Asus ROG Azoth X review: "a top-tier mechanical deck with the price tag to match"

It's become a little difficult to lather the Asus ROG Azoth keyboard line with as much praise as I did when it first launched in 2023. The original deck was the best gaming keyboard on the market for a long time, and quickly became my favorite to use as well. It's looking a little tired these days, largely discontinued and rarely found in a fresh box.

Now we have the Asus ROG Azoth X. Where the original stuck to a slick black and gray aesthetic the new model goes all out with a crisp white chassis and super fun space-themed keycaps. It's the opposite of its cool, calm, and collected predecessor - this deck screams its power as loud as possible.

Underneath all that bravado, though, this is still the same core Azoth experience many know and love. It's had a few touch-ups, with Asus's second-generation ROG NX switches, a wrist rest now included in the box, and a new web-based configurator tool. Will that be enough to justify the price jump to a whopping $299.99 when Hall effect switches are taking over the market? I've spent the last few weeks finding out.

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Reviewed by

Tabitha Baker

I was in love as soon as I first plonked the Asus ROG Azoth on my desk, so I've been incredibly excited for a follow up. My original model is showing its age a little now, and considering just how much Asus impressed me with its sound dampening and typing experience last time I was hyped to see what they had in store for a follow-up. The original ROG NX switches were perfect for me, I naturally prefer a shorter actuation point but like a harder top plate for a snappier feel, but I have been gravitating towards Hall effect decks for gameplay over the last few months.

Design

It feels like the Asus ROG Azoth X is all about its design. It's impossible to ignore the glow up here, though it might not seem like an improvement if you prefer a more understated desk setup. While the original Azoth was one of the first wireless gaming keyboards to truly adopt the aesthetic of traditional custom builds, Asus seems to have gone in a far more fun direction this time.

Instead of those black and gray hues, we've got a bright white chassis with pops of color from all directions. And I mean all directions. The caps themselves feature bursts of purple and red, while the pudding-style undersides allow a super vibrant set of LEDs to blaze throughout the deck itself. I'm not a massive fan of this RGB implementation, I prefer a more reserved light show personally. If you're looking for an all-out display, though, this is a particularly impressive effect.

The colors themselves are bold and vibrant, with a range of different presets to choose from as well. Brightness is exceptional here, offering one of the strongest lighting setups I've seen so far.

Underneath all that you've got a trustworthy case holding it all together. Asus knows how to build a keyboard that feels solid and sounds fantastic, and the aluminum top and FR4 switch plate offer an excellent bounce. The underside is plastic, but it's rock solid and offers additional rubber grips to keep everything in place.

You'll need to shove it particularly hard to see any movement here, though. The ROG Azoth X isn't quite as heavy as its predecessor, but at 2.17lbs it's still above average. This isn't a gaming keyboard designed to travel too far with you, though, so I see that as a win for stability.

Two foldable feet extend from the top of the back plate to provide a nice degree of elevation. The original Azoth sat particularly high off the desk, which is one of the things I always appreciated when returning to it over the years, and the X feels similarly upright in its design.

Unlike the classic model, the Asus ROG Azoth X also now comes with a wrist rest (which means you don't have to shell out for the Extreme version if you want a little extra support). The rest itself feels reliable and sturdy, slotting neatly along the underside though with no attachment system in place. Its slick white silicon matches the deck itself, but is a little harder than alternatives you'll find from Razer.

Keycaps

This is what truly sets the Asus ROG Azoth X apart from the original model on the shelves. These caps look great from the top (I'll leave the pudding design to personal preference), with a range of space-themed icons, futuristic legend font, and fun accents in bold colors. The majority match the keyboard's white chassis, though (in true custom-fashion) those on the outer edges sit mostly in black.

They look far more interesting than the original Azoth, but they don't feel as satisfying. Everything is still made of PBT (though with a dye sublimated printing process), but there's a softer texture compared to the grainy feel of the originals. I prefer a little grit under my fingertips when positioning myself over the deck, and they felt a little too smooth to truly be comfortable for longer sessions.

Switches

Asus has upgraded their fantastic ROG NX Snow switches for the release of the Asus ROG Azoth X, and there are some smaller changes to notice. I loved the lighter feel of the originals, with their snappy debounce and soft bottom-out. Much of that is the same here, but there's less of a snap to this actuation and more of a creamy smoothness.

Combine that with factory lubrication and you've got yourself a super slick linear switch with fantastic glide and an almost effortless actuation.

This is a fully mechanical affair, though. There's no magnetic Hall effect action going on here. That means you're still getting that smooth clack, with no heavier interference from newer alternatives - but it does mean you miss out on a few key gaming features (which we'll get to below).

Software

Armoury Crate is back in action, offering all your usual keybinding and OLED display adjustments. This is where you'll spend most of your time if you want to get into the nitty gritty of that display, with its range of system information functions, and the small control knob on the side.

However, if you just want to remap some keys and switch up your RGB lighting, Asus has a lighter alternative this time around. Gear Link is the brand's new web-based software that allows for a quick and easy tune-up whenever you need it, no downloads required.

I'm a big fan. By virtue of constantly testing different gaming keyboards and mice, I already have a laptop stacked with launchers. I also test gaming laptops every week, so every time I'm moving my setup over I have to go through the whole process again. By and large, these dedicated programs are bulky, CPU-intensive, and fill my tray with unnecessary background tasks. Armoury Crate is no different, and is worse than alternatives from Logitech and Razer in its often-unintuitive menus and now-outdated look and feel.

Using the web-based software is quick, easy, and doesn't clog up my machine.

