Royal Kludge C98 HE vs Keychron C2 Pro
Choose the C98 HE for magnetic Hall Effect gaming features, or the C2 Pro for standard MX switch flexibility and QMK programming.
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No reviews
from$89at Royal Kludge
4.9 · 14 reviews
from$64at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
Royal Kludge C98 HE
Hall effect
Build quality in the bottom 25% of 96% boards under $100.
- Hall Effect magnetic switches with adjustable actuation from 0.01 mm to 3.5 mm, according to the vendor.
- Rapid Trigger feature with a listed 0.01 mm step distance.
- Compact 96% layout retains the numpad, and the vendor describes a dedicated knob control.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- 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.
Get the
Keychron C2 Pro
Build quality in the top 15% of 100% boards under $100.
- 100% full-size layout with ANSI and ISO variants listed in the metadata.
- Hot-swappable support for 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches.
- QMK and VIA support, with the Keychron Launcher web app described for remapping and macros.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Pick the Royal Kludge C98 HE if adjustable Hall Effect actuation and Rapid Trigger are central to your gaming setup, and you are comfortable using magnetic-only switches. Choose the Keychron C2 Pro for standard MX switch swaps, QMK/VIA customization and a conventional full-size layout. Both are wired and list 8000 Hz polling, so those features should not drive the decision.
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.
Royal Kludge C98 HE
Keychron C2 Pro
Layout size
96%
100%
Hall effect (magnetic)
Yes
No
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Rapid trigger
Yes
No
Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing
Switch options
Magnetic
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Knob
Yes
No
- Royal Kludge C98 HE
- Keychron C2 Pro
- Performance
- 9590
- Build quality
- 5281
- Productivity
- 8494
- Customizability
- 6788
- Portability
- 4545
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Max polling rate: 8,000 Hz
- Sound dampening
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The C98 HE is the clearer gaming choice because its Hall Effect switches and Rapid Trigger distinguish it from a conventional mechanical board. The C2 Pro takes office, programming, modding and content-creation use cases through its full-size layout and broader standard-switch customization. Travel is a close call: the Keychron weighs less, but both are wired-only and substantial full-size-style keyboards. Buyers should prioritize magnetic gaming behavior or flexible MX-style customization.
Pick the Royal Kludge C98 HE
- Hall Effect magnetic switches support adjustable actuation from 0.01 mm to 3.5 mm.
- Rapid Trigger is a named feature, with a 0.01 mm step distance in the vendor description.
- The C98 HE has an 8000 Hz polling rate, as does the C2 Pro, so polling rate alone does not separate them.
Royal Kludge C98 HE vs Keychron C2 Pro specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
13 of 27 specs differ
Royal Kludge C98 HE
Keychron C2 Pro
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Royal Kludge C98 HE
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron C2 Pro
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockDoes not ship to you
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
Royal Kludge C98 HE vs Keychron C2 Pro: your questions
The C98 HE is the more gaming-oriented option, with Hall Effect switches, adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger. Both models list an 8000 Hz polling rate, so the key difference is the C98 HE's magnetic switch features.
Yes, Rapid Trigger is listed as a C98 HE feature. Royal Kludge describes a 0.01 mm Rapid Trigger step distance and adjustable actuation from 0.01 mm to 3.5 mm.
No, the C98 HE uses magnetic switch sockets and supports magnetic switches only. The compatibility rules specify that standard MX switches will not fit.
Yes, the C2 Pro supports hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches. Keychron names Cherry, Gateron, Kailh and Panda among compatible switch examples.
The C2 Pro metadata lists both QMK support and VIA support. Keychron also describes its Launcher web app for remapping keys and creating macros.
No, both models are listed as wired-only. Each includes USB-C connectivity in the product metadata.
Both keyboards include a numpad. The C98 HE uses a compact 96% layout, while the C2 Pro is listed as a 100% full-size layout.
The C2 Pro metadata lists ISO-DE, ISO-ES, ISO-FR, ISO and ANSI layout options. The C98 HE compatibility rules say ISO layouts are not offered.
Both use south-facing lighting, and both compatibility rules warn that shine-through legends stay dark. Keychron specifically describes the C2 Pro's OSA double-shot PBT keycaps as not shine-through.
The Keychron C2 Pro is listed at 975 g, while the Royal Kludge C98 HE weighs 1200 g. Both are wired keyboards with full-size-style layouts, so neither is positioned as a compact travel board.
The Keychron C2 Pro has broader switch replacement support, accepting hot-swappable 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches. The C98 HE's hot-swap support is limited to RK magnetic switches.
Yes, the metadata lists an 8000 Hz polling rate for both the C98 HE and C2 Pro. The C98 HE's distinguishing gaming features are its Hall Effect switches and Rapid Trigger, rather than a higher polling rate.
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