Royal Kludge S98 DE vs S98 FR
Choose the S98 FR for its listed 4000 Hz polling and N-key rollover, or the S98 DE for its German QWERTZ layout and listed top-mount construction.
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from$109at Royal Kludge
from$109at Royal Kludge
Which one should you get?
Get the
Royal Kludge S98 DE
Build quality in the top 45% of 96% boards under $150.
- German QWERTZ layout for buyers who prefer that regional key arrangement.
- Top-mount construction is explicitly listed.
Get the
Royal Kludge S98 FR
N-key rollover
Build quality in the bottom 45% of 96% boards under $150.
- Listed 4000 Hz polling rate.
- N-key rollover is explicitly listed.
- French AZERTY layout for buyers who prefer that regional key arrangement.
Get the S98 FR if you want its listed 4000 Hz polling rate, N-key rollover or French AZERTY layout. Choose the S98 DE for German QWERTZ keys or its explicitly listed top-mount construction. For the shared screen, knob, connectivity modes and hot-swap capability, neither listing shows a clear advantage.
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 S98 DE
Royal Kludge S98 FR
N-key rollover
No
Yes
Released
2024
2025
Dimensions
41 x 140 x 41 mm
42 x 409 x 140 mm
- Royal Kludge S98 DE
- Royal Kludge S98 FR
- Performance
- 6885
- Build quality
- 7066
- Productivity
- 9191
- Customizability
- 7979
- Portability
- 5757
- Layout size: 96%
- Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Battery: 3,750 mAh
- Knob
- Display: LCD
What will you mostly use it for?
The S98 FR has the clearer gaming edge on listed polling rate and N-key rollover. For office work, programming, travel, modding and content creation, the listed feature sets are largely aligned, so the regional layout is a useful deciding factor. The DE is the German QWERTZ option, while the FR is the French AZERTY option. Both include a screen, knob, wireless modes and hot-swap support.
Pick the Royal Kludge S98 FR
- The S98 FR lists a 4000 Hz polling rate.
- N-key rollover is listed for the S98 FR.
- The S98 DE lists a top-mount construction and sound-dampening feature.
Royal Kludge S98 DE vs S98 FR specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
3 of 22 specs differ
Royal Kludge S98 DE
Royal Kludge S98 FR
Switch options
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Screw-in stabilizers
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Knob
Display
Connection
Max polling rate
Battery
USB passthrough
USB-C
Keycaps
Weight
Dimensions
Backlight
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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Royal Kludge S98 DE vs S98 FR: your questions
The S98 DE is listed with a German QWERTZ layout and top-mount construction. The S98 FR lists a French AZERTY layout, a 4000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover.
The S98 FR lists a 4000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover, making it the stronger match if those specifications matter to your gaming setup. The S98 DE lists top-mount construction and sound dampening.
Yes, the S98 FR metadata lists a 4000 Hz polling rate. The S98 DE listing does not specify a polling rate.
Both models are listed as hot-swappable. Their vendor descriptions say the boards support 3-pin and 5-pin switches.
The S98 DE is described as German QWERTZ, while the S98 FR is described as French AZERTY. Choose based on the regional key arrangement you use.
Both list Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired connectivity. Their vendor descriptions identify Bluetooth 5.0, a 2.4 GHz dongle connection and USB-C wired mode.
Yes, both list an LCD screen and a knob. The vendor descriptions say the screen can show items such as connection mode and battery status, and the knob can control functions including volume and lighting.
Both models list Mac/Windows support in their metadata. Their vendor descriptions also name additional operating systems, including iOS and Android.
Both are listed as 96% keyboards weighing 1879g. Their vendor descriptions give the same dimensions, 16.1 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches.
Both list hot-swap support and screw-in stabilizers, and both vendor descriptions specify compatibility with 3-pin and 5-pin switches. The DE description also identifies tactile and linear switch options, while the FR description identifies tactile and linear options as well.
Both list USB pass-through and a USB-C port. The vendor descriptions identify one USB 2.0 pass-through port.
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