Keychron K4 V3 vs Royal Kludge S98 DEQMK or LCD
Choose the Keychron K4 V3 for QMK customization, ISO options, and its stated 1000 Hz polling rate, or the Royal Kludge S98 DE for an LCD, knob, and 2.4 GHz wireless.
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5.0 (4)5.0 · 4 reviews
from$94at Keychron
No reviews
from$109at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron K4 V3
Battery
Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $100.
- QMK and VIA support, with Keychron Launcher for key remapping and macros.
- Listed 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover in wired and wireless modes.
- Available in ISO variants as well as ANSI.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98 DE
Knob
Build quality in the top 45% of 96% boards under $150.
- Three connection modes: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired USB-C.
- Built-in LCD and knob, with vendor-described display and control functions.
- USB pass-through port.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
Pick the Keychron K4 V3 if you want QMK and VIA, ISO layout choices, or a stated 1000 Hz polling rate. Choose the Royal Kludge S98 DE if its LCD, knob, 2.4 GHz wireless, and USB pass-through better fit your setup. Check the layout version before buying, especially if you need ISO.
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 K4 V3
Royal Kludge S98 DE
Connection
Bluetooth, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Wireless for several devices and wired for lower latency
Battery
4,000 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Tray Mount
Top Mount
Knob
No
Yes
- Keychron K4 V3
- Royal Kludge S98 DE
- Performance
- 8268
- Build quality
- 8770
- Productivity
- 9591
- Customizability
- 9679
- Portability
- 5457
- Layout size: 96%
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The K4 V3 has the clearer edge for programming, switch customization, and gaming features documented in its specs. Its lower listed weight also makes it the more portable of these two full-featured 96% boards, although neither is especially compact. Office use is a close call, with the Keychron offering ISO options and the RK offering an LCD and knob. For content creation, the S98 DE's onboard display, controls, and USB pass-through are distinct advantages.
Pick the Keychron K4 V3
- The K4 V3 lists a 1000 Hz polling rate, while the S98 DE does not list a polling rate.
- The K4 V3 supports N-key rollover in both wired and wireless modes.
- Both keyboards offer hot-swappable switches and sound-dampening features.
Keychron K4 V3 vs Royal Kludge S98 DE specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
15 of 27 specs differ
Keychron K4 V3
Royal Kludge S98 DE
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Case 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.
Keychron K4 V3
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-CH
In stockShips to you
Royal Kludge S98 DE
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Compare prices
Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.
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Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.
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Keychron K4 V3 vs Royal Kludge S98 DE: your questions
The Keychron K4 V3 centers on QMK and VIA customization, ISO availability, and a listed 1000 Hz polling rate. The Royal Kludge S98 DE adds an LCD, a knob, 2.4 GHz wireless, and USB pass-through.
The Royal Kludge S98 DE has a built-in LCD. Its vendor says it can display information such as a custom GIF, date, connection mode, layout mode, and battery status.
The S98 DE has a knob for controls including volume and backlight settings. The K4 V3's listed features do not include a knob.
Yes, the K4 V3 lists both QMK and VIA support. Keychron also describes its Launcher web app for key remapping and macros.
Keychron says the K4 V3 can connect wirelessly to up to three devices over Bluetooth, with USB-C wired mode also available. The S98 DE listing describes Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired connectivity.
Yes, the S98 DE supports 2.4 GHz wireless alongside Bluetooth and wired USB-C connections. Its vendor also lists a 2.4G dongle slot.
The Keychron K4 V3 is listed in ISO and ANSI formats, with vendor-described UK, German, Nordic, and Swiss ISO collections. The S98 DE compatibility rule says ISO variants are not offered.
Both product listings include hot-swappable versions. Keychron describes support for many 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches, while the S98 DE vendor describes 3-pin or 5-pin switch installation.
The K4 V3 lists a 1000 Hz polling rate. The S98 DE's listed specifications do not give a polling-rate figure.
The K4 V3 is listed at about 813 g, while the S98 DE is listed at 1879 g. That makes the K4 V3 the lighter option based on the stated weights.
The K4 V3 product listing specifies double-shot PBT keycaps. The S98 DE vendor also lists double-shot PBT keycaps, though the product metadata identifies its material as ABS.
The K4 V3 compatibility rules warn that north-facing LEDs may conflict with Cherry-profile keycaps. With south-facing LEDs, shine-through legends may stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps may clip the LED.
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