RK ROYAL KLUDGE RK84 Wireless Bluetooth/2.4Ghz 80% RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Three Modes Connectable Keyboard with Hot-Swappable Tactile Brown Switch
DIY Software Supports
Find the appropriate software version according to the S/N code on the back of the keyboard.
bit.ly/RK84_RGB_SW_220210
(Updated Date, 20220210)
Note: Please run the software in wired mode
Reply within 24-hour Customer Care
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Package List
| Detachable Pad FootThe tested comfortable Ergonomic 8°angle might not meet every users’ need, so we give them another option to choose. Add a magnetic pad foot or not, is up to your definition of comfort. | Diverse RGB Backlit21 onboard RGB backlit modes selectable for your different playing needs. 5 levels of brightness and flowing speed adjustable for any cases. Lights up and enjoy your own RGB vibe. |
| Weight: | 1.04 kg |
| Dimensions: | 35.1 x 17.3 x 5.5 cm; 1.04 Kilograms |
| Brand: | RK ROYAL KLUDGE |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | Yes |
| Manufacture: | RK ROYAL KLUDGE |
| Colour: | Black |
| Reference: | 480380920 |
This is my main keyboard for everyday use and my gaming. I really love how heavy this keyboard is, compared to the old one I like this weight. Cable and Bluetooth/dongle options are really great, I can just yank the cable out and turn my wireless on and cuddle up in my bed. One thing I hate about the Bluetooth/dongle option is it will go on sleep mode to save the battery, so it has a few seconds of delay once you start typing in. It’s hot-swappable, nice. I can take the outer shell to paint it or just leave it off, nice. I really love this keyboard but maybe they should’ve mixed it with a few different color keycaps because white keycaps are noticeable once it gets dirty with your nasty, oily, sweaty gamer hand.
Pro’s:
– Gateron Browns aren’t bad at all
– Easily Hot swappable switches
– USB hub (in wired mode)
– Great Battery life (2 weeks of wireless use with LED’s on bright and only had to charge yesterday)
Cons:
– Spring noise from switches on certain parts of the board (nothing a bit of foam doesn’t fix )
– No way to connect to two devices with USB and wirelessly at the same time(makes switching between desktop and laptop a bit inconvenient)
– USB-C port feels a little wobbly
– Software is a little bit janky at times, could improve a bit on the UI front.
Overall the pro’s really outweigh the cons here, but i would have happily paid ten bucks more if the cons could be ironed out in the next version of this board.
Everything I was looking for in a keyboard in terms of the balance of features to cost. I’ve seen reviews saying that the dongle had terrible range, but on the board I have it seems to work perfectly within 5 meters. I even tried hiding behind a few objects and it still held up. I do a lot of gaming, and I percieve 0 lag when wirelesss.
The sound of the keys isn’t great out of the box (not that I ever cared before I started researching mech keyboards and peoples obsession with the “thock” polluted me) but it didn’t sound terrible. I also appreciate the minamilist design.
I think they’ve fixed a lot of the issues in the newer iterations of this board. For instace, everyone gripes that the software is trash. If you have a board that starts with 21 in the serial number you download one version of the program, and another version for older models. I don’t have a ton of experience, but the 21 software was pleasently surprising. It let me make my own rgb patterns/animations, create macros, and assign colours to keys. I don’t think its as robust as other software, but I’m good with it.
I also think they started adding foam in the board in later models, to take away some of that hollow feeling. Haven’t cracked mine open to see yet though.
The only thing I really regret is not trying out the brown switches first. I have a feeling I’d like them better then the reds, but thats the beauty of a hot swap keyboard.
The keys themselves are fine. The legend on them is legible, and the doubleshot abs will hold up. But they do have a cheap feel and clackity sound. I imagine they’ll also get greasy eventually, like every other abs keyboard Ive had. Will pick up a nice set of pbt caps eventually.
All in all, great value wireless keyboard that allows for modifications down the line. If I had a bit more patience I’d wait for the keychron k8 pro, which comes with everything plus pbt caps and compatibility with very popular tuning software, but I’m happy with this purchase.
Buen teclado de inicio para el mundo de los teclados
his is a good keyboard. bluetooth and adapter works for me and rgb is nice. good features for this price of a keyboard and typing with it right now. this was my first mechanical keyboard and i am very pleased. 🙂
I choose this instead of keychrone and never registered. It has unbelievable modularity. I changed switchs with mx ones. Also changed keycaps. Multiple times. Never had a problem 10.month of use.
Ja habe mir dazu andere Keycaps geholt, aber eine sehr gute und gnstige Alternative zu teueren Boards. Akku hlt tatschlich ziemlich lange. 84er ist so die perfekte Gre zum schnellen Coden ohne auf eine 2., 3. Ebene wechseln zu mssen. Auch wenn man das als deutsches Layout einbindet erkennt es Alt Gro wenn man control + alt drckt. Die brown switches sind gewhnungsbedrftig, aber fr meine Kollegen auf Arbeit deutlich ertrglicher als blue und wenn man will kann man die auch austauschen.
I’ve had this keyboard for almost a year and I’m very happy with my choice. I thought it was risky considering the low price and less well-known company, but it has been solid.
Even without using the software for customization, there’s still a good number of colors and control over brightness, lighting pattern, etc. is good. Mine has red switches, which feel nice and are easy to type on. Aesthetically, I’ve been really liking the simple white so much I haven’t even considered new keycaps.
A great introduction to mechanical keyboards, so I thought, but now that I’ve had it for almost a year, I’m not sure that I really even need to upgrade (though I’m sure some who know more or care more about keyboards would obviously disagree with me). I use it primarily for work, but also for gaming, and it performs well in both uses.
One feature I forgot about is that not only are the keycaps removable, the switches are removable as well. Not only does this mean you can take it apart and customize the keyboard how you see fit, it really makes it easy to clean thoroughly.
As for the customer service, I had an issue with one key backlight, and they were very responsive and help me remedy my issue much faster than anticipated.
5/5 – would buy again, and recommend to anyone looking for a good entry level mechanical keyboard
This is my second mechanical keyboard I have bought and it is very solid due to the modding capability. The body is very sturdy for plastic and there no rattle at all although I would recommend using some case foam to add to the solid sound and make it sound a bit less hollow.
If you are moving over from a laptop the red switches are usually a safe bet although if you fall down the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole you will find that changing the switches out to something better will always be the case. The pre lubing on the stabilizers is not great so it is recommended to clean and lube them again as it helps reduce rattle. The rgb lighting is very customizable and very bright which is great although do bear in mind that it is a north facing led which will cause interference with cherry profile keycaps if you plan on buying keycaps.
The noticeable cons are the software and the 2.4ghz connectivity range. Personally I use my keyboard plugged so I didn’t mind the short range and the rgb modes can be switched through keyboard shortcuts so you can work the keyboard without the software.
I would recommend this to anyone looking to buy a mechanical keyboard and if you are looking into keyboard modding, this is a really solid beginner friendly product and saves desk space without sacrificing the F keys.
Keyboard is easy to use and the wireless link (2.4 G ) works reliably. There was in issue with the keyboard after 6 months of use and customer service replaced it since it was still under warranty.
The only down side was the FW update has to be done with a Windows computer which can be hard to come by.
Extremely high quality. Silent browns sound SO thocky!! I AM IN LOVE!! Changed to some adoreable XDA keycaps and this is the best work from home keyboard ever !!! <3
This is an updated review. Im leaving the original review for transparency.
Originally i had some issues with the bluetooth connectivity, but it seemed to only be on windows
Customer Support has reached out to me and offered a few solutions and even offered to replace the keyboard. I updated the firmware/software from the website (and from the support email) and i think that fixed the issue
If you see RK 5.0 and RK 3.0 when you try to connect to windows, use the 5.0 version. It seems more stable and has added a battery indicator.
Im changing the review because the support team was super responsive and helped with the issue.
I’d deduct a 0.5 because the software update is not very clear.
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original review
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The bluetooth mode sometimes would disconnect. quite annoying when, in the middle of a game, you lose control for 10 seconds.
sometimes it wouldnt even connect for a while.
There’s no battery indicator so who knows how much charge i have left and when i should charge
Initially i had a pretty bad impression because the keyboard didnt work right of the bat.
I wanted to send the keyboard back and i was pretty mad about it considering the price.
Eventually i decited to contact the customer support, cause i couldnt send the keyboard back anyway cause it was weekend. It took about 3 days to figure out that the keyboard was broken and that they’ll send me a new one, no problems, no additional fees and i didnt even have to send the broken one back. Overall the customer support and the people working at royal kludge are very nice and compitent people. I give the keyboard the benefit of the doubt and say that i just got unlucky
The keyboard is nice although the USB connection does go far it still works of your close by
For this price, can’t complain much.
Smooth and thocky from the box, but there’s room for mods/upgradability.
Switches aren’t the best, decent.
The main plus imo is the usb ports and the bezel being removable.
I wanted a TKL wireless keyboard for gaming. This is that. It’s good.
As the title says this is a very good, sturdy and heavy, value for money mechanical keyboard with nice rgb configurations and connectivity. I have been using it for work mostly(coding) and for a little bit of gaming and I can say that I find it accurate and not loud at all with the brown switches for office use! Would totally recommend it!
The first RK84 I received quickly developed some problems with repeating keys (getting multiple characters when certain keys were pressed). This occurred even when I tried replacing the switches in question. The seller sent me out a new one and I’m pleased to report it works much better, so I may have just had a “lemon” the first time.
