Keychron C2 Pro vs Royal Kludge X104QMK vs Knob
Get the Keychron C2 Pro for QMK remapping and 8,000 Hz polling, or the Royal Kludge X104 for its detachable aluminum knob and five-layer sound dampening.
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4.9 (14)4.9 · 14 reviews
from$64at MK
No reviews
from$64at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron C2 Pro
QMK
Build quality in the top 15% of 100% boards under $100.
- Polling rates up to 8,000 Hz.
- QMK and VIA support for remapping and macros.
- Available in ISO variants and with linear, tactile, or clicky switch options.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Royal Kludge X104
Knob
Build quality in the bottom 40% of 100% boards under $100.
- Detachable aluminum knob for volume adjustment.
- Vendor-described five-layer sound dampening.
- Pre-lubed linear switches and listed media keys.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Choose the Keychron C2 Pro for its 8,000 Hz polling, QMK and VIA customization, and ISO layout options. Choose the Royal Kludge X104 for its detachable aluminum knob, five-layer sound dampening, and pre-lubed linear switches.
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.
Keychron C2 Pro
Royal Kludge X104
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear
Knob
No
Yes
Weight
975 g
1,350 g
Heavier boards stay planted and lighter ones travel
QMK
Yes
No
The deep option when you want to remap every key
VIA
Yes
No
GUI remapping without compiling firmware
- Keychron C2 Pro
- Royal Kludge X104
- Performance
- 9079
- Build quality
- 8152
- Productivity
- 9584
- Customizability
- 8867
- Portability
- 4545
- Layout size: 100%
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The C2 Pro has the clearest advantage for gaming, programming, and switch or firmware customization, particularly for buyers who want high polling, QMK, or non-ANSI layouts. The X104's physical knob gives it a practical control advantage for volume-focused desk setups. Office use is a split: the C2 Pro offers programmable key behavior, while the X104 emphasizes sound dampening and direct volume control. Neither is especially suited to travel, given their wired-only, full-size designs.
Pick the Keychron C2 Pro
- The C2 Pro supports polling rates up to 8,000 Hz.
- It offers linear, tactile, and clicky switch options, while the X104 is listed with linear switches.
Keychron C2 Pro vs Royal Kludge X104 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
10 of 25 specs differ
Keychron C2 Pro
Royal Kludge X104
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Typing angle
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.
ISO layouts by store
Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.
Keychron C2 Pro
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-FR, ISO-ES
In stockDoes not ship to you
Royal Kludge X104
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron C2 Pro vs Royal Kludge X104: your questions
The C2 Pro supports polling rates up to 8,000 Hz, while the X104's listed features include N-key rollover and linear switches. The C2 Pro is the more suitable pick if high polling and a choice of linear, tactile, or clicky switches matter to you.
Yes, the C2 Pro lists QMK and VIA support. Keychron describes using its Launcher web app to remap keys and set up macros.
Yes, the X104 has a detachable aluminum knob that its vendor describes as a volume control. The knob can also be removed according to the product description.
The C2 Pro is listed in ISO variants, including ISO-DE, ISO-ES, and ISO-FR. The X104 is ANSI only, so it does not offer ISO-DE, UK, or other ISO layouts.
Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The C2 Pro's vendor description specifies support for 3-pin and 5-pin switches, and the X104's description also lists 3-pin and 5-pin switch support.
The X104 is described by its vendor as having five-layer sound dampening intended to reduce typing noise. The C2 Pro also has sound-absorbing foam, EPDM foam, and a silicone bottom pad, but neither product description provides a direct noise measurement.
The C2 Pro's south-facing LEDs are paired with non-shine-through PBT keycaps in Keychron's description. Its compatibility note cautions that shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LEDs.
Both are listed as full-size, 100% keyboards. The X104 vendor description specifically identifies it as a 104-key layout with a number pad.
The Keychron C2 Pro is listed at 975 g, while the Royal Kludge X104 is listed at 1,350 g. Both are full-size wired keyboards.
The C2 Pro is listed with linear, tactile, and clicky switch types. The X104 is listed with linear switches, including vendor-described pre-lubed linear options.
Both the C2 Pro and X104 are listed as wired-only keyboards. Each has USB-C connectivity listed.
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