The world of the greatest mechanical keyboards is about as saturated because it may presumably get. There are finances choices, fanatic choices, premium choices — and a great deal of every. For these searching for the last word gaming keyboard, you’re spoilt for alternative.
This newest providing from ASUS comes at simply the precise time for Apple avid gamers — it’s the Asus ROG (Republic of Players for these not within the ‘gaming know-how’) Azoth. Asus’ newest mechanical keyboard comes simply as gaming for Mac begins to ramp up, with a brand new Mac adjoining colorway and a Mac mode.
It’s named after an alchemical type of Mercury (a minimum of that’s what my restricted data of historical pseudoscience says), and it has some depraved appears and thoccy keys: However is it a keyboard it is best to put practically $300 of your hard-earned cash into?
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Value and availability
The Azoth shouldn’t be low-cost — and when you get what you pay for, it’s going to sting the pockets. Whenever you go on to Asus, you’ll pay $250. That’s not probably the most you possibly can spend on a keyboard by any stretch of the creativeness, nevertheless it’s a tall order should you’re simply searching for a keyboard to sort out your work.
There are a great deal of options that lovers will actually like, however in addition they won’t like the dearth of buildability. Players will love the sleek switches, and the additional readouts on the display, however would possibly balk on the worth. Mac customers will love the Mac mode, however the total aesthetic would possibly put you off. There’s a large viewers for this keyboard, however that worth is a difficult hurdle to clear.
It’s out there virtually all over the place, from the Asus official retailer to Amazon, so getting maintain of 1 is not going to be tough. You’ll simply must pony up numerous dosh for it.
Asus Azoth overview: Construct and appears
There’s steel everywhere right here — though true steel fanatics will likely be barely dissatisfied that the underside a part of the keyboard case is plastic. Make no bones about it, that is some top-quality, thick plastic, however it’s plastic nonetheless. It’s a weighty board too, though not fairly as heavy as a few of the totally steel boards that you simply usually discover within the customized market.
The highest steel panel is depraved and appears nice, and there’s a stunning semi-gaming aesthetic to the entire package deal. When you can inform the viewers it is aiming at because of the gamer keycap legend, you by no means assume “WOW, a gamer keyboard!” whenever you take a look at it. That is the white Mac model, however there may be additionally a gunmetal model that’s functionally the identical.
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Options
As quickly as you pull the Azoth out of the field, the very first thing you’ll discover is the OLED display that adorns the highest right-hand nook of the board. It bursts into life whenever you flip the keyboard on, and shows quite a lot of completely different data. For Mac customers, it provides you the connection mode (Bluetooth, wired, or dongle), OS mode, after which a readout for what perform the little toggle change will do this sits subsequent to it.
There are extra readouts on the display should you’re a Home windows consumer, with extra choices within the Asus ROG Amory Crate software program. It’s a superb piece of software program too, with remap choices, Macro customization, and addressable RGB controls. By Armory Crate you possibly can add extra particulars to the OLED display, corresponding to CPU temps, body charges, and extra — all little particulars for the gamer. Alas, Mac customers don’t get to make use of the Armory Crate software program, so we have now to make do with onboard RGB customization, and no temperature readouts. Unhappy.
Fortunately, the clear and shiny LEDs make up for it. There plenty of pre-made RGB modes on the keyboard, and so they can all be modified with the toggle change within the prime proper. That toggle change may act as a media management and quantity management as nicely.
Bluetooth 5.1 permits a seamless wi-fi connection, however in order for you one thing safer then there’s a 2.4GHz wi-fi dongle that slots into the again of the board. Each are steady with very excessive polling charges, and join tremendous simply to your chosen machine.
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Typing really feel
Whereas the principle focus of the Azoth is gaming, it’s nonetheless a keyboard — which implies it must be good for typing, and the Azoth is superb. There’s a smoothness to every keypress because of its linear switches, that are tremendous mild for a snug typing expertise.
The switches on the coronary heart of the board are Asus’s personal ROG NX mechanical switches, and so they come pre-lubed from the manufacturing unit. In the event that they don’t really feel lubed sufficient to your liking, Asus features a little lube station within the field with a bottle of lube and a change opener as a way to actually dial the change into your required really feel.
These switches are sat on prime on some spectacular keyboard engineering as nicely. There’s a layer of poron foam, silicon, and silicon gaskets to make the keyboard snug — and all of it provides as much as a wicked-sounding keyboard too. For avid gamers, the keys’ smoothness and velocity are going to be depraved for these high-intensity gaming classes, and typists will nonetheless have a good time typing with its snug keys.
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Competitors
We’ve mentioned it as soon as, nevertheless it’s value reiterating — the world of the mechanical keyboard is dense. In order for you a customizable gaming keyboard then we’ve seemed on the very costly and intensely premium Wonderful GMMK Professional, though that can set you again much more than the Azoth.
Typists would possibly need to take a look at Keychron’s vary of fantastic customizable keyboards, such because the Q1 Professional. My private favourite, the NuPhy Halo 75 can be an amazing possibility, with one of many nicest-sounding house bars that I’ve ever used. The Azoth isn’t with out its attraction, nevertheless, even for Mac customers, and there actually is one thing for everybody right here. As such it greater than earns a spot in our greatest mechanical keyboards for Mac roundup.
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Do you have to purchase this?
You should purchase this if…
- You recreation on a Mac in any respect
- You need a slick display in your keyboard
- You actually just like the aesthetic
You shouldn’t purchase this if…
- You need to customise it on Mac
- You want one thing much less geared toward avid gamers
Asus ROG Azoth overview: Verdict
The Azoth is a really strong keyboard, and should you’re a Home windows consumer then it’s good for gaming. For Mac customers, it’s nonetheless a strong board, however you’ll discover it slightly grating that you simply don’t have the identical type of customization choices that Home windows customers do.
Total although, the keyboard, appears, feels, and sounds nice. Should you prefer to dabble in some gaming on Mac, then this is a wonderful board that’s simply what you’ve been searching for — and it’ll final you a superb very long time.
Sport on a Mac in fashion
The display is a superb addition, and the design appears loads cool sufficient for the Mac gamer. Its additionally a extremely good typing experiece — if solely the ROG software program labored.