In addition to working better, I noticed the new keyboard also had a couple improvements over the prior one:
– a foam layer added between the plate and PCB to help reduce hollow noise
– much better stabilizers. The first unit had somewhat translucent white stabilizers on the larger keys that were very loose, and would rattle and wobble. The replacement I got has different ones that are a solid white and *much* more stable, exactly what you want in a stabilizer.
So I am a happy customer (for now) and am revising my rating upward accordingly. I will update this review if this unit develops any more unreliable key stuttering. If you have any problems like that, be sure to let your seller know and perhaps they can assist.
Overall, “bang for the buck”, this is a solid keyboard and one of the cheapest wireless models on the market with swappable keyswitches. Mine came with the brown keyswitches that are kinda average, but that’s a non-factor for me as I prefer Kailh switches and have replaced mine already. It’s a great entry point into modding keyboards or you can run it just as it is.
It is a perfectly good out-of-the-box keyboard for most users. You get a nice looking keyboard with a very solid feel, good on-board functionality, three connectivity options which all work fine, an included USB HUB and a nice battery. But where it really shines is expandability and customization. You can turn it into whatever you like. It is really easy to swap the switches for something you prefer, the tools are included and I had no problems using many other kinds switches. Same goes for the keycaps obviously. The skirt is removable as well, so you can mod it however you like. The disassembly is easy and intuitive and I had no problems tinkering with the device. It is a great springboard, you can turn it into a keyboard with a 1000$ feel by just upgrading whatever you feel is necessary such as switches, stabilizers, keycaps, additional modding etc. If that’s not what you fancy, you can just use it as stock and still have a good experience.
This is not to say it doesn’t have shortcomings though, the software is not that great and the stock keycaps are where they seem to have cut costs. But then again, the software has essential functions such as lighting control and macros. And you can just switch the keycaps with whatever you like if you prefer to do so. Overall these shortcomings were non-factors for me.
One last thing to note is that the first keyboard I received had a minor problem, so I had to contact customer support to resolve it. And I have to say it was THE best experience I’ve ever had with customer support from any company. I had a completely new keyboard shipped to me, without any additional cost, in just 2 days. So obviously they take any potential issues very seriously.
Overall really happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend.
The keyboard it sturdy, heavy, solid and robust. The keys work most of the time with 2.5gh dongle. A little slow. Whilst plugged in it much much better. For my normal day to day I use the dongle, when I game I plug it in.
The software for the keyboard is in shambles. It barely works in the best of times but once you get used to how bad it is, it gets the job done. The good thing about it is once you spend the time getting it how you like it you don’t need the software anymore.
21/01/22
El teclado es excelente, es mi primer teclado mecnico y viniendo de un teclado de 350mx a esto realmente se siente la diferencia, en calidad se siente bien, se siente rgido y suena bastante bien, la iluminacin esta increble, le que a algunas personas no les gusto esto pero yo no note ningn problema, el software del teclado es un poco complicado de instalar porque se tiene que tener cuidado con las paginas que no son originales y necesitas hacer unas cosillas tcnicas para determinar que modelo es tu teclado pero nada complicado, en general, me alegro de haber elegido este teclado y en caso de cualquier problema actualizare la review.
Everything seemed fine until I realized a key didn’t work. It wasn’t a defect switch (because I tried changing switches) but there was something wrong with the board itself. So I contacted the seller and got sent a new keyboard right away. Had to wait about a week for the keyboard to come back in stock and another week to arrive. It was understandable since this all happened between the holidays. The seller was very helpful and understanding! Service was great!
I would definitely recommend this keyboard if you’re looking for one that’s hotswappable, can be used wireless and has a good price for its value! Only thing to keep in mind is that you have to manually lube your switches, otherwise the typing will sound a bit dry and hollow. But definitely worth your money!
Pros: Quiet – Loads of RGB features – Budget Friendly – Compact and small – Wired/Wireless Abilty
Cons: Personally have had better stock red key caps but for the average gamer still grea
I love this keyboard. The LEDs are amazing, super bright. I’ve used this for light gaming so far and the red switches are slightly mushy, most noticeable on the enter and backspace keys. This isn’t a problem for me as I’m changing them soon. I haven’t noticed any software bugs/issues so far but I’ve only used it twice. I really recommend this keyboard for anyone to be honest, the 2.4g reciever is alright but like other reviews anything over around 2 feet isn’t good, keypresses aren’t registered at all or they are late. I’ve not used it with bluetooth, and I only plan on using it wired. Keycaps feel alright but they’re nothing amazing. This is a great board to build off of, and anyone can use it to be honest.
Simple design with no annoying frills.
Very customisable.
Red switches are pleasa
Mi primera incursin al nicho de los teclado mecnicos, disposiciones, perfiles de teclas, switches y dems, saba de estas cosas muy por encima graciass videos aleatoriamente vistos a los lsrgos de los aos atrs y finalmente opt por dar el salto (Gran salto por cierto).
Timar la desicin de qu driver comprar fue bastante dificil en especial con este en especfico gracias a los controversial que son su reseas por sus apartados de conectividad pero aqu van mis experiencias:
Yo hice la compra de este teclado a finales de octubre y lo recib a primcipios de noviembre tras decidir cancelar el envio de otro keyboard el cual en su momento pas a ser mi primera opcin tras la constante observacin de los problemas de conectividad que comentaban cientos de usuarios en foros y reviews de YT, no obstante al final decid arriesgarme con este puesto que tras todo lo recopil de infirmacin, el teclado “a priori” solo sufra de problemas por sus drivers y me alegra haber cmabiado de opinin a ltimo momento puesto que para nada he tenido problemas desde el instante en el que lo saqu de la caja, conect y encend y asi hasta el da de hoy con ms de 1 mes de uso (Ya veremos en los consiguiente meses).
Revisin de apartados:
– Construccin, no tengo mucho que decir, su peso y solidez son bastante siprendentes, el plstico no se le ve de mala calidad, difucil de flexionar y probablemente puedas partir un par de cocos con este teclado sin demasuado problema.
– La disposicin 80% es exactamente lo que buscaba, teclado de tamao reducido ya que el pad numrico solo tiene sentido si haces contabilidad a mi parecer, y yo que estudio programacin agradezco el deshacerme de las TK y conservar las teclas de funcin.
– Switches RK Red y el perfil de teclas; hasta donde tengo entendido lo switches propios de Royal Kludge intentan simular a los gateron y suelen decir que los primeros no son malos pero tampoco nada destacable, funcionan bien y se siente slidos y en lo que a mi respecta, no soy un entusiasta de esto an, soy muy nuevo en cuanto a la experiencia propia se refiere, pero eleg los rojos porque me gusta la respuesta rpida, directa sin sensacin “clicky”, muy contento con ellos y las teclas ABS de perfil OEM se sienten cmodas aunque algunas de ellas tenian pequeos defectos de fabricacin en su parte baja (Los bordes de terminacin inferiores que dan hacia el tecladi) en el da a da ni se nota.
– Conectividad, no tengo ninguna queja aqu… Tri-mode, con un dock que aade 2 USB tradicionales para conectar otris dispositivos (Solo cuando el tecladi est conectado via usb al pc) , conexin bluetooth 0 problemas, unos 10 metros y muy rpida (Aunque la ms “”‘lenta””” de las 3, aun podras jugar a un shooter si lo quisieras y no notarias la diferencia a menos que juegue competitivamente en altas esferas, el dongle funciona excelente a una distancia de mxima de unos 8 metros, de ah en adelante empieza a perder pulsaciones aleatoriamemte, estando en el escritorio es el mtodo que suelo usar tanto para jugar como para programar y tipear siempre, y la conexin por cable, pues… Ya te la puedes imaginar, raro ser que llegue algo fuera de sitio cuandi me toca usarla a causa de quedarme sin bateria.
– Batera, a no ser que mantengas el RGB encendido, este bicho dura lo suficiente cimo para que te olvides de que se supone que debes cargarlo (Si no fuera poruqe cuando est bajo de carga la tecla FN comienza a parpadear en verde.
– Caractersticas varias, el RGB tiene un brillo decente, nada dle otro mundo pero me cumple perfecto para el tipeo nocturmo que es para lo nico que lo uso, que sea HotSwap me deja la posibilidad de modificarlo a futuro lo cual es muy buena feature, el marco desacoplable es otro detalle de diseo bastante cool y por ltimo los accesorios, un key puller muy normal y, las patas traseras, un agregado que se agradece tener aunque habra preferido las del tipo built-in, la altura del teclado es algo mayor de lo que me esperaba peri con el tiempo me acostumbr al igual que su inclinacin as que no suelo usar las patas.
Estoy ya es muy extenso as que me detendr aqu, simplemente les animo a darle una oportunidad y si no quedan satisfechos siempre lo pueden devolver :).
I use it for gaming and school and honestly it’s not the top of the line thing you should get. I suggest getting a tkl instead
Tastiera meccanica compatta ma completa.
Senza dover premere combinazioni di tasti per le funzioni comuni.
Il software e’ piuttosto ben fatto, essenziale forse, ma perfetto per me.
Layout US ed interruttori Silent Red. Feedback fantastico. In piu’ c’e’ la possibilita’ di sostitutire gli interruttori dato che e’ Hot-Swap. questo pero’ non l’ho ancora provato.
