Ergonomics
The advantage of small keyboards (TKL and smaller formats) is that they are significantly more ergonomic than large, full-size keyboards. This allows you to keep your right arm with the mouse closer to your body, which corresponds to a healthier posture.
Additionally, you can use them completely wirelessly. This makes the keyboard very flexible, as you need little extra space on the desk for cables.
The Keys
Under the keycaps of my keyboard are Epomaker Budgerigar switches. These are tactile switches that initially resemble brown switches. However, they more closely offer the characteristics of Cherry’s red switches, but are tactile instead of linear.
And this is an interesting mix for everyday use. Blue switches are excluded from the comparison since they require a significantly higher actuation force (60 cn). In the table, you can see various switches and the Budgerigar in comparison:
| Name | Activation Point (cN) | Pre-travel | Total Travel | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateron Brown | 55 ±15gf | 2 ± 0.6 mm | 4 ± 0.6 mm | Tactile |
| Akko Jelly Purple | 56 ± 5gf | 2 ± 0.3 mm | 4 ± 0.5 mm | Tactile |
| Epomaker Budgerigar | 46 ± 10gf | 2 ± 0.5 mm | 3.8 mm | Tactile |
| Cherry MX Red | 45 cn | 2 mm | 4.0 mm | Linear |
How do the keys feel? The shorter distance compared to brown switches is noticeable; at the same time, the switches provide the tactile feedback I am used to from brown switches. This makes typing surprisingly pleasant and fast in everyday use. In everyday life, the switches feel really good, although not quite as great as the Jelly Purple switches, which Akko uses in its 3068 B-Plus (to the test).
How loud is the keyboard? The normal letter and arrow keys are very quiet and hardly audible. The exceptions are the space bar, the enter key, and the backspace key. These three keys are very loud and make a significant noise. This is unfortunate because the keyboard otherwise gives a pretty good impression.
Conclusion: For 100 euros, you get a really good keyboard with many features
For the price of around 110 euros, there is really nothing to complain about with the Epomaker TH80 Pro. The keycaps feel good, and combined with the Budgerigar switches, they create an excellent combination that brings me great pleasure in everyday use. Above all, the noise level for a mechanical keyboard remains pleasantly low.
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LINSOUL 7Hz Salnotes Zero HiFi 10 mm dynamischer Treiber In-Ear-Kopfhörer IEM mit... | Zu Amazon |
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What alternatives are there?
- The SteelSeries Apex 3 is a suggestion, if you do not want to spend more than 50 euros. However, you will get rubber dome keys and no mechanics here. That said, the Apex 3 is almost silent.
- With the Logitech G413 TKL SE, you get a good gaming keyboard for around 70 euros. With blue switches and PBT keycaps, you get a good deal.
- For just under 100 euros, you can now get the Roccat Vulcan TKL. The keyboard offers great switches with a unique design and detachable cable. Unfortunately, Roccat does not use any PBT keycaps.
- With the Akko 3068 B-Plus, you get my insider tip for under 100 euros. In my opinion, the price-performance ratio is even a little better than with Epomaker TH80 Pro.
More gaming keyboards: Are you looking for more recommendations in the peripheral area? Then take a look at the following buying guide on MeinMMO. Here we explain which keyboards are currently the most worthwhile:
The best gaming keyboards you can buy right now
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