JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard Review
A basic keyboard with a high price tag
Verdict
The JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard is a basic wireless keyboard that does little to justify its high price tag. Its construction feels cheap and the typing experience is reasonable at best. On the plus side, its battery life provides good endurance and connectivity is solid.
Pros
- Solid looks
- Good battery life
- Seamless connectivity
Cons
- Cheap construction
- Somewhat mushy keys
- Software offers minimal functions
Key Features
- Soft-touch scissor actuated keysThe Epic Wireless Keyboard is a scissor-actuated membrane keyboard.
- Dual means of connectivityThis is also a wireless keyboard and can connect either via the bundled Logi Bolt receiver or over Bluetooth.
- JLab Work AppIt also works with additional software.
Introduction
Headphone manufacturer JLab probably isn’t the first company you think about when you’re thinking about keyboard manufacturers. Well, they may well be now, with the release of the JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard.
Priced at £69.99/$69, it’s not the most affordable product in the world, looking to take aim at the likes of the recently released Logitech MX Keys S in the hope to snag some share of a competitive market.
Whether it’s enough to be one of the best keyboards money can buy remains to be seen. Let’s take a gander, and see just how epic this Epic Wireless Keyboard is.
Design
- Modern looks
- Heavy inspiration from Logitech’s own peripherals
- Cheap-feeling construction
The Epic Wireless Keyboard, if you squint hard enough, could be a Logitech product. Its combination of a space grey frame and the imposing knob in the top right corner makes it appear as a bastardization of both the Logitech MX Keys and the Logitech Craft. At first glance, the Epic Wireless keyboard appears to justify its price by mixing with the best.
However, the keyboard’s thin-feeling plastic construction, combined with a fair amount of deck flex even under minimal pressure, reveals that it doesn’t really feel like a keyboard that should cost as much as it does. I like what JLab has decided to do, but the lack of any substance to it, despite a 783g weight with batteries included, doesn’t bode well.
The comparisons to the MX Keys lineup continue further with JLab’s decision to opt for spherically indented keycaps to help finger placement. This is a nice touch, as is the dual-function labelling on certain important keys. Combined with this, the knob in the top right corner feels reasonable. However, with all of this, it doesn’t half feel like the brand is simply looking over Logitech’s shoulder and hoping for the best.
The bar on top of the main function row is simply there for vanity, apart from housing the keyboard’s on/off switch in the top left, as well as a battery indicator light for when the charge is low, and an engraved JLab logo. It is slightly indented and glossy and feels like it could end up as a trap for any dust. The finishing on the keycaps also seems as if it could end up very glossy with finger oil very quickly, as they seem comprised of the same plastics as typically more affordable keyboards.
There aren’t any retractable feet on the bottom, but the Epic Wireless Keyboard instead opts for a single-height bar that raises the keyboard up for a more comfortable typing angle. It would have been nice to get some retractable feet to offer an element of control, but that wasn’t to be. The bar does provide a comfortable typing angle though, it must be said.
In terms of its packaging, the Epic Wireless Keyboard come with a pair of cardboard boxes, and the keyboard is wrapped in paper. Accessories are present inside indents in the packaging. JLab says they’re aiming for fully recyclable packaging by the end of 2023 if we’re mentioning aims, which is nice.
Performance
- Reasonably tactile typing experience
- Reliable wireless connectivity with plenty of options
- Excellent battery life.
On the front of its typing experience, it’s much the same story. The Epic Wireless Keyboard’s scissor-actuated keys don’t offer the same precise, positive actuation as its competitors, and keypresses feel somewhat mushy. Those who use laptops every day will feel at home here, given the short travel that’s present. Of course, a mechanical keyboard will provide you with a more satisfying typing experience, but the Epic Wireless Keyboard is okay.
On the plus side though, the spherical indents in the keycaps helped to guide my fingers, and the Epic Wireless Keyboard’s reasonable tactility provided a comfortable typing experience for the most part.
This is a truly wireless keyboard, and can connect to up to three devices, which is handy – that’s two over Bluetooth or one with the bundled 2.4GHz receiver. Connectivity is simple, and switching between the paired devices is also convenient with dedicated buttons in the keyboard’s top right corner.
In terms of its battery life, JLab rates the Epic Wireless Keyboard’s 2000mAh cell to last for up to 10 months on a single charge, which is excellent. It should perhaps come as little surprise that the battery in testing didn’t necessarily diminish too much, and I had no need to recharge the Epic Wireless Keyboard at any point.
Software and Lighting
- Minimal software-based customisation
- Dim white backlighting
The Epic Wireless Keyboard works with JLab’s Work App software. It’s a bit of a boon to learn that you have to have the USB dongle plugged in for the software to work, and JLab insist that you provide an email address before downloading the software.
Once inside, it’s a pretty minimal suite, giving you the option to remap the function row of buttons, and that’s it. Remapping them is at least easy, though. You also get three profiles to choose from. Apart from that, there’s only the option to update the firmware, and a hyperlink to the Support section on the JLab website.
The Epic Wireless Keyboard is backlit, with a white backlight. However, it barely provides much in the way of a difference compared to when the backlighting is off. Even at full whack, it’s hard to tell when it’s on, and it also turns off very quickly after a period of inactivity.
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Should you buy it?
You want good battery life
Where the Epic Wireless Keyboard wins is with its 10 months of endurance, and if it’s good battery life you’re after, this is a good option.
You want a precise and tactile experience
Unfortunately, the Epic Wireless Keyboard falls down on offering a somewhat mushy typing experience. Other options will fare better.
Final Thoughts
JLab’s Epic Wireless Keyboard, to conclude, isn’t necessarily as ‘epic’ as it would assume. It certainly doesn’t feel like a keyboard that’s worth the £70 asking price. Sure, its battery life is good, and the wireless connectivity is seamless, but there are too many pitfalls.
The design on offer is ripped straight from Logitech and although good, is uninspiring. The keys themselves while offering reasonable tactility, feel a tad mushy, and the software on offer is okay, but I’d have expected more functions for the asking price.
The moral of the story here – spend the extra for a Logitech MX Keys, or even the brand-new MX Keys S. There are also vast swathes of mechanical choices out there that will provide a much better typing experience for a similar price. Of course, it’s up to you, but the JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard has done little to convince me here. For more options, check out our list of the best wireless keyboards.
How we test
We use every keyboard we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use, comfort and performance of the switches.
We also check each keyboard’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Spent at least a week testing
Compared the build quality with similar priced keyboards.
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FAQs
The JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard’s battery lasts for 10 months on a single charge.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
