Asus ROG Azoth Excessive Version 20 evaluate

After you spend above a sure sum of money in your gaming keyboard, you are not likely paying for high quality, specs, or aggressive edge anymore. I felt this just lately whereas testing out Melgeek’s Centauri 80. In my approximation, any greater than $200 and you progress into bragging rights/centrepiece territory, and by that logic, I reckon the Asus ROG Azoth Excessive Version 20 is value about three centrepieces.

It is an costly outdated beast, and $100 greater than the already very dear Asus ROG Azoth Excessive, which we reviewed again in 2024. Nevertheless it’s arduous to say that Asus hasn’t thrown completely every part at this new keyboard to have fun the 20-year anniversary of ROG; you are getting an 8,000 Hz polling, as much as 1,600 hours of battery life, a carbon-fibre positioning plate, in addition to multi-layer dampening, plus a complete host of additional equipment and extras within the field.

Oh, and did I point out the 24K-gold-plated commemorative nameplate? I in all probability ought to have talked about the 24K-gold-plated commemorative nameplate.

The Azoth Excessive is a really well-built little bit of tech. It is tremendous hefty, however it’s heavy for a motive. It is sturdy, and although I would not very like to drop a $600 gaming keyboard, I really feel like I may achieve this with comparatively minor issues right here. The OLED display screen up on the high proper appears pretty, and the controls subsequent to it are straightforward to make use of and fairly helpful. You may modify quantity, change brightness, and even arrange customized controls. It is not fairly as helpful because the likes of the Corsair Galleon 100 SD and its built-in Stream Deck, however it can doubtless be sufficient for many.

Due to that weight, this TKL keyboard is not precisely the kind of factor you’d throw in a backpack. That stated, a heavy keyboard isn’t practically as a lot of a deal breaker as a heavy mouse or a heavy headset. Actually, the one factor I would be careful for is the long-term put on on a very mild mouse pad; 1.5 kg is loads to placed on any pad, and that is not together with the burden of your fingers on the wrist relaxation both.

The Azoth Excessive Version 20 splits its keycap designs between commonplace black ones with a translucent base for the letter and quantity keys, then totally translucent caps for the F keys, house bar, and people on the aspect. Aesthetically, it really works properly and permits the per-key RGB to essentially shine. Initially, that RGB is available in all-gold (or, I suppose, with it being RGB, nearer to a yellowed white). It makes the gold accenting on the aspect of the keyboard and backside of the palm relaxation actually pop. Regardless of gold tending to be a really gauche accent alternative, it really appears nice in-person.

The 2 sorts of keycaps do not simply add to the aesthetic; in addition they really feel completely different on the fingertips, which is a good approach of holding your fingers in verify whenever you’re not actively trying on the keyboard. The complete translucent keys are very clean to the contact, feeling much like the ROG Harpe II Excessive Version gaming mouse, whereas the opposite fashion of keycaps have extra of a matte really feel. Each keycap designs are fairly in their very own proper, and the distinction in really feel between the 2 is not distracting both.

So far as typing is worried, I would say the Azoth Excessive Version 20’s actuation is on the sunshine aspect, however not a lot that I discovered myself misclicking. It is close to good for accuracy, pace, and ease of use, in my guide. The typing sound is mild and clicky, with these dampening layers taking out any thock you may count on from the burden of shoving keys down. It is nearly like Asus has scooped the bass and mids from it and simply left the treble on high.

Typing really feel, consequently, is beautiful. Keys press simply with a light-weight, satisfying sound. It is easy to seek out your house on the keyboard by really feel too because of the combination of keycaps and stable spacing throughout. I do miss the additional keys of a full-fledged keyboard, however with some sensible customized controls, I get by simply high-quality.

My first gaming check with the Azoth Excessive Version 20 was to take it right into a Counter-Strike 2 match, and I can fortunately report that me dropping had nothing to do with the keyboard. It is tremendous snappy and responsive, with its mild actuation keys making fast reactions a lot simpler. It is also simply plain easy to make use of, with little fatigue after hours of gaming. As I realized after I examined the Melgeek Actual 81, that is a extremely vital side of utilizing any gaming keyboard.

You are getting an non-compulsory 8,000 Hz polling right here (although worse battery life consequently), however you are still getting mechanical switches, which is a shock. Them being sizzling swappable definitely helps, however one would hope for analogue or optical switches, for sooner clicks, higher battery effectivity, and speedy set off. Nonetheless, it is tremendous quick anyway, so chances are you’ll not discover that downgrade from another high-spec 2026 gaming keyboards.

General, I would say the Excessive Version 20 is a stronger package deal than the 2024 Azoth Excessive, coming with the ballot charge booster, plus tons of additional bits, a palm relaxation, and an upgraded battery life. The NX mechanical switches really feel nice beneath the fingers, however you’re paying $100 for that improve.

One drawback I do have with the Azoth Excessive Version 20 is a fairly frequent one, so far as keyboards go. The keycaps that do not have translucent tops have white lettering on black, which may be fairly robust to make out at midnight. Some keyboard producers get round this by making lettering translucent and shining RGB by it (just like the Logitech G915 X Lightspeed), however that makes them tougher to see beneath pure mild. This implies when there’s little mild on the keyboard, I’ve to make out keys by really feel.

Sadly, Asus’s software program continues to be an issue. It labored high-quality after I first set it up however, it immediately simply stopped working after I tried to swap the OLED display screen animation. The net app requires an additional little bit of software program to truly run, and it quickly stopped because it stated I did not have the software program, regardless of me putting in it. A contemporary set up didn’t repair this drawback, both. In Armoury Crate, it merely refuses to recognise the keyboard, even with a number of restarts and a contemporary batch of software program.

Software program issues aren’t distinctive, however the Azoth Excessive 20 is a wonderful keyboard with golden highlights and a breadth of additional little goodies included within the field. It appears like a limousine coming to choose you up, however inside it seems to be a plain outdated Honda Accord. There’s nothing improper with an Accord, however Asus is pulling out the stops for this keyboard, and it merely cannot make it down the runway with no hitch.

Stating that the Azoth Excessive Version 20 is dear feels so apparent it is nearly not value saying. That is likely to be kinda the purpose right here: it is a restricted version little bit of tech that comes with a thanks card, further switches, a swap and keycap puller, a polling charge booster, the aforementioned nameplate, a cleansing fabric, and all method of little extras. It’s extravagant and meant to really feel that approach.

As such, evaluating it to a typical gaming keyboard is a bit arduous, as you do not stroll right into a Walmart and suppose ‘I’m wondering if that is value it’. It is extra of a chunk of {hardware} you get hold of, and in case you’re ready to half with all of that cash, you’re getting a really pretty little bit of tech. I simply could not ever see myself being ready to spend that a lot on it.