RK ROYAL KLUDGE S85 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard

I love the feel and sound of this keyboard. The knob and screen on the corner help with quick adjustments like volume and led choices. The software unlocks the full potential of the keyboard so make sure you install that as well.

I tried a few TKL 85% keyboards, as that is my preference. Out of all the TKL keyboards I tried, this was my overall favorite. Not a fan of the stock keycaps, but the stock switches are adequate.

The digital screen is nice, and it's convenient being able to change the settings with visual confirmation vs guessing/remembering the weird FN key combos. The wheel/dial is much higher quality than others, it's smooth & satisfying sound. I do wish it was a tad smaller.

I also love the extra usb-c port (but it only works when the keyboard is wired). This is a nice added feature I wish the other RK keyboards had.

This keyboard is so good. I was waiting for this keyboard. Thanks a lot.

I love the crispy sounds of this keyboard and also the softness when clicking it; I hope it's still good in the long run. It's very worth it for its price.

Sounds:
Great! Love how soft and quiet the board is when I'm gaming, as well. The typing is louder but very relaxing and much "softer" than the gaming keyboard I was using before.

Lights:
Not great. Ended up disabling them. As another reviewer mentions, they do not turn on automatically when you turn on the computer when the keyboard is in wired mode, and the only way to "fix" it is to unplug it and plug it back in. The colorful edge lights are also unable to be controlled independently of the other lighting effects, so even though I really like the white light ripple effect, its not very good looking with the colorful lights on the side... If there's a way to control these lights independently, I haven't found it. Maybe they'll eventually do a software update to allow it. I hope so.

Software:
Simple, straightforward. Not the most beautiful but easy to work with.

Mini-screen:
Love it!! So fun to play with different images. You can use a gif or a still image. It does have a limit of 60 frames, so keep that in mind. The program will crop the image for you, but will not resize it, so you'll have to do that yourself in another program if it's too large. The screen-size is 320 x 172.

Final comments:
Some pictures of the board show the logo only on the front-right edge of the board, but it is on the space between the arrow keys and the screen as well. I was pretty sure this was the case, but some images showed the board without it, too, so I wasn't 100% certain. I plan on using a sticker to cover the front logo eventually. I don't see the need in having the same logo placed so close together.

The keyboard also has good weight to it, and it doesn't slide around. The volume knob is very nice and works great.

Update: Today, as my computer started up, it would only connect via 2.4g for some reason and I was forced to factory reset the keyboard with hotkeys. :( Taking off another star for this.

Pretty good. Clicky knob

1.In wireless mode, after waking from sleep, the bottom LED turns red only. The issue has been reported to the manufacturer’s customer support, but no official firmware fix is available yet.

2.After the firmware update, the TFT display language cannot be changed.

3.Update (2026/03/05):
RK provided a firmware fix and the issue has been resolved. However, the firmware provided is an older version. I would recommend not updating the firmware through the keyboard software. The official support team assisted in resolving the issue, so I’m adding one star back to my rating.

My favourite keyboard to use so far. It’s wireless. Type C charging. You can change the colors and speed of illumination. Also, you can put your own GIF. *insert never gonna give you up.

Exactly what expected. Sleek look and great sound

I looks great I love this keyboard the quality is amazing the battery last and the brightness you can a just it

Awesome !!!

Supa hot fire

I’ve had this keyboard for a while now and absolutely love it. So glad I got it. Turning off all the RGB took me a minute to figure out but it can be done. 

It's a very nice board, the bluetooth switching system is fast and easy to use. The typing feels is above average, but not premium.

I recommend this board if you want a something in-between mid and premium.

Great for the price.

works good, I would buy again..... and will......

these switches are perhaps the most satisfying ones I have had in a year. the keyboard is also structured well. LED lights well designed. Knob is cool too (not customizable, and also press down only switch options, without function such as play/pause/mute).

two big problems which ruined this otherwise super awesome keyboard:
1\ when connected via cable, RGB lights wont turn on at all. they remain off whether you change light module, brightness and etc. only way to fix is to unplug the cable and plug again. This becomes quite annoying if you meant to use wired model most of time.

2\ battery: from pic, you can see a whopping 10% battery drop in 20 mins (and the keyboard was just idling the whole time with RBG on). this converts ~200mins use with RGB on, a substantial drop from the claimed 40 ish hours. Also, often when charging, the meter will be stuck at 96% and never reach to 100%.

3\ edit: the customer service did reach out however updating the firmware does not solve the issues

One, pressing the button on the wheel needs to be done precisely, or the wheel may "sense" a spin and cause the wrong function to occur.
Two, they sent me a unit that had some sort of now-dried stuff spilled on my wheel. If this is a return, sell it as a return. Even if lightly used.

I picked this up for my son who enjoys building keyboards. I was pleased with the quality and design and appreciate the instructions for use and care. It came equip with optional angle feet to change the way the board sits. Aesthetically, it has a nice simplistic stream line look with the original keys installed. Packed and shipped well. The follow is his opinion of the keyboard.

"This is a suprisingly super nice keyboard. Well made. Key caps are double shot. Sound is super nice and switches feel good. Screen is super cool because you can program your own GIFs that will loop on it. Lots of RGB options for both keys and underglow.

The only things I am not a fan of are the inability to turn off underglow and keep key lights on, screen only has a 24 hour clock option, and there is a logo on the top of the case that takes away from the clean look. Overall, it is a really nice keyboard for the present price of $99.99 + $25 off coupon."

