{"id":288035,"date":"2021-06-30T21:00:54","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-06-30T21:00:54","modified_gmt":"2021-06-30T18:00:54","slug":"so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#So Close to Fantastic \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3c1a8534224\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3c1a8534224\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Heres_What_We_Like\" >Here&#8217;s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#And_What_We_Dont\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Table_of_Contents\" >Table of Contents<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Solid_Construction\" >Solid Construction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#How_Does_It_Feel_to_Type_on\" >How Does It Feel to Type on?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Hotswap_Break\" >Hotswap Break<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Extremely_Customizable_but_Not_Easily_Customizable\" >Extremely Customizable, but Not Easily Customizable<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#It_Couldve_Been_More\" >It Could\u2019ve Been More<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#Heres_What_We_Like-2\" >Here\u2019s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/so-close-to-fantastic-review-geek\/#And_What_We_Dont-2\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#So Close to Fantastic \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<div class=\"single-review-card\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\">\n<div class=\"rating\">Rating:<br \/>\n<strong>6\/10<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"more-info-hover\">?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"rating-info\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 &#8211; Absolute Hot Garbage<\/li>\n<li>2 &#8211; Sorta Lukewarm Garbage<\/li>\n<li>3 &#8211; Strongly Flawed Design<\/li>\n<li>4 &#8211; Some Pros, Lots Of Cons<\/li>\n<li>5 &#8211; Acceptably Imperfect<\/li>\n<li>6 &#8211; Good Enough to Buy On Sale<\/li>\n<li>7 &#8211; Great, But Not Best-In-Class<\/li>\n<li>8 &#8211; Fantastic, with Some Footnotes<\/li>\n<li>9 &#8211; Shut Up And Take My Money<\/li>\n<li>10 &#8211; Absolute Design Nirvana<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/strong>\n<\/div>\n<p>Price: <strong>$109.00<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-87361 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/e7e44edc-3.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S keyboard on concrete step\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color: #333333; font-size: 15px;\">\u00a0<\/span> <span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Epomaker has a reputation for some solid budget keyboards like the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/EPOMAKER-SKYLOONG-Swappable-Mechanical-Waterproof\/dp\/B088F4SXXF?ref_=&amp;tag=reviewgeek-20\">SK61<\/a>, but the GK96S is looking to takes things a step further. With a tight layout, hot sw<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>able switches, and a wired\/Bluetooth connection toggle, the GK96S has a lot going on\u2014especially considering the $109 price <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">tag<\/span>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"review-card-body-inline\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like\"><\/span>Here&#8217;s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Solid hardware<\/li>\n<li>Hotswapping<\/li>\n<li>Good layout<\/li>\n<li>Long Battery Life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Messy software<\/li>\n<li>Strange bugs<\/li>\n<li>Switch inconsistency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>But while that all sounds great on paper, some issues start to arise as you use the keyboard.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Table_of_Contents\"><\/span>Table of Contents<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Solid_Construction\"><\/span>Solid Construction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The first thing that grabs your attention about this keyboard is the key layout. The GK96S uses a 96% layout, which is ideal if this is your first compact board. This layout packs most of the keys you\u2019d find on a full keyboard (except for a few navigation keys) into a compact form factor. You still have the number pad (there\u2019s even a southpaw version that places the numpad on the left side of the board), dedicated arrow keys, number row, and function row, but it eats up much less space.<\/p>\n<p>Considering the relatively small number of keyboards using this layout, it only makes the GK96S more desirable. Especially when you consider the various alternative functions packed into many of the keys (like <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> and volume controls through the Function row).<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87369 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/18e29998-3.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S on concrete step\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When it comes to build quality, Epomaker used a nice, thick plastic shell for the keyboard\u2019s exterior, and it comes in either black or white (mine\u2019s white, and it looks fantastic as you can see above). You might expect plastic to feel cheap, but Epomaker managed to make this keyboard feel surprisingly solid. It will not bend in your hands and the keyboard has a smooth finish, which makes it look and feel great. And when you turn on the RGB lighting, it nicely fills in the spaces between keys with some vibrant colors (although, the light won\u2019t shine through the legends unlike other RGB keyboards).\u00a0I have no complaints here.<\/p>\n<p>Underneath the board are two kick-out feet alongside some rubber pads to keep the keyboard in place. Besides that, the actual body of the keyboard is featureless outside of the USB-C port located on the <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">top<\/span>\u00a0left. Any USB-C cable can work here, so it\u2019s nice Epomaker went the extra mile and included a nice, braided cord in the box.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87362 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/f3ccdd27-3.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S turned upside down on concrete step\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But speaking of connection, a major feature of this board is being able to switch it between wired and wireless mode at any time. Wireless works through Bluetooth, and you can have the GK96S connected to three devices simultaneously. You can also completely disable Bluetooth with FN + Space if you only want to use the keyboard wired.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to the battery life, I don\u2019t have any complaints here either.