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ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air  Keyboard Review

Reviewed Nov 09, 2023 at 11:10am
Tested using methodology v1.3.1 
ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air
8.3
Gaming 
7.5
Office 
8.3
Mobile/Tablet 
7.7
Programming 
6.4
Entertainment / HTPC 
8.3
Raw Performance 
 0

The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is a wireless version of the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini and the first wireless entry in ROCCAT's Vulcan II lineup of gaming keyboards. This keyboard uses ROCCAT's linear TITAN II OPTICAL RED switches, which have clear plastic housings paired with flat, low-profile keycaps. This design emphasizes the keyboard's RGB backlighting, which you can customize on a per-key basis and synchronize with other ROCCAT peripherals using companion software. Other features include additional LED lights on select keys to indicate when secondary functions are active and a proximity sensor that you can set to automatically lower the keyboard's RGB brightness levels when you step away to save on battery life.

Note: The Turtle Beach company purchased ROCCAT and is rebranding some of its current production models, including this keyboard. As such, you may see this keyboard sold under the name Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air. Besides different branding, we expect both models to be identical.

Our Verdict

8.3
Gaming 

The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is an impressive gaming keyboard. It has great all-around latency performance and full RGB backlighting that you can customize, along with a host of other settings using the configuration software. Its linear TITAN II OPTICAL RED switches are lightweight and have short pre-travel, making them well-suited for playing fast-paced games. Unfortunately, while this keyboard's overall build quality is good, the keycaps are made of cheap-feeling ABS plastic, which is prone to developing a shiny finish and getting slippery over time.

Pros
  • Impressive latency performance.
  • Low profile keycaps and clear switch housings showcase the keyboard's RGB lighting.
Cons
  • Overall build quality isn't as good as many similarly-priced gaming models.
  • Keycaps are made of cheap-feeling ABS plastic and their flat, low-profile design can take some getting used to.
7.5
Office 

While not designed specifically for this use, the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is a relatively good keyboard for office work. It connects wirelessly with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously. Its linear switches are also fairly quiet and actuate smoothly but can feel overly sensitive for most typists due to their low actuation force and extremely short pre-travel distance. Additionally, while the overall build quality is good, the bottom chassis and keycaps are made of cheaper-feeling ABS plastic that can develop a shiny finish and get slippery with extended use. Additionally, the flattened low-profile keycaps are unusual compared to those on most dedicated office keyboards and may take some getting used to.

Pros
  • Connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
Cons
  • Overall build quality isn't as good as many similarly-priced gaming models.
  • Keycaps are made of cheap-feeling ABS plastic and their flat, low-profile design can take some getting used to.
8.3
Mobile/Tablet 

While The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is designed primarily as a desktop gaming keyboard, it's also great for Mobile/Tablet use. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously, and it's reasonably lightweight and fairly compact. That said, it has a fairly tall, high-profile design compared to most keyboards designed specifically for mobile use, which typically have a thinner, low-profile design. Additionally, the flat keycaps can take some time to get used to for regular typing, and while the overall build quality is good, the keycaps and bottom chassis are made of fairly cheap-feeling plastic.

Pros
  • Connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
Cons
  • Overall build quality isn't as good as many similarly-priced gaming models.
7.7
Programming 

The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is good for programming. You can connect it wirelessly with its USB receiver or with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth. It also has full RGB backlighting and dual LEDs on many keys that display when secondary functions are active. The Compact (65%) form factor lacks a function row, which can be a major weakness if your workflow heavily depends on F-keys. There aren't any dedicated macro keys, but you can program macros to any key using the software. Additionally, while the overall build quality is good, the plastic chassis and ABS keycaps feel fairly cheap. Additionally, the keycap's flat, low profile is somewhat unusual and can take some getting used to.

Pros
  • Connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
  • Low profile keycaps and clear switch housings showcase the keyboard's RGB lighting.
Cons
  • Overall build quality isn't as good as many similarly-priced gaming models.
  • Keycaps are made of cheap-feeling ABS plastic and their flat, low-profile design can take some getting used to.
6.4
Entertainment / HTPC 

The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is acceptable for Entertainment or Home Theatre PC use. It connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously. Its compact size makes it easy to move around and use from a couch. It also has full RGB backlighting and shine-through legends on the keycaps, which are easy to read in a darker room. Unfortunately, it lacks dedicated media keys or other control elements, like a control knob or scroll wheel, so you'll likely need a mouse to navigate menus.

Pros
  • Connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
Cons
  • Overall build quality isn't as good as many similarly-priced gaming models.
8.3
Raw Performance 

The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air has great raw performance with impressive single-key and multi-key latency, full n-key rollover, and a 1000Hz polling rate that other latency components don't bottleneck. Altogether, it delivers a responsive-feeling experience well-suited for gaming in all genres.

