AULA F99 vs Royal Kludge S98Battery Life vs Screen & Knob

The AULA F99 has a significantly larger 8000mAh battery compared to the Royal Kludge S98's 3750mAh battery. This gives the F99 a substantial advantage in wireless runtime, meaning it will require less frequent charging during daily use.

Yes, the Royal Kludge S98 features a multifunctional control knob. According to the manufacturer, this knob can be used to adjust volume, lighting, and connection settings with a simple twist or click.

The AULA F99 uses a gasket mount, where the plate is suspended by rubber or silicone gaskets to dampen vibrations and create a softer, more flexible typing feel. The Royal Kludge S98 uses a top mount, where the plate is fixed to the top of the case, generally resulting in a firmer, more consistent typing experience.

Yes, both keyboards are hot-swappable. This means you can change the mechanical switches without any soldering, using a simple switch puller tool. This allows for easy customization of the typing feel and sound.

The Royal Kludge S98 may have an advantage for quiet environments as it offers silent switch options directly from the factory. The AULA F99, according to its vendor page, includes extensive sound dampening foams but is only listed with linear switches, which are not inherently silent.

South-facing RGB refers to the orientation of the LED on the switch. On the RK S98, the LED is on the south side (bottom) of the switch housing. This placement prevents interference with Cherry-profile and other sculpted keycaps, allowing for proper keycap fit and better light diffusion through shine-through legends.

Based on a customer review for the S98, the USB passthrough port only functions when the keyboard is connected via the included USB-C cable. It does not provide power or data transfer when the keyboard is in Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless mode.

The AULA F99 includes a keyboard, 2.4G receiver, switch puller, two spare switches, and a USB-C cable. The Royal Kludge S98 includes the keyboard, a USB-C cable, a combined keycap and switch puller, and a user manual.

Both are well-suited for typing and programming due to their 96% layout, which includes a numpad and arrow keys while saving space. The hot-swap capability allows you to install your preferred tactile or linear switches. The choice between the F99's gasket flex and the S98's top-mount stability comes down to personal typing preference.

The AULA F99 is more portable. It weighs 1023 grams, which is over 800 grams lighter than the 1879-gram Royal Kludge S98. While both have similar footprints, the F99's significantly lower weight makes it much easier to carry in a bag.

Yes, both the AULA F99 and Royal Kludge S98 list Mac support in their extra features. The RK S98 vendor page explicitly lists compatibility with Mac, iOS, Android, and multiple Windows versions.