The ASUS ROG Azoth is a wireless mechanical gaming keyboard with a compact form factor and a programmable OLED screen. It's available with pre-lubed ROG NX mechanical switches but also has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can change out the stock switches if you wish. This keyboard also has a gasket-mounted design and includes layers of poron foam and silicone inside the keyboard. Together, these design elements are aimed at improving this keyboard's overall acoustics and feel compared to less premium gaming options.
Our Verdict
The ASUS Azoth is an outstanding gaming keyboard with exceptionally low latency, full RGB backlighting, and a programmable OLED display. It also has excellent build quality with its textured PBT keycaps, a gasket-mounted design, and layers of sound-dampening material that all contribute to a higher-quality sound and feel compared to many prebuilt gaming keyboards.
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Excellent build quality.
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Exceptionally low latency.
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Stock switches and stabilizers are pre-lubed.
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High profile design; can be fatiguing to use for long periods without a wrist rest.
Although not specifically designed for office use, the ASUS Azoth is good for office work. It has excellent build quality with slightly textured PBT keycaps and layers of sound-dampening foam, which improve the sound and feel and keeps noise to a minimum while typing. That said, it has a compact design that lacks a Numpad, so it isn't ideal if you do a lot of data entry. It also has a high-profile design that is tiring to use for long stretches without a wrist rest.
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Excellent build quality.
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Stock switches and stabilizers are pre-lubed.
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High profile design; can be fatiguing to use for long periods without a wrist rest.
The ASUS Azoth provides a decent experience for tablets and mobile devices but isn't designed specifically for this use. Its high-profile design and considerable weight mean it's poorly suited for carrying and using on the go. That said, it has excellent build quality and can pair with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
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Excellent build quality.
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Heavy, high-profile design means it isn't very portable.
The ASUS Azoth is great for programming. It has excellent build quality with PBT keycaps, a gasket-mounted design, and layers of sound-dampening material that all contribute to an excellent overall typing experience. Although, its high-profile design can make it tiring to type on for long periods if you aren't using a wrist rest. This keyboard also has full RGB backlighting with shine-through legends. Also, while it lacks dedicated macro keys, you can record macros directly on the keyboard or with the customization software.
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Excellent build quality.
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Stock switches and stabilizers are pre-lubed.
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Onboard macro programming.
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High profile design; can be fatiguing to use for long periods without a wrist rest.
The ASUS Azoth isn't designed specifically to be used in an entertainment or home theater setup. It has excellent build quality and full RGB backlighting with shine-through legends that are fairly easy to read in the dark. Unfortunately, it also lacks dedicated media keys and is considerably heavier and thicker than most keyboards designed with this use in mind.
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Excellent build quality.
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Heavy, high-profile design means it isn't very portable.
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Lacks dedicated media keys.
- 8.6 Gaming
- 8.2 Office
- 7.2 Mobile/Tablet
- 8.3 Programming
- 6.6 Entertainment / HTPC
- 8.5 Raw Performance
- Updated Dec 05, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Keychron Lemokey L3 in the Hardware Customizability section of this review.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Oct 19, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Logitech G PRO X TKL in the Dimensions section of this review.
- Updated Oct 17, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Razer BlackWidow V4 75% in the Data Transmission section of this review.
- Updated Oct 16, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Sep 11, 2023: We've added a link to the Razer BlackWidow V4 to this review's Macro Keys and Programming section.
- Updated Sep 01, 2023: We've added new text to the Computer Compatibility section of this review to clarify the behavior of certain keys when using this keyboard on macOS in Mac compatibility mode.
- Updated Jun 12, 2023: Review published.
- Updated Jun 07, 2023: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 02, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated May 26, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated May 17, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The ASUS ROG Azoth is only available in a Black colorway. You can purchase this keyboard with linear ROG NX Red, tactile ROG NX Brown, or clicky ROG NX Blue switches.
We bought this keyboard with the ROG NX Red switches. You can see the label of the unit we bought and tested here.
Compared To Other Keyboards
The ASUS ROG Azoth has elements commonly found on high-end gaming keyboards, including outstanding latency performance and a programmable OLED screen. However, it also incorporates elements more common on custom mechanical keyboards. These elements include a gasket-mounted design, pre-lubed switches and stabilizers, and sound-dampening layers of poron foam and silicone. These additions improve this keyboard's acoustics and typing feel compared to many prebuilt gaming keyboards, but it carries a premium price tag to match.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best wireless keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best mechanical keyboards.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% are mechanical gaming keyboards with Compact (75%) form factors and hot-swappable PCBs. The ASUS is a wireless model available in tactile, clicky, or linear switch varieties. It also has a programmable OLED screen, which the Razer lacks. On the other hand, the Razer is only available with tactile switches but has a higher effective polling rate of 8000Hz.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) and the ASUS ROG Azoth are mechanical gaming keyboards with programmable OLED screens and similarly outstanding gaming performance. The SteelSeries is a wired-only model that allows you to adjust the pre-travel distance of individual switches. On the other hand, the ASUS is a wireless model that provides a better overall typing experience due to its gasket-mounted design and layers of sound-dampening material.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless are wireless keyboards with comparable gaming performance. The Azoth has a smaller, compact (75%) form factor and better build quality. It also has a programmable OLED screen. On the other hand, the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless has a compact 96% form factor. It also has a multi-function button, a multi-function scroll wheel, and an included wrist rest.
