port connectivity



has type c and regular usb. meaning you can add a wired cable to charge or just use with wire. seeing as the model is wifi, i suggest you simply charge it with the cable, and when charged, just remove the wire and use it in wireless. then you won't have the cable dangling.

then when after long time the battery is degraded or dies, you can just switch to cable forever. so for long term you will still be able to use the mkb.



wireless

Before you start, there is the RK wifi usb adapter that is inserted to the top left side of the mkb. Pull that out then insert into a usb port on your desktop pc or laptop you are using the mkb for. This is for the wireless to connect to. Don't lose it.

on the side at the top left of the mkb is a button toggle u can press down or up. pressing down toggles the usb wired mode. toggling up enable the 2.4ghz wireless conection.

as for bluetooth, i found you had to use the knob on the top right of the mkb, press the button, then press on bluetooth. then go to your windows 11 pc, select blue tooth, then click on the RK98 then it will successfully pair.

i tested wired, 2.4ghz and bluetooth, all worked. bluetooth should uses less power, try using that. if you feel it's sluggish, switch to 2.4ghz wireless. i'm testing bluetooth for now.



*update

when not in use the wireless 2.4ghz and bluetooth will go to sleep. If you ever lose connectivity, just using the side top button on the left corner, press upward to quickly reconnect to wireless 2.4ghz



sleep mode


Yes, the keyboard does sleep automatically to save battery.

How the Auto-Sleep Mode Works

    Level 1 (Dimming): After 3 to 5 minutes of inactivity, the RGB backlights will turn off.

    Level 2 (Deep Sleep): After 10 to 15 minutes of inactivity, the keyboard goes into deep sleep mode and disconnects the wireless signal.
    Waking Up: Simply tap any key to wake it up instantly.





Adjustable angles



the bottom underside of the mkb by default you can set it flat as is. it has rubber feet. there actually 3 settings for this. flat, slight tilt, more tilt. all of them have rubber feet so they won't glide on your desk unless you use some heavy force to do so.




Gamer tip

As a gamer sometimes when typing, you MAY accidentally press the windows key then it brings out windows, then you die ingame.... oof.... what to do? Disable the win key. Press FN THEN Win key. Then notice the top left of the mkb there is a light for the win key. If it's on, means win key is disabled.

How to Read the Indicator Light

The bottom-most LED indicator in that vertical stack features a "W" icon or a lock icon.

    LED Light is ON: The Windows key is Disabled / Locked. Pressing it will do nothing (useful during gaming to prevent accidental menu pop-ups).
    LED Light is OFF: The Windows key is Enabled / Unlocked. It will function normally and open your Windows Start Menu.

software

https://en.rkgaming.com/download/1/

rk hub

note: it's recommended to use the wired usb when doing changes via the RK Hub software

You can change the lighting theme using the knob, i didn't find any difficulty. that said, i found even easier with the windows app (rk hub) to select because it shows the name of the effect. also you can change keys as well if you need to.

another thing you can do is upload a image for the mkb screen





the quality looks good. it's actually better than i expected. I don't think the picture does it justice. Trust me it's quite sharp and good as long as the source image you upload isn't low quality of course. It's a tft lcd so you don't have to worry about  burn-in issues.


Apparently it also even supports animated as well rather than just a static image.





open source?[/color]

No, the RK S98 does not support official open-source firmware like QMK, VIA, or Vial.

It relies on a proprietary microcontroller and closed-source wireless firmware to manage its complex hardware combination of the TFT smart screen, media knob, and tri-mode wireless connectivity (Bluetooth/2.4GHz/Wired). Royal Kludge restricts QMK/VIA support exclusively to a few dedicated wired-only models in their lineup.

If you want to configure the keyboard or find open-source alternatives, you have a few distinct options:

1. The Official Software Route
To remap keys, build macros, adjust RGB, or upload custom GIFs to the screen, you must use Royal Kludge's proprietary utilities:

    RK Web Driver: A browser-based layout configuration tool available on the Royal Kludge Official Website. It requires a wired connection and a Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge).
    Windows Desktop Software: A downloadable executable file used primarily for handling custom GIF uploads to the TFT screen.


