Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96% review: Buttery smooth
Dexerto The Asus ROG Strix Scope II is the latest gaming keyboard from Asus, but in this incredibly competitive market, does it manage to match our lofty expectations?
Gaming keyboards are a dime a dozen, and once you have reviewed so many of them, it takes a lot to stand out, but Asus’ recent efforts have indeed impressed us. We got an early look at the ROG Azoth, and now have our hands on their next effort, the Strix Scope II.
Boasting enthusiast-level features like lubed and removable switches, as well as PBT keycaps and foam dampening, the Scope II does not come cheap, but it is flush with features that many gaming-level keyboards lack, or do not implement well. Coming in at $179.99, is the Strix Scope II really worth your hard-earned cash?
Key specs
- Switch type: ASUS ROG NX Snow (Pre-lubed, Hot-swappable)
- Keycaps: PBT
- Connectivity: Wired (USB-C), Bluetooth, 2.4GHz
- Form factor: 96%
- Lighting: North-facing RGB
- Features: Pre-lubed, OLED screen, three-way control knob, adjustable feet, silicon & poron dampening, silicone gaskets
- Battery life: Up to 1500 hours
- Price: $179.99
Included in the box: ROG Strix Scope II 96%, wireless dongle, USB-C to USB-A cable, keyswitch puller, Space Bar keycap, magnetic wrist rest.
Design
Dexerto The look of the ROG Strix Scope II betrays its function. This looks like every other gaming keyboard on the market, and Asus has made little to no effort to make the Scope II stand out in any way, shape, or form. It’s just boring, plain and simple. This is somewhat of a step down from the ROG Azoth’s eye-catching 75% looks.
The board sports a compressed 96% layout, and after having used keyboards at 75% or smaller for daily use, Asus has done a fine job of compressing the layout as much as possible in order to minimize the impact on your desk. Though we never felt that the layout was uncomfortable, and having a numpad can be handy in more work-oriented tasks.
At the bottom of the board lies a black plastic shell, which has a dipswitch for various wireless connectivity modes, in addition to a place to put the USB dongle, which we’re always a fan of. There are also several modes for angle adjustment, which is a nice touch. You also get a magnetic wrist rest included in the box, but it feels relatively cheap compared to the rest of the board, and we’re not usually fans of using them in the first place. But, it’s just a nice addition to have in the box.
The board also comes equipped with a rotary dial, in addition to a ROG function button, pressing the button acts as a modifier which allows the knob to access different functions, too. This is always a handy feature, though we’re no fans of the gaudy ROG logo bearing its face on the modifier key, which you cannot replace with any other keycap.
Enthusiast level flourishes
Dexerto The stock keycaps themselves are a shine-through PBT, which ensures that they will stand the test of time. A word of warning for those looking to set their own keycaps on the board, however, this board uses north-facing RGB, which may be incompatible with some aftermarket sets.
The board also sports a metal plate-mounted frame, which you would think affects the acoustics of the keyboard itself. However, the company has done a fantastic job of making the keyboard feel buttery smooth. The switches and stabilizers are lubed, but we did find the application to be slightly lacking on the stabilizers.
The ROG NX Snow switches are buttery smooth, with very minimal stem wobble when trying to wiggle around the switches. You can also switch them out for whatever you want, but these linear switches are really fantastic to type on.
Internally, the board also comes with several layers of foam dampening, ensuring that there is little to no ping while typing, allowing for a rich and deep sound. The only weakness here is in the stabilizers, which we felt were a little bit too rattlesome for our tastes.
Software
Dexerto To control the vibrant RGB of the board, in addition to a single function layer, you have to use the ROG Armory Crate software, which can be a touch finicky at times if you have multiple accessories connected at any given time. It’s purely serviceable, but when you do have to use it, it’s always a bit of a hassle. Asus should go back to the drawing board in order to make it as smooth as competitor options like Logitech G Hub, or Corsair iCUE.
Performance
In both gaming and work scenarios, the ROG Strix Scope II performs admirably. The switches make for an excellent typing experience and the board is up there with the best keyboards we have reviewed, such as the Mountain Everest 60, and the Higround Basecamp keyboards.
The route that Asus has gone is down the standard enthusiast rabbit hole, which means that you will not get any analog-based functions as you do on the Wooting keyboards, or the Corsair K70 Max. While playing Fortnite, the board feels nice and responsive, thanks to the lubed nature of the ROG NX Snow switches, which we are incredibly impressed with. Other titles like Apex Legends might benefit from Analog or Hall-Effect switches, but we can’t say that we missed them throughout the duration of our testing.
Battery life
Dexerto We predominantly used the ROG Strix Scope II wirelessly, over a 2.4Ghz dongle, and with RGB on, we got around 80 hours of battery life, which is no slouch. With RGB off and in Bluetooth mode, you could attain up to 1750 hours of battery life, or so Asus claims.
Device switching goes off without a hitch, and we were able to switch over to our MacBook Air in seconds via Bluetooth, which is always handy if you’re at a desk, and lacking a dedicated MUX switch.
Should you buy it?
At $179.99, the ROG Strix Scope II 96% is an expensive keyboard. But, you get a feature-packed product, with one of the best typing experiences we have had from a commercial gaming keyboard. It’s not perfect, and we do wish that the software and design were slightly better. With this, Asus is committing to creating a new standard for gaming keyboards, and the manufacturers that do not follow in their footsteps with additions like lubed switches and sound dampening will be left in the dust.
The Verdict: 5/5
Competitively priced, and with some of the nicest stock switches we have felt, the ROG Strix Scope II 96% is a best-in-class gaming keyboard. It might not have the features or macros of something like a Blackwidow V4 Pro, but the fantastic typing experience more than makes up for it.
We hope that other manufacturers follow in Asus’ stead in creating genuinely fantastic gaming keyboards with premium trimmings.
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