Mechanical keyboards have earned a reputation for being loud, clicky and in the gaming space, unapologetically attention-grabbing. For plenty of enthusiasts that’s part of the appeal, but in shared offices, late-night gaming sessions or busy family homes, that soundtrack isn’t always appreciated.
The Epomaker TH80 V2 aims to change that. Featuring a compact 75% layout, tri-mode connectivity, five internal sound-dampening layers and a flex-cut plate, it promises the satisfying feel of a mechanical keyboard without disturbing everyone around you.
Epomaker may not yet enjoy the same brand recognition as Logitech, Corsair or Keychron, but it has quickly built a following by delivering enthusiast-inspired keyboards at approachable prices. For this review, I tested the TH80 V2 fitted with the Sea Salt Silent V2 switches, although Creamy Jade switches are also available for those wanting a more traditional mechanical typing experience.
The Epomaker TH80 V2 arrives in straightforward packaging highlighting its 75% layout and tri-mode connectivity.
Opening the box reveals the Epomaker TH80 V2 securely packed and protected for shipping.
First impressions
The TH80 V2 makes a positive first impression straight out of the box.
For its size, it’s reasonably heavy and feels reassuringly solid with no noticeable creaks or flex during normal use. Only when deliberately trying to twist the chassis could I get any movement from it.
Its retro-inspired styling is also strikes the right chords with this millennial. Rather than embracing the aggressive RGB-heavy aesthetic common among gaming keyboards, the TH80 V2 channels the look of classic workstations from the late 1980s and early 1990s. I found it genuinely appealing, and several colleagues commented on its vintage appearance during my time using it in the office.
The Epomaker TH80 V2 comes with a braided USB-C cable, keyboard tools, spare switches and documentation.
Adjustable feet underneath the TH80 V2 provide a choice of typing angles to help improve comfort.
For its asking price $100 AUD, the keyboard feels surprisingly premium. The overall fit and finish are excellent, making it feel like a more expensive product than it actually is.
My only criticism of the physical design relates to the height of the case. It sits relatively high on the desk and, during longer typing sessions, I found myself wishing for a wrist rest. The adjustable tilt legs may help you find a more comfortable typing angle, but if you still can’t find the sweet spot, Epomaker also offers matching wrist rests. If you spend long hours at the keyboard, it’s an accessory worth considering.
The TH80 V2 has a relatively tall chassis, which may make a wrist rest worthwhile during longer typing sessions.
Typing and everyday use experience
If there’s one area where the TH80 V2 excels, it’s the typing experience.
As someone who spends most of the day writing, answering emails, chatting in Teams and producing documents, I immediately appreciated how quiet the Sea Salt Silent V2 switches are. Despite being fully mechanical, they’re impressively subdued. In fact, I’d comfortably call this the quietest mechanical keyboard I’ve used in my open-plan office.
During Microsoft Teams meetings, keyboard noise was virtually non-existent once background noise suppression was enabled, making it an excellent choice for shared workspaces.
It’s difficult to isolate exactly how much of the keyboard’s character comes from the Sea Salt Silent V2 switches versus Epomaker’s internal construction, but the combination clearly works. The TH80 V2 incorporates five internal sound-dampening layers and a flex-cut plate, producing a noticeably quieter and more controlled sound than many mechanical keyboards I’ve used, without sacrificing the satisfying feel that makes mechanical switches so enjoyable to type on.
The TH80 V2’s compact 75% layout retains dedicated arrow and function keys while taking up considerably less desk space than a full-size keyboard.
The switches offer a pleasant amount of resistance before bottoming out with a soft, cushioned landing that never feels harsh or fatiguing, even after a full day’s work.
Key spacing also feels completely natural. I never found myself hunting for keys or adapting my typing style, which is exactly how it should be.
The only adjustment came from the 75% layout itself. While I appreciate the smaller footprint, I still missed having a dedicated numeric keypad during productivity tasks. That’s less a criticism of the keyboard and more a reminder that layout choice comes down to personal preference and the intended purpose.
One feature I found myself using more than expected was the multifunction rotary knob.
