Asus ROG Azoth X

Design

• Interesting looks
• Convenient layout
• OLED display is always handy

The Azoth X features a drastic redesign from the grey and black original model, instead opting to go for a much more modern colourway that’s predominantly white. The chassis is a blend of plastic and metal and is rather sturdy, with no deck flex present.

Overall, it’s a well-appointed keyboard whose construction goes a decent way to justifying its price tag. This extends to its intriguing keycaps, which feature what Asus calls ‘Stellar’ theming. They give the Azoth X a more custom feel than other keyboards from mainstream brands, and are solidly finished, being made of PBT plastic with a dye-sub finish. They’re also translucent on three sides to allow for better diffusion of the RGB lighting underneath.

The Azoth X comes with the same 75% layout as its predecessors, giving you the benefits of a TKL layout in a slightly smaller space. This means you get handy extras such as a function row, arrow keys, and a single-column nav cluster, while also saving a decent bit of desk space.

As with the original model, there is also an OLED screen in the top right corner that you can use to control everything from lighting to media controls, and more besides. You can also use it to check on your system utilisation, the keyboard’s battery life and display a neat animation, for instance.

The interface on the rear side is clean and simple, with a USB-C port for charging and wired use, as well as a slot for storing the USB-A wireless receiver, and a switch for choosing the connectivity method.

There is also a handy silicone wrist rest in the box that is comfortable to use, which is a handy touch. It isn’t magnetic, though, so you will need to position it yourself.

Performance

• Snappy, pre-lubed switches and excellent acoustics
• Convenient wireless connectivity 
• Great endurance

Inside, the Azoth X comes with a choice of two switches: the ROG NX Storm V2 or Snow V2 switches. These give you the option to choose tactile, clicky switches or smooth linears.

My sample shipped with the ROG NX Snow V2 switches, which are a light 40g linear switch that come with self-lubricating stems, as well as factory lubrication for a super smooth keypress. They’re a responsive set of switches that I enjoyed using for both work and play, given their light force and smooth actuation. They also have a slightly higher actuation point and a shorter travel than other switches, for a snappier feel.

For gaming, the ROG NX Snow V2s work well given their lighter force, and have what Asus calls ‘Speed Tap’, which is their version of the SOCD tech found across a lot of manufacturers’ keyboards for unnaturally brisk movement. It is more of a novelty than a feature, given it’s been banned in Counter-Strike 2 online play, for instance.

Beyond this, though, the Azoth X lacks the advanced rapid trigger or analog features that are found on similarly priced gaming keyboards with their hall effect switches, such as the Wooting 60HE+ or the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3. These allow for even faster and more controllable inputs over more ‘standard’ switches.

With the lubrication of the ROG NX Snow V2s and associated stabilisers on larger keys, as well as the FR4 plate inside and the five layers of sound dampening, the Azoth X to have some fantastic acoustics. There is no case rattle or ping, and it has quite a pleasing aural profile when you get up to speed.

If you don’t like the switches inside the Azoth X for whatever reason, then they are hot-swappable with other MX-style switches.

Wireless connectivity is a strong point, with the Azoth X working over Bluetooth or the bundled 2.4GHz receiver. I had no issues using the keyboard over Bluetooth with my MacBook and then switching over to my main Windows gaming PC during testing. 

The Azoth X features a 1000Hz wireless polling rate, and is compatible with Asus’ polling rate booster accessory for even more accurate keypresses. The receiver is also one of their new Omni receivers, working as a unifying receiver of sorts to connect to a gaming mouse for a formidable, and expensive, desktop set.

As for battery life, Asus rates the Azoth X to last for up to 1600 hours with no backlighting and with the OLED screen off. While there is a significant drop off if you have either one enabled, it should still run for upwards of 130 hours, whether you have the OLED display or RGB lighting enabled independently of each other, which is excellent.

Software and Lighting

• Bright, visible RGB lighting
• Convenient web-based configurator for basic needs
• Armory Crate is present for more advanced customisation

Thanks to the ‘pudding’ style translucent keycaps on the Azoth X, its RGB backlighting is a strong point, allowing for excellent diffusion and brightness. It’s some of the more potent and noticeable lighting I’ve seen in recent times, while its brightness is easily controllable with the OLED display at the flick of the toggle switch.

I’ve usually bemoaned Asus’ peripherals for their lacklustre software with Armory Crate, and it seems as if they’ve heard my calls, as the Azoth X introduces a brand new software package to sit alongside Armory Crate. It utilises a lightweight, web-based software in a similar vein to Keychron and Lemokey products to allow for a much snappier experience. 

The new software, Gear Link, proves a web-based configurator for key remapping and RGB lighting control, although it is expected to add more features as the year goes on. It’s slick and easy to use.

There is still Armory Crate support available if you want a more traditional experience, where you can also configure the keyboard’s OLED display for its array of functions.

Should you buy it?