Crazy heavy for a keyboard! I love the options and the tappy taps of the keyboard truly make me happy. I didn’t pay attention that this keyboard didn’t have a number pad and I really need that. I like it so much I used it for a week trying to get used to the upper numbers but ultimately I just couldn’t. It’s a great product tho!

As someone who owns multiple keyboards, including two RK S98s, a Nuphy keyboard, and a Gravastar Pro, I can confidently say the Royal Kludge S85 is the best overall keyboard in my collection. It’s a perfect blend of functionality, aesthetics, and quality.

First, the sound and feel of the switches are exceptional. They strike the ideal balance between creamy smoothness and a slight pop, with just the right volume—not too loud for shared office environments, but still satisfying to type on. It’s a joy to use for both work and play.

Second, the LEDs on this keyboard are some of the best I’ve ever seen. Even in a bright room, the keycaps are illuminated beautifully, outperforming even RK’s flagship S98, where the LEDs fall a bit short. At night, the bottom and side LED strips truly shine, giving the keyboard a stunning hover-like appearance that’s both unique and mesmerizing.

The display on the S85 is another standout feature. It’s the brightest and highest quality display across all RK keyboards. GIFs are displayed with crisp clarity and an impressive frame rate, making the animations smooth and visually engaging.

Lastly, the metal control knob is a highlight. Its matte finish adds an elegant touch to the keyboard, both in appearance and in tactile feel. It’s a detail that underscores the premium build quality of the S85.

Overall, the Royal Kludge S85 has set a new standard for me. Whether it’s the feel, the lighting, or the display, it excels in every category. For the quality of a $100+ keyboard, at $75, this is a bargain. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a versatile and high-quality keyboard!

Excelente opción, su calidad formidable, algo pesado por sus materiales, pero espectacular. Lo recomiendo. Llegó a Colombia antes de lo esperado.

Overall, this keyboard is an excellent addition to my collection of gadgets. I really like the clickiness of the keys. They are clicky without being obnoxious like other mechanical switches, and they are firm enough to feel good using without sapping energy.

The keys are a good mix for me, but if you don't like them, you can swap them! The keycaps and switches are all fully swappable. I don't know if they are hot-swappable, but they can be changed and replaced, and the keyboard even comes with a few spare switches and a key puller tool.
The colors are about what you would expect from a "gaming" keyboard with 15+ built-in patterns to choose and the ability to record your own patterns if you want to.

Overall, this keyboard is MUCH less expensive than other "gaming" keyboard brands and the quality is better than both Razer's and Logitech's gaming keyboard offerings. I have used several keyboards of both brands and each of them leaves something lacking in the implementation that I have, so far, not experienced with this keyboard.

If you are looking for a good wireless keyboard that is responsive enough for gaming, then this keyboard should be near the top of your list.

This was given as a gift to a 24 year old who is a big gamer. I had originally ordered for myself but didnt realize it didnt connect to specific things so gave it to this person who spends alot of time gaming.loves how much easier it is to chat with other gamers. Super easy to set up and the keyboard quality is solid and well made.nice comfortable feel .battery life is much better than others I have used. Has a nice sound quality to the keys .I love the backlighting as it really creates a bold popping color to this board and creates an awesome fun effect.good value for the item you get. Highly reccomend.

The sound and feel of the cloud switches is amazing. The colors are very nice. High quality

Great sound, great heft. Love that it comes with spare key parts and a keycap puller tool. The colors are unique. On the screen to the left of the knob, it displays the date and time, which is very nice. (The instruction manual tells how to adjust the date and time.)

The RK S85 looks and feels awesome. Royal Kludge keyboards are always reliably good quality. If you don’t know what kind of mechanical keyboard to buy, consider Royal Kludge keyboards, and you can be assured that you’re getting a good quality mechanical keyboard.

* Layout

RK S85 is a TKL (Tenkeyless) keyboard, which is a very useful layout. A TKL has all the function keys of a full-sized keyboard, but does not have a number pad on the right side.

* Features

There is a knob that controls volume on the upper right side of the keyboard. A cool feature of the RK S85 is that it’s got a screen next to the knob. What I really like about this screen is that it’s one of the largest screens that I've seen so it's easy to see the information that you want, yet the placement is not distracting while using the keyboard. If you want a screen on your keyboard, this is one of the best I've seen.

* Connection / Battery

RK S85 has a tri-mode connection - 2.4 GHz/Bluetooth/wired. The 2.4 GHz receiver is stored in the top of the keyboard in a magnetic storage slot.

The RK S85 has a robust 7200 mAh battery. 4000 mAh seems to be the standard.

* In the Box:

RK S85 comes with a USB-C cable, a combo keycap/switch puller, and four extra switches.

* Hot Swappable / Switches:

RK S85 is hot swappable with both 3- and 5-pin switches.

I really like the stock RK Linear Cloud switches. They are awesome linear switches that feel very creamy and smooth when typing.

* Keycaps:

The RK S85 has keycaps in the cherry profile. The Celestial Blue color is really lovely. Royal Kludge keyboards tend to have unique colorways that are always nice.

* RGB

The lights are south-facing, and they are bright and vibrant. Unlike a lot of keyboard with side lights, the RK S85 has lights underneath the keyboard, which looks pretty awesome.

* Conclusion:

I really enjoy typing on the RK S85. Royal Kludge has reliable build quality, and this is a very nice, creamy-sounding keyboard that feels well-made. I really enjoy the stock Linear Cloud switches. All the functions work well. I recommend the Royal Kludge S85.