Epomaker G84 HE Review — Hall Effect on a Budget, But Does It Deliver?

Offer price: 84.99

Currency: USD

• Appearance - 7/10
  7/10
• Efficiency - 8/10
  8/10
• Features - 8/10
  8/10
• Materials - 8/10
  8/10
• Performance - 8/10
  8/10
• Portability - 7/10
  7/10
• User Experience (UX) - 7/10
  7/10
• Value - 8.5/10
  8.5/10

Summary

The Epomaker G84 HE makes a convincing case for hall effect gaming keyboards at an accessible price point. At USD $85, it delivers zero dead zone switching, 8,000Hz polling, tri-mode wireless, a well-dampened sound profile, and gasket mount construction in a package that would have been hard to find at this tier not long ago.

Overall

7.7/10

7.7/10

Pros

+ Hall Effect Performance at an Accessible Price Point + Surprisingly Refined Sound Profile + Flexible Wireless Connectivity with Great Battery Life + Solid Build for the Price + Adjustable Typing Angle

Cons

– Software Experience Needs Work – Keycap Colorway is Divisive – Hall Effect Switch Scratchiness – Wrist Rest Compatibility – Hall Effect Hot Swap is Proprietary

• Shopee

Unboxing the Epomaker G84 HE

The Epomaker G84 HE arrives in packaging that does the job without trying too hard. Inside the box, you get the keyboard itself, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a USB dongle for 2.4GHz wireless, a keycap puller, two extra switches, and the usual documentation. It is a straightforward unboxing experience, no frills, but everything you actually need to get started is accounted for. The inclusion of spare switches is a nice touch, especially given that the G84 HE uses north-facing magnetic hall effect switches that are not interchangeable with standard mechanical ones.

Walkaround

The G84 HE sits in an interesting space visually. It is a 75% layout, but slightly extended compared to a more compact 75%, with the arrow keys spaced out from the main cluster to accommodate two additional rows of function keys. The result is a board that feels more complete than a typical 75% without ballooning into full tenkeyless territory.

The case is ABS plastic throughout, which on paper sounds like a downgrade, but in practice it holds up well. There is a degree of structural integrity here that you would not necessarily expect at this price point. Flex exists if you go out of your way to torque the board, but during normal use it feels planted and sturdy. The design itself is clean, with an Epomaker badge on the left side adding a subtle splash of character. RGB underlighting raises the board’s profile noticeably, and while it looks great in a darkened setup, it does mean that wrist rest compatibility is slightly awkward due to the slanted front edge of the chassis.

The keycap colorway is where things get subjective. The gray-to-blue gradient is polarising, and in most desk setups it is likely to clash rather than complement. If you are particular about aesthetics, budget for a keycap replacement. The PBT double-shot Cherry profile keycaps themselves are quality, just not universally agreeable in color.

One design detail worth calling out positively is the typing angle options. Three levels of adjustment at 6, 8, and 10.5 degrees give you meaningful flexibility depending on your preference, which is not always a given at this price tier.

Specifications

User Experience

The Epomaker G84 HE is built around its hall effect switch implementation, and that is where most of the conversation will naturally land. The Duskrise magnetic switches ship pre-lubed, and at 55g bottom out force they strike a reasonable balance between responsiveness and resistance. The weight is sufficient enough that accidental actuation is not a constant problem during normal typing.

That said, the hall effect adjustability is a double-edged sword. The ability to dial actuation distance down to near-zero via software is genuinely useful for competitive gaming scenarios where reaction time is everything, but casual users may find that an aggressively low actuation setting leads to more mistyping than they are used to. It may take quite some time to used to it at that actuation level but if you manage to pull it off, you will end up typing faster than usual, which is the case for me with 126 WPM.

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Typing sound lands on the poppier side of the spectrum, with a character that is lively without being obnoxious. The stabilizers are properly lubed from the factory, and there is no rattle to speak of, which is something that cheaper boards often get wrong. The board’s extensive sound dampening stack, five layers including PORON foam, IXPE switch pads, and a bottom silicone layer, contributes to a surprisingly refined acoustic profile for its price. The one caveat is a slight scratchiness in the switches that appears to be a known characteristic of hall effect designs in general rather than a quality control issue specific to this unit. It does not affect function, but it is noticeable if you are used to premium mechanical boards.

