After two weeks with the Womier L98 Black Coral Sea at home and in the office, I found its best use at work. If you reach for a numpad throughout the day, this layout keeps it close without taking up the width of a full-size keyboard. The browser-based setup is easy, and the plastic case has surprisingly little hollow resonance. There are a couple of caveats, though. The typing sound won’t suit every quiet office, and the Delete key takes some getting used to if you’re particular about its position.
What’s in the Box
The box includes the keyboard, a dust cover, spare switches, a switch puller, a cable, and a manual. I was pleased to find standard double-shot keycaps alongside the illustrated accent keys. You can swap them straight away if the artwork isn’t your style. The small display also arrives with a clear protective film; peel that off before switching it on for the first time.
Ukiyo-e Artwork and a 98-Key Layout
Like the earlier Mount Fuji edition, this keyboard uses Ukiyo-e artwork. The illustrations are limited to four keys: ESC, Spacebar, Enter, and Numpad Enter. That restraint works well. There’s enough artwork to give the board some character, while the rest stays understated. Replace those keys with the standard caps in the box, and it looks much like an ordinary keyboard.
The layout removes two columns from the central navigation and arrow-key area to save space while keeping the full numpad. Above the keys are a TFT display and a rotary knob. The display shows battery percentage and connection status, and supports custom GIFs. Turning and pressing the knob lets you adjust volume and system settings. There’s a white Moon Night version too, but its more classical look wasn’t quite for me. I preferred the Black Coral Sea.
Gasket Mount and 7-Layer Construction
Inside the plastic case is a gasket-mounted assembly. Beneath the PC plate sit Poron sandwich foam, an IXPE switch pad, sound-enhancing PET film, a hot-swap PCB, a Poron latex socket pad, and a silicone bottom layer. Including the plate, that’s seven layers in all, with six described as managing sound and impact. At 1439g, the board feels substantial when you pick it up.
POM Creamy Linear Switch Specs
The product listing calls the switches simply “POM Creamy Linear.” Their housing color and shape suggest they’re the Gray version in Womier’s all-POM range. The official specifications list a 55±5gf actuation force, 65±5gf bottom-out force, 3.8mm of total travel, and 2.0mm of pre-travel. Inside is a 20mm single-stage spring.
The hot-swap PCB accepts both 3-pin and 5-pin switches, so replacements are straightforward. There’s also a lighter 42gf option in the same switch family if you prefer less resistance. The included spare switches and puller should make a faulty switch easy to deal with later.
Keycaps and Finish
Womier lists the keycaps as double-shot PBT, which should keep the legends from wearing away. Only ESC, Spacebar, Enter, and Numpad Enter carry the Ukiyo-e artwork; the remaining caps use plain colors. Standard double-shot replacements are supplied for all four illustrated keys. Switching them gives the board a quieter look that sits comfortably on an office desk.
Typing Feel and Sound: Moderate Weight, Crisp Clack
A 55gf actuation force may look heavy on a spec sheet, but I didn’t find it tiring to type on. The switches don’t feel loose or overly light, either. There’s a comfortable amount of resistance under the fingers. The specified ±5gf tolerance also means some switches may feel a little lighter than the nominal 55gf, depending on the batch.
The sound is crisp and clacky. Plastic cases can sound hollow, but I heard almost no case ping during two weeks of use. That doesn’t make this a quiet keyboard: the keystrokes themselves are clearly audible. Keep recording conditions in mind when watching typing videos, since the setup can change how a keyboard comes across.
Web Driver, Wireless Connectivity, and Battery
With the L98’s web driver, you can adjust RGB lighting, create macros, and remap keys in a browser without installing a separate application. I found that convenient in daily use. VIA is supported too. Connection options are Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz wireless, and wired, with a listed 1000Hz polling rate and memory for up to 5 paired devices. The 8000mAh battery’s remaining charge appears on the display. The screen also updates when you change connection modes, so it’s easy to check which one you’re using.
Two Weeks at Home and in the Office
The numpad earns its place at work
At home, I hardly use a numpad. Work is different: number entry comes up from time to time, and shifting my hand to the right gives me the dedicated keys immediately. That is where I find a clear purpose for this layout in my regular office work. It keeps the number pad available for office tasks without requiring the whole width of a conventional full-size board. The sound remains part of the decision, though. A useful numpad doesn’t make a clacky keyboard suitable for every room. I would check the atmosphere of a quiet office before assuming this is the right board for the desk.
The Delete key needs some adjustment
I am sensitive to where the Delete key is placed, so this is a compromise I noticed quickly. Compressing the layout means the key isn’t waiting where my hand expects it from a familiar full-size board. It took some adjustment before the movement felt natural. I understand why the space was removed: that is how the design makes room on the desk while retaining the number pad. Understanding the reason doesn’t instantly change the habit in my fingers, though. Anyone with the same attachment to a particular navigation arrangement should allow time to adapt rather than expecting the compact layout to feel identical straight away.
Useful power controls, slightly dated looks
There’s a dedicated on/off switch for wireless use. The 8000mAh battery offers plenty of runtime, but switching off when you step away helps stretch it further. Pressing the logo button beside the arrow keys also toggles power immediately. Both controls are handy, although their prominent placement gives the board a slightly dated look. Whether that bothers you will depend on how much you value a clean, uninterrupted design.
Pros and Cons
What I Liked
- Compact 98-key layout retains the numpad and saves two columns of space
- Easy setup through a browser-based driver
- Very little case ping from the plastic housing
What Could Be Better
- Typing sound may be too loud for very quiet offices
- Delete key position takes getting used to
Where a 98-Key Keyboard Fits Best
I got more use out of the L98’s numpad at work than at home. If entering numbers is a regular part of your day, a 98-key layout makes sense: you keep a dedicated numpad and free up some room for your mouse compared with a full-size board.
The compromises are worth considering before choosing the board. A different Delete position may be a minor detail for one person and a repeated hesitation for another. The typing sound also needs to be acceptable where the keyboard will actually be used, rather than judged only by whether it is pleasant in a video. Finally, the two visible power controls add a slightly old-fashioned impression that will appeal differently to different users. None of those reservations removes the practical numpad advantage, but they define the conditions under which I think the layout works best.
If those trade-offs work for you, the styling is easy to live with. Four illustrated keys give the board its character, and swapping to the standard caps tones it down whenever you prefer. For a desk where spreadsheets and number entry are everyday tasks, the L98 puts a useful numpad under your right hand and adds a little artwork to the setup.