Suggerimento per il costruttore: sarebbe perfetta se completamente nera.
Cosi’ e’ “solo” ottima.
This keyboard offers fantastic features for this price. Wired, bluetooth, 2.4. mine is red switches which has nice sound, box had extra 4 red switches. for wired connection it’s type c and was included too.
layout is nice doesn’t lack arrow, function or “home’ “end” keys.
is has fantastic colors and modes to choose from, for more detailed customisation it needs software, which is normal, looks like beta one but actually offers per key color customization,. macros and updater. this doesn’t have spare keys for those macros but you can map that to included ones.
doesn’t know battery life yet, but i think it doesn’t include indicator.
some keys when set to white, are not consistent may be little bit different from one next to it.
bluetooth connection seems stable, so is wired, don’t know about 2.4 yet,
it was 1.3 kilos, but because of metal frame, which is nice quality.
backlihts can customize levels, colors, speed, modes.
keyboard itself doesn’t have built “steps” to rise, but are included in box which can be attached, not perfect but wasn’t deal breaker for me.
i am very satisfied with this purchase, i waited for sale and had about 20$ discount on friday. but i think this is priced nicely even with it’s base price.
update :
i had some issues with this keyboard and wanted replace/refund but it was shipped outside states so for refund amazon asked me to return which included too much additional fees, but royal kludge support were supportive and refunded item after saw the issue, it took some time they responded slowly, but at least they helped me. don’t know what’s the issue, it’s only on windows i think not on android. after few reconnects, keys don’t type, only function + shortcuts . but when i reboot my computer keyboard is fine, and when it’s fine, it’s very nice. i hope this was case only with my keyboard + computer combo. thanks for support. must note that amazon offered additional 20$ for return fees, but didn’t need as royal klude refunded my item.
Habe das Modell in schwarz mit linearen Switches seit ein paar Wochen in Verwendung. Fr den Preis eine wirklich gelungene Tastatur, fasst sich sehr hochwertig an, durch das ordentliche Gewicht liegt sie auch gut am Schreibtisch ohne irgendwelches verschieben oder wackeln. Kann sie jedem weiterempfehlen der auf der Suche nach einer mech. Tastatur ist, bei der man spter auch problemlos die Switches tauschen kann!
Pros: Keyboard has Bluetooth 3.0, 2.4 Ghz Dongle, and wired connection capabilities. Comes with a software that allows you to edit the keyboard colors of your setting as well as the lighting patterns. The software, which can be downloaded from RK’s official website, will also allow you to set macros and reassign keyboard keys. The outer frame of the keyboard can be removed to allow a floating keys look. Honestly, the functionality and aesthetic of this keyboard made it perfect for me.
Cons: (Note: These don’t apply for Mac OS since it worked perfectly with my Macbook, issues were only with Windows) Out of the box, I had issues with repeating keys, the dongle range was incredibly short, and Bluetooth 5.0 just wouldn’t connect/kept disconnecting once I finally managed to connect. (So far, I haven’t been able to find a solution to this) The software offered an update to the firmware, which bricks the keyboard temporarily but the fix is to turn it off and back on again. For a while, the repeating keys issue kept happening and I had a bunch of emails with customer support trying to figure it out (thank you Cassie for helping me fix it!), but I’m happy to say it works.
Fix: (downloading the latest software that correlates with your product should automatically update the firmware, so this section is if your keyboard continues to have issues)
1. Turn off keyboard and plug it into your computer
2. From the software, Reset factory data
3. Restore factory settings
4. Hold Fn + Spacebar until the RGB lights finish cycling and return to rainbow coloration
5. Download the firmware update from the software
6. Unplug and replug keyboard (maybe restart comp as well)
The keyboard issue should be fixed by then. Otherwise, customer support is super helpful and impressively responsive, and they helped give tips as to why the product was bugging out (I had two other wireless peripherals interfering with my connection lol..)
Competition for hot-swappable wireless 84-key layout: (Based on research from user reviews/feedback)
Keychron v2
-Wireless/dongle capabilities with RGB, but no software to edit the lighting or macros. Also, the keycap set it comes with is a little unattractive imo.
Epomaker EP84
-Same capabilities, but I heard that the software was a little hard to use.
-Pricier, but comes with Gateron switches (not something I was considering since I already had a different set of switches in mind. Saved money by getting the RK84)
I’ve been looking at various keyboards comparing price, features, and connectivity and landed on the RK84 after contemplating getting it or the Keychron K2. It is my first entry into the mechanical keyboard market and I’m very pleased with the overall experience with the board. My message to anyone upgrading from cheap <$20 membrane keyboards, it takes a little bit of getting used to typing on any mechanical boards. It won't make you faster or better at typing, but it does have a lighter keypress which makes for less strain for gaming.
For the price the amount of features this keyboard comes with is amazing, the Rk red switches I got with my board feel very nice and smooth.
– The only cons I have with this keyboard is that the software for this thing is pretty crappy and could use some major work. In the software I set the RGB to never turn off (by default it turns off every 5 mins) and while I’m glad that they at least have this feature it sucks that when putting my PC to sleep they still stay on… so I have to unplug the keyboard every time I go to bed.
– The last thing is that even with a Bluetooth 5.1 adapter in my PC there is still a very noticeable input latency while gaming in Bluetooth mode, so I have chose to keep it wired. This is the first Bluetooth keyboard I have used so I’m not sure if that type of latency is normal for BT keyboards or not but it makes playing any kind of online competitive game out of the question while connected with BT. (btw my PC is right next to my keyboard so it is not a distance latency thing.)
Other than those two cons I am very happy with my purchase of this keyboard and plan to easily upgrade it with new keycaps and switches down the road thanks to the useful hotswap feature!
This keyboard is awesome. It’s the perfect layout to have all the keys you need while leaving room on your desk, it’s comfortable to type on, hot-swappable switches, nice keycaps, and is built great for the price. I use it wired and bluetooth and both work as expected.
I’m on my 2nd keyboard now because the first one had a bad Home key (was like it about 1 month in, but dealt with it for 5 more months). Switching the switches didn’t fix it so I knew it was the board. Customer support was fantastic! Only have 3 emails back and forth to confirm the purchase number and a few quick troubleshooting techniques, they sent me a new keyboard and it showed up in a few days while also letting me keep the old one, no return needed. This essentially gave me a full free set of keycaps and switches! Super generous on their part! With a 2 year warranty and customer support like this, you can’t go wrong with this thing.
The only reason I gave it a 4 star instead of 5 is because the software used to customize the lights, keys, etc. is terrible. It feels like they built the app in a week and never looked back to improve it. It gives enough options to get by but those looking for something more robust, the software may be a deal breaker for you. The other point of reduction is the QA on these boards. I have a feeling I’m not the first or will be the last with the problem. Comparing keyboard1 and 2, the newer one I have sounds slightly different and the lights move way faster than the first one… which may be a software issue instead of a QA issue but still, I get the sense these come flying off the manufacturing line lol
I really like this keyboard, good build quality and beginner friendly to upgrades
I have upgraded it with a foam mod and got Akko ocean blue switch in it I wasn’t a fan of the stock red switches, the stock keycaps were really bad cheap abs plastic making it greasy and there was a bad shine over 3 weeks, so I upgraded to Akko wob keycaps.
As for its built quality, I would say the RK84 is decently fine. Every stock components about it (as in its plastic build, its switches, its stabilizers, and its keycaps) are roughly the same in feel and sound as any other basic mechanical keyboard out there. So the switches are relatively audible and scratchy when typing and the stabilizer in the large keys (as in the Spacebar key, Left Shift key, Back key, and Enter key) can rattle quite a bit. But for most regular consumers, that might not be too noticeable or become a problem in everyday usage. Other than that, the stock RK84 itself is great for everyday consumers and the stock keyboard is sturdy and surprisingly a bit heavy for a plastic build (which is good as the keyboard won’t move around as much). Everything about the keyboard works as intended.
Now for the “fully modded” part that I mentioned at the beginning of this review. I recently started getting into the world of custom mechanical keyboards but I am by no means a pro keyboard enthusiast (yet). However, I do mod and upgrade all of my keyboards to make them feel smoother and sound better (it is not recommended to disassemble a keyboard if you don’t know what you’re doing without watching some videos first). I have 2 other keyboards that are also fully modded as well; my secondary budget keyboard: Redragon K530 and my daily driver high-end keyboard: Glorious GMMK Pro. I got this keyboard because of the “budget” recommendation from a few pro keyboard enthusiasts on YouTube. I say “budget” but $80 is still relatively high for a keyboard to regular consumers. I guess it is “budget” when compared to other custom mechanical keyboards that are $100+ for just being a barebone kit like my Glorious GMMK Pro. Anyway, I digress. I would highly recommend this keyboard over any other “budget” keyboard because it has the correct hot-swappable feature for anyone looking to dip their toes a bit into the world of custom mechanical keyboards and modding them in the future. I say “correct hot-swappable” because this keyboard’s PCB actually can support numerous brands of switches like:
– Gateron switches
– Cherry switches
– Durock switches
– Novelkeys switches
– Kailh switches
– and etc.
Unlike other budget keyboards that only support one type of hot-swappable switches. An example would be my Redragon keyboard that is technically hot-swappable but only hot-swappable with the same brand of Outemu Switches or something similar like Akko Switches.
Some of the modifications I ended up doing to the RK84 were:
– Adding 2 layers of PE Foam (roughly 1.5-1.6 mm or 1/16 inches thick each layer) to the bottom inside of the plastic case.
