Asus has used the world’s largest convention, the Gamescom 2024 event in Cologne, to unveil its first rapid-trigger gaming keyboard – the Falchion Ace HFX.
The keyboard has a rapid-trigger toggle that immediately resets the keypress when you release it which allows gamers to strafe quickly when gaming.
Its Speed Tap mode prioritises the last input and automatically release the previous one to eliminate time gaps for counter-strafing and for more precise aiming, especially in first-person shooter games.
The keyboard has magnetic switches that deliver a customizable 0.1 – 4.0 mm actuation for instant keystrokes.
The keyboard comes in a 60 per cent frame, but Asus has packed in the keys for a 65 per cent layout.
The Falchion Ace HFX uses full-sized keycaps, making it more suitable for competitive play.
It also has an 8,000Hz polling rate and provides a 0.125 ms response time, which Asus claims is up to 8X faster than competitor keyboards.
There are two USB-C ports on the keyboard allowing gamers to position the cable comfortably according to their setup, or even connect the keyboard to multiple PCs and quickly switch between them.
The keyboard includes a silicone gasket mount and five layers of internal sound dampening to absorb pinging noise and deliver a more cushioned typing feel.
There is one major point to consider though – Valve has banned the rapid triggering feature, such as which is facilitated by this keyboard, for Counter Strike 2.
The rapid triggering feature isn’t banned on other titles for now, but others could follow with the perceived hardware advantage that such a keyboard offers.
For now, Asus hasn’t yet committed to a launch date or price for this keyboard in Australia, although it may arrive here by the end of this year.
At Gamescom 2024, some of the other products that Asus unveiled include its X870E and X870 motherboard family, a ROG Harpe Ace Mini lightweight gaming mouse and a ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDP which Asus claims is the world’s first 1440p 480Hz OLED gaming monitor.
