Closer Examination

The ROG Strix Flare II is a full-size keyboard that is available in different layouts and supports different languages; such is the advantage of going with a mainstream company that has the resources to afford it. I have here the special edition Strix Flare II Animate characterized by ASUS's Anime Matrix LED configuration in the top-right corner. We first saw this on the ROG Zephyrus line of laptops that employed white LEDs under a dot matrix cutout for a whole new level of customization. This same triangular layout from those laptops has been shrunk down to fit on the keyboard, which also makes it compatible with all the content created by first-party contributors and consumers and will be examined more later in this review. The standard version of the Strix Flare II goes with the same plexi insert we saw in the original Strix Flare and does without the light diffuser at the bottom of the keyboard. Other than that, this review is equally applicable to both versions, and you need to decide whether the missing features are a must-have or not.

The other updates over the Strix Flare are mostly internal, but we see a makeover of not only the aluminium plate in a slimmer, metallic blue finish, but the dedicated volume control and media playback buttons in the top-left corner. This is a far more substantial implementation including rocker knobs and a side button, and the location is arguably more conducive to right-handed users compared to where we usually see them in the top-right corner. Regardless, this makes the Strix Flare II larger in footprint than the average full-size keyboard even though the side bezels are relatively tiny. Build quality is very good, and the black and blue color scheme is also different from the norm without being gaudy by any means. Branding is subtle with Anime Matrix turned off, with "ROG" on the front of the space bar and etched into the plate below where the fixed cable juts out. By default, the Anime Matrix LEDs light up in the ROG Eye logo.

In the absence of space in the top-right corner, indicator LEDs are placed underneath the Ins-Pg Dn cluster, and again quite clean in presentation. ASUS is also going with its own set of PBT keycaps, so we have doubleshot injected primary and secondary legends, but also keyboard-specific functions laser etched into the front of relevant keycaps. This is a good move as it results in a more universally appealing aesthetic, and those needing to make use of the front-facing legends will easily spot them from a normal typing angle. The font is what I would have liked to be different, which ASUS calls the "ROG Font," and it is a typeface you can use in programs, too. As such, and knowing how much ROG products get marketed and blasted with branding, this is somewhat tame by comparison.


Turning the keyboard around, we see a single large ROG Eye logo rather than the many on the backs of other recently covered ASUS keyboards. The back is still given the angular indents to the ABS plastic case for aesthetics, which means the certification sticker is placed at the top and adopts a far longer aspect ratio to fit in everything. Five small rubber pads at the top and bottom keep the keyboard from sliding around on your desk, with the top two found between cutouts that can be lifted up to become keyboard feet for added elevation. These feet also have rubber pads on the bottom, which is nice to see.


We saw before that the Strix Flare II Animate has a wired cable connection, and a look at the front shows why. As with the original Strix Flare, ASUS put a USB passthrough port here, and both associated cables are wound together inside the thick braided sleeve that is black and 2 m long. As expected, it splits into two separate USB connectors for the PC on the other end. These come marked to indicate which is for the keyboard/passthrough, and there is more ROG branding here. USB 3.2 Gen 1 is recommended, although I would have preferred the same single Type-C implementation as on the ROG Claymore II instead, especially as the passthrough is still limited to USB 2.0.


Both versions of the Strix Flare II come with an included wrist rest, which simply attaches with magnets for convenience. However, the light diffuser and associated LEDs on the Animate version keep magnets from being used there, requiring you to first pull out the thin, long plastic insert using handy notches cut into the case. Once done, insert it into the equivalent cutout in the wrist rest itself. This helps bounce the light onto the perpendicular light diffuser that was already present in the wrist rest, which makes for a subtler effect towards the bottom of the wrist rest.


A look from the side better shows the nature of the keyboard case, thin aluminium frame, dedicated media keys, and floating keycaps. ASUS is using the expected OEM keycap profile with six rows contoured to lower the entry barrier from other such mainstream mechanical keyboard. However, the walls are cut down slightly to artificially lower the profile, which is in actually done for a brighter light show from the LEDs. The provided keycap puller works better than most such plastic ring-style puller, but I still resorted to my own metal wire puller after I saw this one ding a keycap slightly. ASUS is using its own durable PBT doubleshot-injected keycap set with general legends placed on the top and keyboard-specific legends on the front. The latter ones are laser-etched, which is fine considering they are not likely to wear out by being touched. However, we have north-facing LEDs on the keyboard, so only the top legends on the keycaps are backlit. Everything else is opaque, which is a shame since there is no reason not to have gone the other way for functionality.


For the ROG Strix Flare II, three Cherry MX and ASUS NX mechanical RGB switch options each are available. We have the Red linear, Brown tactitle, and Blue clicky to cater to the different feedback mechanisms. Not all switch versions will be available in all regions, and the ROG NX Blue does not currently appear to be listed as an option; it is ASUS's latest switch and likely still making its way through retail channels. I have the ROG NX Red switch on my sample, characterized by the ROG branding on top and ROG Eye logo on front, with a deep red cross-point stem for increased keycap compatibility. ASUS is also using what it calls ROG Stabilizers, which are pre-lubed, plate-mounted stabilizers that are among the better stock implementations I have seen to date, which mitigate that mushy feeling otherwise associated with larger keycaps, including the space bar key.


I was quite happy to see ASUS have its own line of ROG-branded switches in both the optical and mechanical variety, but the hot-swappable switch socket was even more of a pleasant surprise. Now I want to see all mainstream keyboards adopt this, especially considering there are some excellent options with near-universal compatibility for all such 3 or 5-pin switches. The included switch remover works well enough; just hook it under the locking tabs of the switch to loosen it from the plate and pull it up to remove it entirely. This also provides a closer look at the 3-pin socket with the single SMD RGB LED for each switch. The ROG NX Red is no doubt based on the Cherry MX Red, but it has a fully translucent top and bottom housing, both of which are going to allow more light through owing to the increased transparency.


At this point, I would have gone directly to the disassembly section of this review. However, despite the removal of every single screw I could access underneath keycaps and some hidden ones on the back, the plate wouldn't budge. Perhaps there are more screws under the Anime Matrix section and media keys/volume wheel even though I couldn't find any. As such, and not wanting to destroy the keyboard, I called it quits by simply doing a disassembly of one of the ROG NX Red switches. It's composition is similar to every other such switch: a linear stem, steel spring, and housing hosting the metal contacts that are pushed together by the stem for actuation. But then I realized the stem slider and springs are lightly pre-lubed, thus far making these even a better offering than the Cherry MX equivalent. ASUS is also put a foam sheet between the PCB and case to reduce typing reverberations, which is also great to see from a larger brand.