Royal Kludge M87 vs N80
Choose the M87 for its 7500mAh battery, gasket mount, and PBT keycaps, or the N80 for its low-profile switches and USB pass-through.
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from$89at Royal Kludge
from$89at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Royal Kludge M87
Battery
Build quality in the top 35% of 80% boards under $100.
- 7500mAh battery and 840g listed weight.
- Gasket mount with five layers of internal sound-absorbing material.
- PBT keycaps and hot-swap support for 3-pin and 5-pin switches.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the
Royal Kludge N80
Build quality in the bottom 45% of 75% boards under $100.
- Low-profile switch options, including linear and tactile types.
- USB pass-through port for connecting another USB device.
- Knob controls volume, connection modes, and RGB settings.
- Low-profile switches and keycaps only. Standard MX keycaps will not fit.
- No numpad.
Get the M87 if you want its larger 7500mAh battery, gasket mount, PBT keycaps, or compatibility with both 3-pin and 5-pin switches. Choose the N80 for low-profile switches and its USB pass-through port, while keeping in mind its low-profile-only switch and keycap requirement.
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 M87
Royal Kludge N80
Layout size
80%
75%
Battery
7,500 mAh
3,750 mAh
A larger battery means fewer cables during the day
Low profile
No
Yes
Switch options
Linear
Linear, Tactile
Mount style
Gasket Mount
Top Mount
- Royal Kludge M87
- Royal Kludge N80
- Performance
- 6565
- Build quality
- 6862
- Productivity
- 8382
- Customizability
- 7872
- Portability
- 8579
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Knob
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The M87 has an edge for office use, travel, and switch or keycap customization, mainly through its larger battery, lower listed weight, and broader switch compatibility. The N80 is a more suitable pick when a low-profile keyboard and USB pass-through matter more. Gaming is a close choice because the M87 has a gasket mount and linear switches, while the N80 offers low-profile switches and a top-mounted structure. Both include compact layouts, knobs, screens, and wireless modes, so neither offers a numpad.
It's a tie
- The M87 has a gasket mount and pre-lubed linear cream switches, according to Royal Kludge.
- The N80 is offered with low-profile linear or tactile switches, and its vendor describes the shorter actuation distance as suited to gaming.
- Both support 2.4 GHz wireless and wired USB-C connections.
Royal Kludge M87 vs N80 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
12 of 22 specs differ
Royal Kludge M87
Royal Kludge N80
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Low profile
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Media keys
Connection
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Case material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
Mac & Windows
Released
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Royal Kludge M87 vs N80: your questions
The M87 has a gasket mount, PBT keycaps, and a 7500mAh battery. The N80 is a low-profile keyboard with a USB pass-through port and a 3750mAh battery.
The M87 has the larger battery capacity at 7500mAh, compared with 3750mAh for the N80. Royal Kludge claims up to 400 hours with RGB off for the M87 and up to 115 hours for the N80, though those figures use the vendor’s stated test conditions.
No. The N80 requires low-profile switches and keycaps, and standard MX keycaps will not fit.
The M87 has Cherry-profile PBT keycaps, but its south-facing LEDs can leave shine-through legends dark. Royal Kludge also warns that some sculpted keycaps may clip the LED.
The M87 supports 3-pin and 5-pin switches, giving switch replacement more flexibility. The N80 is hot-swappable with RK low-profile switches, so its replacement options are restricted to that profile.
Both offer Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired USB-C connectivity. The M87 vendor specifies Bluetooth 5.1, while the N80 vendor specifies Bluetooth 5.0.
The M87 weighs 840g, and the N80 weighs 1200g. The M87 is the lighter option based on those listed weights.
Yes. The N80 has a USB pass-through port, which Royal Kludge describes as a way to connect another USB device. The M87’s listed features do not include USB pass-through.
Royal Kludge describes the M87 as equipped with pre-lubed linear cream switches. Its hot-swap PCB supports 3-pin and 5-pin switches.
The vendor lists low-profile linear and tactile switch options for the N80. The product specifications also identify red and brown switch choices.
No. The M87’s 80% layout and the N80’s 75% layout both omit a numpad.
The M87 has PBT keycaps, specifically described by Royal Kludge as Cherry profile. The N80 uses ABS double-shot keycaps.
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