PC & Console Peripherals

ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX – optical-mechanical switches for FPS gamers

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX is the successor of the ASUS ROG Strix Scope. Not only does it have everything that its predecessor had to offer, but it also has a few innovations for the FPS target group. The biggest innovation and the growing trend towards optical-mechanical switches can also be found in the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX. Asus offers the latest self-developed ROG RX switches for it, which work with a laser detection for input recognition.

Now the question is whether it is worth jumping on the optical-mechanical trend and joining in. More importantly, how good is the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX in everyday gaming and can it keep up with the latest competition? How do optical-mechanical switches feel and are they more efficient than conventional mechanical switches? Find out now in the following review!

Technical data

Size 440x137x39 mm
Switches Optical mechanical ROG RX switches
Case Metal top plate equipped with IP56 water and dust protection
Weight 1.07 kg
Connection USB 2.0, 1000 Hz
Software Armoury Crate
Lighting RGB LEDs – one LED per button, Illuminated ROG logo
Multimedia keys Play/Pause (F5), Stop (F6), Backward (F7), Forward (F8), Mute/Unmute (F9), Volume Up (F10), Volume Down (F11), Stealth key (F12)
Price € 7.95 *

Packaging & included

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX comes in a visually appealing package. Here we see the keyboard in the front and some features to the right of it. On the back we can see in more detail what is special about the keyboard. But let’s open the packaging and take a look inside.

Here we find only black, as with the rest of the packaging. Inside, in the middle, we find the keyboard, which is protected by black fabric. Apart from the keyboard, we also find a user manual, a warranty card and two stickers from Asus in the packaging. Everything was neatly packed and because of that, it was delivered without any damage.

Design & workmanship

As already touched upon in the introduction, the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX is descended from the ASUS ROG Strix Scope. Thus, the basic design has remained the same. However, there are a few changes. The first one we see is in the design of the case. The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX has a continuous equally matte metal design from the top, without a visual separation like its predecessor. At the same time, the case looks very classy and well-made. Furthermore, the keyboard’s IP56 water and dust protection has been provided for a long lifespan. Especially the small ledge at the keyboard’s lower edge looks very successful due to the angled edges at the left and right corners. The “Republic of Gamers” lettering also looks very successful.

On the top right we find then probably the most striking innovation again. The adapted and refurbished status LED display with the ROG logo. Instead of an engraving and a white LED, the numbers and letters now shine in white. As with the predecessor, the ROG logo to the right can also be illuminated in RGB colors as usual. A particularly solidly implemented innovation as well as a very noble-looking workmanship convince us a lot at this point.

The keycaps as well as the switches are the next candidates that we will examine more closely. Here, the keycaps were made from simple ABS, and the surface of those is matte. Thus, they feel smooth on the fingertips. On the back of the keycaps, one notices something special. The keycaps’ mounting is built differently than usual – with four individual pins, they hold particularly well on the new optical-mechanical ROG RX switches. Therefore, more about them now.

The new optical-mechanical ROG RX switches are built differently than the usual Cherry MX switches that were installed on the predecessor. The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX are converted Red switches, so they are primarily very quiet. In addition, the design is different than usual. A white inner square, with a small hole at each corner for the keycap pins, provides exceptional grip for the keycaps. Inside the white square, the LED is slightly raised in a transparent plastic piece. This illuminates the switch particularly brightly. A transparent plastic ring sits around the white square. If you look inside, you’ll see two red supports that are responsible for the pressure feeling. The workmanship of the switches is more than good and they seem very stable even after removing the keycaps several times.

On the upper edge on the right side is a USB 2.0 port, where we can optionally connect a gaming mouse. The colors have been kept simple in black and everything sits firmly in place due to the port’s slight indentation. In order to use this port, we have to talk about the cable next to it once again. Due to the unusual size, the USB connection cable seems almost thicker than a normal cold device cable. At the end of the cable we see why – there are two USB connectors. One is responsible for the optional port and the other for the keyboard itself. Both are independent of each other and can thus be plugged in individually at will. The thickness of the cable makes it a bit bulky to handle, but absolutely no problem.

Lastly, let’s take a quick look at the back of the keyboard, there’s quite a bit to explore here as well. The most eye-catching thing is how the texture of the back is constructed. The plastic cover has been corrugated with lines, with the ROG logo shining through once again in the background on the right. The whole thing looks very successful, although a back is not particularly important for a keyboard. We also find a total of five anti-slip pads at the corners and at the bottom center for grip. The support feet can easily be folded out and once again hold a decent amount of load.

Software & RGB lighting

The RGB lighting on the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX can be controlled using the “Armoury Crate” software. The keyboard has been equipped with AURA Sync, so you can also pair a few devices together and control them in parallel via one program. As with every other keyboard in this price range, the RGB LEDs can be individually addressed and adjusted. We have a choice of the so-called AURA effects or optionally the completely self-designed illumination, which can be created with another extra software called “Aura Creator”. Here, the two individual softwares could have been combined into one program.

For the RGB lighting we have a total of six RGB profiles. The sixth is the default profile. With the combination of the FN key and a left/right arrow key we can switch between the profiles. With the up/down arrow keys we can increase or decrease the brightness of the keyboard. That brings us to the most noteworthy part of the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX – the RGB lighting. The RGB lighting is really very well done and looks very classy around the top and bottom. With the different modes, you can get quite a few nice designs out of it. Compared to the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro, this keyboard is also a lot brighter at the glow and has us fully convinced with the RGB luminosity.

Ergonomics

While writing this review, we took the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX as an aid to get to know the keyboard in depth. We especially enjoyed typing with the keyboard this time around, as it provides a very good typing feel. The keycaps are matte and therefore very pleasant on the fingertips. Furthermore, the pressure point of the switches feels solid enough to return a reasonable feedback. The keyboard is also quiet as usual. The switches sound comparatively very dull. Also worth mentioning are the response time of one millisecond and the lifespan of 100 million strokes. The switches are therefore not only faster than conventional switches, but also usable for even longer.

The media keys are designed in the same way as in the predecessor. We find them again with the upper F5 to F12 keys, which are thus equipped with a double assignment. To use the F function, the FN key has to be pressed simultaneously, otherwise the media functionality is active. If you don’t think about it, you’ll wonder why the music was suddenly paused, although you only wanted to reload the website. The media functions can also be deactivated with a combination of the FN key and the EinFg/FnLock key. A small function with a big effect.

Finally, let’s talk about the stealth button. If you press it, all tabs are minimized and the desktop is displayed completely. The predecessor was also equipped with it. It can be found on the F12 key at the upper edge of the keyboard. Exactly why you need such a key is debatable.

Apart from this special feature, the CTRL key at the bottom left is also a bit bigger than normal and the Windows key is smaller. We particularly liked this feature, since the CTRL key is often used in some games. Due to the slightly larger size, one thus hits the CTRL key more confidently in stressful situations.

Conclusion

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX really convinced us from front to back and also puts pressure on the competition in terms of price. However, the price is not the only well done thing about the keyboard. The functions have also been implemented more than solidly, the workmanship leaves no gaps and the RGB lighting is very successful. The new switches also convince us completely, although a new step has been taken in an interesting direction here. There are a few small blemishes in the software, but these are strongly pushed into the background by the features mentioned.

ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX

Workmanship
Features
Ergonomics
Software
Value for money

94/100

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX not only shines very well with its RGB lighting, but is also equipped with the latest ROG RX optical-mechanical switches. For the price, you can't complain!

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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