Asus ROG Azoth Cover
Asus ROG Azoth

The Asus ROG Azoth is a mechanical gaming keyboard with both wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, for use with a range of systems.

Wireless
2.4G Wireless / Bluetooth 5.1
Backlight
RGB Per keys
Media Controls
OLED Display & Three-Way Control Knob
Battery
Up to 2,000 hours
Switch Type
ROG NX mechanical
Replaceable Keys
Yes
Number of Keys
81
Compatible Devices
macOS® 10.11 or later / Windows® 11
Wired operation
USB Type-A to USB Type-C
Dimensions
326 x 136 x 40 mm
USB Passthrough
No
Polling rate
1000 Hz

I’m a big keyboard guy. By which I mean, I like big keyboards and I cannot lie. So much that the other gamers can’t deny. My current keyboard of choice is the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro. It’s a big boi, but it does the job. I quite like the Razer Green switches (they’re no Cherry Blues, but I like a lotta click), and the dedicated media buttons are great too. There’s also the wrist rest, which felt like a superfluous purchase at first, but ended up changing the game for me and made the act of typing far more comfortable than I could have ever imagined.

I’ve been happily using my BlackWidow for a while now, but when I got the chance to review a board with a more esports focus, I leapt at the opportunity. Yes, I will do absolutely anything in an attempt to salvage my pitiful Apex Legends K/D. Jokes aside, I was ready to upgrade, but wasn’t quite sure how. I already had a solid gaming keyboard, and the path towards upgrading it felt rather daunting. Switching out keys, customising a keyboard to my exact preferences? I wouldn’t know where to start.

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The ROG Azoth positions itself in exactly the niche I was wanting to fill. I wanted an esports keyboard (okay, a competitive gaming keyboard, I’m not at that level yet) that I could customise a bit more than my old faithful. As soon as I opened the box of the Azoth, I was impressed, and that feeling didn’t fade for a moment during my testing.

rog azoth keyboard setup on desk

The Azoth is small but heavy, which immediately gives it that premium feeling. It connects to your PC easily – it’s as simple as plugging in the USB dongle and playing. You can also connect via Bluetooth, which works fine, or use the supplied wire, which also does the job. However, I like being untethered from my PC, moving the small keyboard out of my way when I require more desk space. There’s next to no input lag – and none at all detectable by the human eye – but that’s not the draw for the Azoth. The draw is how good it feels.

I’ve always been a clicky keyboard guy, but the Azoth may have changed my mind. Its standard ROG NX switches feel great, and are much less intrusive sound-wise. I’ve always liked the feeling that I’m writing on a typewriter or something, but those loud clacks can be a nuisance if your mic is on in a team game or work call. The Azoth is smooth as butter, and my fingers glide across it like some kind of cyborg. My fingers are the keycaps, the keycaps are my fingers. We are one.

rog azoth keyboard customisation

The keyboard comes with a basic, but welcome, key changing kit. This emphasises its position in the market as somewhere between gaming and enthusiast, giving you the important tools – key removers, lube, a little tray to put your lubed up keys on – to customise to your heart’s content. However, despite trying out my beloved Cherry Blues, I quickly returned to the ROG NX set, which is a huge compliment in itself. However, I’m keen to try out some new keycaps atop the lovely Azoth switches – there’s a custom Lord of the Rings set from Drop that I’ve been eyeing up for a while. It’s a testament to the Azoth’s simplicity, though, that I, a relative noob in this arena, was able to switch between, erm, switches with ease.

It’s not all good news, though. I appreciate that the 75 percent (that means there’s no dedicated numpad but still some function buttons) keyboard is not as small as some, but I did find my hands cramping slightly during long gaming sessions. I also resent the lack of a wrist rest, and will undoubtedly buy a separate one if I buy myself this keyboard after the review. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Razer, but the OLED screen that acts as a media control centre is superfluous. I’d prefer to not have a customisable display and instead have better buttons to control brightness, volume, and the like. At least the controls themselves are programmable.

That’s an area where the Azoth falls short. It’s not as programmable as many other keyboards on the market, which would be especially helpful considering its meagre size. Asus has clearly focused on customisation over programmability here, and I would have liked to see more of the latter.

rog azoth keyboard media oled

Then there’s the software side of things. Few of the programmes that accompany PC peripherals are any good , but Armoury Crate may well be the worst I’ve encountered. It took me three attempts to even install the programme, including full uninstalls and reinstalls each time. When I finally got it working, the UI was terrible and it didn’t feel worthwhile using it to reprogramme the OLED display that I didn’t even like that much.

I can’t let that detract too much from the keyboard itself though, which is probably the best I’ve ever used. It’s great for gaming (although the jury’s still out on whether or not it increased my K/D), and I love how customisable it is. The best part for me is the switches, but if you don’t like them, you can swap them out. It’s the perfect bridge between gaming and enthusiast keyboards, and a joy to type on.

I will warn you: it takes some getting used to when downsizing, and I’m still making a few spellimg erors as I adjust, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay to use the Azoth. It’s changed my perceptions of what switches I like, what sounds I like, and what size I like, and it’s going to be hard to go back.

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