Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Keychron - Q1 HE | Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 75% | 96% |
Between the Q1 HE and RK R98 Pro, the Q1 HE comes out ahead in several specs, while the RK R98 Pro wins on size. Overall, the Q1 HE scores 81.1 and the RK R98 Pro scores 81.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are evenly matched on the broad strokes; the decision sits on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
The Q1 HE does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the RK R98 Pro if you care most about size. Its strongest claims are size. The single most decisive one: Size: 96% (vs 75%).
Both ship with comparable hot-swappable, wireless, polling rate, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Keychron - Q1 HE or Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro?
The two products are effectively tied on the current Mars Score.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare size against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Keychron - Q1 HE if…
Keychron - Q1 HE does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro if…
Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro has the measurable edge on size.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Keychron - Q1 HE wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro wins
- ▲Size: 96% (vs 75%).
Spec comparison
Switches
| Spec | Keychron - Q1 HE | Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Switch type | Hall-effect | RK Cream Yellow |
| Hot-swappable | true | true |
Layout & Build
| Spec | Keychron - Q1 HE | Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 75% | 96%lead |
| RGB | true | true |
| Rotary knob | true | true |
| Case material | Aluminum | Plastic |
Connectivity
| Spec | Keychron - Q1 HE | Royal Kludge - RK R98 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless | true | true |
| 2.4 GHz | true | true |
| Battery | 100 h | 150 hlead |
| Polling rate | 1000 Hz | 1000 Hz |