Find the best between ASUS ROG Claymore II vs ASUS ROG Falchion.
DESIGN
ASUS ROG Claymore II
When the ASUS ROG Claymore II’s numpad is removed, it transforms from a full-size to a TKL. The numpad can be connected to either the left or right side of the board.
The measurements of the board with the numpad are shown in our review’s test results for width and weight. The board is 14.68″ (37.3cm) broad and weighs 1.89 lbs without the numpad (0.856 kg).
The wrist rest is full-size, so it fits well with the numpad attached, but it will protrude while using the keyboard in TKL mode. The ASUS ROG Claymore II has a solid build quality. Its plastic shell flexes very little, and it includes a metal base plate with a brushed finish that contributes to the board’s overall stability. The doubleshot ABS keycaps are comfortable, but not as robust as the PBT keycaps. All keys, including Shift and Enter, feel stable, with the exception of the Spacebar, which has some wobble. The rubber cushions on the underside grip reasonably well, so if you put your palms against it, the board is difficult to slide.
The slope feet are less gripping, but they should be adequate. There are holes on either side for simply attaching and detaching the modular numpad, although they have a lot of flex, so we recommend removing it before carrying the keyboard anywhere. The plastic coverings that hide the numpad slots also have a shoddy feel to them. The ASUS ROG Claymore II is a straight board with one incline setting and a plushy wrist rest that is magnetically attached. The ASUS ROG Claymore II features RGB lights and individually illuminated keys. It’s excellent at colour mixing, with no colour indications when the illumination is set to white. There’s a battery indication in the upper left corner next to the logo. However, you can change it to another RGB zone.
ASUS ROG Falchion
The ASUS ROG Falchion is a 65% small board that won’t take up much desk space. Please keep in mind that our dimensions do not include the cover case. The ASUS ROG Falchion features a solid build quality thanks to its rigid plastic chassis and aluminium top plate. It features textured, doubleshot PBT keycaps with a lovely curve that cradles your fingertips. The keys have some wobble, but it’s little and shouldn’t be apparent while typing. On the underside, there are four rubber pads in each corner and two more on the inclined foot.
They do an excellent job of holding the board in place. The accompanying poly carbonate cover case, which is not part of the board itself, features rubber pads that keep the board in place when in use. The ergonomics of the ASUS Falchion are adequate. It’s a straight board with one incline setting. While it does not include a wrist rest, the board is low enough that you should be able to type for extended periods of time without one. The RGB illumination of the ASUS ROG Falchion is outstanding, with individually-lit keys and good colour mixing. The Armoury Crate software allows you to change the colour, effects, and brightness. You can also use the board to cycle through effects and change the brightness.
CABLE AND WIRELESS VERSATILITY
ASUS ROG Claymore II
The cable on the ASUS ROG Claymore II is very stiff and has a lot of kinks from the packaging. Both endpoints are USB-C, but the board includes two USB-A adapters: one male-to-female and one female-to-female. The female-to-female converter is a USB receiver extender that must be used in conjunction with the cable. The ASUS ROG Claymore II can be used wirelessly through its USB receiver. We didn’t test this, but ASUS claims the battery lasts 144 hours with the backlighting turned off and 43 hours with the backlighting turned on at 100% brightness. The USB receiver has a USB-C port.
ASUS ROG Falchion
It comes with a USB-A to USB-C braided connection and is simple to connect even when using the board with the cover case. The battery is advertised by ASUS to last 450 hours without RGB lighting, although we did not test this.
TYPING EXPERIENCE
ASUS ROG Claymore II
The ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches on our ASUS ROG Claymore II device are clicky. They feature a short pre-travel distance, which should help the board seem responsive, but the high operating force may make typing feel heavy. If you like a more linear feel, ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical switches are also available, although we haven’t tested them. The ASUS ROG Claymore II offers an excellent typing experience. The ABS keycaps feature a slightly rough surface that, while comfortable to type on, is prone to shine from finger oils. All keys, including Shift and Enter, are stable, with the exception of the Spacebar, which wobbles slightly. Because of the incline setting and the wrist rest, you shouldn’t get tired of typing on this keyboard.