The ASUS ROG Falchion and the ASUS ROG Azoth are wireless compact mechanical gaming keyboards. The Falchion is available in a variety of Cherry MX switches. On the other hand, the Azoth is available in a selection of pre-lubed ROG NX switches. It also has a programmable OLED screen, a much longer advertised battery life, and Bluetooth support, which the Falchion lacks. Additionally, it has a gasket-mounted design and layers of sound-dampening foam that provide a better overall typing experience.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the Logitech G PRO X TKL are wireless gaming keyboards. The ASUS has a smaller Compact (75%) form factor. It has noticeably better build quality, longer advertised battery life, better typing quality, and it's quieter. It also offers significantly better hardware customizability with a hot-swappable PCB and supports multi-device pairing. On the other hand, the Logitech has a slightly larger TenKeyLess form factor. It has several additional navigational keys and dedicated media keys, which the ASUS lacks.
The GLORIOUS GMMK PRO and the ASUS ROG Azoth are mechanical gaming keyboards with hot-swappable PCBs. The GLORIOUS is a wired-only model with a better build quality. It also provides better overall customizability and is available either as a barebones kit or as a prebuilt that you can customize with a much wider variety of options at the time of purchase. On the other hand, the Azoth is a wireless model that's only available in various stock ROG NX switches. That said, it provides better overall gaming performance. It also has a programmable OLED screen and a gasket-mounted design, providing a slightly better typing experience.
The Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro and the ASUS ROG Azoth are wireless mechanical gaming keyboards with similarly outstanding gaming performance. The Razer is a larger full-size keyboard with a wrist rest and dedicated media keys. On the other hand, the Azoth is a smaller 75% keyboard with a better overall build quality and a gasket-mounted design that provides a superior overall typing experience. Additionally, it has a programmable OLED screen.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the Razer BlackWidow V4 are mechanical gaming keyboards. The ASUS is a wireless model with a smaller, compact (75%) form factor. It has a more premium-feeling gasket mount design, more extensive sound-dampening material inside the case, and a programmable OLED screen. It also has pre-lubed switches and a hot-swappable PCB. On the other hand, the Razer is a wired-only model with a larger, full-size form factor. In addition to a Num Pad and full navigation cluster, it has a row of dedicated macro keys and dedicated media keys. It also comes with a magnetically attachable wrist rest, which the ASUS lacks.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the NuPhy Field75 are wireless mechanical gaming keyboards with compact (75%) form factors. The ASUS has a gasket-mounted design, giving it a slightly softer, springier feeling to use. It also has lower latency performance, significantly longer advertised battery life, and a programmable OLED screen, a feature the NuPhy lacks. On the other hand, the NuPhy has several additional control knobs and dedicated macro keys, which the Azoth lacks.
The ASUS ROG Azoth and the Keychron Lemokey L3 are both wireless, mechanical gaming keyboards with gasket-mounted designs. The ASUS has a slightly smaller compact (75%) form factor and provides slightly better typing quality, mostly thanks to its stabilizers, which come pre-lubed from the factory and feel more consistent. The ASUS also has a programmable OLED screen and better data transmission, making it a better option for competitive gaming. On the other hand, the Lemokey has a larger TenKeyLess form factor. It also offers better hardware customizability and includes a row of macro keys the ASUS lacks.
Test Results
This keyboard has a Compact (75%) form factor, which means it has a set of arrow keys and some keys from the Navigation cluster, but it doesn't have a Numpad. This keyboard is also quite heavy compared to other keyboards with similar dimensions.
If you're interested in a wireless gaming keyboard with a similar form factor that's available in a wider range of colorways, check out the Logitech G PRO X TKL.
This keyboard has excellent build quality. The top of the frame is made of metal, and the bottom is made of plastic. The frame has little to no flexibility, and all materials feel high quality. The keycaps are made of doubleshot PBT plastic and have a nice textured feel.
There's very little wobbling on the keys, and the stabilizers and switches come pre-lubed from the factory. There are also layers of sound-dampening foam and silicone inside the case, and the four rubber feet on the underside do a very good job of keeping the keyboard in place on your desk.
This keyboard has acceptable ergonomics. It's fairly tall and doesn't come with a wrist rest. It has two incline settings, but you need to angle your wrists somewhat to use it, which can be fatiguing if you're typing for long periods.
This keyboard provides excellent hardware customizability. There are also several customization tools included in the box with this keyboard. For more information about these tools, see the Extra Features section.
If you're interested in a similar wireless gaming keyboard that provides even more hardware customizability with screw-in stabilizers, standard 1.25u right-side modifiers, and south-facing LEDs, check out the Keychron Lemokey L3.