– Adding 2 layers of Masking Tape to the bottom of the PCB (as shown in the picture).
– Adding a Keyboard Switch Sound Dampener Foam (84 key layouts) between the PCB and the metal plate (as shown in the picture).
– Taped down a single layer of PE Foam (roughly 1.5-1.6 mm or 1/16 inches thick) between the PCB and where the stabilizer would hit the PCB to dampen the sound of impact.
– Switched the stock stabilizers with Durock Plate Mount Stabilizers (Clipped and Lubed with Krytox 205g0).
– Hot-swapped out the stock TTC Red Switches with Gateron Ink V2 Black Switches (Lubed with Krytox 205g0 + added Deskeys Switch Film)(as shown in the picture).
– Switching out the stock keycaps with Glorious Aura V2 Keycaps.
After hours of modding the keyboard to its fullest potential, I managed to make this keyboard feel smoother and sound thockier than it ever has before (as shown in the video). The mods I made to this keyboard made it so much better that I replace my budget Redragon K530 (which is also similarly modded) with this fully modded RK84 to be my secondary keyboard.
Couple of minor things to note:
– The advertisement for the keyboard stated that it is an 80% keyboard. This is not true. Although 75% and 80% are similar, the key layout of the RK84 is that of a 75% keyboard. For a more detailed difference between what a 75% or 80% keyboard is, you can Google search that for yourself.
– While it is no major deal-breaker, I wish the keyboard has brighter RGB lighting. I have a Glorious GMMK Pro keyboard with the same switches and keycaps and it is a lot brighter than the RK84.
– The RGB LED on this keyboard is north-facing so there might be some keycap interference (depending on what kind of keycaps you’re using. The Glorious Aura V2 Keycaps that I use for this build has no interference issue at all.)
– I know the RK84 Pro has it but I wish this regular RK84 comes with the aluminum frame as well. It would have made this board feel even more high quality. (I would get the RK84 Pro but I like the 2 USB pass-through ports that this regular RK84 has).
– To fully mod this board, as I did with mine, would cost you an additional $100-150.
Decisamente la migliore tastiera meccanica che ho mai acquisato. Ottima per il suo prezzo, sopratutto per chi vuole entrare nel mondo delle tastiere custom. Permette di cambiare gli switch senza dissaldarli, feature difficile da trovare per 80. L’ho preferita a versioni pi contenute per non rinunciare ad utili tasti ( comunque molto compatta, per me ne vale la pena) Consigliata!
Had to reset they stabilized keys as they were sticking. The keyboard is kinda clunky on trying to bring my computer out of sleep mode. Other than that fine so far for the first day of using it.
Battery Life is great, Brightness is dim for daylight- my first mech keyboard and Im liking the experience so far.
As a keyboard for extensive typing, this is excellent. Keys are clicky but not overwhelmingly so, key feel is comfortable but without a really strong tactile bump. Mostly I use this as a wired USB keyboard (and hub to plug my mouse into); it does support pairing with multiple Bluetooth devices and running off batteries, but in this mode it sometimes takes a keystroke or two to wake up, and I do have the ports to plug it in, so I do and never worry about charging. The RGB patterns are simple and not very programmable but perfectly adequate – mostly I prefer low-level constant illumination. Some of the colours come apart if you look past them quickly but these are easy to avoid. Occasionally the keyboard needs to be restarted to notice it’s been connected to USB; turning off the battery makes this automatic (because then it turns off when unplugged). Overall it’s an excellent keyboard for a modest price.
Alright, so let’s address the elephant in the room first. Is the 2.4 GHz USB dongle so horrible that it’s unusable? Not for me. I’ve got a video uploaded to demonstrate that. Does this mean you’ll have the same experience? Doubtful, especially since we all have different sized monitors which enables us to move back further, but for me I can back up to impractical distances from my monitor, with LOS to the USB dongle, and still have no issues with connections.
The RK84 keyboard is loaded with features. The RGB has a lot of preset functions that most people won’t really need to chance themselves on flashing the keyboard’s firmware to the newest version and risk bricking their keyboard in the process. The RGB lighting is quite bright, so you can really enjoy things.
I’m still a novice in the world of mechanical keyboards, so I have no comment with the loudness of the keys. The enthusiasts will probably dislike the sound, but there are enough videos of how to open the keyboard up and add foam to the back, and lube the keys to dampen the key sounds and improve the acoustics. I’m not that hardcore though, but if that’s what you want to do then yes there is plenty of room inside the keyboard for you to do these modifications.
It’s a fairly heavy keyboard, which I personally find pleasant. Be aware that the two USB-A ports on the keyboard will not function unless the keyboard itself is plugged into your PC/laptop, if it’s on battery it won’t power your USB devices.
The Bluetooth connection is really convenient. Being able to swap between two different laptops AND my phone is a nice quality of life boost.
The magnetic feet that the RK84 comes has fairly strong magnets. You won’t have to worry about it slipping off during a frantic round of gaming. I’ve put it to the paces, those magnetic feet didn’t move an inch, so I’m pleasantly surprised.
The RK84 keyboard software is WORTH getting if you enjoy customizing your keyboard’s RGB, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for newer updates to see if they will increase flexibility. The software and the key extractor that can damage your keys is the area where I removed a star.
Pros of the RK keyboard software:
– There actually is a RGB, and it actually works for a product of this price range.
– Within the confines of customizable options, you can still do a lot of creative things with it. Some areas of the keyboard you can choose to glow a certain way, and others another way, or not glow.
– You’re able to create your own macros. BE CAREFUL if you’re going to use this within games. RK84’s software is not well-known by any stretch, if you’re using online you may risk getting accidentally banned by the anti-cheat when it scans your computer’s memory to see what’s running.
– You can also change what each key does.
– The software allows you to check if there are software and firmware updates, you don’t have to go to the RK website anymore to check.
Cons of the RK keyboard software:
– There is only a limited selection of glowing patterns in RGB customization compared to the preset ones (i.e. there’s a preset RGB option that glows or ripples from the key you’ve just hit. That’s not available for you to choose when you’re self-customizing your RGB setting. I hope they’ll update the software to let us do that)
– The software isn’t really intuitive, it took a while for me to learn. When you start customizing your own RGB profile, remember that you have to click on the key, or drag and select the keys you want to affect, and THEN select another RGB glow and THEN choose the RGB glow you actually want. Yeah, I know, this is awkward, and it’s why I thought the software was glitched when I first tried it. It’s not glitched. It’s just awkward.
– Apparently you need to have the RK software running in order to preserve your custom RGB settings. If you close the software and it shuts off to preserve power, it will lose the setting. So you might want to set the program to autorun, there’s a place in the settings to click that off. I don’t feel comfortable doing that though, I still don’t feel 100% with RK software from the perspective of cybersecurity.
– When your keyboard powers down to preserve power, it’ll also shut down your RK84 keyboard software.
The RK84 comes with some replacement keys in case you have a malfunction, and it also has a key extractor. BE CAREFUL with the key extractor! The quality is not that great and it has a tendency to dig and damage your key’s surface because the claw is that sharp. I’m thinking maybe I can tweak it a bit by dulling the edges, but I highly recommend you get a better pair of key extractor or you might be upset at the damage it can leave behind.
We don’t have nearly as much options as US consumer does here on Amazon, and our prices are a bit higher too. For the price range that this keyboard is going for, it’s a very competitive deal in 2021, especially for a 80% form factor. Sometimes the keyboard also goes on sale, so those times it makes this keyboard a very compelling one to get if you’re new to the world of mechanical keyboards.
I hope this helps answer some questions you might have about this product, and feel free to post questions in case I missed some points that you’re concerned about. If it’s within my ability and I notice it, I’ll come and answer it if no one else has. Have a good one!
I bought this for my son’s birthday I found it extremely pricy but they offer me some discount later on , works great .
I am glad that their customer services is great .
he layout is perfect, no wasted space at all. lots of lighting options for whatever you need. unfortunately the wired mode on my keyboard doesn’t work but the wireless mode is just as good, and the battery life is unbelievably long.
and when I contacted them about the wired mode issue, they helped as best they could with quick replies. you really can’t go wrong with this
I love this product. I use it for general typing, programming, gaming and whatever else you can use a keyboard for. I don’t know why my experience with it has already been so great. Maybe it’s because I just switched from a clunky and flimsy membrane keyboard to this perfect creation. No regrets whatsoever. I already feel very comfortable using it. I feel at home. The best value for money and it’s easy to use. The RGB is amazing and my ears enjoy the sounds of the switches. Heck, all of my senses (except taste) have took a liking to this keyboard. Well done!
Edit: their customer service reached out and informed me about a warranty! A new keyboard was quickly sent out and works amazingly. Great service
It was a great keyboard but literally stopped working while I was typing for no reason… It does not charge or even work when wired directly to PC. Very disappointing for its price 🙁
I’m mainly writing this review to highlight RK’s customer service and to encourage anyone to reach out to them if they have received a bad unit, as I originally did.
I recently purchased this keyboard and it was sorta funky out of the box. It would never turn off, despite the off switch and randomly go into Bluetooth mode on its own. I ran a firmware update and it seemed to have fixed it for a week and then boom, it was a brick. It couldn’t be recognized via USB and the only way I could make it usable again for only a while, was to take it apart and disconnect the battery.