The Good

Hall Effect Performance at an Accessible Price Point

The G84 HE brings zero dead zone hall effect switching and 8,000Hz polling to the sub-$100 category, which is not something that was easily achievable not long ago. For competitive gamers who want the performance advantages of hall effect without spending flagship money, this is a genuinely compelling proposition.

Surprisingly Refined Sound Profile

The five-layer dampening stack punches well above the board’s price point. Factory-lubed stabilizers with no rattle out of the box is the kind of attention to detail that budget boards usually skip, and it makes a real difference to the overall typing experience.

Flexible Wireless Connectivity with Great Battery Life

On the wireless front, 2.4GHz performance at 8,000Hz polling and 0.125ms latency is genuinely competitive, sitting comfortably alongside boards that cost significantly more. Bluetooth drops to 125Hz and 8ms, which is standard for the mode and perfectly acceptable for productivity use. On top of that, the 8,000mAh battery across two cells is a generous capacity that should hold up well over extended wireless sessions.

Solid Build for the Price

The gasket mount, PC plate, and flex-cut construction give the G84 HE a typing feel that is more premium than its ABS plastic exterior suggests. The board feels planted and well-considered structurally. While some may expect it to be better, do keep in mind that it’s a Hall Effect keyboard priced below USD $100.

Adjustable Typing Angle

Three height settings at 6, 8, and 10.5 degrees is a small detail, but one that reflects thoughtful ergonomic consideration at a price point where these things are often overlooked. While I do foresee a lot of people not using the flip up feet at all but hey, it’s better to have the option than to not have it at all.

The Bad

Software Experience Needs Work

The Epomaker Driver 3.0 software is a downloaded application that defaults to Chinese on first launch and feels somewhat clunky to navigate. For a board where software is essentially required to unlock the full hall effect customisation potential, this is a friction point that undermines the overall experience. Another pain point is that the software, while it opens fast, can take a minute or two to fully initialize. Web-based software would have been a more elegant solution, especially considering that its competitors have started adopting it.

Keycap Colorway is Divisive

The gray-to-blue gradient is not going to work for everyone, and in most setups it is likely to clash rather than complement. Given the board’s otherwise clean design, the keycaps feel like a missed opportunity. Sure, it looks fine on its own but do budget for replacement keycaps if aesthetics matter to you.

Hall Effect Switch Scratchiness

A subtle scratchiness in the switches appears to be a characteristic of hall effect designs broadly rather than a defect, but it is worth noting for anyone coming from high-end mechanical boards where that texture is absent. It does not impact performance, but it does affect the tactile impression.

Wrist Rest Compatibility

The raised chassis and slanted front edge create an awkward gap for standard wrist rests. Not a dealbreaker since it works perfectly fine without it but it’s something to factor in if you rely heavily on wrist support during long typing sessions.

Hall Effect Hot Swap is Proprietary

The hot swap support is limited to north-facing magnetic hall effect switches only. If you were hoping to drop in your favourite mechanical switches, that is not an option here. The ecosystem is still relatively limited compared to standard mechanical hot swap boards.

Epomaker G84 HE Verdict

The Epomaker G84 HE makes a convincing case for hall effect gaming keyboards at an accessible price point. At USD $85, it delivers zero dead zone switching, 8,000Hz polling, tri-mode wireless, a well-dampened sound profile, and gasket mount construction in a package that would have been hard to find at this tier not long ago.

The software experience and divisive keycap colorway hold it back from being a straightforward recommendation, and the proprietary hot swap ecosystem is a limitation worth understanding before committing. But for the gamer who wants hall effect performance without flagship pricing, and is willing to do a little software setup upfront, the G84 HE earns its place.

At the end of our Epomaker G84 HE review, I award this keyboard with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Epomaker for sending us this keyboard for the purpose of this review.