This keyboard has an outstanding set of backlighting features. You can customize the lighting and effects using the customization software or with the control knob and OLED screen directly on the keyboard.
This keyboard has impressive backlight clarity. The stock keycaps have shine-through legends that are easy to read. However, the lighting is somewhat uneven, and some keycap legends are slightly more obscured than others.
The white-only lighting on this keyboard has a slight reddish hue that you can see in the photo above. Note that this doesn't impact backlight clarity, and there is no penalty to the score, but it may be a relevant detail for you if you prefer white-only lighting to match other lights in your setup.
This keyboard comes with a braided USB-A to USB-C charging cable. This cable retains some kinks from its packaging.
ASUS advertises this keyboard has a maximum battery life of up to 2000 hours of continuous use when connected wirelessly with its USB receiver and with all RGB lighting and the OLED screen turned off. It's worth noting that this figure is considerably longer than those claimed by similar keyboards we've tested.
If you have this keyboard, let us know about your experience with the battery life in the discussions.
The ASUS ROG Azoth keyboard has no dedicated macro keys, but you can record macros directly on the keyboard or with the customization software.
If you're interested in a gaming keyboard with dedicated macro keys, check out the Razer BlackWidow V4.
The ASUS ROG Azoth has a programmable OLED screen and a control knob. You can use the control knob to adjust keyboard settings and set the screen to display battery level, multimedia info, system stats, and preset or custom gifs.
This keyboard also has extra tools for customizing your keyboard. These extra pieces include a keycap puller, a switch puller, and a switch opener. There's also a container of lube, a brush for applying it, and a plastic station to hold switches while lubing them.
- ASUS ROG Azoth
- USB Receiver
- Receiver Extender
- 3 extra ROG NX switches
- Keycap puller
- Switch puller
- Switch opener
- Lube station
- Lube brush
- Lube
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- ROG stickers
- Travel bag
- User documentation
This keyboard provides excellent typing quality. The keycaps are made of doubleshot PBT plastic and have a slightly textured feel. There's only minor wobbling in the keys and no noticeable wobble while typing. The stabilizers also do a good job of making the larger keys feel stable. Additionally, both the switches and stabilizers come pre-lubed from the factory, making them smoother and more consistent than many other gaming options.
The gasket-mounted design makes typing feel a little softer, and layers of foam and silicone pads inside the keyboard reduce the rattling or pinging sounds some gaming keyboards can make. This keyboard feels stiffer than similar gasket-mounted custom mechanical keyboards around this price point.
Typing noise on this keyboard with the ROG NX Red switches installed is quiet and unlikely to bother those around you. This keyboard is also available with ROG NX Brown or Blue switches. We expect the Brown switches to be somewhat louder and the Blue switches considerably louder.
You can buy the ASUS ROG Azoth with linear ROG NX Red, tactile ROG NX Brown, or clicky ROG NX Blue mechanical switches. All switch options are pre-lubed from the factory.
The keyboard we bought and tested has ROG NX Red switches, which feel very light and sensitive without any tactile bump to overcome. You can also purchase this keyboard with ROG NX Brown or Blue switches. We expect the Brown switches to feel heavier and have a small tactile bump that arrives early in the keystroke. On the other hand, we expect the Blue switches to feel considerably heavier and have a more pronounced tactile bump that produces an audible click. This keyboard also has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can change out the stock switches.
This keyboard has exceptionally low latency and delivers an extremely responsive in-game experience for gaming in any genre.
If you're interested in a wired compact (75%) gaming keyboard with a higher effective polling rate of 8000Hz, check out the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%.
This keyboard uses Armoury Crate for customization. This software is reasonably straightforward and allows you to customize various expected settings, including key assignments, macros, power settings, and RGB lighting. The software also has options for customizing this keyboard's OLED screen with preset or custom gifs.
That said, as with software options from other major manufacturers, Armoury Crate is the source of criticism from the broader community. While we didn't experience any issues during the testing of this keyboard, many users online criticize this software for being unnecessarily bloated, requiring frequent updates, and taking up disproportionate system resources, among other complaints. This software may be frustrating if you prefer more lightweight software options or no software at all.
This keyboard is fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, there isn't any customization software available for Linux or MacOS.
By pressing FN + Tab, you can toggle this keyboard between Mac and PC compatibility modes. In macOS, with the Mac mode enabled, several keys behave differently than in Windows. For example, the Windows key becomes the Option key, and both Alt keys become Command keys.
None of the F-keys have any default function in macOS except for the F11 key, which minimizes the active window. Additionally, the hotkey combinations for producing scroll lock and Pause/Break on Windows adjusts screen brightness if you're using an Apple display, while the Insert hotkey combination opens the Help menu.
In macOS, with the operating system toggle set to Mac compatibility mode, some default key functions behave differently for macOS systems: the F11 key minimizes the active window, the Insert key opens the Help menu, and the Scroll Lock and Pause/Break hotkeys adjust screen brightness if you're using an Apple display.
All of the default buttons on this keyboard work on Android, iOS, and iPadOS devices. However, the customization software is only compatible with Windows.