Keychron V1 Max vs Royal Kludge R87 PROISO or TKL
Get the Keychron V1 Max for ISO layout choices, multiple switch types, and its polycarbonate plate, or the Royal Kludge R87 PRO for its 80% layout and larger 6000mAh battery.
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4.9 (14)4.9 · 14 reviews
from$94at MK
No reviews
from$64at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Keychron V1 Max
Build quality in the top 5% of 75% boards under $100.
- Polycarbonate plate with a gasket mount design.
- Listed switch choices include linear, tactile, and clicky types.
- Available in listed ISO variants as well as ANSI.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the
Royal Kludge R87 PRO
Battery
Build quality in the top 20% of 80% boards under $100.
- 6000mAh battery.
- 80% layout.
- Vendor-listed pre-lubed linear creamy switches with a 45±10g actuation force and 3.4±0.4mm travel distance.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
- No numpad.
Choose the Keychron V1 Max for its polycarbonate plate, multiple listed switch types, ISO layout availability, and specified 1000 Hz polling rate. Choose the Royal Kludge R87 PRO for its 80% layout, larger 6000mAh battery, and vendor-listed pre-lubed linear creamy switches. Both list hot-swap support, QMK/VIA, and a knob, so those shared features are not deciding factors.
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 V1 Max
Royal Kludge R87 PRO
Layout size
75%
80%
Battery
4,000 mAh
6,000 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Case material
ABS, Plastic
Plastic
Switch options
Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear
Mount style
Gasket Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
- Keychron V1 Max
- Royal Kludge R87 PRO
- Performance
- 8383
- Build quality
- 8678
- Productivity
- 9793
- Customizability
- 9891
- Portability
- 7885
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Knob
- QMK
- VIA
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The V1 Max has the edge for buyers who value layout choice, component options, and its specified polling rate. The R87 PRO is the more suitable pick when battery capacity and a slightly lower listed weight matter more. Office and programming preferences may depend on whether you want the V1 Max's 75% layout or the R87 PRO's 80% layout. Both support QMK/VIA and hot-swappable switches, so those features do not separate them.
Pick the Keychron V1 Max
- The V1 Max specifies a 1000 Hz polling rate, which is a concrete gaming-focused feature.
- Its listed switch options include linear, tactile, and clicky types.
- The R87 PRO offers a 6000mAh battery, useful if battery capacity is a priority.
Keychron V1 Max vs Royal Kludge R87 PRO specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
11 of 27 specs differ
Keychron V1 Max
Royal Kludge R87 PRO
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-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 V1 Max
- Go to Keychron
Keychron
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW
Out of stockShips to you
- Go to Keychron (DE)
Keychron (DE)
ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-FR, ISO-ES, ISO-IT, ISO-SW, ISO-PT
In stockDoes not ship to you
Royal Kludge R87 PRO
No ISO layout at the stores we track.
Keychron V1 Max vs Royal Kludge R87 PRO: your questions
The Royal Kludge R87 PRO is listed with a 6000mAh battery. The Keychron V1 Max is listed with a 4000mAh battery.
Yes. Its listed layout options include ISO variants such as ISO-DE, ISO-UK, Nordic, Swiss, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, alongside ANSI. The R87 PRO is listed as ANSI only.
The R87 PRO is listed with an ANSI layout, and its compatibility notes exclude ISO layouts. For an ISO layout, the V1 Max lists several ISO variants.
The Keychron V1 Max is listed with a polycarbonate plate. The R87 PRO listing does not specify a plate material.
The V1 Max is listed at 1000 Hz. Its product description specifies 1000 Hz for wired and 2.4 GHz modes, and 90 Hz in Bluetooth mode.
Both are listed as hot-swappable. The V1 Max vendor description says its PCB supports 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches.
Yes. QMK and VIA support are listed for both the V1 Max and the R87 PRO.
The V1 Max is listed with linear, tactile, and clicky switch types, and its vendor listing names Gateron Jupiter Red, Brown, and Banana options. The R87 PRO is listed with linear switches, described by its vendor as pre-lubed creamy switches.
Neither has a numpad, according to their compatibility notes. The V1 Max is listed as 75%, while the R87 PRO is listed as 80%.
Both have south-facing LEDs, and their compatibility notes say shine-through legends stay dark. The notes also warn that some sculpted keycaps can clip the LEDs.
The R87 PRO is listed at 760g, while the V1 Max is listed at 770g. The difference in listed weight is 10g.
Yes. The R87 PRO has a removable metal knob that the vendor describes as a volume control, with rotation for volume and a press for mute. The V1 Max also lists knob support.
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