In this article, I’m reviewing the Epomaker Brick 87 keyboard. The Brick 87 features a Stackable Block/Brick Bar and customizable thumb scroll wheels. It’s priced at $99.

Disclaimer: This sample was provided by EPOMAKER for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

Epomaker Brick 87

Specifications

• Size: TKL
• Keys Amount: 88 Keys
• PCB Type: Hotswap
• Plate Material: Precision-grade steel
• Connectivity: Type-C Wired, Bluetooth, Wireless
• Anti-Ghost Key: NKRO
• Backlit: RGB
• Battery capacity: 3,000mAh
• Keyboard dimensions: 317 x 150 x 50 mm
• Keyboard Weight: 900g
• Inside the box
  • Keyboard
  • Type-C Cable
  • Keycap Puller
  • Manual

Design

From the get-go, the Epomaker Brick 87 leaves a favourable impression. Its tall, rounded keycaps and angled function keys have a somewhat retro vibe. It’s a hot-swappable keyboard meaning you can easily change the switches and keycaps without any special tools or soldering.

There are a couple of other features that immediately stand out. The first is the LEGO panel on the top of the keyboard, just above the function keys. It’s not officially licensed but it’s fully compatible with standard LEGO bricks. There’s even a little generic figurine holding what looks like a Minecraft pick included in the box. This is sure to be a draw for LEGO fans.

The second standout feature of the Brick 87 is the two scroll wheels located just under the spacebar. The left wheel controls the volume level and the right one adjusts the brightness of the RGB lighting.

Similar to other Epomaker keyboards, the Brick 87 features tri-mode connectivity options: USB, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz wireless. I experienced stable connectivity across all modes, and the 1,000 Hz polling rate with the 2.4GHz connection ensures that the keyboard is ideal for intense gaming sessions, free from latency issues.

The battery life is nothing to write home about. With the RGB lighting turned on, the 3000mAh battery will only last around a week. Disabling the lighting drastically improves the battery longevity but sacrifices the vibrant aesthetics.

The Brick 87 features an all-plastic housing that feels sturdy with minimal flexing. The PBT keycaps are solid and have a substantial thickness. There are 4 switch types available: Epomaker’s Peace Lily, Flamingo and Wisteria plus the Gateron Pro Yellow switches. My keyboard came with the Wisteria switches.

You can customize the RGB lighting, set up macros and remap the keys using the available software. It’s the usual Epmaker-style software that is simple but functional.

Epomaker Brick 87 Performance

The Brick 87 performs well when it comes to typing and gaming – this is what I’ve come to expect from Epomaker’s keyboards. I’ve used the linear Wisteria switches before which are smooth and precise and there’s no wobble in the stabilizers.

It’s a comfortable keyboard for me to type on, however, the plate is not gasket mounted so the typing experience is a bit stiff. In addition, there’s not much in the way of acoustic damping so the keys sound quite clacky and noisy.

As someone who is constantly listening to music, I find the volume controls on the left thumb scroll useful and it’s a feature I’d be happy to see on more keyboards. The brightness control on the right scroll appears unnecessary, given that it can easily be adjusted using the function keys. Offering the flexibility to remap this function to alternatives, such as a mouse scroll wheel, would be preferred.

Verdict

The Epomaker Brick 87 is a decent all-round keyboard that will be appealing to LEGO fans. The colourways all look great and the keycaps and switches are high quality. But as far as the overall experience goes, there’s not much else there to justify the price tag. For true keyboard enthusiasts, there are better options like the Epomaker x Feker Galaxy80.