The Asus ROG line stands for “Republic of Gamers,” and you can’t really give yourself that kind of name unless you’re providing for all of them. To that end, the company is showing off a trio of high-end accessories in the new Extreme series: keyboard, mouse, and headset. Adam has his literal hands all over them on the Computex show floor.
ROG Delta 2 headset
The ROG Delta 2 is Asus’ flagship headset design and the improvements are focused on versatility. Not only can it handle both Bluetooth and low-latency 2.4GHz connections, it’s just fine with a headphone cable if you want to go old-school.
I like the removable microphone with a subtle red LED for mute, but the thing I’m most impressed with is the detachable pads that come with different options in the box. Audiophiles might like the “titanium-plated drivers.” I dunno, I’m not an audiophile.
ROG Azoth Extreme keyboard
The customization and versatility theme extends to the ROG Azoth Extreme, the sequel to last year’s high-end mechanical keyboard. The most obvious upgrade is that the OLED screen is now full color instead of black and white, and touch-sensitive as well.
As a keyboard nerd, I dig the hot-swap switches and interchangeable feet, but the most interesting addition is a hard switch on the bottom to lighten or stiffen the gasket mount. And if you want to take the whole thing apart and mod it to hell, Asus says that disassembly will not void the warranty.
Harpe Ace Extreme mouse
The most “Extreme” of the new offerings has got to be the Harpe Ace Extreme gaming mouse, which is completely made out of carbon fiber to offer light weight (just 47 grams) without putting speed holes all over.
The coolest feature from where I’m sitting is the interchangeable mouse feet, which come in wide 2-foot or stable 4-foot PTFE plastic options. But for a real showstopper, you can instead put on Gorilla Glass pads for incredible smoothness. A smaller model is also in the works.
Asus doesn’t have a release date or price for any of these accessories yet, but current models for the Delta headset, Azoth keyboard, and Harpe Ace mouse run $200, $250, and $150, respectively.
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Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.