Last year, the gaming division of ASUS replaced the simple RGB backlighting with a dot-matrix display in the headset. This made it possible to display beautiful pictures and animations woven from small LEDs on the cups. This 2022, the same AniMe Matrix socket will debut on the flagship keyboard ROG Strix Flare II Animate. Why is the flagship in front of us? Because other characteristics are also not high, but first things first.
Appearance and convenience
Without going into details, any keyboard is a huge canvas with keys. The same definition applies to a novelty, but from the first seconds it is recognizable as a high-end model with a lot of additional options. The matrix display on the right and the unusual multimedia block on the left stand out in particular.
I’ll start with the multimedia block. It has not only buttons, but also a wheel and levers with very pleasant kinematics. Next to them are the Windows lock buttons and backlight brightness adjustment.
On the right is the AniMe Matrix display, which can display still images or animations. Management through Armory Crate, in the library there are almost two dozen ready-made animations and the ability to upload something of your own.
In addition to this, the panel acts as an indicator while adjusting the volume, switching tracks, changing backlight modes, and in other similar cases.
There are also small details that complete the impression. First of all, we mean a solid RGB backlight that fills the space between the keys. There is also an LED strip below that floods the table with soft light.
Particular attention is paid to quality. I won’t talk about the aluminum frame, the quality of the plastic and the overall solidity of the assembly – everything here is of the highest standard. We also took care of important little things: thanks to the sound-absorbing foam inside the case, the mechanical part works quieter and more muffled.
An integral part of the flagship is a leatherette palm rest with foam filling. The panel is magnetized to the keyboard and securely fixed on the table with rubber pads.
Pay attention to the little things: on the palm rest there is a transparent diffuser for the LED strip. It must be removed before attaching the palm rest.
The angle of inclination is adjustable with standard single-stage legs.
Switches and lighting
The 104-key layout is familiar to full-sized keyboards. You should pay attention to the Fn keys and the context menu to the right of the space.
Hot keys, combined with Fn, are applied to the front end. There are a lot of them, first of all, I will note the Windows + Fn combination, which activates the game mode. In it, you can additionally block combinations of Alt + Tab and Alt + F4. The left-right arrows switch the backlight modes, and the up-down arrows change the brightness of the dot-matrix display. Why not the main backlight? There is a separate button on the multimedia block for this. There are other combinations, such as quick macro recording.
ROG Strix Flare II Animate has a surprise: mechanical switches are removable and can be replaced with any with three contacts. The list of compatible linear (red), tactile (brown) and clicky (blue) switches from the ROG NX and Cherry MX lines. This makes it possible to change the characteristics of the keyboard: turn linear mechanics into tactile or completely vary the kinematics of different keys. The kit comes with an appropriate puller, the replacement process is completely simple.
My keyboard has ROG NX linear mechanical switches. Compared to Cherry MX, ASUS switches have a slightly closer actuation point, and the forces are comparable. The user experience is typical of linear mechanics: games have effortless control, and there is not enough feedback during typing. Indeed, the absence of a tactile click does not allow you to determine the moment of operation without thinking and without looking at the screen. The switches are absolutely silent, and the thud from hitting the case is muffled than usual. This is the merit of sound-absorbing foam. ASUS also promises improved stabilizers for long keys, although in reality it uses the usual Cherry-like design with traction under the front panel.
Both ROG NX (installed on my copy) and Cherry MX have a single LED on top. Because of this, Cyrillic and additional characters are highlighted a little dimmer. Compared to other switches, the difference is minimal and barely noticeable in real life. But ASUS has opto-mechanical ROG RX with a central LED, why not add them to the compatible list.
Armory Crate Utility
The software supports reassignment of any keys except Fn. Options include standard keyboard and mouse actions, free text entry, application launch, macros, and multimedia options.
The multimedia block is also customizable. However, after replacing the action, the indication on the AniMe Matrix panel continues to work as by default.
Ten backlight modes are diverse and support fine-tuning. Through Aura Creator you can create your own effect. Synchronization of the glow with other peripherals via ASUS AURA is also available.
The AniMe Matrix screen is configured in a separate tab. In AniMe Matrix Studio, you can combine several effects into one for sequential playback, display text, or upload your own picture.
There is only one setting on the “Performance” tab – adjusting the polling frequency from 1000 to 8000 Hz.
The keyboard itself stores 5 user profiles and one with default settings – all of them are activated by hot keys. This means that there is no need to install Armory Crate on each of your computers if there is no need for constant configuration, additional profiles and their coordination with applications.
Connection
Keyboard chip in increased polling rate up to 8000 Hz for instant response. The connection is wired, a thick 1.8-meter braided fabric cable exits in the center and splits into two USB plugs.
This is necessary for the USB pass-through port, which is located on the keyboard case, and can be used for a mouse or headset.
Review after two weeks of use
The novelty stands out from all the keyboards that have ever been in my hands. It’s not just about additional features like a matrix screen and an unusual multimedia block. ASUS has worked on the core values, in particular, padded the case with sound-absorbing foam to muffle the knock from the mechanics. An impressive point was the interchangeability of switches. The ability to turn linear mechanics into tactile mechanics is priceless. And years later, when the resource of standard switches comes to an end, this will make it possible to refresh your favorite keyboard at minimal cost.
The user experience of the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate matches that of a quality mechanical keyboard with linear switches. There is no room for compromise, additional features are useful, and the software is pleasant. Those who care about uniform Cyrillic backlighting should pay attention to ASUS keyboards with ROG RX optical-mechanical switches.
Pros:
- high quality workmanship and good impressions;
- the ability to change switches at your discretion;
- foamed sound-absorbing foam in the body;
- matrix display AniMe Matrix;
- useful indication on the display;
- memory for 5 customizable profiles;
- pass-through USB on the case for a mouse or headset.
Minuses:
- uneven backlighting of the keys;
- the display continues to show indicators after the media keys are remapped.
May not like:
- massive and unyielding cable.
Source: Trash Box
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