RK Royal Kludge S87 Mechanical Keyboard Hot Swappable RGB White

what our customer say this product:

Powered by

1. Realm of Nova Verified Buyer – 17 April 2024

   This is a very stylish, versatile mechanical keyboard for those on a budget. The keycaps, key switches, and the overall base of the keyboard itself are very high quality and feel great to press. The keyboard I received comes with linear red switches, and although I typically prefer brown switches as I like the tactile feel of them, these switches were smooth, responsive, and quiet to use. The keyboard also comes with a detachable USB-C cable, spare red switches, and a keycap/switch puller. The keyboard has an elegant premium design, but still remains surprisingly lightweight. It also has flip out feet stands to elevate it however you want, and the keyboard also acts as a mini USB hub- aside from the primary connection to your PC, there is a second USB-C port and full sized type-A port for other accessories. The keycaps on the keyboard are flat and have no indentation on them, so that may be an issue for those who prefer the grooves on other keys. The keys themselves feel great when pressing them, as they are smooth, light, and feel like they are floating, in a way. The switches are also much more quiet than my other keyboard, and although these linear switches don’t have much of a tactile feel, the lower actuation point and quicker response of these keys make up for it. However, the only downside I noticed with this keyboard, is that due to the shape of the keycaps, it can throw off your hand memory and make you press the wrong key more frequently. For example, typing up short stories, grocery lists, or whatever it may be, can be more inconsistent and I have to pay more attention to what I am pressing so as to not make a mistake, whereas before I could look only at my screen and type with almost complete accuracy. It has also been an issue in a few games, where due to the shape, I have been pressing keys either above or next to the ones I am intending to press. While it may just take some time for me to get used to it, it has been slightly annoying to adjust. Overall, I love the style of this keyboard, and it is much quieter. The RGB lighting is vivid and bright, and even has multiple other styles for you to choose from. This keyboard is an excellent value, as it’s as smooth and high quality as much more costly options. I highly recommend giving it a try, just be mindful of the keycap design possibly interfering with your writing technique.

   

2. Techie One Verified Buyer – 3 June 2024

   This gaming keyboard is small and lightweight. Some keys can be customized. The LED’S are really cool. You can change the color and the different modes the lights can run in. The key board is gray with silver round keys. It is hard to see the keys due to black print on a reflective sticker on the keys. If your in a room with light it is reflecting off the keys and make it hard to see. The keys are loud. There is no typing and trying to be quiet. Very loud clicking. These are the only two things I found an issue. Very flashy looking when lights are going.

   

3. Kelli Verified Buyer – 12 August 2024

   I love that it has side lights, and the switches are hot-swappable, I also like that it isn’t much bigger than a 65% keyboard which gives me more desk space. As a girl I think the typewriter keycaps make typing with acrylic nails on easier compared to typical mechanical keyboard keycaps. Only cons are that the keycaps are not shine through so you can’t see the letters at night however, you could just buy replacement key caps, additionally it’s wired only, so it doesn’t have a wireless option and they don’t have a truely pastel backlit option but one of the backlit settings is close to pastel. Although I personally think the cons I listed aren’t that big of a deal and still really like this keyboard and the way it looks.

   

4. Aubrey S Verified Buyer – 16 September 2024

   This may be a skill issue, but I think this keyboard is great for gaming and being aesthetic, but not the best for typing essays or anything long form. I may get used to it after awhile, but on initial use I find the flat keycap design and flat even level of the design to be hard to use. The key caps are also opaque so the backlight doesn’t pass through, so if you’re someone that relies on looking down at your fingers while typing, it’ll be hard to type anything in a dark room. I’d say I am a heavy game/touch typist so it’s not the most crucial complaint in the world and I care more about aesthetics than accuracy
   

5. Dawn R. Verified Buyer – 1 October 2024

   This keyboard is worth the $69 price tag. I loved the feel of the keys and the feedback they give as you press down on them. It reminds me of the old fashioned typewriter my grandmother had and feels a lot like it when you strike the keys. It works great for gaming and for typing. The only thing g missing is keypad. If you need one, you can get a separate 10 key pad.

   

6. I AM THE FIRE Verified Buyer – 30 November 2024

   OK, I saw this, thought it was super cool and couldn’t wait to get it. It’s a smaller size keyboard and the keys are round and kind of retro and have that clicking sound like an old typewriter when you tap on them. So far so good. The lighting is awesome and the overall look is exactly what I wanted. However…here is the part that ruins it…the keys are not backlit so you can’t see the letters (see photo), it’s like typing blindly UGHHHHHHHH!!!!! That makes this keyboard pretty much unusable for me. Please fix that!

