Epomaker Cypher 81

$89.99

Epomaker always deliver on aesthetics and functionality, but I think the Epomaker Cypher 81 might just be my new favourite. From the white, blue and purple design to the innovative display and complete functionality, the Cypher 81 is designed to enhance your productivity whilst looking great on your desk.

The Cypher 81 Keyboard features a compact keyboard that is 75% of the size of a traditional full keyboard layout. This compact design helps to maximise the space on your desk, and supported by its keyboard wireless connection, the Cypher 81 means you have a seamless, compact and functional unit to help you conquer your game or meet deadlines at work.

The keyboard comes in a white colourway with many of the control and modifier keys in a contrasting light blue or purple. This colourway gives a lovely pastel look to the keyboard, which as someone who is a sucker for purple and blue together, I’m a big fan! However, the lovely aesthetics of the keyboard don’t end there, because under each key are south-facing RGB lights which add a lovely glow to your keys when typing and look great in a dark gaming set-up. I also like the addition of a small light bar on the right-hand side, which adds a lovely bit of additional glow to the keyboard.

One of the most exciting parts of the keyboard is the 0.85-inch TFT mini screen that sits in the top right corner. The screen functions much like a smart watch, and can be used to show you useful updates, the time and date, as well as any other useful bits of information that will be useful when you’re working or gaming. I like that it's small and compact, but still large enough to be useful for giving quick updates to help you stay productive whilst still connected for any urgent updates. Next to the screen is a small rotary knob, which can be programmed to further personalise and control your keyboard. Across both the rotary knob and the mini screen, the keyboard is transformed from just a standard keyboard into an interactive assistant that helps support your typing sessions.

However, the next level functionality of the keyboard doesn’t end there, and instead, the keyboard features next level VIA programmability, which allows you to remap the keyboard with secondary layers and flick between them depending on your activity. This makes the keyboard ideal for shortcuts and means you can switch between these depending on your activity. The personalisation of Epomaker keyboards is one of my favourite things about the brand, and the Cypher 81 is no exception. Plus, with the keys being hot swappable, you can even further customise the keyboard down to the feel of each key to suit your needs.

I loved the feel of the keys that came built into the keyboard, which are supported by the gasket which is designed to eliminate vibration during typing to deliver an improved feel and sound with each key press. As someone who has used a mechanical keyboard for a while, I was super impressed with the feel of the keys that are responsive, soft touch and make typing a joy.

I was glad to see the keyboard is supported by tri-mode connectivity, which helps save space and delivers a wire-free user experience via either Bluetooth or 2.4GHz. These are supported by the 4000mAh battery, which supports a long usage period between charges. However, should you need to charge your keyboard, the included charging cable can be plugged straight into your PC to allow you to stay productive even whilst recharging.

Overall, the Epomaker Cypher 81 keyboard provides a super fun and aesthetically pleasing keyboard, which delivers great personalisation opportunities to make the keyboard your own. I love the screen and rotary knob which add a nice touch to the keyboard to help you stay connected and informed, and makes a nice addition compared to a more traditional keyboard design. If you’re looking for a compact keyboard that looks great, delivers a great typing experience and is completely programmable, then the Cypher 81 is a great choice.

Pros:

• Mini screen for notifications, updates and alerts for added connectivity and personalisation
• Programmable with multiple layers for enhanced optimisation of the keyboard functionality
• Long battery life for long wireless typing sessions

Cons:

• Compact size can take a little getting used to as the righthand side number pad has been removed, which may not be as ideal if used for things like accounting