2. Third-Party Open-Source Web Remappers

While you cannot flash an open-source firmware onto the chip, you can bypass the official clunky software using community-developed, open-source web applications that safely communicate with the default factory firmware:

    Kludge Knight: A completely free, open-source project hosted on GitHub and accessible via KludgeKnight.com. It runs entirely locally in your browser using the WebHID API, allowing you to remap any key and adjust RGB on Windows, Mac, or Linux without installing background drivers. [/color]

Summary of What You Lose
Because the board lacks native QMK/Vial support:

    You cannot configure advanced open-source layout features like Tap-Dance (one key doing different things if tapped vs. held) or multiple complex custom function layers.

    You cannot modify the code structure of the on-screen menu or its tracking fonts.

notes: So though it doesn't do QMK as some would like, there are alternative options that will work for it if this is something you care for. So not an issue at least for me. I just use the default.

lighting effects[/color]


Made a part 3 video to show you the lighting effects i could switch via the knob.

i tend to prefer a minimalist lighting setup. what worked for me that looks pretty was the "reaction" effect. It lights up the exact keys you click, and it changes the color each time u click on the keycaps. you don't get bored when you glimpse it as you are typing

or... you could go for something like effect 3, 6, 11, 17 which will continuously show lighting in a slow wave effect. You can even change the speed, i think the default was 20% for the effect 17. But that may use up more of your battery. Based on specs with rgb off its 200 hours, but with rgb on continuously is 30 hours. Not a problem if you are going wired. With that in mind there really shouldn't be a problem just using whichever you prefer really especially if you use wired.


*update

I'm also liking 3 and 17 for the lighting effects



build quality

Beginning with the chasis, No, the chassis is not metal.

The main case (chassis) of the Royal Kludge RK-S98 is made entirely of durable ABS plastic. However, it is designed with heavy internal sound dampening layers and a solid internal structure that gives it a heavy, premium feel weighing roughly 1.2 kg to 1.8 kg (depending on version packaging), meaning it does not feel cheap or hollow.

The top front faceplate (the upper case frame) of the Royal Kludge RKS98 (RK S98) mechanical keyboard is made of ABS plastic.

While the keyboard uses a premium top-mount structure and a rigid internal positioning plate, the entire outer enclosure—including that top faceplate—is molded from thick, durable plastic to keep the board lightweight and budget-friendly.

Although that may be the case for the upper case frame, when just looking at it, it doesn't look cheap.







It still looks and feels good. Also if you opt for mkbs with a alu metal full body chasis, that doesn't come free, you are paying extra for that. Adds some extra heft so it doesn't shift around sure, but realistically, the current rubber feet has enough grip to hold it in place. Also, it's lighter to pack up and bring with you if you are on the go.

It's more important for the keycaps to be pbt. You won't be pressing your fingerprints on casing, so you don't have to worry about wearing that part out.





Also to highlight that this mkb has custom plate-mounted stabilizers. What does that mean?

Custom plate-mounted stabilizers are specialized mechanical components used to keep wide keyboard keys from wobbling.

Here is exactly how they work and what makes them unique:

How They Work

    The Parts: They consist of plastic housings, stems, and a shaped metal wire.

    The Mount: The plastic housings clip directly into the keyboard's metal or plastic top plate, rather than screwing into the circuit board (PCB).

    The Job: When you press the side of a wide key (like the Spacebar), the wire transfers that downward force equally across the whole keycap so it goes down straight.


What "Custom" Means

In pre-built keyboards like the RK S98, "custom" means the manufacturer modified the standard design to improve performance:

    Tighter Tolerances: The plastic molds are redesigned to fit tighter into the plate, reducing rattling.

    Factory Lubed: Dampening grease is applied inside the housing during assembly to quieten plastic-on-metal ticking.

    Upgraded Stems: The plastic stems often feature internal padding or dampening material to soften the bottom-out sound.

Because stuff like this often gets neglected to be mentioned, i wanted to point this out as this goes to show the build quality of the mkb in this regard.




The RK S98 features a rigid aluminum internal plate paired with an overall exterior housing constructed out of rigid ABS plastic.

The keyboard relies on specific architectural design elements to achieve a sturdy, acoustics-focused typing experience:

Why It Uses a Top-Mount Design

    Top-Mount Layout: The internal aluminum plate is screwed directly into the upper part of the plastic housing. This design creates a stiff and highly consistent typing feel, providing snappy, solid feedback with every stroke.

    Sound Dampening Layers: To control high-pitched internal echo and prevent a hollow case sound, Royal Kludge packs the board with a dense multi-layered sound-absorbing system. This includes a PET insulation sheet, an IXPE switch pad, and Poron case foam.