\u00a0\u00a0Epomaker states the GK96S is capable of running for around 80 hours with the lighting on, and that\u2019s backed up by a beefy 4000 mAh battery. I never got close to burning through this thing\u2019s battery, even after an entire day of use with the brightness cranked up. And if you turned off or even just lowered the brightness, I\u2019m sure this thing would last quite a while before needing to be charged\u2014exactly what you want out of a wireless keyboard.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87363 size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom: -1ex;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/156005c5-2.jpg\" alt=\"Slanted image of the Epomaker GK96S against concrete step\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Overall the GK96S really knocks it out of the park when it comes to hardware. But before we move on, I wanted to note some strange bugs I ran into when using the board. At times, the keyboard would misread inputs and spam certain keys that I wasn\u2019t pushing, which of course caused some issues when <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">typing<\/span>. This happened in both wired and wireless mode, so it\u2019s hard for me to be sure what\u2019s causing these issues. Because none of this was reproducible, and it only happened a few times in my month of using the keyboard, I don\u2019t want to harp on it too much, but it\u2019s worth noting all the <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">same<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_It_Feel_to_Type_on\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_feel\">How Does It Feel to Type on?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the main reasons people spend extra money on mechanical keyboards is because they feel good to type on, and when evaluating that, there are two major things you need to look at: the switches and keycaps.<\/p>\n<p>The GK96S keycaps are made out of high-quality PBT plastic (there is a more affordable, ABS keycaps set available as well), so they will last a long time. The printing is clear and the splashes of orange and black keycaps give the keyboard a unique look. You\u2019ll also get a few spare keycaps in the box, meant to replace the arrow, delete, and escape keys in either blue or black. The additional functions (such as Bluetooth controls through the number row) for every key are also printed on the keycaps.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s definitely appreciated, as I\u2019ve used keyboards with alternative functions before that didn\u2019t do this, and it\u2019s annoying to constantly consult the manual because you forgot which key combination lowers the volume.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87364 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/799bad5a-2.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the Epomaker GK96S' Gateron Black switches\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Right under those keycaps are the switches, and you have a lot of options here. Epomaker offers eight different switches you can have installed, covering the full range of mechanical switches. My model came with Gateron Blacks, which are nice, smooth linear switches\u2014I\u2019d recommend them or the Gateron Yellows if this is your first mechanical keyboard (unless you want the keyboard to make some noise while typing, then go for the Blue or Green switches).<\/p>\n<p>Typing is mostly great; the only issue I ran into was that a few keys would occasionally feel stiff, which is distracting if you\u2019re in the middle of using the keyboard for an extended period. This is likely because of consistency issues between the switches on the board\u2014while understandable at the price point, it\u2019s still disappointing to see. At the very least, there is a way to fix it if you\u2019re so inclined.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hotswap_Break\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_hotswap\">Hotswap Break<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Normally, mechanical switches are installed onto keyboards through soldering. You see this a lot in the custom keyboard community (yes, there\u2019s a custom keyboard community) with people building their own keyboards and then soldering the switches onto them. It\u2019s a great way to make sure you get exactly what you want out of a keyboard, but it\u2019s very time intensive and requires you to own a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/27865\/the-5-best-soldering-irons-for-beginners-and-experts\/\">soldering iron\u00a0(and know how to use it).<\/p>\n<p>Hot swapping is an alternative to this; this means there are little modules on the keyboard\u2019s circuit board you can slot any hot swap-compatible switches (make sure there two pins on the bottom of the switch) into, no soldering required. It\u2019s incredibly convenient whether you\u2019re new to customizing mechanical keyboards or have been doing it for years. However, I wouldn\u2019t necessarily call it smooth sailing\u2014hot swapping can still be a bit finicky.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87366 size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom: -1ex;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/d0096ec6-2.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S next to removed switches \" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Removing a few switches from the GK96S <span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While the GK96S comes with a handy tool for removing keycaps and switches, uninstalling a keyboard\u2019s worth of switches is still quite the effort. You have to put a lot of work into pulling and shimmying these switches out of place, which is a pain to deal with (even if it\u2019s something all hot swap keyboards suffer from).<\/p>\n<p>As you can see below, I swapped out a few of the preinstalled Gateron Blacks for some switches I had lying around. I didn\u2019t run into any issues installing the new switches, and the keys still work fine. General issues with hot swapping aside, this is a fantastic feature to have considering the price, especially if you\u2019re into customizing keyboards.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87367 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/032b2cc9-2.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S with Kalih Box Pinks installed\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Before we move on though, a fair warning for hot swapping in general: Some of the switches you remove will be damaged in the process. Because switches need to be firmly planted into the PCB, removing them can bend or break the small pins on the bottom of the switch. It\u2019s unfortunate, but there\u2019s no way to completely avoid this (though you can straighten out the pins with tweezers to fix them sometimes).