I emailed Royal Kludge customer service and was promptly responded to. They asked me to make a brief video to detail my problem. Once they identified the hardware fault, they immediately processed a direct replacement. I did not have to return the original unit.
I received the replacement in just 3 days via DHL (I was informed 5-7) and arrived with the firmware update. I have had no issue since and am extremely satisfied.
I got the RK84 and love the features it offers. Bluetooth with 3 profiles so I can switch to different computers/laptops/cellphone with ease. The 2.4ghz works great as of the September firmware update. I play Destiny 2 to farm/grind daily’s and it works like it’s wired. I use a male to female extended usb for the dongle however so the receiver is right under my monitor. Pvp you may err on the side of caution but you can still use this keyboard wired. With type C too, which they include.
Royal Kludge’s customer service is top notch as well, btw. E-mail them directly because amazon can make contacting them weird. Directly, they’ve been very helpful for my experience with the product. The RGB may not be as bright as you want. Compared to my old corsair k95 the RGB is a smudge under the middle brightness corsair setting. The frame bezel can be removed to make this a floating style keyboard, but beware of the white panel underneath the keys. I wish it was black but I understand why they went with white (to make the RGB pop more). With this bezel being removable I hope that they one day offer replacements here on amazon. Maybe even offer aluminum versions as well. Replacement parts in different materials and colors would be great so we can make our keyboards feel more premium/personal. ( Black pcb plate? Plate and pcb foam? Standalone aluminum chassis in the future??)
If you don’t want to download and utilize their software the keyboard can still cycle through some colors and patterns/modes. The FN+Fx shortcuts up top are so helpful personally. I mostly use the volume controls and the pause/play for streaming services. The double usb pass through is a nice touch too. If you use this wired you can plug in your wireless mouse dongle into the keyboard. In wireless only mode you can’t use the usb’s though.
If your keyboard works right out of the box I wouldn’t suggest the software unless you were having severe problems. All because I don’t seem to use it now. That, and the keyboard has onboard memory.
I don’t know what else to add, I just really appreciate what this keyboard has to offer. I love it, it works, and I’m looking forward to modding it more.
Edit: I originally gave this thing 5 stars but after a month I’m gonna have to knock it down.
The keyboard itself is great, built-in LED modes are awesome and the fit and finish feels good to me. Coming from my 5-year-old K95 platinum, the switches on this board feel more premium and less pingy to type on. If you’re someone who expects Apple level integration, this might be a little letdown. Nevertheless, I’m happy with my purchase. This thing has never had any real issues just some slight annoyances or “quirks.”
The “quirks”:
– The included dongle is crap. Just don’t use it. From a distance of 2 feet, it occasionally lags out which is unacceptable for a gaming keyboard
– After the computer is shut down, the LEDs will start flashing to notify you that Bluetooth is disconnected and will not stop until it falls asleep
– Even with a wired connection, it defaults to Bluetooth and falls asleep after a few minutes of inactivity. If inactive for a very long time, it takes a couple of seconds to re-pair with your PC. Windows will ding you every time this happens.
– I’m glad they offer software but it’s very barebones compared to what others are offering, but this is just a fact of life to expect when buying a keyboard from smaller manufacturers.
– Cannot lock fn key / invert F keys. I wish there was a way to do this so I don’t have to press Fn each time I want to change the volume
I really, really love this keyboard. It sounds and feels amazing. The only thing is the switches are on the more sensitive side, and enters a key when I rest my finger a bit on a key. It’s not a big deal after getting used to this.
My initial unit had a faulty USB-C port which had a very flaky connection. But the support was very fast amd got me a replacement within a week. Two thumbs up for the support team!
I am not a crazy fan of customized keyboards but I did some research and really like this product.
I personally like 84 key layout because I use a macbook pro for work and this layout matches the macbook keyboard layout best. I need ESC and backquote key since I work as a software engineers so I prefer to having them on separate keys.
The key switches I got for mine are red switches. It has a small printed brand name RK on it. I saw other comments saying their switches are made by TTK but mine was not. Some reviewers say this is RK branded switches made by Huano. Overall these red switches feels pretty smooth and I believed they are pre-lubed very well. The press force is good for my daily work and gaming.
Hot swappable capability is one big reason I chose this product. After reading many reviews I kinda fancy some well-known switches like Kailh Box series or TTK gold pink. I will probably try other switches on this keyboard in the next few years.
I didn’t experience any 2.4g connectivity issues like mentioned in other earlier comments. I saw comments saying RK managed to fix them in the latest product batches. 2.4g works within a few feet range. Bluetooth connection was also good. For work I sometimes use 2.4g but for gaming I mostly use wired connection. All connections work fine with my macbook pro (macos big sur) and my windows 10 pc.
The keycap material is not mentioned on the package or in the user manual. I found some online reviews saying it’s ABS. The keycaps feels good but I am going to change to PBT later.
RGB looks as good as other RGB keyboards in this price range. Haven’t tried the software yet. I am not a RGB person so I will just keep RGB off.
Overall, for the <90 dollar price, this is a great deal. Other well known custom keyboard brands like Keychron or Epomaker are either more expensive or with fewer features.
El teclado cumple, tiene un tacto buensimo, buena duracin de la batera y los switches marrones son una delicia.
Pero escribo esta resea para ensalzar el servicio post venta recibido, tras 3 meses de uso mi teclado tuvo un fallo y las teclas de la 2 y 3 fila del teclado empezaron a mezclarse, el bluetooth tampoco me funcionaba.
Contact con el vendedor y este me ofreci desde el primer momento soporte tcnico, haciendo varias pruebas para ver si podan solucionar el error, me enviaron un firmware nuevo a medida incluso. Pero no se pudo solucionar via software por lo que me ofrecieron cambiar por uno nuevo que me llego en seguida.
100% recomendada la compra, tanto por el teclado que creo es imbatible en este rango de precio como por el vendedor.
So far so good…I hope it will stay the same!
I was looking for a hot-swappable keyboard to customize later down the line. It comes with a keycap/switch puller, extra switches, and magnetic stands to increase the angle of the board. About a week after my purchase, I found one of the arrow keys didn’t work. I searched up ways to fix it—like resetting back to manufacture settings, changing the switch underneath—and found no solution. I visited their website to contact customer service about my issue. The key was pretty much defective and I was sent a new one. They were so helpful and persistent in getting my problem solved!
As for the keyboard itself, I find it very sleek and nice. I wouldn’t consider myself experienced with keyboards, but I’m glad this was my first mechanical keyboard purchase!
This keyboard is great because it comes with so many features for the price. It’s pretty crazy to get a mechanical keyboard with RGB, bluetooth, 2.4ghz wireless dongle, a usb-c connection, customization software, and a border that pops off to give you the floating keycap look. The software is a little hard to install at first, but I contacted Royal Kludge customer service and they were super helpful and responded to my email quickly. I only wish I had gotten the black colorway instead of white but at the time there was a sale and white was the only one in stock.
I’m a CS student so I have to write essays, code and game and overall it is even better that expected. Read some reviews about the short distance of the dongle but I have my connections near so I had no issues with it. The quality of the keycaps is not the best but not bad either. I changed the keycaps. I would like to program some keys if possible but I can’t get the software to work.
As for the connectivity issues that many people speak about with their dongles, get an extender or move the USB’s to somewhere other than the back of your motherboard. I have a Razer Orochi V2 and when that is plugged into the rear of the computer, I have significant connection issues. Much like every mouse I’ve ever used, besides the G Pro wireless. In order to counteract this, all you need to do is move your USB’s from behind all that hardware, to wherever the front USB is on your computer, if you don’t have that or those are full, get a desktop USB stand and plug it into that. You would need to do this with 99% of wireless receivers on the market anyway.
The range on the RK84 is about 20 feet to maintain perfect connection (i.e. every single key press will still be received). As for the ergonomics, if you haven’t tried either browns or blues, go with browns. If you’ve tried blues but not browns, go with the browns. If you’ve tried blues and reds but hated the linearness of the reds… go with browns. The blues are a little hollow sounding but are amazing to type on, however the sound that they make is enough to make you go insane if you have to write a 10 page paper like I have. The browns have enough bass to make you feel all funny inside, hitting the spacebar is like listening to the lowest voice in a barbershop quartet.
Overall, this keyboard is amazing and if you’re deciding between the RK60, RK68, RK71, and this one. Get this one. The battery life is so much longer that you will only have to charge it maybe once a week with moderate to heavy use.
This is a good keyboard and I think it’s better than the more expensive Keychron keyboards. If you’re planning to change the keycaps, this 84 key layout is trickier to find than the traditional TKL keyboards. Not a fault of the keyboard but of the layout your buying.
One thing to note it that it doesn’t work with all USB C cables. For my case, it doesn’t work with my Pixel and Oculus cables which happen to be both USB C to USB C cables. Both charging and cable mode didn’t work which made me think the keyboard wasn’t working! I finally thought of trying with Anker USB C to USB A cable and that did the trick.
So after I spilled a cup of water over my previous favorite keyboard (a G-Pro with Roamer-G switches), I needed to replace it. I tried to fix it, but I had owned it long enough that the keycaps had started to break off anyways. They were unusual keycaps, so the only way to get a direct replacement was finding a used one. A used roamer-g g-pro costs almost as much as a new gaming keyboard, so I started looking to see what else was out there.
