No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

$109 at Royal Kludge

What actually differs

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.

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

Royal Kludge S98 ES

Layout size
95%
96%
Ergonomics
Split Backspace
Standard
Knob
No
Yes
Display
LED
LCD
A case display rather than a typing feature
Layout standard
ANSI, ISO
ANSI
ISO and JIS exist so regional layouts fit

KeebFinder scores

How we score

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator
Royal Kludge S98 ES

Performance: 45
78
Build quality: 73
70
Productivity: 54
91
Customizability: 63
79
Portability: 42
56

What they share

Hot-swappable
Mount style: Top Mount
Sound dampening

See every spec side by side

Full specs

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator vs Royal Kludge S98 ES specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

13 of 23 specs differ

Spec

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

Royal Kludge S98 ES

Typing & switches

Hot-swappable

Yes

Mount style

Top Mount

Sound dampening

Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes

Layout

Layout size

95%

96%

Layout standard

ANSI, ISO

ANSI

Ergonomics

Split Backspace

Standard

Knob

Yes

Display

LED

LCD

Connectivity & battery

Connection

—

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz

—

Battery

—

3,750 mAh

USB passthrough

Yes

USB-C

Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum

—

Plate material

Aluminum, CarbonFiber, FR4, Polycarbonate

—

Keycaps

PBT

ABS

Weight

—

1,879 g

Dimensions

—

42 x 409 x 140 mm

Backlight

None

RGB

Firmware & software

N-key rollover

Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes

Extras

Released

2026

2025

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator

KBDfans
ISO
Out of stockShips to you

Royal Kludge S98 ES

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Where to buy

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.

KBDFans Athena 1800 Configurator2 stores