Roccat goes towards the curve with its Vulcan 120 mechanical keyboard. Rather than be part of the ever-growing swathes of Cherry-MX-equipped keyboards, Roccat has as a substitute teamed up with TTC to create the Roccat Titan – its very personal mechanical key swap.
The Aimo vary launched as a unified, transferring, reactive lighting system. But again after I first received my palms on the unique three-product Aimo lineup, I felt that the Horde Aimo gaming keyboard wasn’t dwelling as much as the Aimo title as a lot as I’d prefer it to – particularly when in comparison with the opposite Aimo branded merchandise.
The RGB zone limitations and membrane design of the Horde proved to be a difficult needle to string for Roccat and the luminance suffered. As a consequence, the entire Aimo lineup suffered too as they trusted a lynchpin product to create a cohesive RGB vary.
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The Roccat Vulcan 120 doesn’t undergo that very same destiny. The RGB lighting is exceptionally shiny, vibrant, and impactful and is the centrepiece the Roccat Kone Aimo and Roccat Khan Aimo have wanted all this time.
We’ve already seen what Roccat is able to with RGB lighting – the Kone Aimo mouse is likely one of the most gorgeous implementations of RGB lighting I’ve seen to-date – and with each the Kone and Vulcan in tandem effervescent Aimo move, the outcomes are fairly mesmerising.
With this in thoughts, let’s have a look at how Roccat went about reaching what the Horde Aimo couldn’t, as a result of it’s not your run-of-the-mill RGB mechanical gaming keyboard.
So let’s begin with the switches. Roccat has roped within the multi-purpose swap producer, TTC, to assist create the Roccat Titan Switch Tactile. This is a tactile swap with a 1.8mm actuation level, however for simplicity’s sake, it’s a most succinctly in comparison with the Cherry MX Brown. Both characteristic tactile suggestions, and neither characteristic the loud click on that’s synonymous with blue switches.
In actuality, the 2 switches are totally different in each really feel and efficiency, however the core idea of each stays a heady mixture of typing and gaming prowess – someplace between reds and blues within the mainstay Cherry lineup.
Immediately, I felt a distinction between the 2 when it got here to the situation of the tactile suggestions inside the important thing press. The Cherry Brown permits for a slight despair earlier than the bump is felt and the swap actuates, whereas with the Roccat Titan the bump is rapid. The bump can be a contact extra pronounced with the Cherry Brown swap over the Titan different – which favours a lighter contact.
There’s a bit extra wobble in the important thing swap itself throughout the board in comparison with most Cherry Red implementations I’ve come throughout in standard gaming boards, which may very well be localised to the Vulcan itself. But don’t let this deter you. The Titan swap is definitely fantastically steady and keycap wobble is minimal and largely no difficulty in anyway.
Overall, I don’t consider the Roccat Titan Switch Tactile is a match for the Cherry MX swap. It’s just too nice a hill to climb multi function strive. However, I do suppose that the Roccat Titan is a superbly nice substitute for a Cherry MX swap if a board has different convincing options to go together with it.
With the Roccat Vulcan, that characteristic is the keycaps. They characteristic a shallow and likely-to-be divisive design, extra akin to laptop computer keys than the standard desktop trend, creating a novel and really Aimo-complimentary aesthetic.
The Vulcan’s aesthetic can be one which was constantly the topic of remark by all passers-by. Not one among my colleagues that got here into contact with the board managed to carry again a touch upon its fashion. These have been virtually at all times beneficial too, minus a couple of who could not stand it is incongruities.
As for performance, a multi-function wheel is positioned on the higher proper of the board. This permits for management of varied performance via three buttons: mute, lighting, and quantity. Remaining media and profile keys are secondary to the perform row, and 6 programmable macro keys are secondary to the formatting and navigation keys. The Vulcan additionally options reminiscence and a 32-bit ARM processor onboard to retailer all your macro settings with out necessitating software program or drivers.
There’s no USB passthrough with the Roccat Vulcan. But, the USB cable from the gadget is skinny and light-weight consequently. There’s additionally a wrist relaxation that magnetically attaches securely onto a skinny indented entrance fringe of the low-profile board. The wrist relaxation may be very slim, nevertheless, and does little to essentially help your wrists. Future designs might undoubtedly profit from a wrist relaxation that is a bit more plush, or no less than substantial.
As a whole set, the Roccat Aimo model is lastly a cohesive, unified, RGB ecosystem due to the Vulcan, and from right here can department into extra budget-friendly options. The Vulcan prices £150, however there are cheaper options within the Vulcan 80 (single-colour LED and no wrist relaxation) and Vulcan 100 (no wrist relaxation) – at £120 and £140, respectively.
The Roccat Vulcan lastly completes the triple risk of the Aimo lineup. In each space – whether or not that be headphones, mouse, or keyboard – Roccat presents one thing that’s worthy in its personal proper to sit down on avid gamers’ desks. But which additionally altogether makes up a model well-positioned available in the market.
Designing your individual key swap is a mammoth process and Roccat isn’t wanting rivals on this discipline. Its first try has payed off, nevertheless, and increasing this vary down the road – for instance with linear switches or one thing actually experimental – will solely add extra worth to this preliminary foray with the Titan Switch Tactile.
It’s one factor to take a preferred swap and make a great keyboard. It’s one other factor totally to design your individual swap and package deal it in a compelling flagship product with solely a single try. The Roccat Vulcan 120 succeeds with flying colors.
SE7EN.WS Verdict: 8/10
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