EPOMAKER SKYLOONG GK87 TKL QMK/VIA Wired Mechanical Keyboard with Three Rotary Knobs, Hot Swappable Programmable Custom Keyboard, Split-spacebar, Blue Single Light (Black, Gateron Pro Yellow)

The EPOMAKER SKYLOONG GK87 TKL QMK/VIA Wired Mechanical Keyboard exceeded my expectations in every aspect, earning a solid five-star rating from me. From its sleek and minimalist design to its exceptional performance, this keyboard delivers a premium typing experience that is unmatched. The TKL (Tenkeyless) layout strikes the perfect balance between functionality and space-saving, making it ideal for both work and gaming setups. The build quality is exceptional, with a robust aluminum frame that not only enhances durability but also adds a touch of elegance to any desk.What initially drew me to this keyboard was its compatibility with QMK and VIA firmware. As someone who values customization and versatility in their peripherals, the ability to fully customize key mappings and macros using QMK firmware was a major selling point for me. Additionally, the inclusion of VIA firmware provides a user-friendly interface for easy configuration, catering to both novice and experienced users alike. Whether I'm programming macros for productivity tasks or fine-tuning keybindings for gaming, the EPOMAKER SKYLOONG GK87 TKL offers unparalleled customization options that perfectly align with my preferences.In terms of performance, this keyboard truly shines. The Gateron mechanical switches provide a satisfying typing experience with smooth and tactile feedback, while the N-key rollover ensures accurate input recognition, even during intense gaming sessions. The RGB backlighting adds a touch of flair to the overall aesthetics, with customizable lighting effects that allow me to personalize the look to suit my mood or gaming setup. Overall, the EPOMAKER SKYLOONG GK87 TKL QMK/VIA Wired Mechanical Keyboard is a standout choice for anyone in search of a high-quality and customizable keyboard that delivers on both performance and aesthetics.

The media could not be loaded. Now to preface this, I'm no expert on switches. I don't have the tools or ability to test things like actuation pressure or latency. This review will be written first and foremost as a consumer and someone who has been using consumer mechanical keyboards with stock switches for years.Luckily, for those switch aficionados, the whole point of this keyboard is in many ways you can switch and change and modify it to your hearts desire. So I will be focusing primarily on the parts of it that aren't so hotswappable as well as my surface-level experience using this keyboard- including the use typing this review.I've quite enjoyed my experience with this keyboard so far. It's a compact layout, so you should be expecting to be missing a few keys. That means memorization of the function keys and their affiliated functions will be important if you need things like scroll lock. But let's be honest with ourselves, when was the last time you actually used scroll lock for anything? Now, the one thing that really tripped me up when I first activated the keyboard was the fact that it was in MAC mode by default. Just keep your manual handy and you'll be fine swapping it over.Outside of that, I've had no problems with the keyboard whatsoever. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the solid build quality of this guy. It's not a fully metal build, with most of it being a durable plastic with what seems to be some metal reinforcement, but that being said, I've had metal keyboards that have felt more flimsy than this guy does. It's fairly compact, without sacrificing a lot of button room. The typing experience is good, and my fingers naturally found their right places even with them being used to larger keyboards. That being said, I wouldn't consider it an especially travel friendly device. This is more a keyboard suited to someone with more limited desk room, or someone who wants more space for their mousepad. It's a rather heavy device, which is a benefit for static PC use. I'll include a picture comparing it's size to a compact keyboard with a numpad, as well as a full sized keyboard with macro buttons.It's connected through a simple USB-C wire, which is very nice. Never worry about the cable fraying, because you can always get a new one. The one it comes with is rather solidly built too, with a nice thick wire that should hold up pretty well. Not the best cable you could ever get, but very servicable and I've definitely seen much worse.The split spacebar is a very interesting feature, and I found myself actually liking it quite a bit compared to your more standard full spacebar. If, however, you find yourself not a fan, don't worry. It comes included with a full-size spacebar and everything you need to install it. It also comes with a pair of extra switches in case something goes wrong, and while none of the switches that my device came with were malfunctional or broken whatsoever, it's a nice bit of piece of mind after having keyboards fail on me in the past.I got the Wisteria white linear switches with my keyboard, and while as I said I'm no expert on the minutiae of switches, in my consumer opinion, they're fairly nice. There's not a ton of tactile feedback, but that's at the benefit of slightly reduced sound. They're not perfectly silent, but I think most of the sound comes from the keycaps rather than the switches themselves. My included video will show the sound compared to some mechanical optical switches as well as a tactile set. They're very nice to type on, not overly sensitive but not requiring a lot of force to type with whatsoever. They have just the right amount of bounce back for comfortable typing, in my experience.Aesthetically, the backlights are actually quite gorgeous. They're not as customizable as other keyboards, but the light blue shade is very striking, and actually looks far better in person than it does in the pictures on the amazon page. My only complaint with it is that the light behind the spacebar specifically appears a bit different than the rest of the keyboard. But that's a minor issue and would be hardly noticeable at all with the full keyboard, rather than the split layout that I've stuck with.While I'm not one for programming keyboards, the QMK programmability is also a nice addon feature that I'm sure those who enjoy it will appreciate having.My biggest complaint is with the knobs on the top right. They could look better, I think, if the space under it was a dark color rather than a white, but that's a minor complaint. The bigger problem is the knobs themselves, mainly the volume one, doesn't always input smoothly. Sometimes when raising or lowering the volume quickly, it 'rolls back' a little, which can be frustrating. Ultimately it does work, though, and I don't find myself using volume controls like that all too often. And the knobs themselves actually feel rather satisfyingly clicky, which is a plus. It's not a big enough problem for me to take away a star for it, so take that for what you will.Overall, this keyboard is very nice and I've been far less happy with far more expensive keyboards in the past, much less ones that are modifiable if anything isn't to your liking. The important parts, that build quality and lighting, are both fantastic, and well worth the money. Anything else is extra, and the extras are pretty good.

