At the beginning of the year, we already wrote about the new 65% keyboard Varmilo Minilo VXT67 with nice timing, but no software. And before that, it was Varmilo VCS87 Cliff-Bot. Now it’s the turn of the Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e — it’s another dream come true for fans of mechanical keyboards with Asian aesthetics, quick-change switches, and various connection options. We’ve been using this model for several weeks, so we’re ready to draw conclusions, share our impressions, experiences, etc.
Pluses:
reliable high-quality assembly; bright and unusual design; versatility of use; good selection of switches; incredible vaping experience; three types of connection; compact size; rich set; backlight; PBT capacitors
Minuses:
for a certain category of buyers, the price is definitely too high; no proprietary software; no manual included; no reprogramming functions; inconvenience in typing due to hieroglyphics and changing characters in all important keys; limited white backlighting
Content
Technical characteristics of Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e
| Keyboard type | Mechanical |
| Connection | Wired, Wireless |
| Connection interface | USB-A to USB-C |
| Format | Compact (ANSI) |
| Number of keys | 87 |
| Type of switches | Cherry MX Silent Red |
| Illumination | White LED |
| Keyboard layout | English |
| Battery | 1200 mAh |
| Dimensions | 210×60×420 mm |
| Weight | 1.82 kg |
Packaging and equipment
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e comes in a bright box with beautiful themed drawings.
Inside we can see the keyboard itself, a keycap puller, a USB dongle, a USB-A to USB-C cable without braiding, a minimalist manual, and a figure of a rabbit astronaut.
Design and ergonomics
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e — a work of art and visual delight. Of course, if you like oriental culture. The themes of the drawings are moon phases, Asian mythology, and the goddess Chang’e. The famous Chinese artist Li Huang painted the whole thing.
The characteristic paintings cover the entire keyboard body, including the caps and the back side. These drawings are also convex, which adds volume and brings them to life.
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e — 80% keyboard without a number pad. It’s a compact format, and its size is somewhere between the standard version and the 65% mini-keyboard. There is also the same model, but in a classic size.
There is a USB-C port on the rear end for wired keyboard connection. There are also three cable routing options.
On the bottom we see a metal insert with the main technical information about the model, the pictures mentioned above, four rectangular silicone grooved legs and a pair of double folding legs. They have silicone pads and raise the keyboard to two heights.
The Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e has both English and Chinese layouts, and there are many different symbols and characters that replace the usual F1-F12, numbers, etc.
Enter is long and single-line, and the left Shift is also long and in its place, so gamers will find it convenient. The Fn key is one and is located near the right Shift button.
The F1-F12 buttons are on the number keys starting with 2. Multimedia functions and other functions are moved to other keys. All values are in the keyboard manual. There are no designations for use with Apple devices.
The keys are made of PBT, but this convex pattern print is 1.3 mm thick and is actually made of ABS.
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e has a white backlight, not RGB. There are only two modes: just glow and «breathing». You can also change the brightness.
Connection, control and software
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e does not have a proprietary application. The keyboard is connected via cable, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz using the included dongle. And if the wired connection is clear, then how to connect without a cable is not clear at all. There is a full manual on the website, it is in Chinese and English. To conclude link so you can see it in more detail. Below are the main commands.
You can switch the brightness and change the backlight modes using the key combinations Fn+←, → and Fn+↑, ↓, respectively.
To switch to Bluetooth mode, press Fn+Insert for three seconds to turn on the keyboard. One of the buttons 1, 2, 3 and 4 will light up steadily when the connection is successful. You can also add other devices and switch between them by pressing Fn+the corresponding number. The devices will recognize the keyboard as a Varmilo VS. Hold down Fn+F1/F2/F3 (for channels 1, 2, and 3, respectively) for five seconds to disconnect or reconnect the device.
With the USB cable connected, press Fn+Delete to toggle between Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired mode. In the latter case, press Fn+Delete to switch to Bluetooth or 2.4G mode and connect to the last paired Bluetooth or 2.4G device. In wired mode, press Fn+F1, F2, F3, F4 to switch to Bluetooth 1.2 and 3 or 2.4 GHz mode.
