ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard Review

TweakTown's Rating: 93%

The Bottom Line

The new ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard from ASUS looks like a sleek and stylish keyboard from the future, and it performs like one, too. Fantastic switches, intelligent design touches, and high-quality keycaps make it great for gaming and productivity.

Pros

• + Gorgeous physical design and look
• + Quiet, smooth, and luxurious typing
• + Fantastic ROG RX low-profile switches
• + Intuitive Touch Panel
• + Wireless and versatile

Cons

• - Some keys feel a little cramped
• - Stiff USB cable

Should you buy it?

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Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

The new stylish ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard from ASUS is compact and then some, presenting a 65% keyboard in a 60% frame. Add custom low-profile switches and keycaps, with support for low-latency wireless, Bluetooth, and wired, and it's hard not to be impressed with what ASUS has managed to accomplish here.

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Low-profile keyboards are not for everyone; they're an acquired taste because of the smaller keycaps, which means you lose out on the punchy feedback and release you get from a full-sized mechanical keyboard. The Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is a rare peripheral that goes the extra mile to win you over. Low profile works for gaming and productivity, and when the hardware is as good as this, it's hard to resist, especially when the overall look and feel are out of this world.

We got our first look at the Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard back at CES 2024, where it was love at first sight. The white, minimal, futuristic design with reflective and metallic flourishes and vibrant ARGB lighting is one of the best-looking designs of 2024 - hands down.

Of course, this is purely subjective. What isn't subjective or something you could chalk up to personal taste are the excellent all-new pre-lubed ROG RX Low-Profile optical switches from ASUS and the outstanding build quality that flows from the luxurious keycaps to the multiple layers of silicone foam.

Specifications & Close Up

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• Product Name: ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard
• Product Type: Wireless Gaming Keyboard
• Size (Full/TKL): 65% TKL
• Switch: ROG RX Low-Profile Switch
• Actuation Point/Force: 1.0mm/40g (RX Red)
• Interface: 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, USB 2.0
• Battery Life: 400 hours without backlighting
• Polling Rate: 1000 Hz
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac
• Lighting: Per-key
• Dimensions: 306(L) x 110(W) x 26.5(H) mm
• Weight: 595 grams (keyboard)
• What's in the Box: 1 x ROG Falchion RX Low Profile, 1 x Keyboard cover, 1 x USB dongle, 1 x USB extender, 1 x USB cable, 1 x ROG sticker, 1 x Quick start guide, 1 x Warranty booklet

Kosta's Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER Founders Edition
• Cooler: ASUS ROG RYUO III 360 ARGB
• RAM: 64GB (4x16GB) Corsair DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB DDR5 DRAM 6000MT/s
• SSD: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 4TB, Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus Plus M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 8TB
• Power Supply: ASUS TUF Gaming 1000W Gold
• Case: Corsair 5000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX PC Case
• OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 64-bit

ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard

	Today	Yesterday	7 days ago	30 days ago
	$159.99	$159.99	$129.99	$159.99	Buy
	$169.99	$169.99	$169.99	$169.99	Buy
* Prices last scanned on 4/29/2024 at 5:30 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Design & Software

Design

A 65% form factor keyboard in a 60% frame means that when it comes to the physical layout, the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard essentially consists of all keys with some concessions made to fit on as much as possible on the small frame. With that, the Numpad and the function keys are gone (these are mapped to the numerical keys as secondary functions). The Arrow keys have been slotted into the bottom right, which is excellent; however, the right-side Shift key is tiny. Is it cramped? Sure, but getting used to typing with the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard doesn't take long.

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Being wireless, with added Bluetooth and USB wired modes support, the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is versatile and compact enough to take on the go. One of the coolest design touches (and there are a number of them) is the addition of a hard plastic and rubber keyboard cover that acts as a solid base - it's not something you'd call essential, but it adds to the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard's space-age style.

In addition to the cover, the reflective bar above the keys with the illuminated Republic of Gamers logo also houses LED indicators for things like Caps lock and Windows lock (for uninterrupted gaming), but the current function of the intuitive "touch panel" on the rear of the keyboard. This cool design touch allows you to control volume, media, lighting, or a custom setting you can program - which might be scrolling through documents or web pages.

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The ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is more than a looker, there's function to match the form. This brings us to the fantastic low-profile keycaps, ROG RX Low-Profile Optical Switches, and the sound dampening that created one of the quietest keyboards we've ever tested. Part of this is due to the decreased travel distance that comes from low-profile switches and keycaps (1.0mm of actuation travel for the RX Red switches found in our review sample), which are designed to deliver a wobble-free experience with near-zero debounce delay. Part of it is the addition of multiple layers of silicon foam that reduces pinging and reinforces the smooth type-feel you get.