Thus began my journey. Between now and the last time I was keyboard shopping the enthusiast community has become a lot more popular. After watching a lot of videos and seeing what custom keyboards could do, I was intrigued. So I started looking at recommended budget boards and came across this one. I really wanted something that would sound decent when typing and have hot swapping options so I could try some of the many, many switches out there.
Overall this keyboard has a really solid feel, which is why it sounds pretty good when typing. It doesn’t compare to some of the slightly more expensive 60/65% boards… but those have other drawbacks, and I needed my Fn and Home/End keys. I ordered some gateron yellows and stabilizers that I’m going to lube to make this even better. It’s already my favorite kb, and I haven’t even started modding.
Notes:
The backlighting is not super bright. Comes off very “matte”, but I like it. I tend to only use a little backlighting when it’s dark and the dimmest settings on bright keyboards are usually too bright for me. As of this review, the software is unusable (crashes on load) so you can’t rebind keys or change the color presets(update: reaching out to customer support they sent me a firmware patch and the software works now!). The key layout is XD84, which seems to have limited custom keycap sets (you can use a standard set if it has a 1.75u right shift key and 1u alt, fn and ctlr keys included. The far right row keys will have heights that don’t match their rows unless those are also included). I found that they do make a pudding set in XD84 and that will probably look fantastic with the matte soft lighting on this board. I got this in black, but I highly recommend white. Especially if you want to remove the side cover.
I was super excited to get this keyboard, and rightfully so. The lights (that work) are bright and the switches both feel and sound good (got the browns and share an office). I didn’t personally have any problems with the software, but it is a little sketchy so be warned/use at your own risk.
The only actual con was that the Escape key arrived with broken RGB. There is no green as you can see in the video. The other keys change color as I change it in the software, but the escape key does not. And I know it isn’t the software, because it never shines green even on any other keyboard controlled settings. I would really love this keyboard if it weren’t for that and other keys that seemingly (in bluetooth/ghz) blink for no reason. I think it may be faulty documentation, but I am not sure.
I’m currently contacting Royal Kludge and hopefully (if I can find contact info) the seller. Until then, I’m rating this two stars since it arrived broken. I sincerely hope there is a solution so that I can both comment on their customer service and improve the rating. It really is a good budget option for people getting started in the mechanical keyboard hobby.
Update: I was able to get in contact with AceGadgets, the distributor, who offered to replace it or give me a partial refund. I’m one to get attached to things so I chose the refund, but I’m very happy with the quick response time and customer service.
The RK84 is a great keyboard with features I really like:
– The keyboard feels sturdy and the keypress is enjoyable but not too loud (with Gateron Red switches)
– I like that the side casing can be removed
– I’ve read the battery life in it is really good and am excited to find out
– It looks great; the RGB with the white colorway is nice.
Some quick observations:
– If I plug into another computer the Bluetooth drops on the computer I expect to be connected to. No biggy but this isn’t an issue with my Keychron setups.
– Some of the keybindings don’t work as expected for my Mac. After I write this I’m going to looking into some keybinding updates. Again, no biggie, just quick observations.
Happy Hacking!
Swapped my switches from the stock ones and suddenly the x and d keys don’t work. Board is laggy in wireless mode, dongle or bluetooth. Get what you pay for. The battery size is great though and the sound of the stabilizers is actually decent. But will be returning the board.
Edit: so I opened up the board and saw the the actual connector came off the solder. (As pictured) I ended up contacting the sellers, actual rk, and they are sending a replacement. Amended the review, not on their request but my own volition.
The keys feel amazing. Probably the best feeling keyboard I’ve used(Previous keyboard in recent usage are Corsair Strafe, both Mk1 and Mk2, and Roccat Vulkan 122)
Software isn’t the best, but it is easier than a lot still(And infinitely better than most ‘indie’ keyboards as most don’t even have software to control keybinds, RGB Lighting, etc)
The feet for the keyboard are magnetic, rather than held in with plastic stubs like most keyboards. This is both a pro and con, the con is that they can get knocked off and lost(which is what happened to me), the pro is if they get knocked off because you’re being a little rough, they aren’t broken – just put it back in place.
As said, I lost 1 of the feet for the keyboard and contacted customer service and requested to pay for a pair of feet, rather than let me pay for it, they insisted they’d just send them to me at no extra cost. Shipping was also fast, took about 4 days from me opening a ticket to receiving feet – significantly better customer service than I’ve experienced with even the monolith keyboard companies like Razer, Corsair, etc
Keyboard is very customizable as you can pop the keys off and replace them with other key caps as well as the stem itself, which is very nice and uncommon as most keyboards have the stems soldered on.
Only major downside, for me, is the lack of a numpad. If they had a wireless/bt keyboard like this, but was a 100% keyboard, I’d definitely be on board for that, unfortunately their 100% keyboards are not wireless/bt, however.
For starters – YES, this keyboard works on Mac! It even says so in the description AND user manual. It has a Mac mode and a Windows mode right on the keys! I can’t speak for the software – I imagine that may only be usable on windows – but it is swappable, and it is compatible with both! I own both and use it on both so I promise you that it is. You can even swap the windows key with the alt key to where the command key normally is on a Mac when you switch the keyboard to Mac mode if you’d like. Much more comfortable!
That said – here is my review:
While this Mechanical keyboard is considered to fall under the “budget” end of mechanical keyboards for its size – this keyboard is a great value.
Hot-swappable switches, swappable keys, works both wired via USB-C, or wireless via any of its 3 different Bluetooth channels or it’s 2.4ghz USB, and even has two pass-through USB (type A) ports on the back for added convenience. It comes pre-built (although u would’ve loved to assemble it), is compatible with Windows AND Mac, and it even has software! All for under $90? That’s hard to beat.
I’ll be honest — this is my first mechanical keyboard, so take that for what you will. However, believe you me when I tell you that I did my research (and a lot of it) before purchasing this one. Seriously, it’s been months.
This Royal Kludge RK84 met all of my criteria for a starter keyboard and then some. Has all the keys I really need (including a couple for convenience), could connect to two computers (but not at the same time), has red linear switches, is hot swappable, had decent battery life, adjustable RGB backlight, USB-C, and doesn’t break the budget (around $100 since this is my first mechanical keyboard). I also wanted it to show up the next day, so keep in mind that these thoughts also include that I searched primarily on Amazon (which may or may not have limited me here, although I didn’t feel that it did based on the options I found on YouTube and other forums as well). The selection on Amazon is quite decent for boards in this price range.
I digress.
Being a budget pre-built, and despite watching video after video on this mech (let alone probably 15-20 other keyboards), I was super unsure of what to expect after opening the box. I was nervous that it would feel super chintzy. I almost expected it to. I was worried it would rattle and clunk, it would be lightweight, and that it would feel cheap. More so, I was worried that I would be disappointed. However, that was not the case at all.
I am currently blown away at the features and quality of this board (and I’m a picky guy). Considering I could’ve spent double for a keyboard with the same (or even fewer) features that this bird has, confirms to me that this is a great starter levied for me, or for just about anybody who wants to affordably ‘dip their toes’ into the mech world.
I can’t speak much for longevity, but I am confident in saying that this is an awesome option among the many in its price range (at least on Amazon). I’ll upload a video of it completely stock later, but there isn’t all that much rattle considering that things are minimally lubed from the factory – if at all.
Now, no decent review is complete without an honest list of cons. After using it for a few hours this afternoon I have come upon a few things that are less desirable – but to be expected.
– The user manual could be considered somewhat confusing at parts. Not that bad, but it’s mostly just pictures so some things are left to the imagination. For instance, the P button blinks indefinitely until you either pair it with the 2.4ghz USB dongle included, or switch the keyboard into Bluetooth mode and connect it.
– There is some rattle in the stabs — but again this is to be expected and isn’t severe enough that it can’t be fixed fairly easily.
– The case does sound a bit hollow/cheap — also an easy fix. It doesn’t feel cheap though (as a reminder).
– The brightness could be slightly more adjustable, although there is enough adjustability for me to be content.
All things considered, this is a great keyboard. I would recommend it to anybody who thinks they might be interested in the enthusiast-side of mechanical keyboards.
Easy 5 stars from me.
The keyboard is very sturdy, quality materials, overall very happy with my purchase.
About the problems with the 2.4 Ghz dongle that people have. I tried replicating the problem and its as the people suggest. The keyboard loses signal about a meter away from the dongle.
*Unless you plug your dongle in a USB 2.0 port, that increased the range to 2-3 meters.
**But most importantly my Dell Monitor that has a USB HUB. After inserting the dongle in the Monitor USB hub, the keyboard can go way over 5 meters and not lose signal, suggesting that there is some kind of interference between the dongle and the PC.
The seller is great. Note that I got the version with blue switches, which came from the seller so took longer shipping (though still free and reasonable; just not Prime so not two-day). Versions with brown and red switches were Prime and shipped from Amazon. I’m not upset, though, as I knew that going in; just something to watch for.
I did have a quality control issue with the keyboard. I emailed the manufacturer, but no response after three weeks (not even a “thanks for letting us know”). It appears the opening for one of the switches (hyphen key) was too small. The symptom was the switch would not pop all the way back up, and did not click when pressed. When I removed the switch to replace it with one of the (4!) included spares, the removed switch worked properly and the spare, once installed, exhibited the same behavior. I was able to shave the opening with a razor blade and metal file and got the switch to work properly. So the keyboard works great now. Just a little disappointed in the quality control and lack of response from the manufacturer.