If you pull out the cable, the keyboard will automatically connect to the last paired Bluetooth or 2.4GHz device. When Bluetooth and 2.4GHz mode is disabled, plug in the cable to automatically switch to wired mode.
There is also a power saving mode. Fn+1 for three seconds, the CapsLock key will blink three times. Subsequently, the keyboard will enter the power saving mode after five minutes if no keystrokes are detected. Fn+2 for three seconds, the CapsLock key will blink three times. Thereafter, the keyboard will enter the power saving mode after 30 minutes if no keystrokes are detected. Hold down Fn+3 for three seconds, and the CapsLock key will blink three times. In this case, the keyboard will not enter the power saving mode.
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e autonomous robot
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e has a 1200 mAh battery. This is significantly less than that of Varmilo Minilo VXT67. And while the latter worked wirelessly via USB receiver for several weeks for 6-9 hours, this one lasted exactly five days. However, I don’t know whether I used any power saving mode or was without it because I figured it out later. Probably, you can still get a full week of work (through the same Bluetooth connection), but this is probably the maximum with such a small battery.
There is no data or claimed battery life anywhere. Therefore, judging by my experience, you will have 30-40 hours at best.
User experience
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e is, in fact, a high-quality and bright keyboard, but I wouldn’t take it for myself. There are not even a few reasons, but more. To begin with, it has all the same problems as the Varmilo Minilo VXT67 and many other models of the manufacturer: no proprietary software, a minimum of instructions and information on key combinations, connection, etc. And the inability to reprogram the keys.
The typing is very nice here, which is typical of all the manufacturer’s models, but Cherry MX Silent Red, although they have a good implementation in this case, sounds nice and are relatively quiet, in my opinion, they are better for gaming than for typing.
Of course, compared to other more affordable mechanical keyboards, this one is still the most versatile. But if you like its aesthetics and need to type a lot, then just look at it only with other switches, or buy the switches and replace them later. For example, there are versions with EC Sakura V2 Switch or Kailh Prestige Light. If you play more, then this is definitely for you. But the tipping will be pleasant in any case. Because of this, I would like to emphasize the aforementioned top coat of paint. Thanks to it, the caps have a pleasantly textured surface that feels good to the fingertips.
On the practical side, the hieroglyphics and other symbols for important keys, numbers, etc. didn’t work at all. Only at the end of the second week did I get used to the location of some of them, but it’s really not only inconvenient, but also annoying. And this is me, who actually very rarely looks at the keys because I type «blind» ten-finger method. And people who don’t do this will suffer much more.
It’s also worth noting that there is no laser engraving on the caps (only on the top row with F-keys), so the backlight is relatively dim even at maximum brightness. This is not a disadvantage, but a purely technical nuance of very durable PBT keycaps.
I also can’t consider the lack of Cyrillic as a disadvantage. I have to admit that I did this in other Varmilo reviews, but I realized how unfair it is. The fact is that for similar companies with the appropriate keycaps, this is a given and a standard that will not change in the near future. It’s like buying a car in the UK and complaining about the steering wheel elsewhere. And here they have even added hieroglyphics, although this only indicates a rise in price due to additional production difficulties.
Price and competitors
Varmilo VPE87 Chang’e is sold at a price of USD 259. For an average gamer, this will definitely be expensive and they will be right. But considering the technologies used, the «hotspot», the drawings, the durable keycaps, switches, etc., I also understand this price tag. It will be accepted by mechanics fans who are familiar with Varmilo, its products, and other keyboards in this segment.
Among the competitors, let’s start with other models from Varmilo if you want something similar but don’t like Asian aesthetics. Pay attention to Varmilo VEM87 CMYK EC and on Varmilo VCS87 Cliff-Bot Awake. There are also Varmilo VEM87 Koi EC and FL ESPORTS FL750 SAM Cool Mint Switch. Also look at SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023), if you want something brighter, more familiar, and definitely bigger for gaming. For this purpose, you can also use Logitech G Pro X TKL. All keyboards are compact without numeric pads, but the connection options are different.