促红细胞生成素maker AK84S vs. GK96S: Review & Compare

Whether you’re working or playing, a good keyboard is an essential part of a good computer system. Along with your mouse, it’s one of two ways to control your game or app. And if you do a lot of typing, you know how much of a difference a mechanical keyboard can make. There’s just no replacement for the tactile response of a high-quality board. Once you’ve used one, you’ll never go back to using a cheap membrane keyboard again.

But just because a keyboard is mechanical doesn’t mean it’s automatically good. Sure, you’ll probably get plenty of tactile feedback. But that’s no excuse to accept a keyboard with a poor layout or cheap construction. You want a board with all the media functions you expect on a modern system. And for gamers, LED lighting is practically an essential. In the past, we’ve reviewed the促红细胞生成素maker AK61, a compact, tenkeyless mechanical board. We liked what Epomaker is producing, so we were eager to review more of their keyboards.

Today, we’ll be looking at the Epomaker AK84S and GK96S. Both of these keyboards are optimized for Mac, but work fine with Windows or Android. The only real difference is cosmetic. There are Mac and Option keys instead of Windows and Alt keys. The AK84S is an 84-key tenkeyless keyboard that’s designed to be compact without sacrificing the function keys. The GK96S is a slightly larger, 96-key board with a tenkey, but with a tight, space-saving layout.

那么，它们与当今市场上的其他机械键盘相比如何？为了找出答案，我们将深入了解他们的所有功能。我们将首先查看每个键盘的物理设计和一般布局。接下来，我们将讨论钥匙扣以及您对开关的选项。最后，我们将讨论RGB照明以及董事会提供的任何其他额外功能。让我们开始吧！

促红细胞生成素maker AK84S

The促红细胞生成素maker AK84Sis available in four different color and material pairings. The first has a silver aluminum housing, which is rugged, but a bit heavier than plastic. The next has a transparent acrylic housing. This is surprisingly tough, and you can get some neat effects from your LED lights. The third and fourth options are black and white plastic. These options come with orange arrow, escape, and spotlight keys, while the others have lime green highlights. All the other keys are black and white on all housing types. As you can see, you get a fair number options when it comes to color and material alone.

As we mentioned, this is a无人板that’s optimized for Mac. However, there’s a function button that allows you to switch to Windows mode at any time. It’s also compatible with Android devices, so unless your allergic to Mac key symbols, there are no compatibility issues. That said, the tiny size is a love-it-or-hate-it thing. Either you want a tiny keyboard that’s easy to carry, or you prefer a larger board with more real estate. If you prefer a different design altogether, why not consider asplit gaming keyboardinstead? We’ve reviewed several in the past, and there are plenty of good options.

In terms of connectivity, the AK84S can connect via Bluetooth 5.1 or USB Type-C. This gives you the flexibility to choose a wired or wireless configuration to suit your needs. With the wire, you won’t have to worry about batteries. Without it, you’ll still get excellent performance. The internal 4,000mAh battery lasts for a minimum of two weeks on a full charge. With the LEDs active, that drops to a minimum of 20 hours. Even so, that’s a lot of performance between charge cycles.

除键盘本身外，您还可以获得一个USB Type-C电缆，用于连接和充电。您还将获得一个钥匙扣拉拔器，这使得在不损坏稳定器的情况下更轻松地卸下键。

Keycaps and Switches

AK84S配备了两套完整的键帽。第一个是一组PBT帽，将安装在板上。这些是高质量的DoubleShot钥匙扣，这意味着这些符号不会使用。PBT材料也不会像ABS钥匙扣那样光滑。这是塑料的优越度，这是您在高质量键盘上想要的。

除此之外,AK84S还附带了一个年代et of silicone keycaps. These are also doubleshot, so they won’t wear out. However, the silicone material is softer and has more grip than PBT. It slightly reduces key impact without negatively affecting your typing. This set of keys comes with three different colored arrow, Spotlight, and Esc keys in red, orange, and green. In addition, the main keys are dark green and white instead of black and white.

