and it's gonna take time to adjust to. Easily better than any gaming keyboard I have ever tried.

[@shades2168]

Idk much about keyboards, if this is MDA can I buy a different profile keycap set and put it on this keyboard

[@augurheist5637]

I just bought this same exact config (TH80 and Gateron pro yellows) - can't wait to try it! I will mainly use it for gaming and work. :D

[@Shane101A]

Upgraded from my low profile 60% red dragon keyboard to the 65% th66. Thoroughly impressed. Love the thockiness. I got with gateron pro blacks. I also wanted because of wireless and it does that without issues. Worth it for sure.

[@normconel2907]

This comment is here to boost your standing in the youtube algorithm

[@taekim7522]

oh man. I loved the blue switches when I first started to explore different types of switches. I agree, it is a little too much now. switched to gateron pro blacks. sounds lovely.

[@suzukininja24]

I just got the TH80 SE which comes with cherry profile and it feels so good stock. The purple color also looks amazing

[@karanmaan1626]

I feel you have the most detailed reviews for experiencing component-wise differences in keyboard configurations that I've found so far in my primary research. Keep up the good work!

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you so much!

[@deusexmakina]

Really love your reviews, you cover some more budget unpopular boards and test the keyboards with an amazing array of configs (can't imagine how time consuming that last one is). Could you do a review of the GAS67 (if you can get your hands on it)? It really sems like an even more budget version of the kbd67 lite and since you own that one i think it would be really good to see a comparison between the two. Keep up the good work man :)

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you so much! These videos definitely take a lot of time and effort to make hehe. I'll see what I can do about the GAS67 but, honestly, if I can't have it sent to me for free, I probably won't be able to cover it. I've been losing a bunch of money from having to buy products to review. If I'm gonna be spending, I'd rather it be on a group buy board that I can sell at cost.

[@deusexmakina]

@@CaloysKeyboards yep, totally understand, this hobby can cost you a lot, even more for content creators. Well anyways, whatever you're covering i will be watching.

[@AcidClay]

On the TH80 Special Edition they fixed the major part of the issues you are talking about, just check it if you can, i have one with the Bluebird Switches and this KB i can say is one of the greatest i ever had and i had many of them costing twice or more offering way less than that KB, and thats just out of the box, now im waiting for the lube and i gonna try some mods to improve it a little more, but the Bluebird Switches are factory lubbed but they did a great job with them out of the box. .

[@dlnrdn3667]

wow, when you show the disassembly.. those keycaps are gorgeous, please what are they?

[@wyonaryder]

the Pokemon keycap oO

[@SpensJahn]

Really good video! Thank you-has been really helpful :)

[@lock_]

Great review, thanks. The most complete on KZbin (and, trust me, before getting my TH80, I watched them all). :) Some questions about the “thock mod”: what kind of tape do you use? I’ve a sort of “paper” one, the kind you use to protect parts of a wall when you paint it. Is it ok, or I need something more “plastic-y”? Also, the foam on the bottom has to be removed to improve the sound or it’s needed for amortization? And the one you added between switches and board, what is it for? Thanks and sorry, I’m a total newbie on this topic. :)

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! Yes, that sounds like the right tape: masking or painter's. Not sure what you mean by amortization but both the foam above the PCB and below it are optional and it's entirely up to your preference whether you want them included or not. What they're meant to do is reduce the hollowness of the board's sound as well as reduce the sound volume. The sheet I added is made of PE foam. It's a specific mod that aims to bring a specific sound signature that a lot of people describe in different ways: thocky, poppy, marbly, etc. If you want to learn more, nearLucid has a great video on the topic. It's optional too depending on whether you like that particular kind of sound.

[@lock_]

@@CaloysKeyboards Thank you very much. :)

[@dlnrdn3667]

you forgot to mention and show us the knob !?!

[@lukas______]

SMD LEDs only on the TH66? Do most switches not have that?

[@AlexLau-fd8is]

Hey, thanks fo making this video because i want to buy and customize the keyboard, bbut im from europe, so i cant buy the luxe stuff and i choss the th66 but not with your help, Thanks.

[@scottsum1319]

Dude you're the 1st keyboard 'nerd' I've sub to. Being a complete new (using a Roccat Vulkan TKL pro atm), I'm strangely attracted to mech keyboards. Must be a newly discovered fetish I didn't knew existed! Being lazy, not a kb snob (atm atleast) & def not a big DIY fan, I'm of thinking of starting this clacky thocky journey the with best cheapest end game kb. Research says either this TH80/66 or Akko BG 3068b or maybe take a dive into a prebuilt Keychron Q1. What's your recco to stop this addiction so I can focus on having a real life? Thks man

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! Hmm it sounds like you're looking for something prebuilt that's great out-of-the-box. These TH boards definitely fit that bill. The Q1 is a better board for more money but it does require a mod to fix an issue with metallic pingy sounds. Keychron supposedly fixed this already in updated versions but people say it still exists. I've yet to try any Akko boards yet but people seem to really like them and they're quite affordable. The downside to those, for me, is that they're all north-facing. I'm not sure if that's a consideration for you. The GMMK Pro is another option but the prebuilt version is pretty expensive. You might have to buy some cheaper switches and keycaps separately. Is there anything in particular you're looking for in terms of like budget, features, inclusions, things like that?

