Asus STRIX Scope RX Review – Optical Mechanical Keyboard
Optical key switch keyboards are very much the hot new thing, Corsair’s K100, and this, the STRIX Scope RX from Asus are great examples of that. They use the same actuation mechanism, an infrared beam that the moving part of the switch interrupts. If you’ve watched my optical switches explained video, you’ll know that is the most basic way to make a key switch optical, but does have some benefits. So, let’s take a look at this and see if it’s worth your money, or if there are better options instead. But first, if you haven’t already, consider subscribing for more videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!
Lets start with those key switches, as while they do use the more basic actuation method, they are much more unique than the switches Corsair use in their K100. These don’t use a standard Cherry stem, in favour of 4 poles, in theory eliminating key wobble – and to a point it does. Most key wobble comes from play in the moving part of the switch though, of which this has a tiny bit. It’s definitely better than a standard Cherry style switch, but it’s not gone completely.
They also use scissor stabilizers inside every switch to keep that motion level, plus a dual rate spring which gives a featherweight 40g resistance at the top of the stroke, but 55g on the bottom half. I really didn’t like this feel on the Corsair K60, the one with the budget Cherry Viola switches, but I think thanks to the scissor design, and the much smaller gap between the two resistances, I actually didn’t mind this.
The actuation point is super high, just 1.5mm, up from 2mm on standard Cherry Red keys. Again, much to my surprise, I didn’t mind that too much either. I didn’t find myself accidentally actuating any keys, or double typing letters, and when gaming it made the playing experience a little more responsive and snappy, a welcome addition. That was likely helped a little by the optical actuation too, as even at a 1000Hz polling rate, this keyboard can actually send the signal to the PC in 1 or 2ms, instead of more like 10ms. It’s not game changing, but it’s a nice addition.
Typing on it ended up feeling fairly good. I’m not a fan of linear switches so my commentary here is a little biased, but of the many linear switches I’ve tried I think I got on with this one the best. It’s definitely on the loud side though, have a listen.
The Scope RX doesn’t have all that many extra bells and whistles. It’s a stylish board with a nice font, and of course RGB lighting you can customise to your heart’s-content, but beyond that, and the optical switches, all you’ve got is a USB 2 passthrough. Build quality is really impressive, and while it’s still to be confirmed, the pricing I’ve been told makes this a very compelling option. I said in my K100 review that I felt Corsair were adding features that were more show than go, more gimmicky than truly useful, possibly in order to justify the stonking £230 price tag, but Asus seems to have gone the other way. This board isn’t flashy, beyond the lighting, obviously, but it also doesn’t cost a fortune, at least by comparison, but it games just as well if not better.
Now to make it clear, this will not, and really couldn’t ever make its way onto my desk full time. I like Cherry MX Browns too much and if I wanted an optical keyboard I’d use my Wooting Two, a much more innovative and unique keyboard instead, but assuming the pricing is as I’ve been told, the Scope RX gets a solid recommendation from me. If you like red style switches, linear with no tactile bump or click, I think you’ll really like this. It games really well, will sync with your AURA lighting, and in theory won’t break the bank.
-
TechteamGB Score
