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Are LCD screens on keyboard just a gimmick, or are there real useful features? The TH80-X from Epomaker is going to help us answer that question. It’s a 75% keyboard with an encoder knob, 1.1 inch LCD screen, and a massive 8,000mAh battery.

The Good

There’s a lot to like with the TH80-X, which is something you can also say about it’s cousin, the TH80 Pro. The main differences between the fan-favorite TH80 Pro and the TH80-X are the LCD screen, the lack of QMK/VIA support, and the battery capacity. The TH80 Pro sports a 4,000mAh battery, which is common for wireless keyboards of this size, while the TH80-X is packing an 8,000mAh battery (actually two 4,000mAH cells). I was worried that it really needed that extra power just to light the LCD and that it wouldn’t have any extended use-time beyond LCD-less keyboards, but thankfully that did not turn out to be the case. The battery life I observed while using the TH80-X in 2.4GHz mode with the backlighting on pretty high was about a ~6% loss per day for a week, and when averaged that would equal about 16 days of use in that scenario. With the backlighting off, that could stretch to about a month.

Another positive here is the typing feel and sound that you get. I never have super-high expectations for keyboards made entirely of ABS plastic, because in my experience they tend to have a somewhat hollow or dull sound. But Epomaker used an iron switch plate to add some heft, and while not the softest plate to type on, the TH80-X does not suffer from a hollow sound, save for the spacebar. A highlight is the Flamingo linear switches – they are one of the nicer pre-lubed linear switches I’ve used lately – a recent favorite of mine is the Gateron Baby Raccoon and the Flamingos don’t feel like a budget switch next to them at all. There is very little ping and the factory lube seems to be well applied.

When it comes to the software and LCD screen, there is both some good and some not so good. The software is relatively easy to use, though I prefer QMK/VIA whenever possible because you learn it once, and then you know how to use it forever. Each new and different piece of manufacturer/product-specific software is something new to learn and one-off software can be finicky. In the Epomaker Driver software, you can do some basic remapping, add macros, adjust the lighting and access all the settings for the LCD.

The LCD itself has a useful home screen which provides a readout of battery level, OS layout, caps lock status, and connection status in addition to the date and time. I found myself looking at the battery level each day (probably because I was curious about battery life) and it was nice to have a visible display of that. The LCD also houses the settings for the lightning and OS layout. When not in control mode (Fn+knob puts it in control mode), the encoder knob controls your system volume by default.

The Not So Good

Let’s talk more about the LCD. The main thing I don’t love is that the OS layout setting is controlled in the LCD menu rather than with a physical switch or key command. I find either of the latter options much faster than accessing the LCD menu to change from Windows to Mac. To change the setting, you have to press Fn+knob, turn the encoder until you get to the OS setting, press the knob, turn the knob, go back to the home screen, and press Fn+knob again. That feels like too much work considering I switch between my work PC and personal Macbook multiple times each day.

Another con is something I found with the 2.4GHz connection. Normally, I list this connection as a “pro” if a keyboard offers it, because it’s a lower-latency connection than bluetooth and generally more stable. However with the TH80-X I found that the connection would go to sleep very quickly, and then have a delay in waking back up. I found a setting in the Epomaker driver software for the 2.4GHz and bluetooth sleep time, but unfortunately the maximum setting is 60min. This would likely be good enough for most, but I’m used to 2.4GHz connections basically never going to sleep and there’s a significant lag in waking the connection back up.

The last thing I’ll mention here may or may not matter to you – the switch options for the TH80-X are Gateron black, yellow, and Epomaker Flamingo switches…which are all linear. It’s a bit odd that there isn’t any option for a tactile switch. So if you simply don’t like linear switches, you will have to buy switches separately to swap in unless you happen to have some already.

Overall, I must say I’m not yet sold on the idea that everyone would need a keyboard with an LCD screen. I believe it’s falling into the same category as keycaps and switches, meaning it’s a matter of personal preference. If you would add additional screens with animations and like to access some settings in an on-screen menu rather than key commands, then maybe having a screen is the right choice. If that sounds like you, the TH80-X is a nice option to consider, given the great battery life and quality typing feel. Don’t need the screen? Consider the TH80 Pro if your budget is around $80-100.

Check out the TH80-X

Keyboard Specs: