Asus Strix Tactic Pro

Like the bird of prey in Greek mythology from which it takes its name, Asus' latest Strix line of gaming peripherals has sunk its claws into the market.

In contrast to the red and black of its Republic of Gamers line, Strix is orange and grey. The Strix Tactic Pro keyboard has three customisable levels of orange backlighting and an optional "breathing" lighting effect.

Continuing the owl motif, the keyboard has a somewhat winged shape and is made of a sturdy matt plastic. A single braided USB 2.0 cable is the only connection.

With 10 dedicated macro keys on the left-hand side and a full number pad on the right, the Tactic Pro takes up a large amount of real estate on one's desk.

Three extra dedicated macro keys are sited below the spacebar to be within reach of the thumb, although the most distant is really too far away.

Notably, however, the F1 to F8 keys can double as secondary macro keys, offering users an impressive total of 21 macro keys, enough to satisfy the most dedicated gamer.

Activating the "gaming mode" disables the Windows key, thereby preventing it from being accidentally pressed during gaming sessions.

The keyboard comes with four replacement orange keycaps and a key puller, so users can swop out choice keys for easy identification at a glance.

Media buttons and a dedicated volume roller reside above the number pad for easy navigation of your music library. Anti-ghosting with full n-key rollover ensures the utmost precision in gameplay.

As for macros, the Strix software included is barebones, but gets the job done. This software also works with other Strix peripherals, including the Strix Claw mouse.

Typing and gaming on this keyboard are comfortable. Though it is clearly targeted at gamers, it can be customised for typing or gaming. It comes in Cherry MX Red, Blue, Brown or Black.

A solid performance overall, but it could have benefited significantly from greater customisability, such as full RGB backlighting, a USB passthrough, or built-in audio jacks. Even basic comforts, such as a wrist rest, are curiously absent.

All in all, the Tactic Pro is a solid option for gamers with cash to spare, but its lack of features makes it difficult to justify its high price.

TECH SPECS

Price: $219

RATING

Design 3/5

Performance 4/5

Value for money 3/5

Overall 3/5

This article was first published on May 6, 2015.
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