AULA L99 vs Royal Kludge S98 ES
Choose the AULA L99 for its 8000Hz polling rate and larger battery, or the Royal Kludge S98 ES for its knob and USB pass-through.
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from$109at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
AULA L99
Battery
Build quality in the top 40% of 98% boards under $150.
- Gasket mount and polycarbonate plate.
- 8000Hz polling rate listed in the specifications.
- 8000mAh battery.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Knob
Build quality in the top 45% of 96% boards under $150.
- Multifunction knob for volume, connection mode, brightness, and RGB controls.
- USB pass-through, USB-C port, and a 2.4 GHz dongle slot.
- Hot-swappable switches and screw-in stabilizers.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Pick the AULA L99 if its listed 8000Hz polling rate, gasket mount, and larger battery match your priorities. Choose the Royal Kludge S98 ES if you value a multifunction knob, USB pass-through, and more explicitly described switch and stabilizer customization. Both offer a numpad, hot-swappable switches, and three connection modes.
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 L99
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Layout size
98%
96%
Battery
8,000 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Top Mount
Knob
No
Yes
Display
IPS
LCD
A case display rather than a typing feature
- AULA L99
- Royal Kludge S98 ES
- Performance
- 8878
- Build quality
- 6569
- Productivity
- 7891
- Customizability
- 7079
- Portability
- 6856
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The L99 leads for gaming and content creation, with its stated polling rate and touchscreen features. The S98 ES is the stronger fit for office workflows and modding, thanks to its knob, pass-through port, DIY software support, and screw-in stabilizers. Programming favors the S98 ES, though both retain a numpad in compact layouts. For travel, the L99's lower listed weight and larger battery capacity give it the edge, but both offer wireless modes.
Pick the AULA L99
- The L99 lists an 8000Hz polling rate, while the S98 ES has no polling-rate figure in its specifications.
- The L99's linear switches and gasket mount are specified alongside a polycarbonate plate.
AULA L99 vs Royal Kludge S98 ES specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
9 of 23 specs differ
AULA L99
Royal Kludge S98 ES
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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AULA L99 vs Royal Kludge S98 ES: your questions
The AULA L99 lists an 8000Hz polling rate, while the S98 ES has no polling-rate figure in its specifications. The L99 also pairs linear switches with a gasket mount and polycarbonate plate.
Yes, both are described as compact full-size layouts with a numpad. Their compatibility rules also clarify that they do not have the gaps of a conventional full-size board.
The L99 has an IPS screen, and its vendor describes touchscreen functions including displaying GIFs and images, opening a calculator, and acting as a keypad. The S98 ES has an LCD screen, with vendor-described display functions that include GIFs, date, connection mode, and battery status.
The AULA L99 has an 8000mAh battery, while the Royal Kludge S98 ES has a 3750mAh battery. Battery capacity alone does not establish how long either keyboard will run between charges.
Both support Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, as well as wired connections. The S98 ES vendor specifies Bluetooth 5.0, while the L99 vendor describes connections to up to three Bluetooth devices.
Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The S98 ES vendor says its PCB accepts 3-pin or 5-pin switches without soldering.
The Royal Kludge S98 ES has a multifunction knob and a USB pass-through port. The vendor says the knob can control volume, connection mode, brightness, and RGB settings.
The AULA L99 weighs 1500g, while the Royal Kludge S98 ES weighs 1879g. Both are compact full-size keyboards with numpads, so the lower listed weight favors the L99 for carrying.
Both keyboards list Mac/Windows support. The S98 ES vendor also names Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android in its operating-system specifications.
Both support hot-swappable switches. The S98 ES vendor additionally lists DIY software support and screw-in stabilizers, while the L99 has a polycarbonate plate and gasket mount.
The AULA L99 is listed as a 98% ANSI keyboard, and the Royal Kludge S98 ES as a 96% ANSI keyboard. Both retain a numpad in a compact full-size arrangement.
Both list sound dampening as an extra feature. The L99 vendor describes a six-layer dampening structure and gasket mount, while the S98 ES vendor describes two foam layers and a top-mount design.
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