[@toge64]

excellent review!

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! 🙏

[@papihuey]

love the keycap sets you put onto these keebs, can I know what both of them are called?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Can you give me a timestamp? I used a few different sets in this vid hehe

[@papihuey]

@@CaloysKeyboards 12:27 the whole final verdict part

[@CaloysKeyboards]

The dark one is MT3 Susuwatari. The light are blank PBT keycaps from KBDFans with fabric stickers. The dark one toward the end of that chapter is Domikey Cherry Dolch. All three of those sets are in sound tests throughout the video and I did label those with the keycap names hehe

[@papihuey]

@@CaloysKeyboards thank you where do I find the fabric sticker?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Unfortunately, those were sent to me for review by a company that has since shut down. You can watch the review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paWzoJ2Fhadmn8k

[@orangejuice5451]

😍 I love your reviews keep it up

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! 🙏

[@bakakafka4428]

Nah, not keep it up. Increase it! More please!

[@squidfeet7278]

Thank u a much ❤❤❤ :)

[@johncapistrano5913]

Is this the same as the Tecware Veil 80? If not, which one's better?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

I haven't tried that one but it does seem to be the same board.

[@arien6882]

this video is really well made, I just bought the th80 so I might just do the tape mod :)))

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! Can't go wrong with the tape mod 😊

[@TeeqzGtag]

Song name?

[@papihuey]

I put a layer of toilet paper, a layer of cloth. It was so hard to put the case together. When I finally put it back together, I can see the bottom of the board bends up that makes it unstable when I put it flat to the surface. Does that harm the PCB? Or just the board is a lil bend?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

I honestly don't know if it will cause problems but it's probably better to remove those additions. For that kind of warping to occur, it sounds like you added those things along with the included case foam. There's really not a lot of room in there already so I'm not sure what those things add to the board.

[@papihuey]

@@CaloysKeyboards yeh i do also use the case foam. do you think i should cut all the excess plastic on the bottom?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

What do the toilet paper and cloth do exactly? Do they provide improvements to the feel or sound of the board?

[@papihuey]

@@CaloysKeyboards I think they should work the same way as foam right?🤔 but do u think cutting all the excess plastic trim on the bottom will give more room? I’m planning to do the same

[@CaloysKeyboards]

If there's no room in there in the first place then why add more stuff? Maybe I'm misunderstanding something but it doesn't make sense to me 😅

[@lyledelacruz5672]

Hello. Saan po makakakuha nung black panther na keycap 😅

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Sa Keys Ninja 😊

[@merochingon]

Is there a way to let the keyboard stay awake all the time??? - Tired of waking him up by pressing a key before starting to type or using the volume.

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Hmmm I'm not sure since I mainly use boards wired. Unfortunately, that may just be how wireless keyboards work 😥

[@jammies701]

great vid

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Thank you! 🙏

[@waasdd]

Increrible

[@wylakers1250]

Do you know the latency of the TH66 by any chance?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

I don't sorry. Can't see in the manual either

[@wylakers1250]

@@CaloysKeyboards Thank you. But when using wireless it do you feel any lag? Is it good for gaming wireless?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

@@wylakers1250 I never noticed any lag when using wirelessly but I didn't test it with games

[@SUPER8ALTERN8]

I play high level counterstrike and notice 0 delay wired or wireless

[@dynxsty421]

@@SUPER8ALTERN8 rank my g?

[@Talonxd]

Do you know if it works on console

[@CaloysKeyboards]

I don't, sorry 😅

[@acebagtas7733]

sanaol

[@mowgli6345]

So. To my knowledge, these are Mac compatible but don't ship with Mac keycaps and none of their keycap sets have Mac keycaps. Nuphy Air it is.

[@mccherdian]

Lods pwd malaman san mkakabili ng th66?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Merong Shopee dati si Epomaker. Bespoke Tech ang name pero ngayon nawala na siya e. Pag ung TH66 talaga, galing na siguro sa Epomaker web site. Ung Lychee G66 meron sa Shopee.

[@mccherdian]

@@CaloysKeyboards same lang ba sila ng lychee g66 sir? My nakita ako lychee g96 pro kasi wlang pre build na available. Maganda sana sya kasi my numpad.

[@CaloysKeyboards]

As far as I can tell same lang ung TH66 at G66. Same factory gawa, ibang branding lang. Ewan ko na dyan sa Lychee G96. Ibang iba itsura. Baka galing sa ibang factory na yan.

[@mccherdian]

@@CaloysKeyboards I see. Gs2 ko kasi yung same sa th66 na mka connect sa pc, laptop and smart tv at the same time and switch2 muna lang. any suggestion sir?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Mukhang tri-mode din naman so pwede rin naman siguro yan basta may bluetooth lahat ng devices na coconnectan.

[@mouldyfart]

8:13 *chef's kiss* (by a chef on Kitchen Nightmares)

[@CaloysKeyboards]

(*Gordon Ramsay voice*) Beautiful.

[@fluffychocobo7754]

What size is the spacebar on the th66? Does anyone know?

[@CaloysKeyboards]

It's 6.25u