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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 9, 2026

Dareu A98 Pro vs Pulsar Xboard MS

Get the Pulsar Xboard MS for knob.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Dareu A98 Pro

Build quality in the top 30% of 98% boards under $200.

Rules this board out

  • Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

Get the

Pulsar Xboard MS

Knob

Build quality in the top 35% of 80% boards under $150.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No numpad.

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.

Dareu A98 Pro

Pulsar Xboard MS

  • Layout size

    98%

    80%

  • Connection

    Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

    Wired

    Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency

  • Case material

    Aluminum, Plastic

    ABS

  • Knob

    No

    Yes

  • Display

    TFT

    None

    A case display rather than a typing feature

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Dareu A98 Pro
  • Pulsar Xboard MS
Performance
49
85
Build quality
70
63
Productivity
87
85
Customizability
74
69
Portability
56
61

What they share

  • Hot-swappable
  • Mount style: Gasket Mount
  • Sound dampening
  • Keycaps: PBT
See every spec side by side

Full specs

Dareu A98 Pro vs Pulsar Xboard MS specs

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

8 of 22 specs differ

Dareu A98 Pro

Pulsar Xboard MS

Typing & switches

Switch options

Linear
—

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
No

Layout

Layout size

98%
80%

Layout standard

ANSI
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

No
Yes

Display

TFT
None

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

—
8,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
Wired only

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum, Plastic
ABS

Plate material

—
Aluminum

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

1,200 g
—

Dimensions

37 x 388 x 139 mm
—

Backlight

RGB
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2022
2025

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.

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