该键盘使用Gateron开关，额定值至少为5000万键。这不如樱桃的1亿笔笔触，但比通用品牌好。您可以在光学或机械上订购AK84，并使用蓝色，棕色，黑色，红色或黄色开关。光键具有较轻的触感和更高的灵敏度，但触觉反馈较少。确切的响应能力和反馈水平也将取决于颜色。如果您不确定哪种颜色会给您带来想要的感觉，则有很多指南。关键是，您有很多选择。此外，您可以选择Epomaker的内部巧克力品牌开关之一。这些似乎很好。但是，由于它们是一种相当新的产品，因此我们不能保证它们的耐用性。

额外的功能

与大多数现代键盘一样，AK84S包括一个函数键。这使您可以调整亮度和音量，播放或暂停音乐，跳过曲目并执行其他常见任务。您还可以使用其中一些按钮在三个不同的无线连接之间切换。这意味着您可以同时连接到三个设备，也可以使用USB电缆连接四个设备。要从一台设备切换到另一台设备，只需按按钮即可。这对于任何数量的目的都是有用的。例如，如果您讨厌使用手机的屏幕键盘，则可以使用AK84来启动文本。您也不必担心不得不重新配置蓝牙。在工作中使用PC上的键盘。回家，更改不同的连接，然后继续使用Mac。

The LED lights support the full array of 16 million colors, with limited default options. However, you can install Epomaker’s software for free on Mac or PC, available on theirofficial website. From there, you can choose a wider variety of patterns, or even create your own custom lighting. The default options then become a fallback if you’re connecting to an unfamiliar device. Once again, the key point is that you get plenty of options. You’re not locked into one or two choices.

EPOMAKER GK96S

TheEPOMAKER GK96Sis a slightly larger keyboard with a tenkey pad. However, it’s still made to be compact. The tenkey pad, arrows, and function keys are all tightly packed together with the others. The case itself is black plastic, with a very thin bezel. This keeps the form factor reasonably small, if not quite as small as a tenkeyless board. The keys themselves are black and white, with orange arrow, Esc, and Del keys.

Besides that, the GK96S is much like the AK84S. It’s optimized for Mac, but it’s fully compatible with Windows and Android. It can also connect via both Bluetooth 5.1 and USB Type-C. It even has an identical 4,000mAh battery, with similar performance. The package includes a keycap puller, a USB Type-C cable, and a switch puller.

Keycaps and Switches

The default keycaps for the GK96S are the same GK1 PBT doubleshot keycaps the AK84S comes with. You also get the option to order it with ABS keys instead. At first, this might seem like a good way to save money, but it’s actually a bad idea. The whole point of a mechanical keyboard is that you’re investing in a nicer, longer-lasting keyboard. ABS keycaps will wear smooth after as little as a year of heavy use. This means you’ll need to replace them years before you need to replace anything else.

When ordering the GK96S, you can choose between Gateron mechanical switches in Yellow, Silver, White, or Green. This gives you a decent number of options for key travel, responsiveness, noise, and resistance. As an added bonus, the switches are hot-swappable. If you want to experiment with different types, you can change them over without soldering.

额外的功能

Like the AK84S, the GK96S has a function key with media and volume controls. It also supports up to four wireless connections as well as a wired one. That’s a slight improvement over the AK84S, but not a huge one. Similarly, you get the same 16 million-color RGB lighting with software controls.

In addition to all that, you can choose between three keyboard layouts. The first is standard, and is not programmable. The second and third can be remapped to your heart’s content. Want to experiment with the Dvorak layout? There’s nothing stopping you! If you manage to confuse yourself, you can easily switch back to the standard layout.

Final Verdict

那么，哪个键盘最适合您？让我们从明显的开始。两者都是紧凑的，这使它们易于运输。但是，它们俩都比全尺寸键盘更局促。至于它们的差异，最明显的是GK96s有一个Tenkey垫，而AK84S则没有。

That said, there are other important distinctions. The促红细胞生成素maker AK84S’salternate silicone keycaps are a great feature if you tend to hit the keys too hard. In addition, you get the option for optical as well as mechanical switches, and a variety of lighting options. TheEPOMAKER GK96S, on the other hand, provides a different set of options. You don’t get to order it with optical switches, but the mechanical switches are hot-swappable. You also get the ability to create a truly custom layout, so Dvorak typers can rejoice. Finally, the Southpaw version is a neat choice for left-handed users. You really can’t go wrong with either one of these keyboards. But which one is the best will depend on how you want to customize your board.