From the onset, the ASUS ROG Falchion is a tiny 65% mechanical keyboard, packed with features demanding the attention of tech-world enthusiasts. Small in stature it is, light on features and quality it is most certainly not. Let's take a dive into this pint-size keyboard and see what it brings to the table in a saturated market.

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From the moment you ogle the packaging, the pride and build quality provides a glimpse of what's to come. The ASUS ROG Falchion comes with a handful of gizmos and gadgets, enough to get buyers excited but not so much as to bother them with unnecessary complications. It comes with the ASUS ROG Falchion keyboard, a plastic cover to cover your keyboard when not being used (complete with embossed logo), USB Type C Cable, a Type C to USB-A adapter, 2.4ghz receiver which is attached to the keyboard, some decorative stickers, and of course the obligatory manuals. Upon inspecting the keyboard properly, you'll notice the touch sidebar on the left side of the device (more on this later).



The keyboard has a unique design, just enough to set itself apart from the competition. The 65% wireless, not-so-standard ANSI design did take some getting used to, though. This holds true, especially when you have elongated phalanges and have been using a "normal size" keyboard for the better part of the past Sexennial. The keys have little to no flex to them, which makes for a satisfying press of each key on the board. Using the Falchion in both wireless and wired mode ended up with identical performances. Connecting it to your PC via a Type C cable is hassle-free; it even prompts you to automatically download the ROG Armoury application.

The 65% wireless, not-so-standard ANSI design did take some getting used to, though.

Wirelessly, the product is essentially the same. Plugin the adapter, wait for the PC to recognize the new device, and start using it. One aspect I was pleasantly surprised with, was how much mileage I could squeeze out of a single charge of the keyboard. While constantly using it for shy of two weeks, I am yet to see the "out of the box" charge leave me stranded in the middle of a game.



If the technical features of the ROG Falchion don't have you scouring the web for your nearest seller, the software package might just set you straight. Boasting as the first ASUS wireless keyboard to be AuraSync-abled, Falchion comes with a bunch of features to tinker with. Reassign keys to a mouse function, disable the Alt+F4 function, set applications to launch, and disable modes can all be done. Adjusting the touch side panel can also be done in the application. Set it to brightness control, volume control, or customize it to execute a specific function within games, the sky is the limit here.

Thankfully, the Falchion allowed me to use the AuraSync to change the majority of my RGB from one window within the application.

As a major fan of ARPGs, and one with slight OCD tendencies, I like to customize my entire lighting setup to match the character I'm currently playing (red for fire, blue for ice, purple and green for poison, and you get the kind of brain I have, don't you?). Thankfully, the Falchion allowed me to use the AuraSync to change the majority of my RGB from one window within the application - giving me more time to slay the hordes, more time to loot, and much less time to individually set all my RGB to match my current in-game characters skillset.



Quickly jumping back to the touch sidebar. Although it's a nifty little trick, it can also become a little cumbersome at times. More often than not, my pinky slipped off the keyboard and onto the sidebar. It being touch-sensitive often lead to me adjusting the volume, or even worse, adjusting the brightness of my screen. Though this is nothing dramatic, it did become annoying during the period of re-training my fingers to the smaller size keyboard. After a couple of days, however, the occurrence became far and few between. On that note, the unique design of some of the keycaps might become a problem for those who would like to swap out the standard for their own. With it's non-standard ANSI design, ASUS had to change a few key designs, namely the backspace, spacebar, and shift keys. Unless you 3D print your own or happen upon a custom designer, you'll be hardpressed to easily exchange these keys.



At the end of the day, the ASUS ROG Falchion is a powerful little mechanical keyboard. The sturdy build quality coupled with an eye-catching design is there to please any who value aesthetics. The new Cherry MX, a well-rounded accompanying application, and fantastic connectivity options (both wired and wireless) are sure to satisfy those who are more into the technical side of things. If you're in the market for a 65% wireless mechanical keyboard that looks great and plays even better, I can strongly recommend the ASUS ROG Falchion.