Other than that, I am very happy with the keyboard. The 84 key layout is perfect for me, I like the removable frame to change up the style, I like the two USB-A pass-through ports, and I like the keycaps (even the font) and switches. I really like the blue switches, but love the idea I could change them out for reds or browns if I want to try them out. I always use the keyboard plugged in, but I like that I have the option of either a 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth (though I haven’t tried either, as I am told the pass-through doesn’t work with those).
Was my first mechanical keyboard, does its job and looks great.
The keyboard itself is awesome, bright colors, high quality material – it just feels premium. The bluetooth works as expected and the fact that it charges via USB-C is a really nice feature to have. The dongle however is completely useless and feels low quality. I broke it just by plugging into my notebook, when I was taking it off the port it just dismounted and broke in my hands. I appreciate the fact that Royal Klugde gives us 3 ways of connecting the keyboard, however the dongle is really bad quality and it does not correspond with the overall quality of the keyboard.
I do a large amount of coding, report writing and spreadsheets. With this keyboard, I was able to customize the switches and keycaps to seriously improve my productivity. I have a mix of silent box browns, jades, blues and reds from 3 different switch brands because I want me typing to be silent tactile, my shift key to have two clicks, my caps to have one click, space is silent linear, and numbers are a clack sounding tactile. The macros also work very well and I can customize the LED colors to better identify the macro it activates. The only issue is sometimes the application goes a bit wonky and won’t stay on you last profile settings, so be sure to export/backup your macros after each save.
I bought this keyboard back in March. I used it for a while just like it came out of the box. Build quality was better than I was expecting. The Bluetooth works great, but the 2.4ghz dongle is lacking unless you are right on top of it. I chose to swap out the red switches that it came with for lubed Gateron milky yellows. I love typing on it now.
After doing some extensive research to find a high quality Mechanical Keyboard at an affordable price, the brand that kept popping up on reviews was Royal Kludge. Hesitant at first due to not knowing the brand very well, all reviews seemed so positive. The feature set this keyboard offers is astonishing. You have 2.4ghz usb, Bluetooth with 5 devices connected at the same time, Bluetooth with a built in HUGE battery. Removable shielding, 2 extra USB’s that work with your PC and ARGB backlight on each individual key. Hot swappable too! The features this keyboard has normally come under a $200 keyboard. for just 75 you get the exact same thing. The blue switches are brilliant too. I wanted a key type that had a small amount of resistance and a noticeable click. It does not disappoint. Do not sleep on this brand. They are AMAZING keyboards.
Switches feel really nice. Good build quality. Comes with so much utility and features, this keyboard does it all. And the perfect size in my opinion.
Customer service was great too
This is my first mechanical keyboard and I must say, It’s really cool. I don’t know if this already came factory lubed or not, not sure but it feels and sound like it. It’s really bright and you don’t need software in my opinion to make it look really cool. If there is something I would change is the switches and by that I mean, instead of buying browns, I would have bought reds for gaming but still it feels amazing. I have it about 4 feet away from my computer and it works great so no problem with that. I really recommend this keyboard to anyone who wants to buy a really cool, entry level, wireless mechanical keyboard. I’ll update this review if anything happens.
Excluding the struggle to find a set of keycaps supported by this keyboard, all I can say are great things. The compact eighty four key layout is perfect, with no wasted space which is a benefit both functionally and in terms of looks. The use of a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless mode allows for much lower latency than any Bluetooth keyboard on the market, though it would be nice if their software could work over a wireless connection. I like the addition of the two USB ports, which can be quite useful to attach a fingerprint reading module to. I love the ability to remove and attach the bezel, allowing for different styles to match your look.
For the mechanical keyboard fans out there the board itself is quite sturdy, and supports hot-swapping it’s switches. The default switches (own-branded Browns that seem to be based off Gateron Browns) aren’t amazing, but they’re much better than I expected.
I would like to remind all buyers however that you must update the firmware to solve some typing bugs via their software or you’ll hand a hard time typing. I don’t necessarily consider this a downside though as it’s a standard procedure with pretty much any “advanced” peripheral out there.
I love the keyboard, but I had some problems using the software and still haven’t figured it out.
I bought this for the value it seemed to provide with its feature set. While I haven’t replaced any of the keys yet, having two additional USB ports while I’m using it with the USB C cable is great, albeit a bit inconvenient to reach. The battery life is a bit shorter than I imagined but still solid. This is also my first time using a keyboard of this size so I’m still getting used to the layout but the keys themselves feel good.
It is a decent keyboard with respect to hardware. The keyboard I got was the newer 2021 manufactured one, and it does not have any issue with the 2.4ghz connection. It works flawlessly for approximately 5 feet of range, after which it starts missing many of the keypresses. One thing to note is that the latency benefits are not that much for this 2.4 ghz connection compared to Bluetooth 5.0. We should not expect Logitech lightspeed level of performance. It is just a good option when the device you are connecting to does not have Bluetooth capabilities.
The switches used in this keyboard are actually very acceptable. Not the smoothest. Lubing the switches should surely help. The stabilizers are also decent. The keycaps are very good abs keycaps for the price. Overall the hardware is on par to, say Keychron k2 v2. Out of the box, these keyboards are a huge upgrade from cheap membrane or mechanical keyboards. Although, these keyboards wont match in out of the box typing quality to keyboards like Yunzii Akko.
Issues arise when dealing with the firmware and the software. The device has a really unintuitive battery level indicator. The official instruction says: Spacebar will flash 3 times when battery is not full, 5 times when it is fully charged. For me, even after charging for 10 hours, the space bar never flashed 5 times. I reconnected the keyboard as well to reset the keyboard, but that did not help. Further, there is no way to know even an approximate estimate of charge level. So, there was no way to confirm if the firmware was failing to show full battery, or if the battery actually did not charge.
Another major issue is that the backlight turns of in 15-20 seconds when in wireless mode, irrespective of the sleep time set in the software. In wired mode, the backlight stays on for the correct amount of time.
Overall, all these issues add up and make it difficult for me to recommend these to anyone who cannot ignore such irritations.
Post sales support was excellent (shout out to Nicole). They handled my queries efficiently and professionally. Would highly recommend. 9/10.
I researched this keyboard and didn’t buy it at first because of the wireless dongle not working properly. I ordered a Keychron K2 that was never delivered and got a refund on that one, but while I was waiting I gave the RK84 a second look and then I read that the new version fixed a bunch of issues. This version also came with Fn media keys which I like, the price is better than the K2, hot swappable, RGB. To be fair, this is my first mechanical keyboard so don’t take my word as an expert. So far I been loving it.
Son happy with it just what he wanted and works to his specifications
The switches are actually hot swappable! Tried and tested. Here’s a fun fact, the stabilizers are actually lubed, that’s why there’s little to no rattling. I did add two layers of yellow masking tape right where the stabilizers sit, and that was enough to make it nice and snug. I love how the keycaps sound, nice and quiet. It’s motivated me during the late nights while I’m writing research papers. I downloaded the drivers directly from the website and they work fine. When first plugging this in, the windows key, media keys for fn+fn# wouldn’t work. So make sure to get the drivers if you’re having this problem.
I’m just a bit sad that the software doesn’t have a function to change the lighting mode for gaming, or make a gaming mode profile that autodetects game.
Overall, best buy of the year so far!
I might get pudding keycaps for this~
This is the first hot-swappable keyboard I’ve ever bought. I got the brown switch variation of it but I’ve been using brown switches for quite a while and wanted to change it up a bit. So I took them out and put Kailh white box switches in and am quite amused at the difference. The only bad thing I would have to say about the keyboard is that the lights on the board are quite dim and not the brightest.
The newer version is great! It is the one with the serial number starting with 21. I wanted to write a review to clear up any confusion for future buyers.
First off, the Bluetooth and 2.4 wireless connection are great, no firmware update needed. I was able to walk into another room and still remain connected on Bluetooth 5 and stand about 10 feet away on 2.4 wireless. I have not noticed any latency when typing and have never waited for it to connect after waking from sleep (At least with the 2.4 connection, I’ve only used Bluetooth for testing).
I’m not a huge keyboard enthusiast but this keyboard feels nice to type on. Although they claim the same actuation force, the brown switches are a bit more stiff compared to the gateron browns that I came from. The board has a nice weight to it. Lighting is clear and bright if you need it.
Battery is the best thing about this board. I have using it for two weeks on 2.4 wireless coming from a full charge. Lighting mostly off except for a few hours a night when it was on the 2nd lowest brightness. When I connected to my Chromebook to test Bluetooth just now it said the battery was at 70% after 2 weeks!
I considered giving it a 4 star review because of the software but since it is optional that seems unfair. It is functional and from what I can tell, not malware. However the updates are iffy. When I tried to update firmware the keyboard was temporarily bricked. Unplugging it and connecting wirelessly fixed it, not sure why. Trying to update the software/firmware at a later date gave me errors. If you need to create macros or change lighting effects it is perfectly useable but I would skip it if you don’t. And definitely do not update firmware unless the page has new information on it (currently says updated 4/23/21).
Overall I think this is a great keyboard, especially for the price. I was looking for a wireless 75% keyboard and ended up choosing between this and a keychron k2. I decided to take a gamble on this because it had more features and customizability. I’m really glad I did. Highly recommend it!
I had the Red switch version and it was lovely. The switches were nicely lubed so weren’t too loud and didn’t feel gritty. The stabilisers were a touch on the loud/lose side, louder than my Keychron K8, but not at bad as some I have tried out at all. There wasn’t too much in the way of pinging from the case so I suspect there MAY be some sort of sound deadening in there but I don’t know as I didn’t open the case to check.
