Today we are taking a look at the TH85, Epomaker’s stylish tri-mode mechanical keyboard with creamy switches.
The TH85 is a great compromise for those who want to slim down but still aren’t willing to part with their arrow keys and other shortcuts, featuring a sleek 75% layout. If 60% is a little too cramped but full size is making you short on desk space, then perhaps the TH85 might be for you.
Epomaker is pumping out keyboard after keyboard, providing users with all sorts of shapes and layouts and tactile feels, but we have to know: Does the TH85 stick the landing, or is it just another keyboard? Read our full review to find out.
TH85 Mechanical Keyboard
Manufacturer: Epomaker
Price: $79.99
Starting off with its shell, the TH85 is housed in a plastic case, which has a hefty amount of weight thanks to the multiple layers of sound-dampening material that come inside the keyboard.
Users who love RGB are definitely going to have a field day with this one, as its chunky shell houses RGB lights viewed through a mesh pattern on its raised back and sides. The default mode is a wave that goes from left to right, moving in sync alongside the logo and backlight.
Overall, the TH85 has not only an incredibly unique and stylish design but also a very premium feel to its shell, despite being plastic. The keyboard looks fantastic, especially if you prefer bigger peripherals to slim ones, and the color choices are definitely on point, with the black/white/blue model stealing the show.
The TH85 comes equipped with the aptly named Creamy Jade switches, which have a phenomenally smooth sound. The Creamy Jades already come generously pre-lubed and feature a 5-pin design for added stability, with 45±5 gf of operating force, 50±5 gf of bottom-out force, and 3.6±0.04mm of total travel, making for a pleasant typing experience.
One of my biggest complaints with the HE68, a previous Epomaker keyboard that I took a look at, was how its plastic case seemed to entirely dictate its acoustics, which is not the case this time. The multiple layers of sound-dampening material definitely make the keyboard sound much nicer, and the Creamy Jade switches do a great job enhancing that.
The plate-mounted stabilizers are also a highlight of the experience, changing how certain keys sound significantly by giving them a deeper sound. The TH85 is a solid, creamy keyboard to type on, and you can give it a listen below:
Sadly, the TH85 does not have software of its own, instead using an open-source program called VIA. To customize the TH85, users plug a .JSON file into the program, which creates a unique profile with settings relevant to this specific keyboard.
VIA is somewhat beloved in the mechanical keyboard world due to its ease of use and how it allows users to bypass proprietary software, but it also has its fair share of problems, like only working on certain browsers. It might be a controversial opinion, but I don’t necessarily love the limited exposure I’ve had to it so far.
Don’t get me wrong, VIA is fast, responsive, and gives users quite a few customization options, especially pertaining to macros and remapping, but its attempt at being a “catch-all” piece of software leaves it lacking when compared to software that is more tailor-made to a specific keyboard model.
Overall, the TH85 is an impressive keyboard for its price, easily becoming my daily driver for writing thanks to how smooth and comfortable it feels to type on. The tri-mode switch makes it very easy to switch between devices, and there are quite a few features accessible through its built-in shortcuts.
The lack of “real” software is definitely a bummer, but considering how the keyboard is mostly plug-and-play, it’s not really that big of a deal. As mentioned before, the built-in shortcuts alleviate these problems, although it is definitely becoming a theme with newer keyboards that the shortcuts end up becoming more useful than the software. Better keep that manual handy.
Regardless of these small gripes, the TH85’s unique look, solid amount of features and fantastic acoustics as well as a smooth and stable typing feel more than make up for its software issues, making up a solid product that feels premium without being too expensive.
You can find the TH85 and more on Epomaker’s official website, currently on sale for $71.99 USD as of writing this review.
The TH85 was reviewed using a unit provided by Epomaker. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here.