Pros
  • Great single-key and multi-key latency performance.
  • 1000Hz polling rate isn't bottlenecked by other latency components.
  • Full n-key rollover.
Cons
None
  • 8.3
    Gaming
  • 7.5
    Office
  • 8.3
    Mobile/Tablet
  • 7.7
    Programming
  • 6.4
    Entertainment / HTPC
  • 8.3
    Raw Performance
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated May 13, 2024: We've added a note about this keyboard's Turtle Beach rebrand to the Introduction and the Differences Between Variants sections of this review.
    2.  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.
    3.  Updated Nov 09, 2023: Review published.
    4.  Updated Sep 12, 2023: Early access published.

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is available in a black or white colorway with linear TITAN II OPTICAL RED Switches. At the time of writing, no other switch types are available for purchase with this keyboard, and no variants. We bought and tested the black colorway, and you can see the label of our unit here. This keyboard bears close similarity with other keyboard models in ROCCAT's Vulcan II lineup, most notably the Vulcan II Mini, a wired version of this keyboard.

    Note: The Turtle Beach company purchased ROCCAT and is rebranding some of its current production models, including this keyboard. As such, you may see this keyboard sold under the name Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air. Besides different branding, we expect both models to be identical.

    Popular Keyboard Comparisons

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is a compact wireless gaming keyboard that continues ROCCAT's Vulcan II lineup. It's the first wireless model in the lineup, but otherwise, it shares the same design as previous entries that pairs standard-profile switches with flat low-profile keycaps. This design makes the RGB lighting on this keyboard stand out quite a bit but is also somewhat unusual as flat low-profile switches are more often matched with low-profile keycaps, as can be seen with the Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro or the Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED. Like other recent entries in the Vulcan II lineup, this keyboard has two unusual backlighting features: a proximity sensor for the RGB lighting and additional LEDs that light up when secondary functions are active. This keyboard is a good wireless alternative to popular compact gaming keyboards like the Razer Huntsman Mini or Corsair K65 RGB MINI if you want a more RGB-focused design.

    For more recommendations, see our picks for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best RGB keyboards.

    Razer Huntsman Mini

    The Razer Huntsman Mini and the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air are gaming keyboards with compact form factors. The Razer has a slightly smaller Compact (60%) form factor. It also has better build quality and better overall gaming performance. On the other hand, the ROCCAT has a Compact (65%) form factor, and its design features low-profile keycaps that better showcase the RGB lighting. Both keyboards use optical switches, but the Razer is available with clicky or linear optical switches, while the ROCCAT is only available with linear optical switches.

    Corsair K65 RGB MINI

    The Corsair K65 RGB MINI and the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air are gaming keyboards with compact form factors. The Corsair is a Compact (60%), wired-only model with better overall latency performance, better build quality, and a higher 8000Hz polling rate. It's available in several Cherry MX switch options. On the other hand, the ROCCAT has a slightly larger Compact (65%) form factor. It also has low-profile keycaps that better showcase the keyboard's RGB lighting.

    ROCCAT Vulcan II Max/Mini

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini is a wired version of the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air. Both keyboards share the same size, design, and feature set, but the Vulcan II Mini Air has added wireless connectivity with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth.

    ROCCAT Magma

    The ROCCAT Magma and the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air are gaming keyboards. The Magma is a wired-only, full-size keyboard with rubber dome switches. The Vulcan II Mini Air is a wireless model with a smaller Compact (65%) form factor and optical switches.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Dimensions
    Size
    Compact (65%)
    Height
    1.2" (3.2 cm)
    Width12.8" (32.4 cm)
    Depth
    4.9" (12.4 cm)
    Depth With Wrist Rest
    N/A
    Weight
    1.29 lbs (0.584 kg)

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air has a Compact (65%) form factor. It lacks a Numpad, function row, and several navigation keys typically found on full-size models. However, it retains dedicated arrow keys and takes up considerably less space on your desk.

    7.5
    Build Quality
    Keycap MaterialABS

    This keyboard has good overall build quality. The lower chassis is made of generic plastic, but the top plate is aluminum. The entire keyboard is stiff and only exhibits minor flexing. The stabilizers do a good job of supporting larger keys, and there's very minimal stabilizer rattling, even on the spacebar, which frequently rattles quite noticeably on other gaming keyboards. On the bottom of the keyboard, four rubber feet do a good job of keeping the board in place on your desk. Each of the keyboard's two flip-out feet are also capped with a rubber pad.

    6.0
    Ergonomics
    Curved/Angled
    No
    Split Keyboard
    No
    Key Alignment
    Staggered
    Minimum Incline
    Medium Incline
    Maximum Incline
    Home Row Height
    30.3 mm (1.2")

    This keyboard has acceptable ergonomics. It doesn't include a wrist rest, but there are flip-out feet on the back of the board that provide two incline settings.

    3.6
    Hardware Customizability
    Replaceable Cherry Stabilizers
    No
    Stabilizer Fixation
    Non-Customizable Design
    Spacebar Stabilizer Size
    6.25u
    Size Of Right Mod Keys
    1u
    Hot-Swappable Switches
    No
    Switch Stem Shape
    Cherry MX Style
    Switch PCB Socket
    Soldered
    North-Facing Cherry MX Interference
    Yes

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air offers poor overall customizability. The switches have typical cross-shaped, Cherry MX-Style stems if you'd like to change out the stock keycaps. However, the LEDs are also North-facing, which can interfere with some Cherry MX profile keycaps.

    10
    Backlight Features
    BacklightingYes
    RGB
    Yes
    Per-Key Backlighting
    Yes
    Effects
    Yes
    Software Controllable
    Yes

    This keyboard has full RGB lighting that you can customize on a per-key basis. Thirty of the keys are also what ROCCAT refers to as 'Smart Keys.' Instead of only one RGB LED light, these keys have an additional dedicated LED light that shows when secondary functions are active. You can customize the behavior of these secondary lights using the configuration software.

    9.0
    Backlight Clarity

    The backlighting provides outstanding backlight clarity, and the shine-through legends are clear and very easy to read in darker rooms. That said, the white-only setting has a very noticeable blue hue.

    Cable & Connector
    ConnectivityWireless
    Detachable
    Yes (Wired Mode and Charge)
    Length5.9 ft (1.8 m)
    Connector (Keyboard side)
    USB type-C

    This keyboard comes with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable. It's braided and retains some kinks from its packaging.

    10
    Wireless Versatility
    Bluetooth
    Yes
    Bluetooth Multi-Device Pairing
    3
    Proprietary Receiver
    Yes
    Battery Type
    Rechargeable

    You can connect the ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air wirelessly with the included 2.4 GHz Stellar Wireless receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously.

    ROCCAT indicates a maximum battery life of up to 240 hours, but this will vary depending on your usage, connection type, and RGB lighting settings. We expect the 240-hour maximum estimate is only attainable when connected via Bluetooth and with all lighting off.

    Using the 2.4Ghz receiver provides the best performance but consumes battery at a higher rate. You can adjust RGB brightness to reduce battery drain, and there's a proximity sensor setting in the configuration software that can automatically turn off backlighting when you're away from your keyboard.

    4.0
    Macro Keys And Programming
    Dedicated Macro Keys Count0
    Onboard Macro Programming
    No
    Macro Programming With Software
    Yes

    This keyboard has no dedicated macro keys, but you can program macros to any key using the configuration software.

    Extra Features
    Media Keys
    Non-Dedicated
    Trackpad / TrackballNo
    Scroll Wheel
    No
    Control Knob
    No
    USB Passthrough
    No
    NumpadNo
    Windows Key Lock
    Yes
    Lock IndicatorCaps Lock

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air has many extra features, including standard features like a Caps Lock indicator and a Windows Key lock. More unique features include the ability to apply sounds, like typewriter or sci-fi effects when typing. There's also a proximity sensor that you can set to detect when you're away from your keyboard to automatically adjust backlighting levels to conserve power.

    Additionally, 30 keys on this keyboard are what ROCCAT calls 'Smart Keys.' These keys have a second LED that lights up whenever secondary functions are active and can provide visual information, like when you mute your microphone, what your computer's CPU load is, or whenever the battery life of any other paired ROCCAT devices is running low. You can customize the behavior of these 'Smart Keys' using the configuration software.

    You can see some of these 'Smart Keys' in this photo, showing keycaps with shine-through legends for the top and bottom LED lights.

    You can read more about this keyboard's extra features on ROCCAT's website here.

    In The Box

    • ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air
    • USB-A wireless receiver
    • USB-A to USB-C charging cable
    • User documentation

    Typing Experience
    7.5
    Typing Quality
    Key Spacing
    19.0 mm (0.748")

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air provides good typing quality. The keys feel fairly stable with only minor wobble. Larger keys with stabilizers exhibit only minor wobble and minimal rattling sounds compared to most pre-built gaming keyboards. The TITAN II OPTICAL RED switches have a linear feel. They're fairly smooth from the factory and very lightweight, allowing you to actuate keys quickly. However, you might find the keys are a bit too sensitive if you're a heavier typist or like to rest your fingers directly on the keycaps.

