But in recent years, there has been a surge of keyboards that are well-designed: Keychron’s HE Special Edition, the McChoice GX87 Ultra and the countless high-end keyboard kits. The keycaps are usually a secondary concern, even if they look great. They’re also often standard and minimal.
Asus has taken the opposite approach with its ROG Azoth X keyboard: a simple white case but colorful, stylized keycaps. It’s not a conventional design, but it looks great and can liven up your desk without taking over. The Azoth X keyboard looks good without sacrificing functionality. It has 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, 1,000-Hz polling and an internal assembly which makes it easy to customize and fun to use. It comes in white and has either linear or click NX switches. A silicone wrist rest is included. The price tag is $300.
Deep and Snappy Typing.
Photo: Henri Robbins.
The keyboard’s typing experience is similar to Razer BlackWidow 75%. Both keyboards have a metal top and plastic bottom case, with a gasket mounting system and a plate. The sound profiles and stiffness are similar. The main difference is the switch types: Razer’s 75% key only comes with tactile switches while Asus offers both linear and clicky switches.
I received a unit with Asus Snow linear switches. These are a relatively light linear switch that has a deeper typing tone and a smoothness that is consistent throughout the keypress. The switches aren’t smoothest I’ve ever tested, but they have a consistent and minimal friction when typing, which makes typing a pleasant experience. These switches have a minimal stem wobble which means that keypresses are stable and confident. The Cherry MX Red switches require more force to bottom out, but only 53 grams. This difference is noticeable, and makes the switches feel responsive without as many risks of mis-inputs as compared to a truly light (sub-50g spring).
Because the rubber gaskets have been pressed into the case, the gasket-mounting mechanism that holds the keyboard in position feels like a combination between a gasket mounting system and an o ring mounting system. The keyboard feels more connected to its case than a standard foam-gasket. It has some of that bounce and softness you would expect from a gasket mounting, but is less than most comparable keyboards.
All stabilizers on the Azoth X come standard plate-mounted and lubricated from the factory. Plate-mount stabilizers tend to be less stable than PCB mount, but the ones used in this case still feel good. They also have no rattle right out of the package.
Space-Age Aesthetics.
Photo: Henri Robbins.
I like a lot about the design. The keycaps have a slightly flatter profile than the average keycap, and are a two-piece assembly. They also have a transparent back to diffuse RGB. The case is sleek and angular, giving it a space-age look without taking up much room.
