Royal Kludge F99 vs S98Battery or Smart Display
Choose the F99 for its larger 5000mAh battery, PBT keycaps, and silent-switch option, or the S98 for its TFT display, control knob, and top-mount design.
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from$74at Royal Kludge
from$89at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Royal Kludge F99
Battery
Build quality in the bottom 45% of 96% boards under $100.
- 5000mAh battery, with the vendor listing up to 550 hours of use with RGB off.
- Cherry-profile PBT keycaps.
- A silent-switch option.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98
Knob
Build quality in the top 30% of 96% boards under $100.
- TFT display for showing GIFs, RGB modes, and battery status.
- A knob for adjusting volume, lighting, and connection settings.
- Top-mount construction and four-layer sound-absorbing foam.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the F99 for its larger 5000mAh battery, PBT keycaps, and silent-switch option. Get the S98 for its TFT display, control knob, top-mount construction, and four-layer sound-absorbing foam. Both use south-facing LEDs, so consider another option if shine-through keycap legends are essential.
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.
Royal Kludge F99
Royal Kludge S98
Battery
5,000 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Switch options
Linear, Silent, Tactile
Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Gasket Mount, Top Mount
Knob
No
Yes
Display
None
TFT
A case display rather than a typing feature
- Royal Kludge F99
- Royal Kludge S98
- Performance
- 6165
- Build quality
- 6072
- Productivity
- 7682
- Customizability
- 5972
- Portability
- 5453
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The S98 has the edge for desk-based gaming, office work, programming, modding, and content creation because its display and knob add controls the F99 does not list. Its top-mount option and four-layer sound-absorbing foam also distinguish its construction. The F99 is the more travel-oriented pick of the two, with lower listed weight and a larger battery. Both share south-facing RGB, so neither is a fit for buyers who require illuminated shine-through legends.
Pick the Royal Kludge S98
- The S98 offers a knob for adjusting volume, lighting, and connection settings.
- Its display can show battery status and RGB modes.
- The vendor describes its top-mount design and four-layer foam as supporting stability and reducing noise.
Royal Kludge F99 vs S98 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
8 of 19 specs differ
Royal Kludge F99
Royal Kludge S98
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
Mac & Windows
Released
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Royal Kludge F99 vs S98: your questions
The F99 has a 5000mAh battery, PBT keycaps, and a silent-switch option. The S98 adds a TFT display, a control knob, and top-mount construction.
The F99 has a 5000mAh battery, and its vendor lists up to 550 hours with RGB off. The S98 has a 3750mAh battery and a listed maximum of 200 hours with backlighting off.
Yes, the S98 has a TFT display. Its vendor says it can show GIFs, RGB modes, brightness, and battery status.
Yes, the F99 is listed with linear, tactile, and silent switch options. The S98 is listed with linear and tactile switches.
The F99 is listed at 700g, while the S98 weighs 1879g. The F99 is the lighter choice based on those listed weights.
Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The F99 vendor describes compatibility with 3-pin and 5-pin switches, while the S98 vendor describes switch changes without soldering.
Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity. The vendor descriptions specify Bluetooth 5.0 for both keyboards.
Both use south-facing LEDs, and the compatibility notes say shine-through legends stay dark. Those notes also caution that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LEDs.
The F99 is listed with PBT keycaps, and its vendor specifies Cherry-profile PBT keycaps. The S98 listing includes ABS and PBT, while its vendor tech specification names ABS double-shot keycaps.
Yes, the S98 has a knob for adjusting volume, lighting, and connection settings. The F99's listed features do not include a knob.
The S98 vendor describes four layers of sound-absorbing foam and says its construction reduces noise. The F99 has three layers of internal padding and offers a silent-switch option.
Yes, USB pass-through is listed for both keyboards. The S98 vendor also describes a Type-C port and a 2.4G dongle slot.
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