AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98 ESGasket vs Top Mount Showdown
Choose the AULA F99 Pro for a lighter, more portable keyboard with a softer typing feel, or the Royal Kludge S98ES for a feature-packed, stationary desk centerpiece.
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4.7 (41)4.7 · 41 reviews
from$68at Epomaker
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from$109at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
AULA F99 Pro
Gasket
Build quality in the bottom 50% of 96% boards under $100.
- Gasket mount structure with a flexible PC plate for a softer, more cushioned typing feel.
- Massive 8000mAh battery capacity for extended wireless use.
- Five layers of sound-dampening materials including sandwich foam, IXPE pad, PET film, bottom foam, and silicone case pad.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Top Mount Showdown
Build quality in the top 45% of 96% boards under $150.
- Includes a smart LCD screen for displaying custom GIFs, date, battery status, and connection mode.
- Features a USB 2.0 passthrough port for connecting peripherals.
- Comes with double-shot PBT keycaps for better durability and resistance to shine.
Your priority should guide your choice. If you value a portable, mod-friendly keyboard with a soft, quiet typing experience and don't want to worry about battery life, the AULA F99 Pro is the compelling option. If you prefer a feature-rich, stationary desk keyboard with a screen, USB passthrough, and a sturdier, firmer typing feel, and are willing to accept the extra weight and cost, the Royal Kludge S98ES is the better investment.
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.
AULA F99 Pro
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Battery
8,000 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Top Mount
Display
None
LCD
A case display rather than a typing feature
Weight
1,023 g
1,879 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
Screw-in stabilizers
No
Yes
Easier to tune than the plate-mount stabs you get prebuilt
- AULA F99 Pro
- Royal Kludge S98 ES
- Performance
- 6678
- Build quality
- 6270
- Productivity
- 8391
- Customizability
- 6679
- Portability
- 6356
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Knob
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The Royal Kludge S98ES takes the lead for stationary, feature-focused use in gaming, office, and content creation, thanks to its screen, passthrough port, and premium stabilizers. The AULA F99 Pro is the clear choice for portability and modding, offering a lighter build, massive battery, and a gasket-mounted design aimed at sound and feel customization. For programming, both keyboards are equally capable due to their shared core layout and hot-swap functionality.
Pick the Royal Kludge S98 ES
- The Royal Kludge S98ES features N-Key Rollover, a spec not listed for the AULA F99 Pro.
- Its top mount design, described by the manufacturer as offering a firm and consistent feel, may provide more stability for rapid key presses.
- It includes screw-in stabilizers, which can contribute to a more solid and rattle-free feel on larger keys.
AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98 ES specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
10 of 23 specs differ
AULA F99 Pro
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98 ES: your questions
The AULA F99 Pro has a significantly larger 8000mAh battery, while the Royal Kludge S98ES has a 3750mAh battery. Based on capacity alone, the AULA F99 Pro should offer much longer wireless usage between charges.
Yes, the Royal Kludge S98ES includes one USB 2.0 passthrough port. This allows you to connect a mouse, flash drive, or other peripheral directly to the keyboard. The AULA F99 Pro does not have this feature.
The Royal Kludge S98ES comes with double-shot PBT keycaps according to its vendor specifications. PBT plastic is more durable and resistant to shine than ABS. The keycap material for the AULA F99 Pro is not specified in the provided data.
The AULA F99 Pro uses a gasket mount, where the plate is suspended by rubber or silicone gaskets for a softer, more flexible typing feel with more dampened sound. The Royal Kludge S98ES uses a top mount, where the plate is screwed directly into the top of the case, resulting in a firmer, more consistent, and often more rigid feel.
The Royal Kludge S98ES is much heavier, weighing 1879g (4.14 lbs). The AULA F99 Pro weighs 1023g. This makes the AULA model more portable and easier to move around.
Yes, both the AULA F99 Pro and Royal Kludge S98ES list Mac and Windows support in their extra features. The Royal Kludge vendor page also lists support for iOS, Android, and several older Windows versions.
Yes, both keyboards are hot-swappable. This means you can change the mechanical switches without any soldering required, using a switch puller tool.
According to the vendor description, the AULA F99 Pro uses five layers of sound-improving materials: sandwich foam, an IXPE switch pad, a PET sound-improving film, bottom foam, and a silicone case pad. These are designed to eliminate echoes and provide a pure typing sound.
Yes, the Royal Kludge S98ES features an LCD screen. The manufacturer states it can display custom GIFs, the date, connection mode, operating system layout, and battery status.
The AULA F99 Pro specifically lists south-facing RGB LEDs in its metadata and vendor description. The Royal Kludge S98ES listing confirms RGB backlighting but does not specify the LED orientation.
The Royal Kludge S98ES vendor description states it includes "lubricated, silent stabilizers." There is no mention of pre-lubricated stabilizers for the AULA F99 Pro in the provided information.
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