    Acoustics & Mount: Built with a stable, rigid top-mount design and filled with a dense multi-layer sound-absorbing system (including a PET insulation sheet and IXPE switch pad). Paired with pre-lubed Chartreuse linear switches, this configuration dampens harsh, high-pitched vibrations to provide consistent bottom-out feedback and a surprisingly deep, muted, and creamy sound profile.

The keyboard is surprisingly dense—weighing around 1.2 kg to 1.88 kg depending on the internal configuration—giving it a very premium, planted feel on your desk.





As for cable management, there is none. But really you are not missing much. I've used mkbs in past where they could tuck in the cable but the fitting would be too tight, and it just didn't hide the cables well... since it still has to get under your desk to your desktop either way. If the cabling bothers you simply use wireless. Wired is fine for me, and to make it a cleaner look i have gromet holes on both sides of my desk to funnel the cables through for a cleaner look.



Accessories




In the mkb box, there are these extra accessories. There is a quality keycap puller, a regular key cap puller, the usb cable for wired, and some extra switches for when you need to replace some when they wear out (it will take a very long while to wear, and usually wasd are the first to go for gaming mkbs)

Upon closer inspection actually that wired cable has an adapter to convert the type c to a usb type A via adapter.





Conclusion:


If I were to use a watch analogy, the Royal Kludge RK-S98 feels like a Maurice Lacroix Aikon. As an owner of a Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece 'Cinq Aiguilles' (Reference 27294), I see strong parallels between the two brands. ML is famous among collectors for offering 'luxury on a budget,' making their pieces look far more expensive than they are. RK feels like the mechanical keyboard equivalent. If they continue to compete aggressively on polish, features, and pricing, they will solidify that reputation. Ultimately, the RK-S98 sums up perfectly as something that feels genuinely premium, but on a budget.

My main point here is that when you buy a mechanical keyboard today, you aren't just getting something practical—it also doubles as a collectible. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, otherwise, why have so many people in the community kena MKB poison?  :lol:




I rate out of 5 stars. 1 being worst, 5 being best.


aesthetic - 4.5
only reason it doesn't get a perfect 5 is because there are more expensive keyboards out there. but within this pricing, i would say it's a 5 for sure. Specifically for phantom. But this is very subjective as everyone's sense of aesthetic preference is different.

the top left shows if numlock, capslock, windows keys are active or not. and top right has knob and a screen which you can add a custom image to make it even nicer. And you got the sideprinting legends on keycaps. Overall it gives it a very nice look when you sum up all these things together.

connectivity - 4.5
has everything covered. it even has a special button switch top side left to quickly push up to connect to the 2.4ghz. the only reason why it didn't get a perfect 5, because there was no way to do blue tooth unless you use the knob dial to do so, which is slower to initially connect to than just using that left side switch by pressing upward. Maybe make it press up twice in quick succession to connect to bluetooth? just an idea :hmm:


keycaps - 4.5
doubleshots pbt. ontop of a very nice phantom color theme.


performance - 4.5
No issues. The RK-Charteruse linear switches work well. latency on both 2.4ghz and bluetooth was also fine for gaming.

Well i won 1 game for apex legend with it




sound - 4
not an annoying sound. Also because it's lubed out of the box it sounds good.


build quality - 4
only reason it scored lower is because there do exists mkbs with a metal chasis. But really, the color scheme, doubleshot keycaps, screen, knob, connectivity, switches, pre-lubed, everything considered together, you know the quality is good and it's considered a budget mkb specifically an entry-level to mid-range mkb. So you have to keep in mind you are getting something that looks and feels premium on a budget pricing, hard to complain about that.


value - 4.5
As explained in build quality, it goes without saying, you are getting a lot of value for this price point for an entry-level to mid-range mkb.



Would i recommend this to others? yes, i'm using it and i have no problem recommending it. If you are interested you can click my signature below to go to the shop to buy

What do the layout options look like?

Here is the qmk firmware that I am using for rev2. It is heavily based off the work of Alessio Vescovo - i just used Claude to reconfigure it for the current version of qmk, since the old one did not compile.

All you should have to do is set up qmk and copy the unziped folder into qmk_firmware/keyboards.

Then compile with "qmk compile -kb gh80_3000_r2 -km default".

Looks great! GLWIC