The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is a compact 60% mechanical keyboard. It's a wireless model with multi-device pairing with up to three devices at once via Bluetooth. It works with any desktop or mobile operating system, but some hotkeys don't work on certain devices. Since it's a compact keyboard that only has the necessary alphanumeric keys, it's easy to carry around, but some people may not be a fan of the lack of dedicated arrow keys. You can get it with three types of mechanical RK switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can use any three or five-pin switch you like. There's dedicated software for it, but unfortunately, it didn't work for us, so we couldn't reprogram any keys or set macros.
Our Verdict
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is decent for gaming. It's limited in gaming features as we couldn't set macros because the software wasn't working during testing. Also, its latency is too high for competitive gaming. Still, the RK Brown switches are light to press, and the keyboard is hot-swappable, so you can use whichever switches you prefer.
- Blue backlighting.
- RK Brown switches are light to press.
- Software doesn't work; can't set macros.
- High latency for competitive gamers.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is okay for office use. It's a wireless keyboard with Bluetooth support, and you can connect with up to three devices at once. Despite its compact size, typing feels decent, but you may feel some fatigue because it doesn't come with a wrist rest. The RK Brown switches on our unit are quiet and light to press, but you can use any switch because it's hot-swappable.
- RK Brown switches are light to press.
- Bluetooth support with up to three devices at once.
- No wrist rest; typing may feel tiring.
- No dedicated arrow keys.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is great for mobile use. It's a compact keyboard that should fit into most bags, and it has good build quality. It has multi-device pairing with up to three devices over Bluetooth, and there's blue backlighting in case you need to use it in a dark environment. Unfortunately, it has a high profile, so typing on it may feel tiring because it doesn't have a wrist rest.
- Compact design.
- Bluetooth support with up to three devices at once.
- Solid plastic frame.
- No wrist rest; typing may feel tiring.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is decent for programming. It has blue backlighting so you can see the keys easier in a dark environment. You can also connect it with up to three devices at once via Bluetooth. Typing feels decent, but its ergonomics are mediocre, and it doesn't come with a wrist rest. Also, we couldn't reprogram any key because the software wasn't working, which may disappoint some programmers.
- Blue backlighting.
- Bluetooth support with up to three devices at once.
- Software doesn't work; can't set macros.
- No wrist rest; typing may feel tiring.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 isn't bad for home theater PCs, but it's not designed for this use. It has Bluetooth support, making it easy to connect with your smart TV, and the blue backlighting allows you to see the keys in the dark. However, it lacks a dedicated trackpad, so you'll still need to use a mouse.
- Blue backlighting.
- Bluetooth support with up to three devices at once.
- No trackpad.
- Lack of volume wheel.
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 has adequate performance. While it's suitable for everyday browsing, work, or casual gaming, it isn't for fast-paced or competitive gaming. Its latency performance is high and inconsistent, and a low effective update rate of 250Hz bottlenecks its polling rate of 1000Hz.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 22, 2026: Our Test Bench 1.4.3 update adds clearer terminology and new measurements to our Keystrokes test group. For more details, see the full changelog.
- Updated Jan 09, 2026: Our 1.4.2 Test Bench Update makes changes to the Hardware Customizability test group. We've created a new Magnetic Switch Compatibility test and renamed our previous PCB Socket test to Mechanical Switch Compatibility. See our full changelog.
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Updated Nov 19, 2024:
We've added a link to our 'Best 60% Keyboards' recommendation article in the Compared To Other Keyboards section.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the wireless version of the ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 with blue backlighting and hot-swappable RK Brown switches. There are a few different versions available, and you can see the list of them below. The results are valid for the wireless variant only, but besides the connection type, we expect the other variants to perform similarly.
| Name | Color | Backlighting | Frame Material | RK Switches | Connection Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RK61 Wireless | White, Black | Blue, Orange | Plastic | Red, Blue, Brown | Bluetooth, Wired | Blue backlighting for white keyboard, orange for black variant |
| RK61 Wireless | Black | Red | Plastic | Brown | Bluetooth, Wired | Switches aren't hot-swappable |
| RK61 2.4 GHz | White, Black | RGB | Plastic | Red, Blue, Brown | Receiver, Bluetooth, Wired | |
| RK61 Wired | White, Black | RGB | Plastic | Red, Blue, Brown | Wired | |
| RK61 Pro | White | RGB | Aluminum | Red, Blue, Brown | Bluetooth, Wired |
If you have a variant of this keyboard that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update it. You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 is a basic wireless keyboard that doesn't have anything to stand out from the competition. It's a nice cheap option if you need something small for the office or use on the go, but it's not a good choice for gaming. It's a bonus that it's hot-swappable, so you can get whichever switches and keycaps you want.
See our recommendations for the best cheap mechanical keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best keyboards for typing. Or, for more 60% layout options, see our picks for the best 60% keyboards.
The Razer Huntsman Mini and the ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 are compact keyboards designed for different uses. The Razer is a wired-only gaming keyboard with RGB backlighting, lower latency, and macro-programmable keys. The Razer also feels better built because it has PBT keycaps as opposed to ABS keycaps on the RK61. On the other hand, the RK61 is meant for mobile use because it has Bluetooth support and multi-device pairing. It's also hot-swappable, so you can use any switch you want.
Both the ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 and the AULA F75 are entry-level wireless mechanical keyboards. The Royal Kludge (RK) has a slightly smaller 60% form factor and feels marginally better built. On the other hand, the AULA has a larger compact (75%) form factor with dedicated arrow keys and a function row. It also has a volume knob which the RK lacks. Unfortunately, it feels a bit cheaper overall, and the buying experience is a lot more confusing, with inconsistent documentation and some uncertainty about which components you'll receive. It also has a significantly better typing experience with a very soft gasket mount and extremely smooth pre-lubed switches and stabilizers.
The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is much better for gaming than the ROYAL KLUDGE RK61, but they're designed for different uses. The HyperX has much lower latency and has macro-programmable keys, which the ROYAL KLUDGE doesn't have, making it a better gaming keyboard. It also has RGB backlighting, but the ROYAL KLUDGE has an RGB variant too. The ROYAL KLUDGE is better for mobile use because it's wireless, meaning you can connect with up to three devices at once over Bluetooth, and it's lighter. The ROYAL KLUDGE is also available in different switch types, while the HyperX is just available with HyperX Red switches.
The Dierya x KEMOVE DK61 Pro and the ROYAL KLUDGE RK61 are both great mobile keyboards, but the Dierya is much better for gaming. The Dierya has customizable RGB backlighting, while the ROYAL KLUDGE is limited to just the color blue. We were able to set macros to any key on the Dierya, which we weren't able to do with the ROYAL KLUDGE. Typing feels better on the Dierya because the PBT keys are more stable, but the ROYAL KLUDGE is hot-swappable, so you can use whichever switches and keycaps you prefer.
Test Results
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