While the clicky ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches are a little weighty, they shouldn’t cause too much finger fatigue. If you’re left-handed or prefer to use the numpad with your left hand, you may quickly switch it around. When utilised with its cable, the ASUS ROG Claymore II offers extremely low latency. While the latency while using the USB receiver is increased, it is still quite decent. Our ASUS ROG Claymore II unit’s clicky ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches are loud and unlikely to be ideal for a quiet office environment. Unfortunately, we haven’t tried the board with the linear ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical switches, which are quieter.
ASUS ROG Falchion
The linear Cherry MX Red switches on our ASUS ROG Falchion seem light and responsive. They are silent and offer no physical feedback. It’s also available with Cherry MX Brown, Blue, and Speed Silver switches if you prefer a different feel. The ASUS ROG Falchion keyboard is really comfortable to use. The textured doubleshot PBT keycaps offer a gently curved design that cradles your fingertips. The keys are rather stable, and while they do wobble somewhat, this should be minimal during normal use.
While the board does not include a wrist rest, it is low enough that lengthy hours of typing should not cause tiredness. Our unit’s Cherry MX Red switches seem light and sensitive, so your fingers shouldn’t get tired. But, if you buy this board with different switches, the typing quality will most certainly alter. When used wired or wirelessly via its receiver, the ASUS ROG Falchion offers extremely low latency. Our ASUS ROG Falchion’s Cherry MX Red switches are silent, although this may vary based on the switch type.
SOFTWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM
ASUS ROG Claymore II
The Armoury Crate software from ASUS includes an easy-to-use UI. The RGB backlighting can be customised, macros can be configured, keys can be remapped, and profiles can be saved to the ASUS ROG Claymore II’s onboard memory. The software is only accessible to Windows computers. Nonetheless, all default keys continue to function on Linux. However, the Scroll Lock and Pause keys do not function on macOS. The ASUS ROG Claymore II can be used wirelessly, but only with its USB receiver.
ASUS ROG Falchion
The Armoury Crate software from ASUS includes an easy-to-use UI. Macroes can be customised, keys can be remapped, the RGB backlighting and touch panel can be customised, and profiles can be saved to the onboard memory. The software is only accessible to Windows computers. Nevertheless, all of the keys on the ASUS ROG Falchion continue to function perfectly in Linux. However, the Print, Scroll Lock, and Fn Lock keys do not function on macOS. While the board can be used wirelessly, it can only be utilised with the USB receiver that comes with it.
PERFORMANCE
ASUS ROG Claymore II
The ASUS ROG Claymore II is an amazing gaming laptop. It has minimal latency, a short pre-travel distance, RGB backlighting that can be customised, and macros that can be assigned to any key on the board. It’s well-made and comes with a detachable soft wrist rest. You can install its modular numpad on the left or right side of the board or remove it entirely to make the board TKL size. Regrettably, the ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches require some force to use, making them feel hefty.
The ASUS ROG Claymore II is ideal for usage in the office. This robust board includes a detachable, soft wrist rest and one incline setting. You can utilize it wirelessly via its USB receiver, but you can’t couple it with more than one device at a time because it doesn’t support Bluetooth. The board is comfortable to type on. However, the ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches on our device require some force to activate, so they may feel a little heavy. The switches are also likely too loud for an office environment, but the board is also available with linear ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical switches, which should be quieter.
ASUS ROG Falchion
The ASUS Falchion is an excellent gaming laptop. This well-made board offers extremely low latency and configurable RGB lights. You can also assign macros to any key on the board, including the touch panel on the left side. Our unit’s Cherry MX Red switches are light and quick. It comes with a variety of Cherry MX switches if you desire a different switch feel. Regrettably, it does not include a wrist rest. The ASUS Falchion is ideal for usage in the office. Because of the silent Cherry MX Red switches on our unit, which feel light to type on, this very well-built board gives a wonderful typing experience. Several switch types are available if you desire a different feel. Regrettably, it does not include a wrist rest.
CONCLUSION
Both the ASUS ROG Falchion and the ASUS ROG Claymore II are wireless gaming keyboards, but the Falchion is 65% smaller and has a modular numpad, whilst the Claymore II is a full-size board with a numpad. The Falchion is much smaller and comes with a plastic shell to preserve its keys, making it a better travel option. It has a somewhat lower latency over both a wired and wireless connection. Cherry MX Red, Brown, Blue, and Speed Silver switches are offered. The Claymore II, on the other hand, has a plush wrist rest and more extra functions due to its greater size, such as a volume control wheel, a USB passthrough, and a numpad. It has linear and clicky ROG RX Optical Mechanical switches.
