ASUS ROG Azoth Wireless Gaming Keyboard, PBT, ROG NX RED, hot-swap, USB/Bluetooth, DE

Die ROG Azoth von Asus ist ein ungewöhnlicher Fall. Denn sie schlägt eine Brücke zwischen bunt blinkenden und mit Zusatzfunktionen überschütteten Gaming-Tastaturen und den hochgradig anpassbaren Custom-Keyboards, deren Fans schon bei der Optik ersterer die Nase rümpfen würden.

Dreifach-Dämmung, geschmierte Taster, langer kabelloser Betrieb: Asus' ROG Azoth übernimmt Merkmale von Custom-Tastaturen und schnürt daraus ein zusammengebautes Komplettpaket mit OLED-Display. Während die Qualität der Hardware mit dem exorbitanten Preis mithalten kann, bleibt die Software in Mainstream-Niederungen hängen.

The Asus ROG Azoth keyboard is the one we’re reviewing today. The last one from Asus ROG I had my hands on was the Claymore II (in 2021, a wireless 100% keyboard that earned a “Recommended” award). This time it’s the 75% form factor wireless keyboard initially shown at the CES 2023. What we’ll find interesting about this product? It’s not using the Cherry MX switches. Still, the custom-made ASUS ROG ROG NX (hot-swappable, pre-lubricated) switches are offered here, aimed at gamers and professionals.

The ASUS ROG Azoth is an incredible keyboard in many different ways. This is the first time I've felt a mainstream keyboard can appeal to pretty much anyone in the enthusiast keyboard space, and no doubt some of this goes down to the product team at ASUS comprising of mechanical keyboard users themselves. We've seen glimpses of this with previous ROG keyboards, be it the modular ROG Claymore II or the ROG Strix Flare II with its Anime Matrix LEDs. The last couple of years have also seen ASUS come out with its own optical and fully mechanical switches too, and we've also seen them come factory lubed in addition to having lubed stabilizers on the keyboard. Foam sheets have been making their way into the mainstream keyboard sector in addition to hot-swappable switch sockets, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before we saw gasket mount keyboards too. What I was not expecting was the ROG Azoth to turn the dial up to 11 with a lot of dampening material at every stage of the keyboard's assembly to where it makes for an extremely solid typing experience too. Then we get to the accessories where the Azoth even comes with a pot of Krytox switch lube as part of a complete switch lube kit and I couldn't stop shaking my head and smiling given that ASUS ROG—the most gamery of gaming brands out there—was doing this.