I'll just say right off the bat: in the relatively short amount of time that I've been diving into the mechanical keyboard hobby (half a year or so), I think this is the best keyboard I've used so far. Before buying the H81, I originally purchased Royal Kludge's RK61 (60%) model with the idea that I would be able to get used to not having dedicated delete, arrow, and F keys, which I realized after a while that I could not. I returned the RK61, though I was left with a very good impression, as it was the first RK board I'd ever purchased. I opted for the H81 as it's replacement, and I'm glad I did. It has done nothing but impress me thus far. First of all, the layout is perfect for me. It has the aforementioned keys I missed on the 60%, and omits all the other dedicated keys I never use (scroll lock, home, insert, etc...), though they can still be accessed through other keys + the FN key for people that want them. Both that and removing the number pad leaves it at a nice compact size of less than even a TKL keyboard. The case itself has a good heft to it, and while it is plastic, it still feels high quality. Also, though it's a preference thing, I love the fact that it has a thick bezel. I think thick bezels look a lot better than thin ones. The dust cover is also a nice touch. To be completely honest, knowing that the switches were Royal Kludge-branded, I was fully planning on replacing them with something else (the Royal Kludge switches on the RK61 I had were good, but could've been better), but as soon as I started typing I fell in love. They are completely free of scratchiness and sound absolutely heavenly thanks to them being pre-lubed. Usually factory-applied lube is not great, or at least not consistent, but in my opinion the Sky Cyan switches in this board feel and sound just as good as Gateron Yellow switches I hand-lubed. The description mentions that these switches are supposed to be like them, but I was skeptical. They definitely annihilated my expectations. The stabilizers are just as good. Buying boards in the past I've always had to re-lube the stabs, but I was pleasantly surprised that they sounded fantastic right out of the box, no rattling at all, and consistent across all of them. I am absolutely blown away at how nice this board sounds and feels at this price. It is buttery smooth and has a nice thocky sound profile. I'm sure the silicone in the bottom of the case also helps with that. Though I have replaced the keycaps that came on this board (as seen in my review photo), there is absolutely nothing wrong with the ones that come stock. They are good quality and they feel great, with the double-shot legends looking nice and sharp. I just had another set that I already planned on using before buying this board. Though I already have a keycap and switch puller, it is still nice that one is included for people that don't have one. It's also nice that a few extra switches are included. The only things I can't comment on are the bluetooth and dongle connections, I've only used it wired. Other boards that I've had in the past were good, but I always wanted something more. I think I've finally found a board that I'm completely satisfied with. I don't think you can find a better value in a keyboard for the price. Having had a Skyloong keyboard that sells for more than this one, I think the H81 is nicer. After hearing so much hype around the name Royal Kludge, and now after finally getting to try the H81 and (briefly) the RK61 out for myself, I can say I'm a fan. I'd say they definitely punch well above their respective price points. I typed out this review using this keyboard and it has been an absolute joy. Bottom line: I would definitely recommend this keyboard, especially if you want one that will sound and feel great right out of the box without having to do any modding. Read more

I have a Logitech MX, which is an ok (good even) full size chiclet keyboard that supports multiple bluetooth setups, but I wanted something smaller and mechanical. I tried a Razor 60% first, but I couldn't live without dedicated F keys and cursor/scrolling keys. After some browsing, I came across Royal Kludge, particularly this 75% one. I got it 20% off, so it was like $60. I am quite surprised with how good this thing is. I love the knob for a few reasons. First, I do often have both my Mac and PC on my desk and like to have only one keyboard, and the knob makes it easy to switch. Second, I use this wirelessly and only connect the cable to charge, thus I turn the keyboard off when I am not using it to conserve battery and the knob makes this super easy and quick. Finally, I think it looks cool and sets this keyboard apart. Btw, almost all Royal Kludge keyboards support multiple bluetooth setups, they just don't use a knob to switch between them, they use Fn key combinations. The keys feel great, the sound is great, battery great. The only negative I can give it is the (tiny) manual isn't the greatest and if you want to play with the software, you will have to do some googling. The software is totally not required though, which is why you don't hear a lot about it. Read more

I got the R61 first and then returned it when I realized it wasn't BT (silly mistake). I preferred the shape of the keycaps on that one, and the creamy feel and sound, but this one is also amazing! I think I might switch out the keycaps at some point once I figure out what type were on the other RK keyboard. The thing that I absolutely LOVE is that I have now connected this to my mac, my gaming PC and my work laptop. NOTE: On the macs you should connect it and hit the keys next to the shift keys ONCE, but the next time, just cancel/click the red circle so keyboard assistant stops popping up everytime you switch BT channels. THE DIAL FEELS SO FREAKIN GOOD! Someone on YT compared it to "fidget spinner good" and it's totally spot on! The lighting is good, typing isn't bad and I'm more accustomed to the keys after an afternoon with it. It's still taking some getting used to coming from the flat rectangle apple magic keyboards for the last 6 years, but it's not bad! On this particular keyboard I have to say I hate the spacebar sound - it's VERY different from the entire rest of the keyboard and whatever switch is in it (or maybe they have something bigger/different than switches or two small ones spaced out? pun intended :P) definitely needs changing. It's absolutely horrible and I'm not even a picky guy when it comes to the sounds. Most sound decent to me, but I think I like linear most from having had 2 KBs with them now. One things for sure: you'll def know when you're typing spaces correctly XD I got the green version (it looks great!) and the build quality is SOLID 10/10. I would dare to say this is the best budget mechnical premade board you can get, or one of top 5, for the features and overall feel out of the box. Read more

Really like the look and design of this keyboard with the different slants & angles. The knob is so satisfying to use. The south facing rgb lights are quite bright. The linear switches are really smooth and sound good. Read more

The keys are easy to click and quiet. Numerous multi-device connection options make this a powerful little keyboard. It's smaller but has the full arrows, delete and home buttons. My previous small mechanical keyboard - I could never remember out how to activate those keys. This one is a lot easier. The packaging was top-notch, with included USB/c cable. It has decent tactile feel and the sound it emits is nice. Me likey. Update: the backlighting is a problem because it lights up underneath the keys, but not the lettering itself. In the dark, I can barely see the lettering. Such a shame. Great keyboard as long as there's light around. In the dark, it's a struggle. Read more