| Form Factor: Full-size | Switch: ROG RX Red Optical | Connector: USB | Keyboard Software: Armoury Crate |
| Dimensions (cm) (W x H x D): |
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| Weight (Kg): |
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| Price: | ~£120 |
| RGB Lighting: | Yes |
| Hotswap: | No |
| Media Controls: | Yes |
| Macro Keys: | Yes (non-dedicated) |
| Removable Cable: | No |
| Windows Lock: | Yes |
| Keyboard Status: | Fully working |
| Other Notable Features: |
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The Asus ROG Strix Scope RX is Asus’ entry point to the world of optical switches, being priced at roughly £120.
This review will focus on the model with ROG RX Red Optical switches.
TL;DR
It’s not bad for the money, and especially more so if you can snag it for less than £100 on the used market. Although, it does have a few niggles that keep from being a truly great keyboard such as sporting a propriety switch mount and low-quality keycaps, but it’s a wonderful keyboard with plenty of features for its price point.
Build Quality: 8/10
Chassis: It features an aluminium top housing and a thick plastic bottom housing, which is a common arrangement for keyboards at this price point. During my ‘flex test’, the keyboard barely twisted, so I’m confident in saying that this keyboard will physically stand the test of time.
Keycaps: The keycaps are ABS, laser ablated – a cheaper, and less durable printing method. Although in some regions, the keycaps are double-shot PBT.
Cable: It terminates in two ends, both USB. One is for the whole keyboard and the other is for the USB passthrough. As a result, the cable is thicker than usual. However, I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t braided or removable.
Stabilizers: They are a special type of proprietary wire stabilizers, though nothing extravagant. They are well-lubricated and operate smoothly with only a hint of inconsistency during very slow, off-centre keypresses.
Overall, Asus has done a fantastic job here. It’s a very well-built keyboard with only the keycaps and the non-braided cable pulling it down.
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Features: 8/10
Standout feature 1: An extended left CTRL key. It’s 2x longer than usual! (Thankfully, it’s stabilized).
Standout feature 2: “Stealth Mode” – It mutes and minimises all active apps when pressed.
Other notable features include: Per-key RGB, Windows Lock, media keys (non-dedicated), 4 levels of brightness (including off), n-key rollover, USB passthrough, on-the-fly macro programmability and an “F” on the lock light bank indicating if the F keys function as regular F keys or as media keys.
Missing features: A braided cable, hotswap capability, dedicated media/macro keys, QMK/VIA compatibility, 2-stage flip-out feet and cable gutters.
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Overall, it’s a well-equipped keyboard with 2 of its standout features not seen elsewhere (at least, not that I know of. It also has a fair share of notable features, such as being able to record and use a macro on-the-fly, which, sadly, is a rarity in modern keyboards like this.
Daily Performance: 7/10
Positives:
Despite it being marketed as a gaming keyboard, it also excels in productivity, especially if you’re the kind to use short-term macros. The addition of a USB passthrough is also handy if you’re the type to always reach behind your PC to plug in a USD thumb drive. Plus, the switches are very smooth and consistent – I had no major issues with them at all.
Also, the LEDs under the lock light indicator have very minimal spill – it’s a minor detail, but a much appreciated one.
Meh:
Of course, there’s the issue of the smaller Windows key. I frequently use Win + V and Win + L daily, and there would be times I would accidentally press the larger CTRL key, which was very annoying.
The “gamery” aesthetic of the legends, while not the worst I’ve seen, (*looking at you, Razer*) isn’t to my taste. It looks tacky and immature for an otherwise handsome keyboard. Additionally, even though the switches are designed to let the light through the middle, there are still legends that are unevenly lit.
Negatives:
The software is a complete mess. I couldn’t set up more complex macros or adjust the RGB LEDs per-key, so I just gave up on doing so. Thankfully, you don’t need the software to really use the keyboard.
The stabilizer underneath the left control key
Overall, it has some niggles here and there, but it’s a perfectly usable keyboard if you overlook some of its drawbacks.
Reliability: 8/10
It’s a solidly built keyboard, so I’d be surprised if it fails here. Plus, the switches are optical and contactless. Asus claims at least 100-million keystrokes.
As with many keyboards of this calibre, the cheap ABS ablated keycaps and the RGB LEDs will be its downside. The keycaps especially because as they wear down, replacing them will be extremely difficult – close to impossible even, given they use a propriety mount.
Overall, there’s very little reason for this keyboard not to be reliable for decades to come, at least mechanically speaking.
Value: 6/10
Sticking to Asus’ lineup, there’s the newer ROG Strix Scope II RX which features a standard layout, additional media functions, a multi-function control knob, sound dampening and a wrist rest £30 more. And it’s worth the extra premium if you’re already thinking of buying this keyboard at MSRP.
On the other hand, if you’re not quite sold on the optical keyboards. Plenty of choices from Keychron. Currently, the Keychron K10 QMK is going for $125 and the Keychron V6 Max QMK is going for $120.
Overall, its value proposition is decent, but not great. There’s a reason you don’t see a lot of these for sale now as its replacement is clearly the better value, even if it costs more.
Final Score = 37/50 (74%)