Ducky Shiba Says One 2 vs Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
Choose the Ducky Shiba Says One 2 for its range of clicky, tactile, linear, and silent switch options and Shiba Says keycaps; choose the Varmilo Minilo98 Pro for wireless connections, hot-swap switches, and QMK/VIA support.
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Ducky Shiba Says One 2
Build quality in the bottom 30% of 100% boards under $150.
- Shiba Says collaboration details include 12 unique Shiba Says R4 keycaps and two collectible card stickers.
- Vendor-listed switch choices include Cherry MX Brown, Blue, Red, Silver, and Silent Red.
- Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Get the
Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
Hall effect
Build quality in the top 5% of 98% boards under $200.
- Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless modes alongside wired USB-C connectivity.
- Hot-swappable magnetic-switch sockets and QMK/VIA support.
- Gasket mount with a PC plate, Poron foam layers, an IXPE switch pad, a PET sound dampener, and bottom silicone.
- 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.
- Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.
Get the Ducky Shiba Says One 2 for its range of Cherry MX switch choices and Shiba Says-themed keycaps, features the Varmilo does not offer. Get the Varmilo Minilo98 Pro for Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless, hot-swap magnetic switches, and QMK/VIA support, features absent from the Ducky. Choose the Ducky if you need ISO, standard MX hot-swap, or wireless, look elsewhere, as neither board meets every one of those needs.
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.
Ducky Shiba Says One 2
Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
Layout size
100%
98%
Hall effect (magnetic)
No
Yes
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Connection
Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Hot-swappable
No
Yes
Switch changes without soldering
Case material
Plastic
Copper, Metal, Plastic
- Ducky Shiba Says One 2
- Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
- Performance
- 6285
- Build quality
- 4781
- Productivity
- 6188
- Customizability
- 5989
- Portability
- 4555
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The Varmilo leads in most use cases because it combines wireless modes with hot-swap and QMK/VIA support, and its listed gaming features are more explicit. Its compact full-size layout keeps a numpad while using less space, though it weighs 1000 g. The Ducky is more appealing when choosing among multiple switch types or seeking its Shiba Says-themed keycaps. The Varmilo's magnetic-switch-only sockets and compact layout are important constraints to check first.
Pick the Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
- The Varmilo supports a 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover.
- Its 2.4 GHz and wired modes are listed at 1000 Hz by the manufacturer.
- The Ducky is wired-only and does not list a polling rate.
Ducky Shiba Says One 2 vs Varmilo Minilo98 Pro specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
14 of 25 specs differ
Ducky Shiba Says One 2
Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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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Check price
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Ducky Shiba Says One 2
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Varmilo Minilo98 Pro
- Go to Varmilo
Varmilo
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockShips to you
Ducky Shiba Says One 2 vs Varmilo Minilo98 Pro: your questions
No. Its listed connectivity is wired only, using USB-C. For Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless modes, the Varmilo Minilo98 Pro has both.
Yes. The Varmilo supports Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired USB-C connections. Its vendor specifications identify Bluetooth 5.0.
The Varmilo Minilo98 Pro is hot-swappable, but its sockets accept magnetic switches only. The Ducky's switches are soldered, so changing them requires soldering.
No. Its hot-swap sockets are for magnetic switches, and standard MX switches will not fit. Check switch type before buying replacement switches.
No. The Ducky is listed as ANSI, with no ISO variants offered. The Varmilo Minilo98 Pro is listed with ANSI and several ISO layouts.
Yes. Its compact 98% layout includes a numpad, though it does not retain the gaps of a full-size layout. The Ducky is a 100% full-size keyboard.
The Varmilo Minilo98 Pro lists both QMK and VIA support. Its vendor says these can be used for key remapping and creating macros, shortcuts, and key combinations.
The Varmilo is listed with silent switches, and its vendor offers Kailh Prestige Silent switches. The Ducky has a Silent Red option among its listed switch choices, but also offers clicky switches.
Its north-facing LEDs can cause Cherry-profile keycaps to hit the switch housing. The Ducky vendor lists MDA-profile PBT keycaps for the supplied keycaps.
Its south-facing LEDs mean shine-through legends stay dark. The compatibility notes also warn that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
The vendor describes 12 unique Shiba Says R4 keycaps and side-printed Mandarin phonetic symbols. It also lists MDA-profile PBT dye-sub keycaps and two collectible Shiba Says card stickers.
The Varmilo offers Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz modes, so it can be used without a wired connection. It weighs 1000 g, and its compact full-size layout keeps a numpad, so it is not a particularly small keyboard.
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