Keyboards come in all forms and sizes, but most of them are barely distinguishable from each other. That’s fine: it is a tool for work, refined by decades of trial and error. And still, there’s a place for fun, too. At least that’s what Epomaker wanted when they were making the DynaTab 75X, a keyboard that draws attention like no other.
Design: It’s retro… and it’s not
Admit it: this is unlike anything else. The DynaTab 75X features a distinctly retro design, but with every modern feature one might ask for: RGB backlight, two wireless connection options, hot-swappable switches, etc.
It’s not a small keyboard: weighing in at 1,054g, the 75X is about average for 75% mechanical keyboards but its dimensions (145 x 181 x 42mm) mean that it’s fairly bigger than other models due to its display. The keyboard’s height is 42mm with the feet stowed.
It’s a big keyboard that might remind someone of a typewriter, but really, this retro form factor feels strangely familiar.
The main feature here is, as you might have guessed, the screen. The LED screen is truly massive, but deceptively so: while you might have a few ideas of what you would like to put there, the reality is, the puny resolution makes it nigh impossible to make out any image unless it’s a very rudimentary pixel design. That’s a bummer, but also nobody’s fault: this isn’t a screen for watching Netflix but a design element. It has one function — to draw attention. And that it does.
Read also: Epomaker Tide75 review: Typing has never felt this classy
The screen has a few default animations, and it also can show the current time and date. If you want something more custom, the Epomaker app allows you to draw your own masterpiece — or to upload your picture. You can even create your own animation! The app is not perfect but it’s a step back from the Epomaker MS68 situation. That keyboard also has a screen, albeit a smaller one (but with better resolution) that for some reason required a whole other app, and that app does not exist for Mac computers.
Overall, the keyboard feels very different to other Epomaker keyboards I’ve tested, especially the Epomaker Tide75 which is closer to it in size but very different in materials. While the excellent Tide75 is very heavy and metal-clad, the DynaTab 75X feels, for lack of a better word, plasticky. It’s not bad: it’s lighter but still substantial, and the build quality is great, with no creaks anywhere.
There are two color versions: Black Grey and Purple White, and I went with the latter. I especially appreciate the bonus keycaps in the box that allow you to change the Windows-specific keys. As a Mac user, I have to give additional points for that.
There’s also a hidden section for the dongle. Neat!
Typing
Typing experience will depend on the type of switches you choose. I went for the thocky Wisteria Switch and found it pleasant. The sound is nice and energetic, and quite loud — more so than I expected! But it’s okay: it’s a loud keyboard in every sense of the word.
Epomaker has integrated a gasket mount structure, a polycarbonate switch plate (without flex cuts), poron foam for the PCB, an IXPE switch pad, and latex foam for the bottom case into the keyboard.
Despite its size, the keyboard is convenient to use, and it even has kickstands — so many modern and expensive keyboards don’t offer them anymore!
Typing at night can be a tad confusing since the backlight does not light up the legends UNLESS you pick the Black Grey model, and I kinda wish I did because of that.
Read also: KiiBOOM Loop 65 Mechanical Keyboard Review: In One Word, Gorgeous
The screen and software
It’s not often that I have a “screen” section in these reviews, but leave it to Epomaker to add something unique. This isn’t even their only keyboard with a screen, but while previously you had a tiny square one, now it’s a huge Dot-Matrix LED that’s capable of displaying your computer info or a fancy animation.
I need to be honest, the screen is what sells the keyboard for me. Sure it’s silly and not functional at all, but you gotta have fun, too. This is something I have never seen in a keyboard, and to my surprise, it works fairly well.
While we can technically call it a screen, it’s not, though, it’s more an array of RBG rights. If you want to put an image there, forget it: with a resolution that low, it’s only good for the most rudimentary pixel-style stuff. You can also draw — and animate! — your own picture, which is honestly cool. I rarely praise these manufacturers for software, especially as a Mac user who often does not get to play with any kind of software, but this time I am happy.
The Epomaker driver app has all the basic functionality: macros, RGB effects, etc, but also a few bonus additions like the ability to make your own image/animation and share it with others! There’s a search and everything. It is painfully slow and for now, there are not many effects available. There’s also no way to separate uploads for the smaller screens and the DynaTab 75X. It’s not perfect but it’s a good start.
There are a few presets, too, and they look fairly cool. I can’t wait to see what the users will come up with.
Verdict
One thing for certain: the Epomaker DynaTab 75X is unlike anything else I’ve tested. Both retro and very futuristic (if only there was a word for that), its playful design and eye-catching Dot Matrix display make it truly unique in the sea of other mechanical keyboards.