It would have been nice to have seen PBT keycaps rather than ABS but at this price point that’s fairly rare so I can’t really deduct any points for that however adding a cheapo set of PBT keycaps would bring this board up to the 100 range and I still think that would be a fair overall price for it.
You get Bluetooth connectivity for upto three devices which works without a hitch. I switched it between my work laptop and person gaming PC daily and it is quick to change and respond. If you leave the board alone for a bit it will switch off the BT to save battery and like most BT boards there is a second or so delay in it re-activating and re-connecting but nothing as major as I saw with the Keychron mentioned earlier.
Backlighting is decent and bright and has many different settings for how you want the lights to work or how bright they are and the colour. I personally liked the multicoloured one, I think it works well with the white.
The board has many different media functions and things but I didn’t test any of them as I don’t care about that sort of stuff. I would imagine it works fine though, this is a very well put together board.
The case does not have flick out feet but you do get magnetic feet which attach to the back. These work well and put the board into a really nice typing angle and if you want to game you can just flick them off and it’s in a decent gaming angle. Kick out feet would have been better but this solution works just fine.
There is a band around the case which you can remove so that you can have either floating keys or sunken ones, whichever floats your boat. It’s pretty hard to get off but this means it’s not lose and rattly, adding sound to the board.
Battery life if good. I only had to charge it once. I think you get something like 10 hours if you have all the RGB going all the time but if you turn it off you will get many many more hours. Not sure of the official figure but you’ll be good for a week or more between charges I would think. Also depends on how much you used it too.
I think this keyboard is an excellent starting point in the world of mechanical boards. It’s hot swappable so you can modify it to your hearts content, it’s wireless so you can use it with multiple devices, it’s got all the function and arrow keys so you don’t need to worry about annoying modifiers and at the same time it’s more compact than a traditional TKL board. There are some things which I would like to see improved, Options without backlight, Black option, PBT Keycaps and quieter stabilisers but overall this has been my favourite board out of all the mechanical ones I have tested so far.
This Keyboard is most definitely worth EVERY DIME.
It’s has a decent weight on it to make it more durable and stable, the Colors/Lights are not too dark and not too bright just perfect for any lighting situation! Would I ever by this Keyboard again?! YES ANYTIME.
I purchased the Red Switches and they are RK Switches. RoyalKludge is delivering what they promise
It’s a good keyboard for the most part, although it disconnects whenever my laptop goes to sleep. I’ll wake it up, but the keyboard won’t reconnect, so I would have to disconnect the wire and reconnect it. I have cheaper keyboards that stay connected, so I don’t know why this one doesn’t. Also came with a keycap puller but no switch puller which isn’t a huge deal since I can just buy one but I expected it to come with one since it’s hot swappable. Otherwise, I do like that the keyboard can be used three different ways, and I have no problems with the rgb at all. Every key functions well, and the switches feel nice.
Stanno dietro il loro prodotto con un eccellente servizio clienti.
stanno dietro il loro prodotto con un eccellente servizio clienti.
non possibile ottenere un Bluetooth affidabile e insieme a 2.4Ghz, pi software a questo prezzo.
Peccato che il loro software non supporta una risoluzione inferiore a 1080p, ma merita comunque 5 stelle
I thought it will be clicky but not at all.. it was perfect for me.. Build quality is superb and battery life too.. Seller is also accomodating and replies promptly. They even given me dicou
Love using this keyboard (red switches fitted) for gaming and for general typing – I would be using it now but my partner took it to use on her PC! The Bluetooth is very short range but shouldn’t be an issue for most people – but it is worth noting. My only gripe was that white keycaps can be hard to read in the daytime and you really need to set the lighting to be always on to make them easy to read.
i feel like my keyboard isn’t as bright as it should be, that’s the only reason i give it a 4, everything works fine it’s only that i feel. It looks more dim in person than the picture but I came from a corsair k63 that only lights up blue but the blue lights for the keys on that keyboard is definitely brighter then this one, let me know if anyone feels the same or if it’s just my keyboard and i should get a replacement.
First time buyer of mechanical keyboards here and I would say this would have made it good only if:
1 – the bluetooth switching from one device to the other is a struggle – need to remove and pair again
2 – the software is windows-based – what if I have a Mac and no Windows – can’t use it anymore
3 – the magnetic riser that’s with the purchase is defective – the magnets are working but when it’s connected, it twists.
Oh, well…you get what you pay for 🙁
Build quality is great, definitely feels worth the 100 bucks. Typing also feels better, it feels pretty light. I’ve been using the USB dongle they provided for most of my typing, however typing wired feels a little faster. The connection via dongle is pretty short, and sometimes has hiccups when typing. Can’t comment on Bluetooth.
A lot of RGB options, all great. The removable frame is also a nice feature.
The biggest con in my opinion, is that I can’t seem to find a way to stop the keyboard from keeping my PC awake all the time. I tried disabling “allow this device to wake up PC” for every keyboard in my device manager, but if the keyboard is on or linked via USB to your PC, it never let my PC go to sleep. I have to unplug the power and turn it off or take out the USB dongle from my PC.
Overall I enjoy this keyboard.
It’s a really good keyboard. It has all the features I’m looking for like hotswap sockets, usb c, and usb ports.
On startup, I always have to reconnect the cable for the keyboard to work.
The usb receiver to use it wirelessly doesn’t work if the keyboard is more than a few inches away…what???? Haven’t tried bluetooth yet
If you can look past having to unplug and replug the cable to use the keyboard, I would rate it 5 stars in wired mode. It’s great for gaming. I’d never use it in wireless mode
I personally got my key caps blue, and they sound amazing, the overall keyboard is very nice, a lot heavier than you think so no sliding, and believe me, the pictures do it no justice, the keyboard is so beautiful in person. The only problem I have ever had with it is that when shutting down and booting my pc back up, I have to unplug the usb c cable and plug it back in for it to work, but that’s just a minor issue that doesn’t really take but 5 seconds. Honestly a great starter mechanical keyboard and one of the best purchases I have ever made for my setup!
Update: I’ve modded this keyboard a bit now and have some additional feedback. These stabilizers have a lot of potential, once you clip and lube them and add tape or band-aids to make the fitment tighter, they sound really good. Swapping the keycaps out for thicker ones will really help this keyboard sound great. The battery life has been fantastic and I’ve been loving the ability to easily swap out switches. The removable frame sometimes makes my space bar sounds more hollow and echo-y but I don’t like the look of the board without it so I keep it on. The frame was also slightly warped but I’ve stopped caring about that after a month or so. Overall, definitely, a great board that’d I’d recommend to anyone, but especially keyboard enthusiasts on a budget.
-There no foam underneath so you have to do that yourself if you into typing sound, just be careful of the Bluetooth ON/OFF switch underneath when you do that. I bought Brown switch version thinking it might be outemu, as for these TTC.k switches, i never used them before but they do feel sturdier. Other minor things like the port is on the right side, which I am not a fan of, and some odd Volume keys mapping that would take some time to get used to, but these two are just my preference. Lastly, it’s the stabs on these, they are basically the same as any yunzii/keycool keyboard stab you can buy, terrible, they are only ok after some modding.
This is my first mechanical keyboard that I’ve ever used. I was very hesitant because looking for a gaming keyboard to transition to pc gaming (I mainly use ps4 controller) seems like a difficult task to someone who has no knowledge of peripherals whatsoever. I’ve watched a few videos and stumbled upon this keyboard and it seems to tick every check box (that I know of) that a enthusiast might want.
Mechanical keyboard? check
Hotswap switches? check
bluetooth? check
2.4 ghz connection? check
usb c to standard usb cable? check
large battery? check
RGB? check
RGB pattern effects? check
Software? check
Macros? check
Key mapping? check
There maybe more to name but that’s all I have at the moment. You can also remove the outside frame to give the keys a floating look. The switches are cherry mx red clones made by TTC. They are easy to type on, with some type of grittiness feeling when pressing keys down. Maybe lubing the switches will further improve the experience. All of the keycaps are marked with the available controls like the volume, play/pause, skip back/forward, default app shortcuts, rgb settings and 5 bluetooth connections on QWERT keys. You can record macros on the software included in the amazon product information or thru a shortcut mentioned in the included direction booklet (I don’t remember at the top of my head. Speaking of which, the software link in the amazon product information seemed sketchy because its a direct download of a zip file and does not send you to a official product site. Upon extracting the files, they are legitimate. When installing one of the software installers are in Chinese (firmware I think? doesn’t install unless keyboard is connected via usb-c cable) and then the other is in English (the actual keyboard software). The software seems to work only when the keyboard is connected via usb. Once it’s connected, it’ll give you all the options to remap keys, record macros, and different rgb settings such as rgb pattern type, speed, and color selection.
Overall, with all of these options for the price I paid ($64 – Black Friday price), it’s hard to beat in my opinion!
UPDATE
I took the keyboard apart to see what’s inside:
Outside frame and case: some sort of plastic
Key switches: TTC-KS4A Series (in my case, TTC Reds [unlubed])
Keyboard plate: some sort of metal, powder coated
Stabilizers: lubed already, surprisingly. Plate mounted only
PCB: hotswappable with Bluetooth/2.4 Ghz ALSO wired mode has 2 USB ports for USB pass through