The ASUS ROG Azoth X is the kind of keyboard that feels like ASUS’ engineers have been moonlighting in enthusiast forums, quietly absorbing every wishlist thread. It’s the third iteration of Asus’s 75% wireless board that blends custom‑keyboard sensibilities with the polish of a mainstream product, and it’s not shy about making a visual statement.
In Australia, it’s readily available from major retailers, but you’ll need to budget around $429 AUD for the Snow Switch model — a price that plants it firmly in premium territory. I’ve loved the first Azoth and the Azoth Extreme that came before so I wasn’t expecting any different from this new one. But, things have changed in the market and after using the super slick Keychron K2 HE as my daily driver, the twice as expensive Azoth X has a lot of justifying to do before it can win the hearts of gamers.
The all‑white chassis and “Stellar” themed keycaps are unapologetically bold — black, red, and subtle blue accents with semi‑translucent sides that let RGB spill out in a way that’s more theatrical than restrained. The dye‑sublimated legends are sharp and durable, but if you’re not into white‑themed setups, there’s no alternative colourway. ASUS has committed to this look, and you either build your desk aesthetic around it or it stands out like a neon sign in a library. Personally, I love it and it fits nicely into my slowly growing white desk setup.
Typing is where the Azoth X earns its stripes. The hot‑swappable ROG NX Snow V2 switches are pre‑lubed and linear, with a 1.8mm actuation point and 53g total force. They’re paired with a gasket mount and a five‑layer dampening stack — one silicone, four PORON — that soaks up vibrations and banishes most of the metallic ping you get from lesser boards. The result is a low‑pitched, crisp sound profile that edges surprisingly close to a well‑tuned custom. It’s not quite as nice feeling and sounding as my K2 HE and, the spacebar still has a slightly “thunky” note that stands out from the otherwise refined acoustics, something you’ll notice if you’re picky about sound.
On the gaming front, the Azoth X covers the essentials — N‑key rollover, per‑key RGB, low‑latency 2.4GHz wireless — but it’s missing some of the bleeding‑edge features creeping into high‑end boards. There’s no rapid trigger functionality for ultra‑fast key resets, and no hall effect switches for analog control or adjustable actuation. If you’re coming from a competitive‑grade board with those tricks, you might feel their absence. For most players, the 1,000Hz polling rate is perfectly fine, but it’s worth noting that higher rates require ASUS’ separate ROG Polling Rate Booster. It’s a small frustration that the hardware can’t hit 8,000Hz out of the box when some rivals manage it.
Connectivity is otherwise excellent. You get tri‑mode support — wired USB‑C, Bluetooth for up to three devices, and 2.4GHz wireless via SpeedNova — with rock‑solid performance and battery life rated at a frankly absurd 1,600 hours with RGB and OLED off. Even with everything lit, you’re looking at weeks between charges. The included Omni Receiver is a nice touch, letting you pair a compatible mouse and keyboard to a single dongle.
The OLED display in the top right corner, paired with a three‑way control knob and side button, is one of the Azoth X’s signature flourishes. It can show system stats like CPU temps, battery life, or connection mode, and you can load in custom animations. It’s fun and functional, though some will see it as a novelty that quietly sips battery life once the initial excitement fades.
Customisation is handled through ASUS’ Armoury Crate software, which lets you tweak lighting effects, remap keys, create macros, and push firmware updates. It’s powerful and integrates well with other ASUS gear, but it’s also heavier than some competing software suites and has a reputation for being a bit bloated. The good news is you can make most of your key tweaks directly on the board via the OLED and knob, so you’re not locked into the software for day‑to‑day adjustments.
Build quality is solid, with a metal top plate that gives the board a reassuring rigidity, but the plastic base means it doesn’t have the same heft as full‑metal customs in this price bracket. On the upside, that keeps the weight down for wireless use, and the included silicone wrist rest is genuinely comfortable for long sessions. The FR4 positioning plate adds a touch of flex to the typing feel, and the south‑facing PCB ensures compatibility with a wide range of aftermarket keycaps if you decide to swap out the stock set.
In daily use, the Azoth X feels like a keyboard designed to please both gamers and typists. The layout is compact without feeling cramped, the stabilisers are tuned well out of the box, and the acoustics are satisfying enough that you won’t feel the urge to mod it immediately. Still, if you’re chasing the absolute cutting edge of gaming tech, the lack of rapid trigger, hall effect switches, and native 8,000Hz polling might leave you looking elsewhere.
Ultimately, the ROG Azoth X is one of the few mainstream keyboards that genuinely bridges the gap between enthusiast and mass‑market. It’s packed with thoughtful touches — from the gasket mount to the OLED display — and delivers a typing experience that’s leagues ahead of most gaming boards. The Australian price is steep, and a few omissions keep it from being the undisputed king of the hill, but it’s still a standout if you want a wireless, feature‑rich board that doesn’t feel like a compromise. ASUS swung big here, and while it’s not perfect, it’s a hit more often than not.
Asus Australia kindly provided the Azoth X to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
