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Head to head · Prices checked Oct 28, 2026

AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98Battery Life vs Screen & Build

Choose the AULA F99 Pro for superior battery life and a lighter, gasket-mounted design, or the Royal Kludge S98 for a customizable screen, USB pass-through, and a heavier, top-mounted build.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

AULA F99 Pro

Battery Life

Build quality in the top 50% of 96% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Massive 8000mAh battery for extended wireless use.
  • Lighter weight of 1023g for easier portability.
  • Gasket mount design with five layers of sound-dampening materials for a potentially softer typing feel.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.

Get the

Royal Kludge S98

Screen & Build

Build quality in the top 30% of 96% boards under $100.

If you want

  • Features a customizable display screen for GIFs, system info, and settings.
  • Includes a USB 2.0 pass-through port for peripheral connectivity.
  • Comes with PBT double-shot keycaps for better durability.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.

Bottom line

Your priority should guide this choice. If unmatched wireless battery life, a lighter keyboard, and a gasket-mounted typing feel are most important, the AULA F99 Pro is the clear candidate. If you value a built-in screen for customization, a USB pass-through for desk convenience, more durable PBT keycaps, and don't mind the extra weight and shorter battery life, the Royal Kludge S98 offers more featured-packed utility.

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.

AULA F99 Pro

Royal Kludge S98

  • Battery

    8,000 mAh

    3,750 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Switch options

    Linear

    Linear, Tactile

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount

    Gasket Mount, Top Mount

  • Display

    None

    TFT

    A case display rather than a typing feature

  • Weight

    1,023 g

    1,879 g

    Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • AULA F99 Pro
  • Royal Kludge S98
Performance
67
66
Build quality
63
72
Productivity
84
82
Customizability
67
72
Portability
63
53

What they share

  • Layout size: 96%
  • Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Knob
  • Sound dampening
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The AULA F99 Pro wins for travel and has an edge for gaming due to its lighter weight and gasket mount. The Royal Kludge S98 is stronger for office use and content creation, thanks to its USB pass-through, PBT keycaps, and customizable screen. For programming and modding, the keyboards are closely matched, with the tiebreaker being the S98's out-of-the-box switch choice versus the F99 Pro's larger battery.

For gaming

Pick the AULA F99 Pro

  • Lighter weight at 1023g may allow for easier repositioning on a desk.
  • Gasket mount structure, according to AULA, dampens vibrations for a potentially smoother experience.
  • Both offer tri-mode connectivity with 2.4 GHz for low-latency wireless play.

Full specs

AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98 specs

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

8 of 21 specs differ

AULA F99 Pro

Royal Kludge S98

Typing & switches

Switch options

Linear
Linear, Tactile

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount, Top Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Layout

Layout size

96%
96%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
Yes

Display

None
TFT

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Battery

8,000 mAhBetter
3,750 mAh

USB passthrough

No
Yes

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

ABS
—

Plate material

Plastic, Polycarbonate
—

Keycaps

—
ABS, PBT

Weight

1,023 g
1,879 g

Dimensions

43 x 146 x 390 mm
41 x 140 x 41 mm

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2024
2023

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

AULA F99 Pro3 stores

FAQ

AULA F99 Pro vs Royal Kludge S98: your questions

The AULA F99 Pro has a significantly larger 8000mAh battery compared to the Royal Kludge S98's 3750mAh battery. Based on the specifications, the F99 Pro will require less frequent charging during wireless use.

Yes, the Royal Kludge S98 is a 96% layout keyboard. This means it includes a condensed number pad while maintaining a compact form factor, similar to the AULA F99 Pro.

Yes, both keyboards are hot-swappable. This means you can change the mechanical switches without any soldering required, using the included switch pullers.

The AULA F99 Pro uses a gasket mount, where the plate is suspended by rubber gaskets for a softer, more flexible typing feel. The Royal Kludge S98 uses a top mount, where the plate is screwed into the top of the case, typically resulting in a firmer, more consistent feel.

The AULA F99 Pro is more portable. It weighs 1023g compared to the RK S98's 1879g, and it is also slightly shorter in length, making it easier to pack and carry.

Yes, both the AULA F99 Pro and Royal Kludge S98 list Mac and Windows support in their specifications and feature sets.

The AULA F99 Pro comes with Cherry profile keycaps, with the material not specified in the core metadata. The Royal Kludge S98 specifically includes PBT double-shot keycaps, which are generally more wear-resistant than ABS.

According to Royal Kludge, the S98's display screen can be customized to show GIFs, RGB lighting modes, brightness levels, battery status, and to switch between Win/Mac layouts.

Only the Royal Kludge S98 includes a built-in USB 2.0 pass-through port. This allows you to connect a mouse, flash drive, or other device directly to the keyboard. The AULA F99 Pro does not have this feature.

Yes, both the AULA F99 Pro and the Royal Kludge S98 feature south-facing RGB LEDs. This orientation prevents interference with Cherry-profile and other sculpted aftermarket keycaps.

Yes, both offer software support. The AULA F99 Pro uses the AULA Driver for key mapping and RGB. The Royal Kludge S98 uses a web driver and software, which the manufacturer notes requires a wired connection for full functionality.

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