I was looking for a relatively neutral-looking dedicated Numpad to supplement my 65% and 75% keyboards. The EK21 appealed to me due to its simplicity and its price. I was able to buy it for under €50 EUR, and the simple grey/black design makes it easy to match with several different keyboards I already owned.
The build quality is fine, and does include some foam for dampening, but unfortunately, the keyboard feels cheap due to a complete lack of weight. It would have been nice to include a silicone pad in the bottom part of the casing to add some heft as well as some more dampening.
Due to the lack of weight and slight hollowness of the case, the sound isn't great. I'm sure some more modifications and dampening could improve this. However, I've chosen to embrace the sound profile and go for a sort of old-school cash register feel by adding Gateron Blue switches and some Cherry-profile switches.
The **** seems to be a bit unreliable for some reason—sometimes it works right out of the gate, and sometimes I'll need to press it down first, before turning it does anything. This is a bit disappointing.
The RGB is fine, but nothing to write home about. It is pretty dim.
On the plus side, the EK21 is VIA-compatible, although it is necessary to download and run the appropriate .json file before you can modify key bindings. Also, for some reason, the .json file for wired mode did not work, and I could only get VIA to work with the EK21 in 2.4 Ghz wireless mode with the appropriate .json file. A bit more hassle than I would have liked, to be honest.
All in all, it's a decent option if you're looking for a Numpad that doesn't break the bank and is good enough. There are certainly nicer options out there if you're willing to spend about double the price, though.
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