ASUS ROG Azoth X keyboard review: Much better than I expected
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I have genuinely grown to love ASUS’ laptops over the last few years, but I’ll be honest and tell you that the company’s accessories have historically never impressed me. When I reviewed products like the ASUS ROG Delta II gaming headset, ASUS failed to shift the needle in a meaningful way.
I frankly didn’t have high hopes for the ASUS ROG Azoth X, an ultra-premium wireless gaming keyboard going up against some real heavy hitters from companies like Razer. Now that I’ve actually used this keyboard for a while, I can admit that ASUS surprised me.
Will I start recommending the ROG Azoth X to all my friends and family? Absolutely not, this is still a $300 keyboard — and one with plenty of imperfections at that. Still, I do really like this keyboard, and it’s good enough to make me pay more attention to what ASUS does with accessories in the future.
A divisive design backed by actually good hardware
Once again, while in the midst of a candid mood, I only agreed to review the ASUS ROG Azoth X because of its distinct (but divisive) design. With a clean, white keyboard at its base, ASUS’ default keycap set marries black, bright reds, and subtle blue hues in a glorious mess strewn with classic ROG iconography.
I wouldn’t blame anyone for being turned off by this design in the same vein that I wouldn’t judge anyone for being drawn to this design. ASUS is one of the few major companies still holding on to that infamous “gamer” aesthetic, and in the Azoth X, I do think it fits rather well.
The Azoth X absolutely looks the part, but it doesn’t feel quite as premium as it should.
It’s a mostly plastic construction, and while this keyboard is put together well, it doesn’t quite feel like a $300 keyboard. At least ASUS didn’t cut any corners with the internals, as you’re looking at a gasket-mounted design with five sound-dampening layers, an FR4 positioning plate, south-facing PCB, three-sided translucent dye-sublimated keycaps, an integrated OLED display and control dial, and ASUS’ rather nice linear and tactile ROG NX V2 Mechanical Switches.
A USB Type-C port for charging and wired connectivity, a dedicated garage to store your 2.4GHz wireless dongle, a switch to change between connectivity modes (including Bluetooth), two-stage stands, an included color-matched silicon wrist rest — the ROG Azoth X gives you all of it, and you also get Windows and macOS keys included in the box alongside a two-in-one tool for swapping out the keycaps and switches.
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So, I like the design and I (mostly) like the hardware, but what is it like to actually use this keyboard? Spoiler, I also like it.
The typing and gaming experience with the ROG Azoth X is lovely. The layout makes sense and is clearly labeled, the switches feel consistent and responsive, the keycaps have a great texture to them that doesn’t cling to every smudge and stain, and the typing acoustics are great (although the spacebar is noticeably clunkier than the rest of the keys, and the difference does bug me a little).
This isn’t my all-time favorite typing experience on a keyboard (especially with that spacebar), but the Azoth X is definitely up there.
Performance is fantastic, and the ROG Azoth X does support “Speed Tap,” which is the last keystroke prioritization feature we’ve been seeing in all the best gaming keyboards lately.
You can configure everything you need to through ASUS’ solid Armoury Crate software, but there’s even a lightweight web-based version if this is your only ASUS product. If you do have more than one ASUS product, you can connect one more supported ASUS accessory to the Azoth X’s wireless dongle and free up an extra port.
Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed this keyboard… so, what’s the catch?
You don’t need to spend $300 on a keyboard, and there’s a better option if you do
If you’ve seen how much the ASUS ROG Azoth X costs, you already know what its biggest weakness is. Very few people are willing to drop $300 just on their keyboard, especially when you can get some incredible boards for a whole lot less.
Just to pick out one example, I recently reviewed the Keychron K8 HE, a $130 80% keyboard that boasts hot-swappable magnetic switches and keycaps, per-key RGB lighting, tri-mode connectivity, and web-based software. The Azoth X is the nicer keyboard, but is it $170 nicer? I don’t think so, at least.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is this keyboard at this price, but better.
Even if you do want the best of the best and you’re willing to pay for it, there’s an obvious alternative to the ASUS ROG Azoth X that I flat out like more, and that’s the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% I reviewed.
That keyboard also costs $300, but the design is sleeker, the build quality is higher, the typing and gaming experience is superior, the RGB lighting is brighter and more vibrant, and the software is more feature-packed. I still criticized the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for costing $300, but it justifies that price tag more than the Azoth X does.
The only area where this keyboard genuinely impresses over other options is its endurance. I’ve been surprised by how long this keyboard lasts on a charge, even with RGB lighting enabled. ASUS did a good job on that front.
ROG Azoth X review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if …
- You love the distinct multi-tone design and keycap set.
- You other ASUS products and want everything under the same roof.
- You don’t mind dropping $300 just for that little extra something.
❌You should not buy this if …
- You want a keyboard that offers great bang for your buck.
- You can get the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for the same price.
When I saw how much the ASUS ROG Azoth X actually cost and given some of my past experiences with ASUS accessories, I’ll admit my expectations were lowered considerably. Now that I’ve used this keyboard for hours, I’ve been converted — even if that $300 price tag still stings.
The build quality could be better, the OLED display is still of dubious usefulness (that’s true for any keyboard with an OLED display), the spacebar feels radically different from the rest of the keys, the RGB lighting isn’t particularly vibrant, and the design is decidedly divisive. All those minor complaints add up when you’re spending so much.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% has its own share of similarly impactful flaws, but it’s still a much better keyboard overall. If you’re going to spend $300 anyway, get that one instead. If you don’t want to spend $300, why are you here? If you fall in that in-between area and find the ROG Azoth X on sale, though, this is a really good keyboard.
You can buy the ASUS ROG Azoth X wireless gaming keyboard for $299.99 at BestBuy.com or $299.99 at Amazon.com right now.
ASUS made an impressive keyboard with the Azoth X, and it really does have a lot going for it. It just costs $300, and that’s a tall ask for almost anyone — and even those who are willing to spend so much can still probably find a better keyboard. Still, I liked this board a lot more than I thought I would.