Some other nice touches go beyond the keyboard itself, such as the ability to connect up to three devices simultaneously. You also have a nice dongle that makes switching from wireless to play-and-charge modes a breeze. However, the quality of the USB cable is a bit of a letdown; it's overly stiff, and the grey color doesn't suit the keyboard's primarily white aesthetic.

Software

Keyboard customization is handled via ASUS's Armoury Crate software. Although it has a large installation and memory footprint because it is the control center for all ASUS peripherals and hardware, it is robust and powerful. Tinkering with the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is simple and straightforward, from assigning new functions, remapping keys, and setting up different profiles to customizing the cool touch bar.

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Changing key functionality is as simple as selecting the key on the virtual keyboard and choosing the alternate function. However, as the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is compact with secondary functions all over the place, you've only got direct access to a key's primary function for customization. As they say, all of the keyboard's secondary functions and shortcuts are untouchable - which is a shame. On the plus side, you can record and store Macros on-the-fly directly from the keyboard, which is very welcome.

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Touch Panel customization is given its dedicated window in Armoury Crate, where you can enable or disable the three main modes: System Volume, Media Track, and Keyboard Brightness. In addition, you've got a Customize mode for the Touch Panel that you are free to mess around with to make it open apps, input text, or act as a mouse. It's fantastic that ASUS has included the ability to set up a custom mode for the Touch Panel, which you do not usually find with keyboards with similarly performing control dials.

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Armoury Crate is also where you control the RGB settings, power saving modes, and firmware updates. Interestingly, the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is compatible with Microsoft's new in-built Windows 11 lighting and RGB controls, which are on by default the first time you connect the keyboard. To control and sync lighting with Armory Crate, turn this off in Windows 11 settings.

Gaming Performance and Productivity

Gaming Performance

If you've used a Red or linear-style switch for gaming, it won't take much time to get used to the ROG RX Low-Profile Optical Switches found here. Even though the actuation point is shorter than most switches we've tested, the required force feels spot on-delivering that punchy tactile response you want from a mechanical keyboard. The most significant learning curve or adjustment comes with the keyboard's small physical footprint, which can present a 'culture shock' for those moving from a full-sized keyboard.

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The good news is that the WASD keys on the left half of the keyboard, including Shift, Ctrl, and Alt, feel natural to use and are on par with most gaming keyboards regarding spacing. This makes the ROG RX Low-Profile Optical Switches an excellent option for FPS and competitive gaming. Testing with Apex Legends, DOOM Eternal, and some Call of Duty, the bonus of the great-feeling keycaps makes it one of the most impressive low-profile keyboards on the market for straight-up gaming. The compact size is great for portability and pairing with a laptop or those with limited desk space.

Productivity

Regarding productivity, compact keyboards will always be a step behind full-sized keyboards. There's a lot to love about using the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard and its ROG RX Low-Profile Optical Switches for day-to-day keyboard tasks, such as writing an in-depth review. Multiple levels of height adjustment, the intuitive Touch Panel, the ability to remap keys, and secondary functions and shortcuts are impressive.

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However, the small form factor does mean that the keys on the right side of the keyboard are a little cramped, from the arrow keys to some keys relegated to secondary functions. This is par for the course for a compact keyboard, but the good news is that the low-profile switches here are excellent, comfortable, and responsive no matter the task.

Keyboard Click Sound Level

To test a keyboard's overall sound level, we use the Ozito Digital Sound Level Meter, capturing the sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" multiple times and recording the maximum dB level. This indicates how "loud" the switches used are for everyday usage. The following chart showcases where the ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard sits.

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Final Thoughts

The ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is one of the most impressive keyboard releases of the year, hands-down, and it is good enough to convince you that low-profile is the way to go when it comes to a compact keyboard. ASUS's pre-lubed switches, high-quality keycaps, and layers of sound-dampening foam all come together to create a truly wonderful typing experience. One that lives up to the minimal, futuristic look of the keyboard itself.

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It's not perfect, but when one of your biggest complaints is that the detachable USB cable doesn't match the keyboard, you're at the point of nitpicking. The fact that the ASUS ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard is great for gaming and productivity is enough to warrant praise - but it's all of the little details and touches (literally when it comes to the Touch Panel) that take everything here to the next level. For a low-profile wireless mechanical keyboard, ASUS has knocked it out of the park - to the point where we'd love to see the company expand the Falchion keyboard with different size options. A 75% or 90% model would be fantastic.