Controls

This is a 75% gaming keyboard, so you're already getting a good amount of keys on board. The Asus ROG Azoth X maintains a full function row, arrow buttons, and a few nav-key options down the right side. Realistically, the only thing you might miss from a full-sized device is the number pad.

That already means you've got more controls at your fingertips than you would with a more compact 65% or 60% model, but there's more.

Like in the original, the Azoth features a particularly smooth toggle in the top right corner. Located next to the OLED display, it can perform a variety of functions, from controlling media playback to volume to mic settings. This is a three-way dial, moving up and down and featuring an addition button on the side, so there's plenty of versatility in different functions.

Connection

The Asus ROG Azoth X is expensive, so you'd expect it to pack some serious connectivity features. It pulls through with 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and a wired connection, all toggled with a small switch on the top of the device. Setting up Bluetooth and swapping between wireless connections is painless as well. Both options provided sturdy, drop-free experiences in my testing.

While many gaming keyboards are packing 4,000Hz and even 8,000Hz polling rates, the ROG Azoth X keeps things simple at 1,000Hz. That can be bumped up with the use of the ROG Polling Rate Booster, an additional purchase that will send you to the top end of that speed range. Those kinds of rates are largely unnecessary, though, so I'm glad Asus kept things more casual for its base MSRP rather than loading up on extra features less than 1% of players will actually benefit from.

It's also worth noting that the Asus ROG Azoth X is also fully Mac compatible now, and after a quick test on my friend's MacBook Pro I can confirm everything runs smoothly and as expected.

Battery

Battery life was one of the original model's most impressive features, and while the Asus ROG Azoth X does drop that 2,000-hour rating down to 1,600 hours it's still mighty impressive.

That's a number plucked out by Asus, assuming you're not using those RGB or LED display features. I ran both at 50% brightness and managed to keep the deck alive for just under three weeks without needing to charge (at an average of 53 hours use per week). All in all, I'd put the overall battery life under these conditions to be at around 135 - 140 hours. That's still mighty impressive.

Typing

Those creamy switches, combined with a five-layer sound dampening system, gasket mounted design, and FR4 switch plate makes for a fantastic typing experience. Moving between keys feels a little less accurate than other decks due to those softer keycaps, but my overall precision didn't seem to be effected too much in the numbers from my typing tests. With a quick actuation and soft bounce this is a particularly comfortable typing experience that sounds amazing.

Gaming

If you're after a mechanical keyboard for gaming, this is one of the most pleasant experiences I've had so far. I was worried that those slightly more sensitive keys would leave me with accidental inputs when it came to faster titles, but there's a natural curve to the top that makes it easy to keep WASD centered. I did find the surface to be a little more slippery than grittier keycaps, though.

That 1,000Hz polling rate also served me fine in both casual and competitive gameplay. I'm nowhere near worrying about milliseconds when it comes to my reaction times, though, so those chasing esports dreams may need to upgrade to something a little faster. The Corsair K70 Pro TKL offers an 8,000Hz polling rate straight out of the box via its wired connection, all for a significantly lower $179.99 MSRP.

There's an elephant in the room, though. If you've been hunting down your next gaming keyboard for a few months you'll have noticed that a lot of mainstream brands are prioritizing Hall effect switches in their newer models. These are magnetic, rather than mechanical, clickers that offer a number of gaming advantages. Actuation points can be customized all the way up the stem, and often across different keys. Some decks allow for multiple inputs to be set to an individual key press (with one function half way down and another at the bottom of the actuation). Many also offer Rapid Trigger functionality that allows for much faster repeat presses.

These Hall effect decks are slightly more expensive than mechanical offerings on average - but they're rarely more expensive than the Asus ROG Azoth X's $299.99 MSRP.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Azoth X?

Now this is a tough question. Ultimately, it comes down to whether you're set on picking up mechanical switches for your next gaming keyboard.

You may well be. They're much more comfortable for typing (and the Asus ROG Azoth X is at the top of this field when it comes to gaming-specific models), and the hot-swappable nature means you have more freedom to experiment with different switch feels. The Asus ROG Azoth X is a fantastic mechanical gaming keyboard, building on the already top-of-the-line foundations of its predecessor with a slick design, improved software versatility, and additional features.

It's just difficult to wholeheartedly recommend in the same way I did its predecessor two years ago.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 is a cheaper deck at $219.99, but it comes outfitted with newer Hall effect switches that open far more doors in terms of actual gameplay. Yes, it cuts your hot-swappability, wireless connection, and that super clean auditory profile, but it's functionally superior.

Corsair, Razer, Logitech, Keychron, and Ducky are all incorporating either magnetic or analog switches into their lineups these days, and these options are often cheaper than Asus's mechanical clackers.

There are some drawbacks. Magnetic switches do feel very different. They're often woollier than the crisp clack of a mechanical option, with more force required to actuate and a less snappy feel overall. The additional power these switches draw also tends to require a wired connection, so you lose a little versatility as well. You also dramatically reduce your choice when it comes to hot-swappable keyboards.

Ultimately, if you spend more time typing than you do gaming, prioritize a wireless connection, or want to swap your switches every now and then, the Asus ROG Azoth X is the best keyboard you can buy. It's got the chops for your Steam library while also offering a best-in-class typing experience and plenty of functional extras. If you want more from your games, though, it's worth investigating some cheaper magnetic options.

How I tested the Asus ROG Azoth X

I used the Asus ROG Azoth X for all daily work and play over a two week period, testing it for an additional few days leading up to the writing of this review alongside the Corsair MAKR 75. In that time I completed my usual roster of typing tests, while also playing across Apex Legends, CS2, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Fallout 4. For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also tracking down all the best membrane gaming keyboards for some cheaper options, or take a look at the best gaming mouse and best gaming headset models for more setup inspiration.