EPOMAKER Hack70 Planck Mechanical Keyboard VIA Custom 2.4Ghz/BT/Wired Gasket Hot-Swap RGB 65% Ortholinear Layout Review (2026)

Who the Hack70 fits

The Hack70 is built for typists and hobbyists curious about ortholinear layouts, where keys sit in straight columns instead of the staggered rows found on nearly every mainstream keyboard. Because it ships wireless with Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz and USB-C modes, it also appeals to anyone who wants to carry an ortholinear board between a desk and a laptop without being tied to a cable. The gasket-mounted plate and hot-swap sockets mean the typing feel can be tuned over time, making this a reasonable entry point for someone who wants to experiment with grid layouts without committing to a fully custom kit build. Anyone who has never tried an ortholinear layout should expect a real adjustment period, since years of muscle memory on staggered keyboards do not transfer directly to a straight grid.

Layout, mounting and connectivity explained

The Hack70 arranges 70 keys in a 65%-style ortholinear grid, keeping arrow keys and common control keys while dropping the numpad, similar in spirit to a Planck-style board but with a slightly larger key count. Under the plate sits a 5-layer gasket-mount acoustic system built from sandwich latex, a PE sound-optimizing film, an IXPE switch pad, EPDM foam and a bottom silicone layer, all working together to soften the typing feel and shape the sound compared with a rigid plate-mounted board. Connectivity covers Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz wireless and USB-C wired, switchable on the fly, with the board remembering settings across paired devices. VIA support lets you remap every key, including the function key, directly in a browser-based tool without flashing custom firmware, which is a meaningful convenience over boards that require QMK compilation for basic remaps.

Living with an ortholinear layout day to day

The biggest adjustment when switching to the Hack70 is retraining your fingers for straight columns instead of the diagonal offsets every staggered keyboard uses, and this takes noticeably longer than adapting to a new staggered layout of a different size. Once adjusted, many typists find ortholinear layouts reduce finger travel for certain keys, though this outcome is personal and depends heavily on the layout rather than being automatic for every typist. The hot-swap sockets and gasket mount mean you can change switches to suit your preference, and the pre-lubed plate-mounted stabilizers keep larger keys like the spacebar rattle-free out of the box. For care, keep the dye-sublimated PBT keycaps clean with standard methods, and recharge the internal battery periodically since wireless ortholinear boards see less frequent releases and less charging guidance available compared with mainstream staggered boards.

Trade-offs and how it compares

In the site's ortholinear keyboards guide, the Hack70 ranks second of seven behind the Keychron Q15 Max, a metal CNC-aluminum board that scores 9.4 with a heavier, more premium build and QMK wireless support. The Hack70's larger grid spacing compared with a classic 40% Planck board, such as the Drop Planck Kit V6 also featured in this guide, means muscle memory built on a true Planck grid will not transfer perfectly, and vice versa. As a newer model, the Hack70 also has less community documentation, fewer third-party keycap sets sized for it, and fewer long-term reliability reports than established Planck-style boards that have been on the market for years. If premium materials and QMK-level customization matter most, the Keychron Q15 Max ranks higher, but if wireless convenience and gasket-mounted comfort matter more, the Hack70 holds its own.

Verdict and who should pick something else

The Hack70 earns a strong second-place ranking by delivering a combination rarely seen together, wireless connectivity, gasket mounting, hot-swap sockets and VIA remapping, all in an ortholinear layout. It is a sound choice for typists who want to try a grid layout with modern conveniences rather than hunting for a bare-bones DIY kit. Buyers chasing the most premium materials and deepest firmware customization should look at the top-ranked Keychron Q15 Max instead, and anyone who wants a true 40% Planck grid with maximum community support should consider the Drop Planck Kit V6. For a wireless, gasket-mounted introduction to ortholinear typing, the Hack70 is one of the stronger options in this guide.

Frequently asked questions