I first reviewed the Asus ROG Falcata just a few months ago, and immediately fell in love with its buttery smooth Hall effect switches. What dampened that relationship, though, was its price. At $419.99 this is among the most expensive gaming keyboards on the market, but its split design certainly isn't going to suit the majority of players. The best gaming keyboards come with innovative features, after all, but they don't lock them away behind premium stickers.
Asus seems to be embracing Black Friday this year, though, with a $140 discount on its premium deck. That leaves the Falcata at $279.99 on Best Buy's shelves, $100 cheaper than the only other discount I've seen on it in the past. That was back in October, when we all got very excited for a $379 sale price - things are looking just a little more manageable today.
This is a hefty discount, but the Asus ROG Falcata is still at the top end of premium even with $140 off the tag. Thankfully, Amazon has also launched a whole wad of early Black Friday deals this week, and among them are some of my favorite decks of the year.
If you want to keep those magnetic switches, the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid has taken a $40 price cut down to $149.99 (still $10 away from its lowest price to date, mind). Meanwhile, those after a more compact experience can scale down to the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini, now available for $127.99 at Amazon (was $179.99).
If you'd prefer a mechanical option, I've found a deal I've been looking out for for a while now. The Keychron V6 Max is among the best value gaming keyboards I've tested so far this year, even at full price. Now that that $124.99 MSRP has dipped into double-digits at $99.99, things are looking particularly good here.
Should you buy the Asus ROG Falcata?
If you're on the fence about Hall effect switches, the Asus ROG Falcata isn't for you. This isn't a starter magnetic keyboard, as its price tag probably indicates. Instead, this is a deck for those who already know they'll make the most of its super smooth switches, four-point actuation, and excellent customization controls. If you're just looking to dip your toe into the multi-actuation arena I'd recommend opting for something cheaper first.
After all, it can take a lot to get used to these new controls - you'll need to be absolutely sure you're willing to learn the muscle memory required to make the most of the Falcata's features.
If that's you, though, there's no better HE gaming keyboard on the market right now. The Falcata's ROG HFX V2 switches are the best I've tested so far, offering the smoothest press with the least resistance. Magnetic keyboards often come with a slightly woolly feel, a higher tension under the caps that can be fatiguing and sometimes even slowing over time. This feels more like a thocky mechanical deck with additional features that go well beyond most of the market.
That split design shouldn't be the deciding factor, though. It's not an ergonomic split, this is still a straight keyboard with none of the curves and waves you'd find in one built for comfort. Instead, the Falcata gives you the option to do away with the right hand side of the keyboard all together - excellent for competitive FPS players looking for more mouse space.
Ultimately, the Falcata isn't going to suit the vast majority of players. Those looking to tinker with some extra personalization in their switches for the first time should be looking at the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid instead. If you're going for the best magnetic experience possible, though, today's deal is well worth investigating.
- See all Black Friday deals at Best Buy
- Asus ROG Falcata |
$419.99$279.99 at Best Buy - Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid |
$189.99$149.99 at Amazon
We're getting you prepped for all this year's Black Friday gaming deals and rounding up all the best Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals as soon as they appear.
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