Closer Examination

More plastic wrap, and this time, it's on the keyboard itself, which makes for a pristine, dust-free unboxing experience. Thanks to the detachable wrist rest, the ROCCAT Horde AIMO is on the smaller side of things when it comes to some other keyboards, though it is very clearly a ROCCAT product from even a sideways glance. A plastic case is used here, with angles and beveled edges all throughout the sides. Note also the large number of additional keys aside from the 104-keys in a modified US ANSI layout—this includes a set of five macro keys on the left and a top row of more dedicated buttons next to a wheel in the top-right corner. There is no ROCCAT branding on the keyboard as seen from the front, although the keyboard name is printed on the bottom-right corner. Bezels are larger than average on all sides, so account for this as you will need more space for the keyboard on your desk even if you are not planning on using the wrist rest.

The indicator LEDs are neatly tucked into the top-right corner under the wheel, and it is here where we begin to also see more about what that wheel does. ROCCAT calls this a tuning wheel, such that it can be assigned multiple functions via the keys alongside it, making it more than just a volume wheel if you assumed as much. We will go over it in more detail in due time, but suffice it to say that it is quite interesting. As far as the legends on the keycaps go, single legend placement is in the top center on these keycaps, which is indicative of where the LEDs are for backlighting, with the secondary legends underneath the primary ones such that there is room both above and below. ROCCAT purposefully went with the smaller font size to have both sets of legends be backlit as well as they can be.


Flipping the keyboard around, we see the usual certification sticker on the back. There are also cutouts at the top and sides that look like vents but end up being a visual add-on while doing nothing functionally—not that vents are needed for a keyboard, at least as they are today. There are rubber pads on the corners and the two feet at the top which allow users to elevate the keyboard. The rubber pads on the keyboard's case, combined with those on the wrist rest, means that this keyboard is not going to be moving around on its own, nor will it easily get scratched as you use it.


There is a non-detachable cable that exits at the top center of the keyboard facing away from you. The cable is a standard 6' in length, has a thin braided sleeve to allow for easier cable management. and terminates in a male USB Type-A connector with the ROCCAT logo on the plastic plug. USB 2.0 will suffice for power and data alike even with the AIMO RGB backlighting employed here.


Taking a look at the back again, we can better see the openings in the bottom corners where the wrist rest clips into place. This is a tool-less installation and removal alike, and it is secure enough to where you can lift the keyboard up without worrying about the wrist rest falling out. The wrist rest clips in snugly with no visible gap from the front, and its design integrates well with the rest of the keyboard.


The switches used in the Horde AIMO are not mechanical, but nor are these purely membrane switches either. As such, perhaps it is fitting that the keycap profile is also something out of left field. Note the macro keys that are shorter than the others, with ROCCAT using this to justify the marketing feature of a quicker response time via their shorter travel. The other keycaps are organized into contoured rows on the 104-key section, with the top row of dedicated add-on buttons having a flat profile. The keycaps are thin ABS plastic (average wall thickness 0.97 mm) with laser etched legends, so expect these to show signs of wear and tear sooner rather than later. Notice the fairly unique stem here relative to membrane switch keycaps, with an extending bump on the sides that possibly adds to the tactile feedback as well. Depending on where the LED is located, it is possible to have both primary and secondary legends uniformly illuminated.


The ROCCAT Horde AIMO uses what they call "Membranical switches", which is another take on membrane switches with a mechanical switch treatment. This is often done by just adding in a click bar or similar mechanism to add a clicky, more tactile feedback to what is otherwise a bog standard membrane switch, but ROCCAT has actually done something different and worth mentioning. There is the adoption of the "island" around the switch, which, combined with the stem on the keycap, provides some dust and spill resistance. More interestingly, the rubber dome used to otherwise help actuate membrane switches is also differently constructed and placed lower to where ROCCAT claims the switch will actuate about midway along the keycaps's travel, so you will not have to bottom out. This is a simple and yet elegant use of differing heights and travel distances of the keycap and switch composition to where contact is made on the PCB underneath to complete the electrical circuit and thus actuate the keystroke while you still have room for the keycap to travel further. This is as good a take on a membrane-mechanical switch as any, although I still believe this is just ROCCAT trying different things to hit a price point by not going with purely mechanical switches; it shows with the stabilizers in particular, which are disappointing in their action, and the space bar in particular feels a touch wobbly and wasn't satisfying to type on—at least to me personally.