   

7. Pickles Verified Buyer – 22 December 2024

   This is an attractive keyboard in large part but is somewhat of an unusual combination in terms of the theme. A mechanical keyboard with typewriter style round key caps and blue switches. RGB which is entirely inconsistent with the retro feel of the keyboard overall. Also has side lighting which is pretty bright and has several modes to choose from including turning it off entirely. Keep that manual close though because this keyboard has absolutely no function key legends which is understandable. The typing experience is much better than I would have expected. Uses blue switches which I like but won’t use for office productivity due to the noise factor. I find I can type as well or fast on this keyboard as I do on any of my other keyboards. What is somewhat of a miss for me is the legends on the keycaps are all but invisible depending on the angle and lighting. If looking from directly above the keyboard in good lighting generally pretty readable but in anything but good light and from directly above it can be very difficult to make out the text on the keycaps with the reflective nature of these keycaps. This is not a major issue for touch typists but if you are using while browsing the internet for instance and don’t have your hands in the typing posture you may find you have to look for that key that from the posture you would not even have to think about but out of posture you may have to look for it and that’s when it can be frustrating. Not sure I would use this for gaming necessarily, not to say you couldn’t, you absolutely could. Just not sure I would. For me the typewriter/retro look are more for effect than functionality but suspect I would have no problem gaming on this keyboard. Does have adjustable feet for a better typing angle but found it was not necessary, angle is pretty perfect out of the box. Uses USB C and is strictly a wired keyboard but the cable is removable which is a great choice. Hot swappable switches which is a great feature if you need to replace switches or want to try a different switch but will likely keep the blue switches myself keeping it consistent with the typewriter experience. Switches are nice and largely visible below the keycaps which for me is also inconsistent with the retro keyboard intention here. Also noticed that the spacebar has a round mottled appearance right at the point where the key is connected to the switch. Not a huge eyesore but it doesn’t have to be to notice it, even if nobody else notices it you will. Not sure I would recommend this keyboard unless purchasing for the look, while it works perfectly well for gaming or typing I would not use it for productivity where I do most of my typing, I would not use it for gaming because the typewriter experience and feel are not consistent with gaming for me.

   

8. Edgar Allan Verified Buyer – 4 January 2025

   There’s a lot to like here and one frustrating missed opportunity. So, what is good? Visually, this keyboard has the quirky “retro” vibe down pat. The keycaps (more on those later) definitely have an old-old typewriter look. They have a solid feel to them, though the surface is a bit slick. The switches are unlubed linear reds and are a fine multipurpose switch. The stabilizers are lubed, albeit inconsistently, but still provides a reasonably smooth feel. The lighting and overall design of the board enhances the retro feel with the side lighting giving the board an almost jukebox look to it. There is also some damping foam placed between the plate and PCB to help minimize any sound of hollowness from the case. And that leaves me to the typing experience. It’s not great. It, not necessarily bad, per se, but it could have been so much better if the keycaps were sculpted. As it stands, these are uniform profile keycaps, meaning every row is the same height. Given that the caps are round and the edges so close to touching, accidental key presses are much more common on this keyboard for me than any of my others keyboards. If the rows were at different heights, not only would that improve the typing feel, but would have better emulated the look and feel of an actual typewriter; and that is the missed opportunity. I don’t want to call this board a gimmick, because the keyboard itself is pretty solid. (I didn’t even mention the software as RK always has pretty complete, easy to use keyboard customization and the available software is no different.) However, the keycaps as they stand…are a wee bit of a gimmick. And, whether you get frustrated typing will greatly depend on how proficient of a typist you are. tl:dr – Good board, but could have been better. Keycaps provide both the vibe and frustration.

