Review: ROG Azoth Wireless Gaming Keyboard

ASUS’ Republic of Gamers has a reputation for producing high-quality gaming products, including gaming gear, peripherals, PCs, laptops, and smartphones. Their latest offering, the Azoth Wireless Gaming Keyboard, is no exception. This keyboard is loaded with features and connectivity options and takes it a step further by offering a fully customisable experience.

Every key on the keyboard is hot-swappable and the board itself is designed to provide the best tactile experience for gamers. Additionally, the ROG Azoth comes with a DIY Switch Lube kit to ensure consistent performance. The Azoth aims to satisfy both gamers and keyboard customizers by providing a comprehensive package.

The build quality of the ROG Azoth keyboard is impressive. Its three-layer system ensures a comfortable and responsive typing experience that surpasses many keyboards I have tested in the past. The addition of small silicone gaskets provides extra cushioning, which greatly enhances the feel and comfort of keystrokes. This unique feature sets it apart from other mechanical keyboards I have used, and it truly provides a one-of-a-kind typing experience.

The ROG Azoth keyboard features an aluminum top frame, but unlike enthusiast models in the market, aluminum is not present throughout the body. The keyboard has a solid weight to it, but it is not as heavy as many gaming enthusiasts keyboards out there, due to its plastic bottom.

However, the use of plastic serves a purpose in this design. One of the standout features of the Azoth is its support for 2.4GHz low-latency wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, in addition to a wired connection. It is rare to find a keyboard of this caliber that supports wireless connectivity, mainly because it is difficult to transmit a wireless signal through aluminum. To address this issue, Asus ROG compromised by using plastic in the design, and it proves to be a wise decision.

The Azoth also comes packed with a 2-inch OLED display that can be customised to display information about system operations, control multimedia functions, and manage certain keyboard functions. It comes with a small knob and button controller that makes it quite practical to use. It essentially creates a shortcut menu for some basic functions, saving the hassle of loading up the Armory Crate software.

The ROG Azoth is equipped with ROG’s SpeedNova 2.4GHz RF and the latest Bluetooth technology, providing seamless wireless connectivity. In addition, the keyboard comes with a braided USB-C to USB-A cable that can be used for charging and as a third mode of connection. Connecting wirelessly is a straightforward process on both Mac and PC.

The keyboard only looks and feels great, but it also provides an exceptionally smooth typing experience. Its 75% profile makes it ideal for setups with limited surface area. The Azoth offers a DIY experience that’s accessible to even the most inexperienced users.

With the provided tools, swapping out keys is a breeze, allowing you to easily switch between an NX brown tactile typing experience to an NX Red (linear) or NX Blue (clicky) experience on the fly. Although it may seem intimidating at first to remove keys from the board, the design of the cavity that houses each individual key makes it easy to slide keys in and out of their slot, and a satisfying clicking sound confirms that the key is in place.

The NX Brown Keys come pre-lubed to ensure a smooth typing experience, but ROG also provides a cleaning and lubing kit to help maintain the keys in pristine working condition. This system is designed specifically for those who are new to the DIY keyboard experience, and it works great, offering gamers a new level of customization for their keys and board.

The Azoth’s battery life is impressive, even with the power-hungry OLED screen. When I started using the keyboard straight out of the box, it had around 50% of the battery life remaining. Despite daily use for a week, I only had to charge it once, and as I write this review, I still have enough juice left on the keyboard.

Asus ROG has truly outdone itself with the release of the ROG Azoth. It is one of the best gaming keyboards they’ve ever produced and the best enthusiast keyboard I’ve seen from a well-established brand in recent times.

Price: $250