GoKawiilis a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.
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I know a vocal group of people who swear by the number pad on their keyboard. And yet, for years I haven’t cared about using one — until I put my hands on the Epomaker RT98. It’s a mechanical keyboard with a charming retro aesthetic, a fun CRT-like screen, VIA compatibility, a nice typing feel, and most importantly, a modular number pad that can be moved to either side. It’s a clever compromise in a budget friendly-ish board, allowing you to further customize your setup without losing the functionality of the coveted “tenkey.”
But like many mechanical keyboards out there, it’s got some unique quirks and tradeoffs.
7 Verge Score Epomaker RT98 $ 119 $ 119 The Good Ambidextrous number pad
Nice-feeling and -sounding silent switches
Even nicer creamy switches
Magnetic CRT-style screen is silly but fun The Bad Plasticky build
Moving the number pad is a slightly fiddly process
Printed legends on the keycaps look low-quality and not sharp
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