AULA F99 vs Keychron V5 MaxBattery Life vs Firmware Customization
Choose the AULA F99 for superior battery life and a pre-tuned acoustic experience, or the Keychron V5 Max for deep firmware customization and broader layout compatibility.
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4.8 (33)4.8 · 33 reviews
from$63at Epomaker
90-day lowLowest price in 90 days
4.8 (5)4.8 · 5 reviews
from$99at MK
Which one should you get?
Get the
AULA F99
Battery Life
Build quality in the top 40% of 96% boards under $100.
- Large 8000mAh battery for extended wireless use.
- Includes five layers of sound-dampening materials (sandwich foam, IXPE pad, PET film, bottom foam, silicone pad).
- Offers a choice between PC and FR4 plates for different typing feels.
- 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
Keychron V5 Max
Firmware Customization
Build quality in the top 10% of 96% boards under $100.
- Full support for QMK and VIA open-source firmware for deep customization.
- Available in a wide range of ISO layouts (UK, German, Nordic, Spanish, French, Swiss).
- Offers a barebones kit option for custom builds.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Select the AULA F99 if your top priorities are maximum wireless battery life and a pre-built keyboard with extensive sound dampening out of the box. Opt for the Keychron V5 Max if you need extensive key remapping via QMK/VIA, require specific ISO layouts, or plan to build a custom keyboard from a barebones kit. The V5 Max's flexibility justifies its higher cost for enthusiasts.
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 F99
Keychron V5 Max
Rapid trigger
Yes
No
Faster resets help in games and not in normal typing
Battery
8,000 mAh
4,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Case material
ABS, PBT, Plastic
ABS, Plastic
Switch options
Linear
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
- AULA F99
- Keychron V5 Max
- Performance
- 7383
- Build quality
- 7086
- Productivity
- 8697
- Customizability
- 6598
- Portability
- 6253
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The Keychron V5 Max is the more versatile choice for users who prioritize customization, whether for gaming, programming, or creative work, thanks to its software and hardware modding support. The AULA F99 wins for travel and scenarios where its large battery is a primary concern. For general office use, both are competent, offering similar core wireless functionality and layout.
Pick the Keychron V5 Max
- The Keychron V5 Max lists a 1000 Hz polling rate for its 2.4 GHz and wired modes, which is a stated spec for gaming responsiveness.
- It includes a rapid trigger feature, which is listed in its extra features.
- The V5 Max's vendor description mentions a powerful ARM MCU for low latency.
What owners say
Ratings and quotes collected from verified store reviews, including the critical ones.
AULA F99
33 owner reviews
“I am really enjoying using AULA f99! UX is 10/10 The only negative thing is the battery indicator, I find it quite confusing therefore I turned it off alltogether.”
“Good product - poor service. The order wasnt filed and the stock ran out. Then for the replacement item to be filled it took way too long for the order to arrive and complete a customer build.”
Keychron V5 Max
5 owner reviews
“The keys feel smooth and easy as you type. It's probably the best keyboard I've used. I've had a number of mechanical keyboards, but, none of them can compare to the v5 max. The feel of the thing while typing, is hard to not constantly repeat.”
AULA F99 vs Keychron V5 Max specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
16 of 28 specs differ
AULA F99
Keychron V5 Max
Switch options
Rapid trigger
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
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.
AULA F99
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron V5 Max
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
Out of stockShips to you
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-SW
Out of stockDoes not ship to you
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
Prices in USD are converted to your currency and can change at any time. KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
AULA F99 vs Keychron V5 Max: your questions
The AULA F99 has a significantly larger 8000mAh battery, double the capacity of the Keychron V5 Max's 4000mAh battery. This means the AULA F99 will generally require less frequent charging during wireless use.
Yes, but the methods differ. The AULA F99 uses a proprietary driver software for remapping keys and RGB, which its vendor page notes is for Windows. The Keychron V5 Max supports the open-source QMK and VIA firmware, allowing for extensive, cross-platform key remapping and macro creation directly in a browser or via code.
Yes, both the AULA F99 and Keychron V5 Max list Mac and Windows support. The Keychron V5 Max specifically includes a system toggle and an extra set of keycaps for both operating systems.
Both keyboards are hot-swappable, allowing for easy switch changes. The Keychron V5 Max has an advantage for modders as it is also sold as a barebones kit without switches or keycaps, and its vendor description confirms the PCB supports both 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches.
The AULA F99 uses north-facing LEDs (on the top side of the switch), while the Keychron V5 Max uses south-facing LEDs (on the bottom). South-facing LEDs, like on the V5 Max, prevent interference with Cherry-profile and some OEM-profile keycaps, allowing for a wider range of compatible keycaps without binding issues.
Yes, the Keychron V5 Max offers configurations with a knob. Its vendor listing includes 'Fully Assembled Knob' and 'Barebone Knob' as purchase options.
According to its vendor description, the AULA F99 uses five layers of sound-improving materials: sandwich foam, an IXPE switch pad, a PET sound-improving film, bottom foam, and a silicone case pad. This is designed to reduce echo and create a more consistent typing sound.
Yes. The Keychron V5 Max metadata lists support for multiple ISO layouts, including ISO-UK, ISO-DE (German), ISO-Nordic, ISO-ES (Spanish), ISO-FR (French), and ISO-SW (Swiss). This is a key differentiator from the AULA F99, which is listed as ANSI only.
They are very similar in size and weight, both being 96% layout keyboards. The AULA F99 is slightly heavier at 1023g versus 925g for the V5 Max, but its major travel advantage is its 8000mAh battery, which will last longer between charges.
The fully assembled Keychron V5 Max comes with Gateron Jupiter switches. The vendor page lists Jupiter Red (linear), Jupiter Brown (tactile), and Jupiter Banana (tactile) as options, providing more variety than the AULA F99's linear-only pre-built offerings.
The AULA F99 vendor description lists the following in the box: the F99 keyboard, a 2.4G receiver, a switch puller, two spare switches, and a USB Type-C cable.
For the Keychron V5 Max, the vendor-provided specs state a 1000 Hz polling rate for 2.4 GHz and wired modes, and a 90 Hz rate for Bluetooth mode. The AULA F99's product information does not specify its polling rates.
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