Great keyboard, maybe more for an office user than a gamer. The split spacebar is quite annoying on first use, but after a break in period it feels nice that you have two space bars. They come with spacebar mods to turn it into one if you like. They come with Gateron Yellow switches, and these are not lubed they are so stiff and scratchy but once lubed they're really good and fast. Nice ambient backlight not too distracting, the volume knobs on the top make multimedia control really easy. Keyboard well built, no dead switches, dead leds or qc issue. Its decent for the price.

私の購入したSKYLOONG GK87 TKLはスプリットスペースキーの右側がリマップできません。どこにもそのように書かれていませんが、少なくとも私の購入したキーボードと、販売元に問い合わせて確認してもらったキーボードはリマップできませんでした。ちなみに販売元に問い合わせた際「調査します。」の数日後に来たメッセージが以下の内容です。「お客様お待たせしました。キーボードでテストしたところ、右のスペースキーは本当にリマップされなかった。敬具カスタマーサービス」たまたまこの2つだけ不良品だったのか、全ての製品がそのような仕様なのかわかりませんが、購入を検討されている方はご注意ください。追記：その後サポートから修正版のjsonファイルを作成してもらい、スプリットスペースキーの右側も反応するようになりました。しかし、その時には気付いていなかった不具合もありましたので、後は自力で直しました。2024/7/6現在、公式サイトから配布されているjsonファイル「Skyloong_GK87_QMK_VIA.json」には以下の不具合がありますので、jsonファイルを自力で編集できる方は参考にどうぞ。①Split space207行目：「"5,7\n\n\n0,0",」⇒「"5,8\n\n\n0,0",」②Enter157行目：「"3,13"」⇒「 "3,12"」③knob switch 369行目：「"3,14\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\ne2"」⇒「"3,13\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\ne2"」

The only reason to purchase this keyboard is the knobs. I got the Yellow keys version and the function is fine. The key caps themselves are unusable since you need shine through. The first 3 rows are completely opaque, all key caps had to be replaced to be seen and usable. The Yellow version is fine, though I strongly recommend you buy the ‘Sample Keys Bag’ so you can actually test which style key is best for you. I am keeping this board but it’s only real value is the knobs. Btw, I’m on Linux. Gl. Also btw, there are now very small keyboards with knobs and only a handful of programmable keys. Might search for those if you need knobs.