Building a keyboard is daunting, if you've never stepped into the word of enthusiast keyboards. There's all sorts of parts, from the caps, to the switches, to the board itself, and with about a hundred different brands trying to vie for your money, it's not exactly an easy task to figure out what might be good to start with. Some builds can be so costly, that it could rival a single rent payment, so if you don't want to go all-in on your first keyboard, but still want to dip your toes in, you'd ideally want something good, but moderately cheap. 

That's exactly what Epomaker offers with its Aura 75 kit. There's some skimping and cost-cutting measures taken to ensure the retail price of the kit isn't astronomical, but with a little extra care and effort, it could easily sound and feel like a fancy keyboard build that costs way more than it actually does. Priced at $64.99, the Aura 75 is a DIY kit, meaning you'll have to supply the switches and caps yourself. It models itself after the popular GMMK Pro keyboard from Glorious, all the way down to the side RGB stripes and knob at the top right. 75% layout is a good compromise between saving space and still have functionality. The all-black case looks nice and sleek from afar, but has the feel and appearance of a cheap plastic when you get up close. That's really the only cheap thing about it, though, because what matters is in the inside, and Epomaker most certainly nailed that aspect. 

Internally, the Aura 75 has some of the best dampening foam that Epomaker's put out to date. You won't have to crack open the case and put foam in yourself, because there's already a nice thick layer, along with a silicone pad, to soften the clickity clacks even further. It gives the keyboard, when built, a nice, low-toned sound profile that's super satisfying, especially if you pair it with some lubed switches. Epomaker has their own Dawn Pink and Shadow Black linear switches, that do go together well with the board. I wouldn't go with a clicky switch with this kind of build, mostly because it would contrast with how nice the keyboard sounds to type on, but tactiles also go wonderfully--in my case, I went with some pre-lubed Epomaker MMD Pom switches, which are heavy, but quiet switches that have a satisfying sound. 

This is an incredibly versatile option if you want to get into the keyboard hobby, or if you're looking to get a starter-build going for a friend as a gift, without breaking the bank. I could also see the Aura 75 being fun to have to mess around with, as a sort of kit you can use to test builds out without having to tear down your main keyboard every time you want to try new switches. Having the ability to use three different connectivity options is great, too, if you're not a fan of wires, or if you prefer low-lag reliability. Epomaker's latest kit manages to walk the tightrope between budget-friendly and solid build quality, with only the slightest of drawbacks--mostly in terms of the frustrating software and case quality.