Positioned in the top-right corner, it has a cool-to-the-touch metallic finish that immediately feels more premium than plastic alternatives. Rotating it adjusts system volume, while pressing it instantly mutes or unmutes audio.
It’s a small feature, but one that quickly became part of my daily workflow. Whether adjusting music, jumping into a Teams meeting or muting audio in a hurry, it proved consistently useful.
Connectivity and software
The TH80 V2 supports wired USB-C, Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, giving it plenty of flexibility.
Throughout testing, I found myself primarily using the included 2.4GHz receiver. It proved reliable throughout my time with the keyboard, with no noticeable latency or connection issues during everyday work.
Bluetooth wasn’t quite as polished. Under Windows 11, the keyboard initially appeared as an “Unknown Device” during pairing rather than advertising itself with a recognisable product name. In an office surrounded by numerous Bluetooth devices, that made identifying the correct device more difficult than it needed to be.
Once paired, the keyboard worked as expected, but I naturally gravitated back to the 2.4GHz receiver because it was simply quicker and easier to use.
Physical switches make it easy to swap the TH80 V2 between Mac and Windows modes and select 2.4GHz wireless, wired USB or Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery management is another area that could be improved. The only low battery warning I received was a subtle flashing red LED beneath the Ctrl key. While functional, it’s easy to miss when you’re focused on work, and because I didn’t receive any operating system battery notifications while using the 2.4GHz receiver, I found myself unexpectedly caught out on more than one occasion with the keyboard running flat. In saying that, the battery life on the keyboard was reasonably good, lasting about 3 days before needing a charge as I elected to have the RGB backlighting on. Expect around 200 hours with RGB switched off.
Thankfully, plugging in the supplied USB-C cable allows you to continue working while the keyboard charges, but I think Epomaker has missed an opportunity here. The TH80 V2 already features an LED light bar in the top-left corner of the keyboard, and repurposing it as a more obvious battery indicator would provide a far more visible warning without compromising the clean design.
Software was something of a mixed experience.
The standalone desktop application was flagged by my third-party security software during installation on my work laptop. While that doesn’t necessarily indicate anything malicious, it stopped me from being able to completely install the software.
Fortunately, Epomaker’s browser-based configuration tool proved to be an excellent alternative. Connected via USB-C, it recognised the keyboard and provided access to key remapping, macros, RGB lighting controls (there are a plethora of colours and styles) and the other customisation options you’d expect from a modern mechanical keyboard. If you happen to move the TH80 V2 to another computer, your customisations will follow it as they’re conveniently saved on the device- quite the time saver!
I initially experienced a few communication issues, but the configurator ultimately worked as expected on my work laptop without requiring any software installation. In many ways, I actually prefer this approach. Being able to customise the keyboard through a browser is both convenient and refreshingly simple.
Verdict
The Epomaker TH80 V2 impressed me more than I expected.
It feels exceptionally well built for the money, delivers one of the quietest mechanical typing experiences I’ve encountered, and combines that with understated retro styling that stands apart from the sea of aggressively styled gaming keyboards.
The few shortcomings I encountered were largely related to the surrounding user experience rather than the keyboard itself. Bluetooth pairing could be more intuitive, battery notifications need to be more obvious, and I’d still like to see the desktop software installation experience polished further.
The underside of the TH80 V2 features adjustable feet for changing the typing angle, along with rubber pads to help keep the keyboard secure on the desk.
None of those issues, however, detract from what matters most -The TH80 V2 is simply a pleasure to type on.
For anyone wanting a premium-feeling mechanical keyboard that won’t dominate an open plan office or wake the kids in the room next door when you’re working from home, the Sea Salt Silent V2 configuration is easy to recommend. Combined with the excellent browser-based configurator, useful rotary volume knob and surprisingly refined build quality, the TH80 V2 offers outstanding value and demonstrates why Epomaker is rapidly becoming a brand worth watching in the mechanical keyboard space.
It has a RRP USD$68.99 and is available from their website.
DRN would like to thank Epomaker for providing the review unit.
The Epomaker TH80 V2 is also available in a darker colourway, pairing black and grey keycaps with contrasting teal accents.
