Epomaker EK21 vs Keychron V1Wireless or 75%?
Get the EK21 for a light wireless numpad with a 1000mAh battery, or the Keychron V1 for a full 75% keyboard with QMK programming and ISO layout options.
KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
4.6 (36)4.6 · 36 reviews
from$33at Epomaker
90-day lowLowest price in 90 days
4.9 (64)4.9 · 64 reviews
from$44at Keychron
Which one should you get?
Get the
Epomaker EK21
Build quality in the top 25% of Numpad boards under $50.
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity with a 1000mAh battery.
- A 200g numpad form factor for adding numeric input without carrying a full keyboard.
- Poron bottom and sandwich foam with an IXPE switch pad.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- Numpad only. This is not a full keyboard.
Get the
Keychron V1
polling rate
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $50.
- A full 75% keyboard layout with QMK support.
- Multiple ISO layout options, including ISO-UK and ISO-DE.
- DIY kit or barebones availability, plus screw-in PCB stabilizers.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the Epomaker EK21 if you need a light, wireless numpad with a 1000mAh battery and Poron and IXPE foam layers. Choose the Keychron V1 if you need a complete 75% keyboard, QMK support, ISO options, or a barebones build path. The EK21 does not replace a full keyboard, and the V1 does not include a numpad.
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.
Epomaker EK21
Keychron V1
Layout size
Numpad
75%
Connection
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Max polling rate
1,000 Hz
8,000 Hz
Higher polling helps competitive FPS and does nothing for typing
Case material
ABS
ABS, Plastic
Switch options
Linear, Silent
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
- Epomaker EK21
- Keychron V1
- Performance
- 7791
- Build quality
- 7689
- Productivity
- 8898
- Customizability
- 8298
- Portability
- 8864
- Hot-swappable
- Knob
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The V1 is the more suitable pick for gaming on a full keyboard, programming, and broader customization, while the EK21 is easier to carry as a wireless numeric add-on. Office use depends on whether you need a dedicated number pad or a complete keyboard with multimedia keys. For creative work, the V1's programmable knob is explicitly described for tasks such as brush-size adjustment and media selection. The V1's wired-only connection and greater weight contrast with the EK21's portability.
Pick the Keychron V1
- The V1 is a complete 75% keyboard, while the EK21 is a numpad.
- The V1 supports linear, tactile, and clicky switches, giving buyers several switch types to choose from.
- Both list a 1000 Hz polling rate in their product metadata.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
Epomaker EK21
36 owner reviews
“Great wireless connectivity, sounds and feels as good as my 200$ custom keyboard. Great buy especially with the discount, would definitely buy again.”
“I have had this thing for years, I have updated to every Json file and firmware file I can find and it has NEVER worked right, Either the Json file or the firmware is jacked up and no one at Epomaker can give me any explanation. This numpad is the reason I…”
Keychron V1
64 owner reviews
“Even tho I live in the middle of Europe the shipping only took 11 working days. It feels and sounds great to type on. And the opening experience was also great.”
Epomaker EK21 vs Keychron V1 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
16 of 27 specs differ
Epomaker EK21
Keychron V1
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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.
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Epomaker EK21
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron V1
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
In stockDoes not ship to you
Epomaker EK21 vs Keychron V1: your questions
No. The EK21 is a numpad-only product, intended to add numeric keys alongside another keyboard. The Keychron V1 is a 75% keyboard.
Yes. Its listed connection modes are Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and USB-C wired, and it has a 1000mAh battery. The V1 is wired only.
The V1 is listed as wired only, with Type-C connectivity. The EK21 offers Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless as well as wired use.
The Keychron V1 is offered in ISO variants including ISO-UK, ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, and ISO-Nordic. The EK21 is ANSI only and does not offer ISO variants.
The EK21 supports VIA programming, including key remapping and macros described by Epomaker. It is a numpad, however, so it does not provide the full typing layout of the V1.
Yes. The V1 supports QMK and VIA, and Keychron describes using its Launcher web app to customize keys. The product description says to connect the keyboard in wired mode when using Launcher.
The EK21 is listed at 200g and supports wireless connections, making it the lighter option for travel. The V1 weighs 995g and is wired only.
Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The V1's vendor description specifies support for 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches.
The EK21 is a dedicated numpad, so it adds numeric input as a separate, compact device. The V1 is a 75% keyboard and does not include a numpad.
Yes. Keychron describes assigning commands or macros to the V1's aluminum rotary encoder through the Keychron Launcher web app. Examples include volume, brush size, and selecting video clips or photos.
Epomaker lists an ABS case and a PC plate, plus Poron bottom and sandwich foam and an IXPE switch pad. The metadata also identifies the EK21 as gasket mounted.
The V1 has south-facing RGB LEDs, and its compatibility note says shine-through legends stay dark. The product description specifies non-shine-through PBT keycaps for its intended backlight setup.
Not sold on either?
Still torn?
Answer a few quick questions and the keyboard finder ranks 2,000+ boards by how you will actually use yours.