When YUNZII released the C75 Cake Meow, it captured the attention of desk setup enthusiasts who wanted something undeniably cute without sacrificing a solid typing experience. But for those of us who regularly deal with spreadsheets, input data, or just prefer having a dedicated number pad, a 75% layout can feel a bit restrictive.
Enter the YUNZII C98 Cake Meow. Expanding on its predecessor, the C98 bumps things up to a 96% compact layout while keeping every bit of the dessert-and-feline charm intact. I’ve been testing the Pink variant, and it turns out this keyboard is far more than just eye candy.
What’s in the Box?
YUNZII goes above and beyond with the unboxing experience. Alongside the keyboard, the package contains:
A matching pink cat-and-dessert themed mousepad.
Clear plastic dust cover and nicely packaged accessories
- USB-C charging cable
- A dual keycap and switch puller
- Novelty replacement keycaps and extra switches
Cute novelty keycaps.
Decorative sticker sheet.
Design and Aesthetic: A Mechanical Dessert
Out of the box, the Pink C98 is an absolute visual treat. The color scheme blends soft pastel pink, creamy off-white, and warm strawberry accent tones.
Combined with the rounded MOA profile keycaps, the entire surface looks like a row of frosted cake toppers.
YUNZII didn’t hold back on the playful details:
Silicone Accents: The back features a cute silicone cat tail and paw prints, giving the chassis personality from every angle.
Fish Dongle: The 2.4GHz USB receiver is housed inside a tiny, magnetic fish-shaped keycap shell that sits neatly on the board when not in use.
Lighting Effects: Beyond standard south-facing RGB backlighting under each key, there is a 360-degree translucent “cream layer” ring around the base of the board that emits a soft perimeter glow.
Despite its plastic construction, the keyboard feels reassuringly heavy. The casing is thick, structural flex is minimal, and the rubber feet on the bottom keep it firmly planted on your desk during frantic typing sessions.
Keycaps and Layout: The 96% Sweet Spot
The C98 houses 99 keys, giving you a full numeric keypad, arrow cluster, and key function rows in a footprint only slightly wider than a standard TKL (Tenkeyless) board. If you need a number pad for daily work but hate how much mouse space a full-size 108-key keyboard consumes, this 96% arrangement strikes a great balance.
The MOA keycaps deserve special mention. Unlike traditional OEM or Cherry profiles, MOA caps feature uniform heights across all rows and deeply sculpted, smooth concave tops. They offer a generous contact surface for your fingertips.
Made of dye-sublimated PBT material, the keycaps have a matte finish that is much more durable. The legends and custom novelty illustrations—ranging from cat paws to strawberries—are sharp, vibrant, and durable.
Typing Feel and Sound Profile: Deep, Muted, and “Creamy”
The C98 uses a gasket-mounted structure paired with an extensive sound-dampening setup. YUNZII layered multiple sheets of silicone, IXPE switch pads, and PORON foam inside the case to eliminate hollow echoes.
Switches and Performance
My unit came equipped with YUNZII’s factory-lubed linear switches.
- Key Travel: Smooth from top to bottom with zero scratchiness out of the box.
- Spring Weight: Light-to-medium actuation force, making long typing stints comfortable without accidental keypresses.
- Stabilizers: The plate-mounted stabilizers come pre-lubed. Large keys like the Spacebar, Enter, and Shift key depress evenly without noticeable rattle or tick.
Sound Profile
If you love the trendy “thocky” or “creamy” mechanical keyboard sound profile, the C98 delivers effortlessly right out of the box. The gasket mounting provides a subtle flex with every stroke, while the internal acoustic foam absorbs harsh high-frequency clacks. The result is a deep, quiet, and satisfying sound that won’t annoy coworkers or roommates.
Because the board features a hot-swappable PCB, you can swap out the stock switches for any 3-pin or 5-pin MX-style alternative down the road without touching a soldering iron.
Connectivity and Battery Life
The C98 offers flexible tri-mode connectivity, allowing you to switch seamlessly between three connection types:
- 2.4GHz Wireless: Ideal for desktop gaming and lag-free daily use via the included USB receiver.
- Bluetooth 5.0: Supports pairing with up to 3 separate devices (laptops, tablets, or phones).
- USB-C Wired Mode: For charging while playing or low-latency desktop setups.
Toggling between operating systems (Windows and macOS) is straightforward via a physical switch, and keybinds adapt automatically.
Battery Monster
Under the hood sits a massive 10,000 mAh battery—one of the largest capacities you’ll find in a pre-built custom keyboard. With RGB turned off, you can easily go weeks between charges. Even with the perimeter lighting and RGB backlighting cranked to full brightness, the keyboard reliably lasts through multiple long workdays before needing to plug in.
Software and Customization
For those who want to remap keys or create custom macros, YUNZII offers a web-based driver alongside their standard software package. You can rebind any of the 99 keys, assign media shortcuts, set up custom lighting profiles, or tweak macro strings for specific productivity apps.
The software layout is straightforward, and saving settings directly to the board’s onboard memory means your custom bindings stick even if you plug the C98 into a different device.
Verdict: Is the YUNZII C98 Worth It?
The YUNZII C98 Cake Meow in Pink successfully bridges the gap between playful aesthetics and genuine mechanical keyboard performance. It proves that a cute aesthetic doesn’t have to come at the expense of typing ergonomics, acoustics, or build quality.
Pros
- Exceptional out-of-the-box acoustic profile (creamy and deep thock).
- Extremely comfortable MOA PBT keycaps.
- Compact 96% layout retains a full numpad without wasting desk space.
- Massive 10,000 mAh battery life.
- Generous accessory bundle included in the box.
Cons
- MOA keycap profile has a flat height curve across rows, which may require a short adjustment period if you are used to sculpted Cherry/OEM profiles.
- The overall aesthetic is very specific and might not fit minimalist or strictly professional office environments.
If you’re looking to brighten up your desk setup with a pastel aesthetic while enjoying a premium, gasket-mounted typing experience and long battery life, the YUNZII C98 Pink variant is an easy recommendation.
Learn more: https://www.yunzii.com/zh/products/yunzii-c98-cake-meow-wireless-mechanical-keyboard
