Epomaker Tide Alice

$129.99

I’ve tested many keyboards over the years, and the Tide Alice from Epomaker is one of the more interesting designs I’ve seen. The Tide Alice features an innovative ergonomic design to support a comfortable typing experience, which is paired with enhanced programmability and a premium gasket mount for an optimised user experience.

The first thing you notice about the keyboard is that the keys have been divided into two sections, in a similar way to the Epomaker Split 65, but both halves are built into the same gasket mount. The keys are in two slightly curved sections to support the natural positioning of your hands when typing. Keyboards are often designed in straight lines, but when typing, our wrists are rarely in such a straight position. Therefore, the curved 65% Alice layout takes into consideration our natural wrist and arm position when typing and has positioned the keys to fit this. In turn, this means that there’s less strain on your wrist to deliver a more comfortable user experience, even during long typing sessions.

To further support a comfortable typing experience, the Tide Alice has a gasket-mounted FR4 plate which features 5-layer sound dampening. The sound dampening is achieved with layers of Poron sandwich foam, IXPE switch pads, PET sound-improving film, Poron case foam, and PET insulation pads. These layers come together to make each keypress cushioned, whilst still delivering a satisfying click as you’d expect from a mechanical keyboard. I loved the feel of the keys as they were cushioned yet super responsive for a supported typing experience. However, should you want to further customise the feel of your keys, each one is hot-swappable, and so you can add in different switches, which ensures you can completely customise the keyboard to get the perfect level of comfort and support for every use.

The keys are held within a CNC-anodised 6062 aluminium case, which feels super sturdy and adds a little weight to the keyboard. The aluminium gives the keyboard a sleek and stylish finish, and the monochrome black colourway makes it a lovely yet minimalist addition to my desk set-up.  The weight adds a nice sturdiness to the keyboard when typing, which again further supports a secure and comfortable typing experience without the keyboard moving or shaking at all. The looks and aesthetics, supported by the ergonomic design and sound dampening, deliver an all-around well-built keyboard that is great for helping you feel supported for long typing sessions.

However, the perks of the Tide Alice don’t end there, as the keyboard is made by Epomaker and so it features full VIA programmability, which allows you to customise the keyboard and remap the layout and build shortcut layers to make the keyboard work even better for you. This could be from enhancing shortcuts for everyday work tasks or even delivering a more optimised keyboard ideal for gaming. This programmability means you can make the keyboard entirely your own, for an optimised workflow and productivity. I love that the keyboard even has a rotary knob in the top right corner which can be used for controls or to flick between layers for even more enhanced productivity. Plus, with a 4000mAh battery inside and tri-mode connectivity, you can stay productive without worrying about the keyboard running out of charge mid-meeting.

Overall, the Tide Alice keyboard brings together all the functionality, customisation and programmability that I’ve loved about many Epomaker keyboards and now delivers it with an enhanced ergonomic layout perfect for making every use a little more comfortable. If you work at a computer a lot during the day, or even like a long gaming session, having a keyboard that has been made with comfort in mind is key, and with the Epomaker Tide Alice, you get exactly that.

Pros:

• Ergonomic design is ideal for a more comfortable typing experience
• Premium aluminium finish for a sturdy and steel look
• Completely programmable for enhanced personalisation
• Each key can be hotswapped to make it even more personalised to your needs and comfort

Cons:

• It is a little pricier for a keyboard; however, the ergonomic design you don’t typically see on other keyboards justifies the price for me