   

9. BTW Verified Buyer – 4 January 2025

   I spend half my life in front of a keyboard, so I’m always looking for the latest and greatest. I decided to give this one a try. The Royal Kludge “RK” mechanical keyboard has 87 “blue switches” and a per-key RGB backlight. It has a sleek design with an all black top, silver bevel, transparent key switches and round retro-style keycaps with silver accents. Included in the package is an extra long USB-C to USB-C cable (with USB-A adapter), keycap puller and four replacement blue switches. The keyboard has a built-in USB 2.0 hub with both USB-C and USB-A ports which is suitable for USB flash drives and mice. For ergonomics, the keyboard angle can be adjusted between three settings. Additional RGB “side lamps” are embedded along the left and right sides of the keyboard for additional customization. The instructions detail the simple key combinations for controlling all keyboard options. Many built-in backlight modes are available plus there are three programmable custom backlight slots. The side lamps have 10 selectable configurations. Color, brightness and speed can be adjusted for each mode. And for gaming, the “Windows” key can be disabled to prevent mishaps. Since this is a “blue switch” keyboard, the keys are “clicky” and do not require excessive pressure. Wired keyboards have many advantages over wireless – they do not need charging or batteries, have less latency and work out-of-the-box without OS configuration. I had no problems using this keyboard. All the keys were in the right places including CTRL, ESC and TILDE. I use the cursor keys a lot and like them in this configuration. The keyboard has heft to it and did not move at all while in use. I quickly found a backlight and side lamp configuration I liked that fit my setup. And if you unplug your keyboard, the previous configuration is restored automatically. I would recommend this keyboard for anyone who wants to liven up their keyboard experience!

   

10. Carlos Verified Buyer – 15 January 2025

    I ordered this since my current keyboard stopped working. My previous was also a mechanical keyboard but it had red switches and was a bit more noisier than this one. That said this arrived on time and as described. The keyboard was easy to setup and I was able to use it right away without issue. I like the look and feel, above all that it isn’t as noisy as my previous. Overall this exceeded my expectations and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it!

    

11. Beau+Dee Vine Verified Buyer – 27 January 2025

    This typewriter keyboard definitely elicits feelings of nostalgia while being FUNctional at the same time. The keys are soft and light up the moment it is plugged. Different colors cycle through the keys moving like a wave from left to right. The backlight can be controlled by using the FN key + another key (as listed on the user manual). It is quality-made and has a fold out stand to raise the keyboard with non-slip feet so it stays in place. Extra keys, a key puller, and a hybrid USB-C cable with a USB-A to C dongle are included.

    

12. Jubran allwer Verified Buyer – 8 February 2025

    It’s my 3rd keyboard that I buy from RK.
    I decided to go with this thinking the keyboard lights will be lit up(my bad for not checking prior to buying, however it’s very hard to see the letters, but after using this keyboard for 2 weeks, u can memorize/remember where the keys are. Them being round doesn’t help too.
    But overall love the lighting, and the mechanism sound.
    

13. Anna Bell Verified Buyer – 11 February 2025

    The keyboard works great, however the cable that came with it did not work at all. Luckly its just a UBC cord so have one handy!
    

14. Martinotti Verified Buyer – 1 March 2025

    I don’t know if maybe this keyboard is smaller than the last one I had but I seem to make more typos than usual. HOWEVER, I absolutely love this keyboard (the typos are user skill issue anyway haha). It looks super sleek and unique, looks tidy on my desk, and I like the color lights.

    It’s probably the prettiest keyboard I’ve owned. Looks super modern.
    

15. Leah Holbrook Sackett Verified Buyer – 5 March 2025

    I am not a gamer but a writer. I love the circular haptic keys and the rainbow of backlighting. It is easy to type, and it is fun to use. It reminds me of an old-time typewriter minus the hard-to-press keys. This keyboard has a number pad on the right side, which is a must-have for me. The magnetic wrist pad is nice but not necessary. Happy typing.
    

16. Azriel-Goddess Verified Buyer – 17 March 2025

    The RK ROYAL KLUDGE RKS87 Typewriter Mechanical Keyboard, Hot Swappable Red Switch Wired PC gaming keyboard, RGB87 key slim pack compact was really unique in the sense of the old typewriter feeling brought back to life. I remember the keys to that and it made you know when you were pressing the button and so forth. I love the color mode changes as well and it connected pretty nicely for the most part. Not to mention the retro feeling that came over the keyboard itself. I couldn’t help but keep pressing the keys over and over haha… This definitely is something that you can utilize and you can use it for the long term if you want to if it’s something that’s more comfortable for you. We enjoy it quite thoroughly and we will continue to enjoy it. Thank you.

    

17. Unsatisfied customer Verified Buyer – 22 March 2025

    This was a Christmas gift 2023 and the backlight has stopped working already March 17/2024. 3 months and no backlight. That was the main reason my daughter wanted this keyboard. Disappointed.
    

