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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

KBDFans Athena vs Epomaker HE65 V2

Get the Epomaker HE65 V2 for hall effect and rapid trigger.

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Hall effect

Epomaker HE65 V2

EPOMAKER HE65 V2 TMR

4.9 (7)

$59at Epomaker

90-day low

Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

KBDFans Athena

Build quality in the top 15% of 75% boards under $200.

Rules this board out

  • No numpad.

Get the

Epomaker HE65 V2

Hall effect

Build quality in the bottom 45% of 65% boards under $100.

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.
  • 65% layout. No function row and no numpad.

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.

KBDFans Athena

Epomaker HE65 V2

  • Layout size

    75%

    65%

  • Hall effect (magnetic)

    No

    Yes

    Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing

  • Rapid trigger

    No

    Yes

    Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing

  • Connection

    Wired

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Case material

    Aluminum

    ABS

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • KBDFans Athena
  • Epomaker HE65 V2
Performance
70
93
Build quality
84
62
Productivity
75
75
Customizability
88
66
Portability
63
88

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Sound dampening
See every spec side by side

From real owners

What owners say

Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.

KBDFans Athena

5.0

8 owner reviews

Praise
“What a piece of art. The cnc and attention to detail is immacualte. Gif screen and VIA software could use some love, but it's perfectly fine for what it is.”
CHARLES D.Verified buyer· via Divinikey

Epomaker HE65 V2

4.9

7 owner reviews

Praise
“Keyboard was compact, satisfying to type on, easy to understand certain shortcut, mapping is the keyboard is nice but not needed if you just want to plug and play.”
Alexander N.Verified buyer· via Epomaker

Full specs

KBDFans Athena vs Epomaker HE65 V2 specs

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

14 of 26 specs differ

KBDFans Athena

Epomaker HE65 V2

Typing & switches

Switch options

—
Linear, Magnetic

Hall effect (magnetic)

No
Yes

Rapid trigger

No
Yes

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

75%
65%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

No
Yes

Display

LCD
None

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

—
8,000 Hz

Battery

Wired only
4,000 mAh

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
ABS

Plate material

Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate
FR4

Keycaps

—
PC

Weight

2,200 g
745 g

Dimensions

—
43 x 324 x 117 mm

Typing angle

9°
—

Backlight

RGB
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

VIA

Yes
No

VIAL

Yes
No

Mac & Windows

No
Yes

Extras

Released

2026
2026

Where to buy

Compare prices

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

Prices in USD are converted to your currency and can change at any time. KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

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