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Extremely_Customizable_but_Not_Easily_Customizable\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_software\">Extremely Customizable, but Not Easily Customizable<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">Now <\/span> that we\u2019ve properly discussed the physical board, let\u2019s talk about its digital side. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/epomaker.com\/pages\/software-downloads\">GK96S\u2019 software<\/a>, on paper, offers everything you\u2019d want out of a keyboard program. You can reprogram every key to do whatever you want, the RGB lighting is just as customizable, and you can create in-depth macros. The problem is Epomaker\u2019s software isn\u2019t exactly intuitive\u2014especially in the lighting department.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88009 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/838f7f91.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S software home page\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The main customization panels of the GK96S software<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with what the software does right though: reprogramming keys. There\u2019s a wide range of actions you can set the keys to do, whether it\u2019s media controls, opening the calculator, or executing a macro. And the process is pretty simple\u2014just select the key you want to reprogram and then choose what you want it to do. Creating macros is also relatively smooth, and there\u2019s a ton pre-made that cover multiple games like\u00a0<em>Overwatch\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0<em>League of Legends.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But if you want to get into customizing the lighting, that\u2019s where the real issues with the program arise. There are some nice touches here like the vast array of preloaded lighting profiles and the option to download any profile to the keyboard\u2019s internal memory so it can be used in wireless mode (something larger keyboard companies don\u2019t often include).<\/p>\n<p>But the process of creating a custom lighting profile is unnecessarily complicated, and it took me a while to figure it out even when consulting <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/orders.epomaker.com\/manuals\/Epomaker_GK96_SK96_Extended_Manual_1.1.pdf\">the manual<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88010 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/9d5607f3.jpg\" alt=\"Lighting effects menu in GK96S software\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here\u2019s where you customize the lighting effects<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I figured it out eventually (to save you the headache, you have to have all the settings for the lighting effect selected, including the ones you did not change, before you hit save), but a lack of intuitive design is something from which the entire program suffers. I don\u2019t think you should have to break out the manual because you want to create a simple lighting effect, and other companies like Razer and Corsair have proved that\u2019s possible with their software. But everything from the way it looks to how it operates makes Epomaker\u2019s software difficult to use and harder to learn\u2014it\u2019s by far the biggest issue I have with the keyboard as a whole.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_Couldve_Been_More\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_conclusion\">It Could\u2019ve Been More<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88233 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/0d8d6651.jpg\" alt=\"Epomaker GK96S on white table against forest backdrop\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Eric Schoon\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Eric Schoon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For $109, you\u2019re getting a great layout, some solid hardware, a long-lasting battery, wireless and wired connectivity, and hot swappable switches. It\u2019s a great package on paper, but unfortunately, the issues start to pile up quickly.<\/p>\n<p>The hardware is mostly great, but the inconsistencies with the switches and strange bugs I ran into bring it down. The messy software is a huge problem, especially because it\u2019s necessary to use it to customize the keyboard. It\u2019s a shame though, because with some better software and more attention to detail this keyboard would be fantastic.<\/p>\n<p>But even then, everything considered, I still think this is a solid if flawed keyboard. The amount of features Epomaker packed in here is impressive, as even many premium keyboards don\u2019t include everything that the GK96S does. Basically, this keyboard, despite the issues, has a lot going for it and I don\u2019t want to underplay that.\u00a0 If you\u2019re willing to deal with the problems, I would recommend it. At the same time, if you\u2019re not willing to ignore these problems, then I think you should stay away.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single-review-card border\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\">\nRating: <strong>6\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Price: <strong>$109.00<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"review-card-body\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like-2\"><\/span>Here\u2019s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Solid hardware<\/li>\n<li>Hotswapping<\/li>\n<li>Good layout<\/li>\n<li>Long Battery Life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont-2\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Messy software<\/li>\n<li>Strange bugs<\/li>\n<li>Switch inconsistency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/83687\/epomaker-gk96s-mechanical-keyboard-review-so-close-to-fantastic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#So Close to Fantastic \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Rating: 6\/10 ? 1 &#8211; Absolute Hot Garbage 2 &#8211; Sorta Lukewarm Garbage 3 &#8211; Strongly Flawed Design 4 &#8211; Some Pros, Lots Of Cons 5 &#8211; Acceptably Imperfect 6 &#8211; Good Enough to Buy On Sale 7 &#8211; Great, But Not Best-In-Class 8 &#8211; Fantastic, with Some&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":288036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/06\/e7e44edc-3.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-288035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=288035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288035\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/288036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=288035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=288035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=288035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}