A gaming keyboard worth zeroing in on
The Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand covers just about every facet of your gaming needs, from motherboards and laptops to high-performance keyboards—and for our money, its track record is pretty good. From the excellent and highly customizable Asus ROG Azoth to the comfortable low-profile ride of the Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile, ROG has proven itself a dependable name in the keyboard realm. The ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless ($179.99) continues the tradition, providing a satisfyingly stable experience when both gaming and typing, thanks in part to its rock-solid build quality and hot-swappable design. It earns an Editors’ Choice award for high-end enthusiast keyboards and rates up there with the best from the likes of Corsair and Razer. Design: The Longer the Name, the Bigger the Board
« Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless » is a mouthful of a name, but it’s fitting for a full-size board, albeit one that’s not quite as big as you might expect. Using what Asus calls a « 96% layout, » the ROG Strix Scope II packs all the keys of a full-size board into a slightly smaller frame. It’s not a near-industry standard like much smaller 60% and 75% layouts now are, but we welcome a keyboard with compact-size aspirations but with all the keys of a full-size layout. You’ll still find a number pad and arrow keys where you’d expect them, with secondary functions relegated to other keys across the top two rows.
The keyboard pairs a plastic chassis with a metal top plate, giving the board a sturdy build that remains steady whether you’re dealing with high-pressure firefights or crushing some late-night writing.
Measuring 5.8 by 14.8 by 1.5 inches (HWD), this gaming keyboard comes in your choice of black or white color schemes. As you’d expect from a gaming keyboard at this price, it offers per-key customizable RGB lighting to complete the aesthetic. But the RGB lighting is nothing to write home about. One of the Scope II’s few downsides, it’s actually pretty dim compared with other in-your-face light shows we’ve seen from full-size keyboards like the Roccat Vulcan II Max or even-smaller 60% boards like the Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless. That’s the case even with the RGB brightness turned all the way up. This won’t be an issue for some gamers—including many aspiring pros in the target market here—who prefer little to no RGB on their products. However, it might upset streamers or gamers looking to build an aesthetically pleasing battle station.
At 2.2 pounds, the Scope II is slightly heavier than the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro, but this weight gives the keyboard a sturdy frame that hard-core gamers will appreciate.
