Royal Kludge R65 vs RK68Aluminum or Plastic Case
Choose the R65 for its aluminum case, gasket mount and QMK/VIA support, or the RK68 if its listed switch variety is your priority.
Which one should you get?
Get the
Royal Kludge R65
Knob
- Aluminum case and gasket mount.
- PBT keycaps and linear switches.
- QMK and VIA support, plus knob support.
- The listed switch type is linear, unlike the RK68's broader set of listed switch types.
- No battery capacity is listed for the R65.
- The R65 weighs 580g, so it is not substantially lighter than the RK68.
Get the
Royal Kludge RK68
- Listed switch types include clicky, tactile, linear and silent.
- 1450mAh battery capacity is listed.
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connectivity.
- Plastic case rather than the R65's aluminum case.
- No QMK, VIA or knob support is listed for the RK68.
- Keycap materials are listed as ABS and PBT, rather than PBT alone.
Pick the Royal Kludge R65 if you value an aluminum case, gasket mount and explicit QMK/VIA support, especially for customization. Choose the RK68 if its listed switch variety or 1450mAh battery is more important to you. Both provide a compact layout, hot-swap support and multiple connection modes.
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 R65
Royal Kludge RK68
Case material
Aluminum
Plastic
Switch options
Linear
Clicky, Linear, Silent, Tactile
Knob
Yes
No
Weight
580 g
600 g
QMK
Yes
No
- Royal Kludge R65
- Royal Kludge RK68
- Performance
- 6655
- Build quality
- 8450
- Productivity
- 8970
- Customizability
- 8959
- Portability
- 8586
- Layout size: 65%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Sound dampening
What will you mostly use it for?
The R65 leads for programming, modding and content creation on the strength of its QMK/VIA support, gasket mount and knob. It also gets the gaming and office picks, with the caveat that the RK68 lists more switch types. Travel is a close call: their layouts and wireless options are similar, and their listed weights are close. Both offer hot-swap and sound dampening.
Pick the Royal Kludge R65
- Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connectivity, but the R65 has a gasket mount.
- The R65 vendor description specifies hot-swappable linear Cream switches and five layers of noise-dampening materials.
- The R65 supports QMK/VIA; no equivalent firmware support is listed for the RK68.
Royal Kludge R65 vs RK68 specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
9 of 21 specs differ
Royal Kludge R65
Royal Kludge RK68
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Battery
USB-C
Case material
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
QMK
VIA
Mac & Windows
Released
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Royal Kludge R65 vs RK68: your questions
The R65 has an aluminum case, gasket mount, PBT keycaps and QMK/VIA support. The RK68 has a plastic case, a listed 1450mAh battery and a wider selection of listed switch types.
The R65 has an aluminum case. The RK68 has a plastic case.
The R65 lists both QMK and VIA support. The RK68's vendor description mentions DIY software support, but its specifications do not list QMK or VIA.
Both keyboards are listed as hot-swappable. The R65 vendor description says its PCB supports 3-pin and 5-pin switches.
The RK68 specifications list clicky, tactile, linear and silent switch types. The R65 is listed with linear switches, and its vendor description names a linear Cream switch.
Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connectivity. The RK68 vendor description also discusses switching among connected devices, but that feature is not listed for the R65.
The RK68 lists a 1450mAh battery. The R65's listed specifications do not include a battery capacity.
The R65 is listed at 580g, and the RK68 at 600g. Their listed weights are close, with the R65 lower.
The R65 lists knob support, and the vendor description specifies an aluminum volume knob. The RK68 does not list a knob.
Both the R65 and RK68 list RGB lighting in their specifications. The RK68 vendor page describes a single-blue-backlit version, so check the specific version before buying.
Both are listed as 65% ANSI keyboards. The RK68 vendor description also identifies 68 keys and standalone arrow and control keys.
The R65 has hot-swap support, a gasket mount, QMK/VIA support and a vendor-listed PCB compatible with 3-pin and 5-pin switches. The RK68 is also hot-swappable, but its listing does not specify QMK or VIA support.
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