The ASUS ROG Claymore II is a full-size wireless gaming keyboard with a numpad that can be moved around. There are slots on each side of the board that let you move the numpad to the left or right, depending on what works best for you. You can also take it off completely if you want to use the board as a TKL. The Armoury Crate software lets you program macros for all of its keys, and it has a fast charging port and a USB passthrough. The board feels good to type on, but the ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches need some force to work, so they may feel a bit heavy. But you can also get it with ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical Switches that are straight. The board can be used wirelessly, but you can only use it with its USB receiver. You can’t connect it to devices that only work with Bluetooth.
1. Design
The ASUS ROG Claymore II feels like it was made very well. Its plastic body doesn’t bend much, and the brushed finish on the metal base plate helps the board feel solid. The doubleshot ABS keycaps feel good, but they don’t seem as durable as PBT keycaps. Even the Shift and Enter keys feel stable. Only the Spacebar moves around a little bit. The rubber pads on the bottom grip pretty well, so if you lean your hands against the board, it won’t move much. The feet on the incline are less sticky, but they should still be able to hold. There are slots on each side that make it easy to attach and remove the modular numpad. However, these slots are pretty flexible, so we recommend taking the numpad off before you move the keyboard. The plastic covers that hide the slots for the numpad also feel cheap.
When the numpad is taken out of the ASUS ROG Claymore II, it changes from a full-size to a TKL size. The number pad can be connected to either the left or right side of the board.
In our review, we measured the width and weight of the board with the number pad on it. Without the number pad, the board is 14.68″ (37.3cm) wide and weighs 1.89 lbs (0.856 kg).
The wrist rest is full-size, so it fits perfectly with the numpad attached, but it will stick out if you use the keyboard in TKL mode. If you don’t like that, you could try a modular keyboard like the Mountain Everest Max.
The cable on the ASUS ROG Claymore II is very stiff and still has a lot of kinks from being packed. Both ends of the board are USB-C, but it comes with two USB-A adapters: one that goes from male to female and one that goes from female to female. The female to female adapter is a USB receiver extender that must be used with the cable.
The keys on the ASUS ROG Claymore II are each lit up by their own RGB backlighting. It’s great at mixing colors, and when the lighting is set to white, you can’t see any of the colors. At the top left, next to the logo, there is a battery indicator. You can also change this to be another RGB zone.
There are many extra features on the ASUS ROG Claymore II. All of the keys, including the dedicated macro keys below the volume wheel, can be used to set up macros. On the top left, next to the logo, there is a battery indicator that you can program to match the rest of the RGB backlighting. Also, there is a port for fast charging that can also be used as a USB passthrough. You can switch between the two functions by pressing Fn + F12. Its number pad is modular, so you can put it on the left or right side of the board, or even take it off if you want a TKL size. Keep in mind that the numpad gets its power from the keyboard.
2. Typing experience
The ASUS ROG Claymore II lets you type quickly and easily. The ABS keycaps have a slightly rough surface, and while they feel good to type on, oils from your fingers tend to make them shine. Even the Shift and Enter keys feel stable. Only the Spacebar has a little bit of a wiggle to it. With the angle setting and the wrist rest, this keyboard shouldn’t make you too tired to type. Even though the clicky ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches feel a bit heavy, it shouldn’t be enough to make your fingers tired. If you’re left-handed or just prefer to use the numpad with your left hand, you can easily connect it to that side.
Our ASUS ROG Claymore II has ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches that click when you move them. They have a short pre-travel distance, which should make the keyboard feel responsive. However, the high operating force may make typing feel hard. You can also get it with ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical switches, which have a linear feel, but we haven’t tried them.
The ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches on our ASUS ROG Claymore II unit are loud and probably shouldn’t be used in a quiet office. But the board is also available with linear ROG RX Red Optical Mechanical switches, which are quieter, but we haven’t tested them.
3. Software and operating system
Only Windows users can use the software. But on Linux, all of the default keys still work, while on macOS, the Scroll Lock and Pause keys don’t. The ASUS ROG Claymore II can be used wirelessly, but its USB receiver is the only way to use it.
The Armoury Crate software from ASUS has an interface that is easy to use. You can set macros, remap keys, and save profiles to the ASUS ROG Claymore II’s onboard memory. You can also change the RGB backlighting.
All View
The ASUS ROG Claymore II is a great gaming computer. It has low latency, a short pre-travel distance, RGB backlighting that you can change, and any key on the board can be assigned a macro. It seems well made, and it comes with a soft wrist rest that you can take off. Its modular numpad can be put on either the left or right side of the board, or it can be taken off completely to make the board TKL size. Unfortunately, you have to push down on the ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical switches to make them work, which can make them feel like they weigh a lot.
