Some time ago ASUS launched the ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III. Gaming keyboards and mice bring an array of interesting features in their price class. But, is this keyboard and mouse able to meet the needs of gamers? Check out the following review.
ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III designs
It is undeniable that the main attraction of the ASUS ROG Claymore II keyboard is the modular concept it carries. This means that this mechanical gaming keyboard can be a 100% full-sized keyboard. Or, become an 80% TKL (Tenkeyless) keyboard. Very useful for gamers who don’t need a numpad. In addition, it can also save space on the table. In the sales package, ASUS ROG Claymore II consists of three modules. One keyboard, one numpad module and one palm rest.
Removing the numpad module that it brings to the keyboard is also quite easy. However, it must be noted that the covers must be stored neatly so that they are not lost. One plus, gamers can choose the numpad module to be installed on the left or right side of the keyboard.
Meanwhile, on the keyboard module there is one USB receiver storage slot, one USB-C port and one USB port that supports passthrough. Unfortunately, this USB passthrough feature only works if the keyboard is connected to a PC via a cable only.
Overall the design of the ASUS ROG Claymore II elite feels very premium. The rubbers on the underbody surface also allow this keyboard not to move easily when on a table. Meanwhile, the tilt angle of the legs also manages to make this keyboard more comfortable to use for typing or playing games. One plus, each button has a resistance of up to 100 million times the pressure.
Switching to the ASUS ROG Gladius III mouse, this gaming mouse comes with a very ergonomic design. The design is classic and designed for right handed use. The dimensions of the body are very fitting in the hand and light. The appearance of this mouse is even cooler with the elements of the lines on the left and right sides of the body. On the left side of the body, ASUS even added the words ROG and Republic of Gamers, which really steal the show when the RGB lights are active.
This mouse carries two macro buttons on the left side of the body. All the buttons it carries are very comfortable to use. Including the middle button on the scroll wheel. This scroll wheel mouse also comes with a rubber material that can rotate very responsively. At the bottom of the body can be found a button for pairing, a switch button to turn off, and choose Bluetooth or WiFi mode.
ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III features
In the connectivity sector, the ASUS ROG Claymore II elite keyboard supports wireless connections with a 2.4GHz RF wireless dongle and via cable. Meanwhile, the ROG Gladius III mouse is more flexible with three connectivity options, namely a 2.4GHz RF wireless dongle, Bluetooth LE and cable. Very flexible and can suit every gamer’s style.
As gaming devices, the ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III have been equipped with Aura RGB lighting. The lighting output can be synchronized via the Aura Sync feature in the ROG Armory crate application. This mouse and keyboard settings can also be done through the application.
Through this application, gamers can also set the macro keys on the ASUS ROG Claymore II keyboard as needed and make other settings. In addition, there are shortcut keys for multimedia. Meanwhile, the numpad module it carries also features four macro buttons and a rotary wheel for volume adjustment.
For ROG Gladius III, ASUS presents the Push-Fit Switch Socket II menacism feature. This mechanism allows gamers to switch switches on the left and right click buttons. ASUS provides the option of a 5-pin Omron optical micro switch to replace the standard 3-pin switch it uses which is already available in the sales package. To replace the switch you must disassemble the mouse by removing the bottom surface of the mouse. It’s not very easy but it’s still possible to do it yourself. Another ROG Gladius III feature is the profile button. Gamers are allowed to store up to five setting profiles on its onboard memory.
ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III performance
The ASUS ROG Claymore II keyboard that we review below uses the Switch RX Red from ASUS. This switch has a relatively quiet character and feels very light when pressed. It does feel a bit unsteady for those who are used to mechanical keyboards in general, which are noisy and soft when pressed.
All keys on this keyboard have been supported by the X-stabilizer mechanism. Use it to be more consistent and free of wobble when pressed. In practice, this keyboard is comfortable to use for fast typing or playing games. The latency rate is also very low. Almost no lag and ghosting effects when connected via a wireless connection. There is also an indicator on the keyboard to see the remaining battery power.
Switching to the ROG Gladius III mouse, this gaming mouse offers quite impressive performance. This is thanks to its optical sensor that supports a polling rate of 1000 Hz in wireless mode with a 2.4 GHz cable. The dpi setting can also be set from a range of 100 to 26,000.
As a result, for FPS genre games, ROG Gladius III is very reliable. The performance feels very responsive. The optical sensor also allows us to take very accurate shots. All the buttons it carries are also comfortable and not too noisy when pressed.
ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III batteries
As wireless devices, the ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III are powered by a rechargeable battery. From our tests, the ASUS ROG Gladius III for intense work and gaming can last up to about 2 days with RGB lighting enabled.
Meanwhile, for ASUS ROG Claymore II the 4000 mAh battery it carries is claimed to last up to 144 hours for use without RGB lights. From our tests, without using RGB lights and using typing and playing games on a daily basis the battery can last up to about 10 days. If the battery runs out, charging the battery can also be via the USB port and the keyboard can still be used.
Conclusion
The premium design and unique features are indeed the hallmarks of the ASUS ROG Claymore II and ROG Gladius III. To support gaming, both are also very reliable with excellent performance. Even so, the selling price of both is not cheap. If you don’t mind the selling price, this gaming keyboard and mouse can be looked at for gamers who are concerned with accuracy, comfort and flexibility when gaming or productivity.
ASUS ROG Claymore II advantages:
+ Modular design
+ Premium design
+ Comfortable to use for gaming or typing
+ Quiet
+ Easy to remove keycaps
+ Aura RGB backlit light
+ Supports wireless and wired connections
+ Supports USB Passtrough
+ Long battery life
The advantages of ASUS ROG Gladius II:
+ Ergonomic design
+ Very responsive
+ The buttons are comfortable to press and are not noisy
+ Supports 3 connectivity options
+ Switchable switch options
+ RGB Aura Light
+ Recharges the battery relatively quickly
Disadvantages of ASUS ROG Claymore II:
– USB Passthrough does not support wireless connection
– Body side cover is prone to loss
– Wireless connection must use a dongle. There is no direct Bluetooth connection option.
Disadvantages of ASUS ROG Gladius II:
– Battery life is relatively short
– Switch replacement is a bit inconvenient
– Features are minimal
– Price is relatively expensive
