The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is the continuation of ASUS's Strix lineup. Like most others in this lineup, this is a wired-only, high-performing gaming option. However, it now includes an upgraded 8000Hz maximum polling rate, a hot-swappable printed circuit board (PCB), and a LED display on the top right that you can use to showcase a custom gif or image.
Our Verdict
The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is an incredible gaming keyboard. It has exceptionally low latency and a higher-than-average 8000Hz maximum polling rate. The RGB backlighting is fully customizable using the companion software, and you can also use the companion software to program macros to any key and create animations for the LED screen on the top right. On top of it all, it's a comfortable keyboard to use, thanks to the included wrist rest.
- Exceptionally low latency.
- Included wrist rest adds comfort.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Feels well-built.
- Cable is quite thick and inflexible.
Although not designed for this, the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a good keyboard for office use. It feels well-built and comfortable for long periods thanks to its ergonomic features. Its companion software is only available on Windows, so you'll have to save your settings to the onboard memory to access them on Mac or Linux systems. Overall, the typing quality is great, and it has a full range of dedicated media keys, so you can skip through media while you work.
- Included wrist rest adds comfort.
- Feels well-built.
- Wired-only.
The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a wired-only keyboard and isn't recommended for use with mobile devices and tablets.
The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a good keyboard for programming. It feels well-built and comfortable to use for long periods, and its RGB backlighting is fully customizable to add some good glow to your setup. The companion software allows you to program macros to any key and set animations for the LED screen on the top right. However, the companion software is only available for Windows, so you'll have to save your settings to the onboard memory to access them on Mac or Linux. Plus, this keyboard is wired-only, so you can't use it easily in a multi-device setup.
- Included wrist rest adds comfort.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Feels well-built.
- Wired-only.
The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a poor keyboard for entertainment and home theater PC setups. It's a wired-only unit, and the cable is thick and inflexible. It also lacks a trackpad or trackball for any on-screen navigation, so you'll require a remote or an additional peripheral. On the upside, it's sturdy and won't flex while propped up on your lap, and the RGB backlighting is quite bright and makes the key legends easy to read.
- Feels well-built.
- Wired-only.
- Lacks trackpad for on-screen navigation.
- Feels well-built.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless in the <#test_3424">Dimensions 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 27, 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 Jun 15, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are two different variants of this keyboard available. The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate has an LED display in the top right and comes with your choice of proprietary ROG NX or Cherry MX tactile Brown, linear Red, or clicky Blue switches. The other variant, the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II, lacks the LED display and only comes with your choice of ROG NX switches. We bought and tested the Animate version with the LED screen, but we expect the non-Animate version to perform similarly, though the typing experience will vary depending on what switches you choose to get with it. You can see the label of the unit we bought and tested here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a fully-loaded gaming keyboard that continues the ASUS ROG Strix lineup. It features a higher-than-average 8000Hz maximum polling rate, a reconfigured suite of media keys, and RGB backlighting that integrates into the wrist pad. Notably, the Strix Flare II has an LED display in the top right corner that you can program to display custom animations, media, or system settings. This keyboard is also a hot-swappable unit, meaning you can change out the stock switches for any 3-pin switch of your choosing. Overall, it's a solid unit targeting gaming enthusiasts who are looking for a keyboard with split millisecond latency, high performance, and fun extra features.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best RGB keyboards, and the best mechanical keyboards.
The ASUS Rog Strix Flare II Animate and the ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless are mechanical gaming keyboards with comparable performance. The Strix Flare II Animate is a full-size wired-only model. It has a scroll wheel, dedicated media keys, a USB passthrough, and a programmable LED screen. On the other hand, the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless has a slightly smaller compact (96%) form factor. It also has a multi-function button and a multi-function wheel.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope TKL and the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate are both wired-only gaming keyboards. However, the Strix Flare II performs much better overall thanks to its exceptionally low latency, higher maximum polling rate, and included wrist rest for better ergonomics.
The HyperX Alloy Origins and the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate are two wired-only gaming keyboards, but the ASUS outperforms the HyperX. That said, the HyperX is more of a budget model, so it lacks many of the extra features found on the ASUS, but overall the two keyboards perform fairly similarly.
The ASUS ROG Falchion and the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate are both exceptional gaming keyboards that offer incredible gaming performance with low latency. They do have some differences in that the Falchion is a compact wireless model that doesn't have nearly as many extra hardware features, while the Strix Flare II is a full-sized, wired-only unit that boasts an 8000Hz maximum polling rate in addition to several extra hardware features.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
