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The Asus ROG Azoth was one of our favorite keyboards of 2023, so we were pleased to learn that Asus is back with an update of its flagship model for enthusiast customizers. Revealed at Computex, the ROG Azoth Extreme is a highly tweakable 75% gaming keyboard with a full-color OLED touch screen (versus the previous model's monochrome one) with a three-way control knob, an extended wrist rest, hot-swappable pre-lubed mechanical switches (dubbed "ROG NX Snow"), and more.
(Credit: John Burek)At first glance, the ROG Azoth Extreme seems familiar; it's the same size and layout as the original. But the devil’s in the details, and after some hands-on time with the new keyboard, we walked away impressed with all it has to offer.
A Striking Little Screen
The first thing that caught our eye was the OLED panel in the top right corner. The older ROG Azoth had a similar OLED screen, but the Extreme takes it one step further and makes the tiny screen not only color but also a touch screen. The wheel/dial to the right of the screen lets you switch through modes and adjust levels and selections up and down.
(Credit: John Burek)What you can't see from the outside about this board, though, you certainly will feel. The board itself is built like a three-layer cake, with an aluminum alloy chassis, a carbon-fiber positioning plate, and an adjustable gasket mount laid atop one another to form the sturdy, all-black base. A much-welcome magnetic wrist rest also makes an appearance, which transforms the Azoth Extreme into a comfortable ride for typing or gaming. The keyboard also has conical feet that you can add or remove with ease; they cling magnetically.
(Credit: John Burek)But the most extreme thing about the keyboard might be its ability to switch between a deeper or shallower key press across the whole board layout with the flip of a switch. The dual-option switches are not new to keyboards, but they are a feature that hardly ever makes its way to mainstreaming gaming keyboards like the Azoth Extreme. Its inclusion is sure to turn some heads. How to adjust the keyfeel? On the underside of the keyboard is a credit-card-size plate that you remove to gain access to a slider switch. It toggles between the deeper and shallower key-travel modes.
(Credit: John Burek)In addition, the hot-swappable ROG NX key switches return, here in a variant called ROG NX Snow, delivering a satisfying clack on par with a recent Editors' Choice keyboard pick, the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96. However, here Asus employs a carbon-fiber stabilizing layer to reduce key wobbles when pressed. (It works well.) There's also a soft padding layer made of silicone or similar material that comes pre-installed for a slightly softer typing feel...
(Credit: John Burek)You can remove the accessible screws on the bottom of the chassis to gain interior access and remove the padding sheet for a less cushioned feel.
Copilots and Connections
Speaking of keys, the 75% keyboard also includes a key designed for the newest addition to the Microsoft suite, Windows Copilot. If you use the Azoth Extreme under Windows 11, you can access Microsoft's AI-powered search with a press of a button. Of course, if you're not using a Windows 11-powered computer, it might just be taking up space.
Asus ROG SpeedNova wireless technology returns, promising a wildly long battery life of more than 1,600 hours when the keyboard is used over the 2.4GHz wireless connection. Asus has also upped the polling rate this time around, bringing it to a whopping eight times faster than its predecessor (at 8,000Hz versus 1,000Hz). Polling rate is the frequency at which data from the keyboard is sent to the device it's connected to. That means that at 8,000Hz, information is being transferred 8,000 times every second. Most everyday users won't care, but pro gamers and esports enthusiasts are sure to find the lightning-fast response times appealing. (You access the higher polling rates by using an included, slightly bulky USB passthrough dongle adapter.
Asus has not shared an official release date or price for the ROG Azoth Extreme, but we can only imagine that it'll be something of a gut-punch to our wallets. (The original launched at more than $250, after all.) But it just might be worth it if you're in the market for what could be one of the best gaming keyboards of the year given its pedigree. Check back for our full review when it releases later this year.