As someone who grew up using computers in the ’90s and 2000s, I have a bit of nostalgia for the blocky look of old hardware. It was clunky, solid, heavy and everything the modern world of PC gaming is not, yet I still kind of loved it. This is why the new Epomaker RT98 Mechanical Keyboard, with its Windows 95-era aesthetic, is kind of amazing and feels like it was built just for me.
This full 98% layout, with a repositionable numpad and a magnetic Mini TV screen, packs a lot of features into a retro-inspired body. For the right person, be it a typist, hybrid gamer or desk-setup enthusiast who wants something with personality, it may be the perfect keyboard. While not everything is ideal, and it is not a cheap option for those just wanting a basic keyboard, for the right person, the Epomaker RT98 is a retro-fuelled dream come true.
Coming in a relatively minimalist package, the Epomaker RT98 Mechanical Keyboard delivers a retro-inspired feel from the moment you take it out of the box. The keyboard evokes old computer rooms and your dad’s study, featuring warm beige and grey tones, Cherry-profile PBT keycaps with vintage-style writing, and rounded case edges that feel deliberately cozy and desk-friendly, yet still feel solid when you pick it up and use it.
Epomaker did manage to add a bit of modern flair to the design. A Mini TV screen sits above the numpad area via a magnetic pin connector and can be used for a variety of things, such as displaying the time, date, battery percentage, connection mode, and system stats, including CPU and RAM. It can also cycle through custom GIFs through the Image Tool software, and above all, it just screams old CRT monitor in the best possible way.
On the lighting RGB side, the Epomaker RT98 goes the subtle route, opting for a clean per-key underglow look rather than full shine-through, so as not to take too much away from the retro feel the keyboard is trying to evoke. It is worth noting that, out of the box, when the numpad is on the left, its default position, the screen sits off at the far right of the keyboard. But should you move the number pad to the right-hand side, it will sit in the middle. This does take away from the look a bit. It is minor, but worth noting.
On the build-quality side, the Epomaker RT98 features an ABS plastic chassis and weighs approximately 1.2 kg. Picking it up, the keyboard has some heft thanks to the 8,000 mAh battery inside and feels relatively solid and well built. I am a little concerned about the longevity of everything, especially if you need to open up the keyboard to make adjustments; more on that in a bit. But at least from the testing I have done at CGM HQ, it feels solid enough and shows no signs of issues, though long-term durability is something to keep in mind.
“…the new Epomaker RT98 Mechanical Keyboard, with its Windows 95-era aesthetic, is kind of amazing and feels like it was built just for me.”
Setting the keyboard up and actually using it, I was pleased to see no flex, no creaking and no structural wobble, even at the ends of the long chassis. The keyboard features a gasket-mount structure with a multi-layer sound-damping foam stack, giving it a soft deck feel, subtle but present flex, and a PC plate that adds a touch of acoustic brightness while still giving a satisfying click when you type, something a retro keyboard like this absolutely needs.
Looking inside the unit, the Epomaker RT98 features a hot-swappable PCB that supports both three-pin and five-pin switches, making for easy, clean and accessible customization, and giving you plenty of ways to adjust things based on your needs.
It also features good quality-of-life touches, like a wireless dongle that stows away in the keyboard, and, of course, two-stage flip-out kickstands on the underside for adjustable typing angles. Rubber feet hold reliably on desk surfaces.
You also have the option to get the keyboard with Creamy Jade linear switches, which have 45 g actuation and a thocky, smooth feel, or Sea Salt Silent linear switches, which are quiet, soft, and better suited to office or shared spaces. That gives you a choice in just how you want your keyboard to feel when typing.
I did mention this keyboard is modular, and I have to say, considering how solid the full package is, I did not think it would be so easy to adjust the numpad’s placement. But it was surprisingly simple. Provided you want to change the layout, it only takes a few screws, moving it as you see fit, with holes in the case specifically for that purpose, and putting it all back together. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes and gives you the flexibility to adjust as needed.
There are very few keyboards that allow this sort of adjustment, and I would honestly describe it as more adjustable than modular. But Epomaker did make it relatively easy, as long as you do not mind some screws and getting your hands a bit dirty. Thankfully, the process is as streamlined as possible. I am sure many would prefer a quick click-in-place system, but with how solid everything feels, I am happy Epomaker did not resort to that with the RT98.
The Epomaker RT98 boasts excellent tri-mode connectivity, offering USB-C wired, 2.4 GHz wireless (with the included dongle storable in a back compartment), and Bluetooth 5.1 for connecting up to three paired devices. I found all three modes performed reliably during testing, with no dropouts, no lag on wake, and stable device switching. It also includes N-key rollover for accurate simultaneous input registration. Powering all of this is a significant 8,000 mAh battery, which delivers roughly a week of active use with the screen and RGB lighting on, or several
Even with a few gripes, I really like the Epomaker RT98 keyboard. It is a solid offering, relatively well-priced, and brings a lot to the table, including a distinctive retro design, the solid feel of its gasket-mount structure, impressive battery life, reliable tri-mode wireless connectivity, a genuinely useful Mini TV screen, and accessible hot-swappable switch sockets. However, a few drawbacks prevent it from being perfect. The chassis weight and long-term longevity raise some questions; the “modular” marketing is perhaps a slight overpromise for what is essentially a repositionable numpad, and the Sea Salt switches may not appeal to every user.
The Epomaker RT98 is a solid keyboard tailored for productivity and casual gaming; for competitive, performance-focused players, dedicated Hall-Effect boards would still offer superior pure gaming performance. Given its unique blend of features, the RT98 is an ideal recommendation for hybrid-work and gaming users, retro desk-setup enthusiasts, and, notably, left-handed typists seeking an affordable Southpaw option. It is not perfect, and does take some getting used to, but when it clicks, and that retro vibe hits you, it is a knockout offering that delivers a lot for the price of entry.
