What's new over at Epomaker? If you're curious to see what the "Epoch of makers" has up their sleeves this time, you'll be pleased to know it's another hit, taking the pre-built concept of the ACR98, the ACR64 kit is the shell of that keyboard, with a few changes. 

As the name implies, this is a 64-key board, which is definitely unique/ Whether or not you'll enjoy this layout depends on your use of the right shift key, and your ability to adapt your typing. The right shift has been truncated in order to fit in a full set of arrow keys--perfect for gaming, but can also be a stumbling block. In my case, I frequently missed the now-tiny shift key, and it took a lot longer than I'd like to admit in order to get used to the difference. Of course, it's the trade-off for having arrow keys without awkwardly shifting custom layers, and if you use the left shift key, then it's a moot point. 

With a frosted blue case consisting of four acrylic panels layered over one another, the AC64 looks great, especially if you outfit it in some pudding keycaps to give it that extra RGB flair. The LEDs are super bright and shine through nice and equally, giving it a very clean look. It does bring to mind that I'd like to see more RGB settings available to customize the keyboard with--there are some effects you can set manually, but not nearly enough to make use of such an RGB-clad board. 

Excitingly, this is a gasket mount keyboard. Typing on it, and even bottoming out results in a much bouncier, satisfying experience compared to non-gasket keyboards. However, it does feel a little stiffer than Epomaker's previous gasket-mounted boards--perhaps this is attributed to the case, as it leaves very little room for any flexing. 

The ACR64 has a very, very interesting sound profile. I can't say I've heard a keyboard that sounds even close to how this one does--perhaps it's due to the acrylic case. It's not to the level of "thocc" that some enthusiasts chase but it's not entirely high-pitched either. Regardless, it's definitely a fun keyboard to listen to, though I do wish it had a little more in the way of sound dampening in the spacebar. 

As this is a keyboard kit, it only comes with the acrylic case and USB-C cable. That means you can customize it with any kind of switch you prefer--in this case, I went with some tactile switches to get the most out of the gasket mounting: Ajazz Diced Kiwi. The switches themselves are adorable--they have flecks in the housing, which look like fruit seeds. It doesn't do anything for the typing experience, but I found myself amused by them when putting them into the kit. As for their feel, they take a good bit of force to get going (50g), with a bit more travel than usual. Epomaker also pre-lubes their switches, so if you're wary of doing it yourself, you get a pretty great result from these. 

The ACR64 kit is a cute idea from Epomaker. They're definitely offering kits that try new things, and in this case, it's a success, albeit in a quirky, niche way. This is a good keyboard if you're in the market for a cool layout or RGB design specifically, and the gasket mount is fantastic, but limited in a way where their other keyboards do these things separately, but better.