18. BuckyEmptier Verified Buyer – 24 March 2025

    It’s depressing, to see a quality product with an inherent flaw that is so significant. It’s not just that you can’t see the letters in the dark, you can’t see them in broad daylight either because the keys are black on black and are silhouetted against the bright lights behind them. I feel very stupid having made this purchase.

    That being said it’s otherwise a great product… To return immediately
    

19. Fred C. Dobbs Verified Buyer – 26 March 2025

    Even though I’m not much of a gamer, I do collect mechanical typewriters. Further, I spend a fair amount of time in my home office, writing. Over the years, I’ve amassed nearly 200 publications in addition to editing over 300 more. As a collector of typewriters, I figured the “RK ROYAL KLUDGE RKS87 Typewriter Mechanical Keyboard” would give me the best of both worlds — the ease of writing on a computer plus the feeling of using a vintage mechanical typewriter. Not so fast, Shakespeare! Writing with the RKS87 keyboard provided some sounds, feelings, and visual reminders of what it’s like typing on my vintage Olympia — although obviously it’s a very different experience. On the other hand, writing with the RKS87 was more of a challenge than I expected. First, it was difficult for me to adjust to the new keyboard. I found myself focusing more on the process of using new equipment than on the process of writing. In other words, the equipment was a distraction. More importantly, I had a problem seeing the keys on the keyboard due to the design, configuration, reflective keys, and lighting effects beneath the keyboard. As with some other reviewers, I concluded that the RKS87 is not for me or the way in which I use my desktop computer. This is not to say that a gamer wouldn’t enjoy using the keyboard for all of the reasons why I found it distracting. It’s a good product from a respected company.

    

20. Ian Sowell Verified Buyer – 4 April 2025

    This keyboard is nice if you’re looking for a more silent mechanical keyboard. This keyboard uses linear red switches; which are generally considered the quietest type of switches on a keyboard. The design is unique, with the switches exposed as if on a typewriter with the hammers being exposed. The color of the RGB is vibrant. The RGB elements are a bit limited though. There are only a few presets, but you still can make a custom backlight by either downloading or making it on the keyboard itself. The “FN” functionality for choosing keyboard specific options is a bit finicky and doesn’t seem to match with what the manual states. It’s also only wired, which can mess with some setups in various ways. Overall, I think this is a nice aesthetic for those who want a silent mechanical keyboard, but aren’t looking for a “gamer-y” keyboard or just want something unique.

    

21. Diana Tien Verified Buyer – 11 April 2025

    The keycaps are opaque and cannot be seen in the dark, even though I am a professional blind typist, I find it inconvenient, the design is a failure, as a professional manufacturer, you should not make such a cheap mistake. I had to pay extra money for the light-permeable keycaps and had to do the replacement installation myself one by one.
    There are a lot of programs for the lights and the design is good. The best part is that the sound of the keys is very close to and more pleasant than a real typewriter. It’s loud, but just what I wanted.
    The keys rebound with a little less power, the feel is too light and the keyboard feels a little loose, if the rebound power could be made a little stronger, it would probably feel more perfect.
    

22. BobaMilk Tea Verified Buyer – 13 April 2025

    Royal Kludge is introducing a fresh style with this new release, deviating from their usual focus on traditional looking gaming keyboards. It’s still being promoted as a gaming keyboard but using retro keycaps which are circular and bear resemblance to classic typewriters. So it makes typing interesting and fun. Royal Kludge never disappoints in any of their builds, and this one is no exception. Hot swappable, unique rgb layout, and decent stabs, it’s good enough to use out of box. I got this with red switches which are linear, quiet, low actuation, but it didn’t come factory lubed. It’s not bad but I will probably swap them out for something with more feedback.  At first it felt incredibly different to type on, not what I am used to and it’s probably because of the keycap design which has texture to it when you are typing on it. Up until now, I’ve utilized it extensively for gaming in the evenings and work during the daytime. Gaming on it was unexpectedly not bad, but I won’t be replacing it for gaming. This is a board with switches fully exposed; it ehances the vibrancy of the rgb and is more convenient to clean in between the rows. The board feels lightweight, made mostly of light plastic, and while I haven’t opened it up to examine the build, I am pretty content as it is now. As an avid enthusiast of rgb lights, I find it amusing to add this lighting technology to what’s supposed to be retro and vintage. This contrast though works, enhancing its appeal into modern tech. I genuinely relish the typing experience it provides, and the auditory feedback it produces is satisfactory for me. Solid keyboard for your collection and I still intend to use it daily to make use of it.