    The spacing between keys is standard, but the flat, low-profile keycaps aren't very common on other keyboards and may take some getting used to before you can type at your regular speed. Additionally, these keycaps are made of ABS plastic, which feels somewhat cheap compared to most higher-quality PBT keycaps and can develop a shiny finish with extended use.

    7.8
    Typing Noise
    Average Loudness
    50.8 dBA
    High Pitch Clicks
    No

    The ROCCAT Vulcan II Mini Air is fairly quiet. It's very unlikely that you'll bother anyone around you while typing on it normally.

    Switches
    Switch Name
    TITAN II OPTICAL RED
    Switch Type
    Optical
    Feel
    Linear
    Analog
    No

    This keyboard uses TITAN II OPTICAL RED switches, which are linear optical switches. No other switch types are available for purchase at the time of writing.

    Keystrokes
    See details on graph tool
    Operating Force
    45 gf
    Actuation Force
    45 gf
    Pre-Travel
    1.4 mm
    Total Travel
    3.7 mm

    This keyboard uses TITAN II OPTICAL RED switches. These switches are very lightweight and have an extremely short pre-travel distance, making them well-suited for quick, reaction-based gaming.

    Performance
    8.6
    Single-Key Latency
    See details on graph tool
    Best Connection
    6.9 ms
    Best Connection Std Dev±1.0 ms
    Wired
    6.9 ms
    Receiver
    7.1 ms
    Bluetooth
    34.0 ms
    PCB (Estimated)
    5.6 ms

    This keyboard has excellent single-key latency performance. It delivers a responsive-feeling experience for playing games in any genre at any competitive level.

    8.1
    Multi-Key Latency
    See details on graph tool
    Connection EvaluatedReceiver
    Key Press
    7.1 ms
    Key Release
    15.8 ms

    This keyboard has great multi-key latency performance. The Key Press and Key Release latency results are fairly low and reasonably consistent owing to the keyboard's 1000Hz effective update rate. This keyboard is well-suited for playing games requiring additional keystrokes while multiple keys are pressed and maintained.

    8.2
    Data Transmission
    Connection EvaluatedReceiver
    USB Polling Rate
    1,000 Hz
    Effective Update Rate
    1,000 Hz
    N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
    Yes
    Multiple Keys Per USB Report
    No

    This keyboard has great data transmission performance. It supports full n-key rollover and has a 1000Hz polling rate that other latency components don't bottleneck.

    8.1
    Chord Split
    See details on graph tool
    4 Chord Split Delay
    5.4 ms
    8 Chord Split Delay
    9.3 ms

    This keyboard has very good Chord Split performance with low 4-chord and 8-chord split delay, making it well-suited for playing rhythm games that require multiple simultaneous inputs.

    Software and Operating System
    Configuration Software
    Software NameROCCAT Swarm
    Software Windows Compatible
    Yes
    Software macOS Compatible
    No
    Onboard Memory
    Yes
    Profiles
    5

    This keyboard uses ROCCAT's Swarm software. This software provides many expected customization options for creating custom profiles, recording macros, adjusting RGB lighting effects, and programming secondary shift functions. It also has more unusual options, like programming different keypress sounds, setting character repeat delays, or adjusting the cursor blink rate.

    This software isn't intuitive or well laid out. It can take time to get used to for new users. Furthermore, like the software options from other major manufacturers, this software receives criticism for requiring frequent updates and taking up disproportionate system resources. This software may be frustrating if you prefer more lightweight software options or no software at all.

    10
    Computer Compatibility
    Windows
    Fully Compatible
    macOS
    Fully Compatible
    Linux (Ubuntu 22)
    Fully Compatible
    Media Key Compatibility
    Windows, MacOS & Linux

    This keyboard is fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, the configuration software is only compatible with Windows and macOS.

    On Windows and Linux, all keys work as expected. On macOS, the Print Screen hotkey acts as an F13 key, and the Scroll and Break hotkeys adjust your screen brightness if you're using an Apple display.

    10
    Wireless Mobile Compatibility
    Android
    Fully Compatible
    iOS
    Fully Compatible
    iPadOS
    Fully Compatible
    Media Key Compatibility
    Android, iPhone & iPad

    This keyboard is fully compatible with Android, iOS, and iPadOS. However, there's no software available for these platforms.

    All default keys work as expected on Android devices. On iOS and iPadOS devices, all default keys work as expected except for the Print, Scroll, Break, and Insert hotkeys, which do nothing.

    Comments

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    1. Update: We’ve added a note about this keyboard’s Turtle Beach rebrand to the Introduction and the Differences Between Variants sections of this review.

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