AULA F99 Max vs Royal Kludge S98
Choose the AULA F99 Max for its larger battery and detailed five-layer gasket build, or the Royal Kludge S98 if its USB pass-through matters more.
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4.5 · 2 reviews
from$99at Epomaker
No reviews
from$89at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
AULA F99 Max
Battery
Build quality in the top 40% of 96% boards under $100.
- 8,000mAh battery, compared with the S98's 3,750mAh capacity.
- Vendor-described gasket mount with five sound-dampening layers, including IXPE, foam, silicone, and PET.
- PBT keycaps listed in the product metadata.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98
Build quality in the top 30% of 96% boards under $100.
- Built-in USB 2.0 pass-through port alongside the Type-C port.
- Vendor describes a top-mount design paired with four layers of sound-absorbing foam.
- PBT double-shot keycaps are listed by the vendor.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Pick the AULA F99 Max if battery capacity, lower listed weight, and its documented five-layer gasket build are priorities. Choose the Royal Kludge S98 if you would use its USB pass-through port or prefer its vendor-described top-mount and four-layer foam setup. Both provide the same broad 96% format and tri-mode connectivity.
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 Max
Royal Kludge S98
Battery
8,000 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Switch options
Linear
Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount, Top Mount
Weight
1,175 g
1,879 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
Keycaps
PBT
ABS, PBT
- AULA F99 Max
- Royal Kludge S98
- Performance
- 6766
- Build quality
- 6972
- Productivity
- 8482
- Customizability
- 7472
- Portability
- 6353
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Knob
- Display: TFT
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The F99 Max takes the edge for gaming, programming, travel, modding, and content creation, mainly through its stated polling rate, larger battery, lighter listed weight, and more detailed switch and sound customization information. The S98 is the office pick when a built-in USB pass-through port and its specified four-layer foam are useful. For either board, the 96% layout preserves a numpad while taking less space than a full-size keyboard. Both share tri-mode connectivity, a TFT display, a knob, hot-swappable switches, and south-facing RGB.
Pick the AULA F99 Max
- The F99 Max lists a 1000 Hz polling rate, while the S98 listing does not give a polling-rate figure.
- The F99 Max vendor describes full anti-ghosting and low-latency 2.4 GHz play.
- Both keyboards offer wired and 2.4 GHz connections and hot-swappable switches.
AULA F99 Max vs Royal Kludge S98 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
8 of 22 specs differ
AULA F99 Max
Royal Kludge S98
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
Mac & Windows
Released
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AULA F99 Max vs Royal Kludge S98: your questions
The AULA F99 Max stands out for its 8,000mAh battery, lower listed weight, and specified five-layer gasket sound system. The Royal Kludge S98 adds a built-in USB pass-through port and its vendor describes four layers of sound-absorbing foam.
The AULA F99 Max has an 8,000mAh battery, while the Royal Kludge S98 has a 3,750mAh battery. A larger capacity does not by itself establish exact runtime, which depends on how the keyboard is used.
The Royal Kludge S98 has a built-in USB 2.0 pass-through port. The AULA F99 Max vendor description lists USB-C connectivity but does not describe a pass-through port.
Both support Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired use. The AULA F99 Max vendor says it can connect across up to five devices, while the S98 vendor lists tri-mode connectivity.
The AULA F99 Max is listed at 1,175g, while the Royal Kludge S98 is listed at 1,879g. That makes the F99 Max the lighter of these two keyboards, though both remain substantial boards.
Both are listed as hot-swappable. The F99 Max vendor specifically identifies support for 3-pin and 5-pin mechanical switches, while the S98 descriptions identify its switches as hot-swappable.
The F99 Max vendor describes a five-layer system using materials including IXPE, foam, silicone, and PET, paired with a gasket mount. Royal Kludge describes four layers of sound-absorbing foam and a top-mount design for the S98.
Both are listed as 96% keyboards, and the F99 Max vendor describes its compact 99-key 1800 layout as including a numpad. The S98 vendor describes its 96-key format as a compact full-size layout.
Yes, vendor descriptions for both keyboards mention GIF display support on the TFT screen. The F99 Max screen also shows time, battery, and status, while the S98 screen can show RGB modes, brightness, and battery status.
Both keyboards have south-facing LEDs, and their compatibility notes warn that shine-through legends stay dark. Some sculpted keycaps can also clip the LEDs, so check keycap fit before buying a replacement set.
The AULA F99 Max metadata lists a 1000 Hz polling rate. The Royal Kludge S98 listing does not provide a polling-rate figure for this keyboard.
Both have Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless options, but their listed weights are 1,175g for the F99 Max and 1,879g for the S98. The F99 Max is lighter and has the larger battery, while neither is described as a compact travel keyboard.
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