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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 31, 2026

8BitDo Retro87 vs Epomaker HE30

Get the 8BitDo Retro87 for hot-swappable. Get the Epomaker HE30 for hall effect and the 8,000 Hz polling rate.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

8BitDo Retro87

Hot-swappable

Build quality in the bottom 40% of 80% boards under $150.

Rules this board out

  • No numpad.

Get the

Epomaker HE30

Hall effect

Build quality in the top 45% of Numpad boards under $50.

Rules this board out

  • Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Numpad only. This is not a full keyboard.

What actually differs

The differences that matter

Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.

8BitDo Retro87

Epomaker HE30

  • Layout size

    80%

    Numpad

  • Hall effect (magnetic)

    No

    Yes

    Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Hot-swappable

    Yes

    No

    Switch changes without soldering

  • Max polling rate

    1,000 Hz

    8,000 Hz

    Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • 8BitDo Retro87
  • Epomaker HE30
Performance
63
89
Build quality
53
64
Productivity
73
73
Customizability
68
57
Portability
77
70

What they share

  • Plate material: Aluminum
See every spec side by side

Full specs

8BitDo Retro87 vs Epomaker HE30 specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

17 of 24 specs differ

8BitDo Retro87

Epomaker HE30

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky
Magnetic

Hall effect (magnetic)

No
Yes

Hot-swappable

Yes
No

Mount style

Top Mount
Tray Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

80%
Numpad

Layout standard

ANSI
Dvorak

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
LCD

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
8,000 HzBetter

Battery

4,000 mAh
Wired only

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum, Plastic
Plastic

Plate material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Keycaps

ABS
PBT

Weight

1,100 g
350 g

Dimensions

46 x 169 x 376 mm
29 x 153 x 133 mm

Typing angle

—
6°

Backlight

RGB
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2024
2026

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

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