Royal Kludge C87 vs R87 PROMagnetic Speed or Custom Comfort

The C87 has an 8K Hz polling rate with a 0.125ms response time, making it significantly faster than standard mechanical keyboards. The R87 PRO uses traditional mechanical switches and does not advertise a polling rate above standard, so the C87 is the better choice for low-latency gaming.

Yes, the R87 PRO officially supports both QMK and VIA firmware, as stated by the vendor. This allows you to remap keys, create macros, adjust backlight settings, and program the keyboard to your exact preferences using the VIA web app or QMK toolbox.

The C87 is hot-swappable but only compatible with RK magnetic switches, not standard 3-pin or 5-pin mechanical switches. The vendor specifies that hot-swap is limited to RK magnetic switches, so you cannot install typical Cherry MX or Gateron switches in this board.

Both keyboards ship with Cherry profile PBT keycaps. The C87 uses double-shot PBT keycaps, while the R87 PRO also uses Cherry profile PBT keycaps, as listed in their respective vendor descriptions. PBT is more resistant to shine and wear compared to ABS.

The R87 PRO is better for office use due to its gasket mount structure, which reduces sound resonance, and its pre-lubed creamy linear switches that provide smooth, quiet keystrokes. The C87 uses magnetic switches that are optimized for gaming responsiveness rather than typing comfort.

The R87 PRO is better for modding because it supports QMK/VIA firmware for deep customization and uses a standard hot-swappable PCB that accepts common 3/5-pin switches. The C87's switch compatibility is restricted to RK magnetic switches, limiting modding options.

Yes, both the C87 and the R87 PRO use a detachable USB-A to USB-C cable, as stated in their vendor specs. This makes them easier to store and transport compared to keyboards with fixed cables.

Only the Royal Kludge R87 PRO includes a removable metal volume knob that can rotate to adjust volume and press to mute. The C87 does not have a volume knob or dedicated media keys, so audio control must be done via software or keyboard shortcuts.

Both keyboards support Windows and macOS, as noted in their vendor descriptions. The C87 lists Windows and macOS compatibility, while the R87 PRO lists Windows, macOS, and Linux support, making the R87 PRO slightly more versatile for multi-OS users.

The C87 offers an 8K Hz polling rate with 0.125ms response time, which is 8x faster than standard 1000Hz keyboards. The R87 PRO does not specify its polling rate in the provided data, so it likely operates at a standard 1000Hz, making the C87 much faster for competitive gaming.

Both keyboards are very similar in weight: the C87 weighs 770g and the R87 PRO weighs 760g. They also have a similar 80% TKL footprint, so neither is significantly easier to transport than the other. Both are wired, so you'll always need a cable.