Disassembly

Given the hot-swappable nature of the switches, it only made sense that I take one of the ROG NX Snow switches apart. This is a 5-pin mechanical switch employing the Cherry MX stem design, so we have the usual construction with the top, crosspoint stem/slider, spring, and housing that also has the metal leaf for the actuation mechanism. The stem is pre-lubed out of the factory, and ASUS says the tolerances for all the moving parts are held to a higher standard than usual. The actuation is similar to other such switches with the bump in the stem pushing the contacts together. This is a linear switch and thus the stem does not have a secondary bump for tactile feedback. The stem, as with the bottom housing, is made of POM whereas the top housing uses polycarbonate.


Disassembly of the keyboard itself is on the easier side of average, with ASUS having opted for 10 socket-head screws accessible on the back. Removing these allows for the top aluminium case panel to be easily lifted off, wherein we get a better appreciation for the thicker metal piece compared to your typical thin frame used by most others, as well as the gaskets preinstalled here. The plate/PCB section can also be moved enough to access the ribbon cable connecting it to the bottom panel itself, and now ASUS provides plenty of marketing on the silicone sheet between the PCB and the bottom panel for those who dare disassemble the Azoth Extreme.


ASUS has so much dampening here to where I can't help but admire the commitment towards making the Azoth appealing for even the more hardcore keyboard enthusiasts. This top layer can be peeled off to reveal an even thicker sheet that has useful information printed on it. For example, it also tells you how exactly the switch on the back helps change the typing feel of the keyboard, going from a softer feedback to a harder one. There are cantilevers set in the panel edges which hold silicone nibs that press down into the foam/silicone assembly here to different levels, depending on the option chosen. As such, you will experience different levels of resistance, or support to your typing force exerted on the keys, which in turn goes from a softer to a harder feedback. I can see a more gradual slider mechanism used in the future, as opposed to two discrete levels, allowing users to further customize how firm you want the keyboard to feel, irrespective of the switches, stabilizers, and keycaps used. This is still a novel mechanism I have not seen employed elsewhere, and ASUS deserves credit for putting it out in a manner which works well too. Note also the OLED display tied to its own daughter PCB in the top right corner. In the middle is the battery itself which unfortunately comes well-taped to where I can't easily tell you the battery capacity.



The primary PCB is black and extremely clean in assembly, and sports the ROG logo confirming this is specifically made for the Azoth Extreme. We see the use of Kailh hot-swap switch sockets, which I personally feel are a step up from the TTC sockets used in the Azoth before. There isn't much more to see here, with most of the functionality on the daughter boards.

Before we move on, be advised that disassembly may void the warranty and that TechPowerUp is not liable for any damages incurred if you decide to go ahead and do so anyway.