Back in April, ASUS teased a series of cyberpunk-inspired peripherals in their Republic of Gamers (ROG) Strix lineup. This product line sets out to make a statement with its pink, gunmetal gray, and translucent black aesthetic and a fitting moniker: Electro Punk. We got our hands on this avant-garde product bundle from ASUS and we are going to break it down for you in this review.
Since this is a bundled review, we will break down the details of each product with some observations and discoveries from use. Following these comments, we will wrap up with an evaluation of the overall performance of the bundle and value in our Final Thoughts section.
Let us begin!
ROG Strix GO 2.4 Wireless Headphones Specifications:
- Drivers: 40mm Neodymium
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (wireless), 20 Hz - 40 kHz (wired)
- Impedance: 32 Ohm
- Microphone Polar Pattern: Unidirectional (built-in), Bi-directional (detachable)
- Microphone Frequency Response: 100 Hz - 8 kHz
- Microphone Sensitivity: -45 dB
- Battery Life: 25 hours
- Wireless Connection type: 2.4 GHz
- Includes: USB-C wireless transmitter, USB-C to USB-A adapter, braided 3.5mm cable, USB-C to USB-A cable, microphone, hardshell ROG Electro Punk-themed case
Whether you are at home in front of your battle station or on the go, the ROG Strix GO 2.4 Wireless Headphones have a mission: to keep you immersed in your experience wherever you are. They are small enough to be portable, but they create a soundscape to match their bold appearance.
From a design standpoint, the ROG Strix GO 2.4 carry the Electro Punk aesthetic with a bit more subtlety than its other family member; the hot pink tones accent more than dominant on the headphones. They have a pink, ROG-branded metal band that’s color is muted under translucent black, two pink buttons, small branding marks on the top of the ear cups, and pink joints at one of the articulation points with the most vibrant section found inside - the cloth speaker coverings.
The wireless range on the Strix GO is decent for operating off of a 2.4 GHz dongle alone. If you have a smaller apartment or streaming space that you need a little bit of extra freedom. While you may not be able to cross your entire living space with them, they do provide mobility in the short range.
These headphones are rather comfortable with a few premium design features that make them just feel good while wearing them. Their light-weight design keeps provides good comfort-over-time while the padded headband helps cushion some of the load. Though I did find in longer gaming sessions that the material used on the ear cups is not very breathable.
After putting them through my pro audio gauntlet, these headphones are aptly named, handling bass-heavy synthwave and electronica as well as the vicious guitar riffs, ADHD-fueled bass lines, and thunderous drum fills of punk rock. That isn’t even to mention how they handled the nuance of sweeping symphonic scores. This audio fidelity only increases while using the ROG Strix GO 2.4 in its wired mode.
If you are looking for a pair to grab and go, the Strix GO 2.4 is aptly named. It provides everything you would need for both portable able local gaming. With a wireless dongle, it is the perfect pair for a Nintendo Switch or other mobile devices that use USB-C. This was a solid choice for a premium product package like the Electro Punk line, but we’re not done yet. Let’s keep going!
Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard Specifications:
- Switches: Cherry MX RGB Red
- Actuation Force: 45g
- Actuation Distance:
- Key Caps:
- USB Polling Rate: 1000 Hz
- Connectivity: USB 2.0
- RGB: Programable per key, ASUS Aura Sync enabled
- Software: ASUS Armoury Crate
- Anti-ghosting 10 key roll-over
Of all of the products included in this collection, the ROG Strix Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard is the most visually striking. It serves as a centerpiece to the collection in the way that it captures the very essence of Electro Punk. The pink and black keycaps over two-tone brushed gunmetal gray creates a stunning contrast that is enhanced upon first use by hot pink key illumination and under glow!
The ROG Strix Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard feels like a pretty familiar piece if you are currently using a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard. For me, the move from the Razer Huntsman TE felt like a rather natural transition. However, if you have yet to make the jump to a mechanical keyboard and this aesthetic fits your taste, this is a solid upgrade. The MX Cherry Red RGB switch ASUS chose for this keyboard is responsive with a satisfyingly tactile action to them.
Following in the footsteps of the Strix GO 2.4, the Scope TKL offers premium features to make this an aspirational piece of gear. Boasting the venerable Cherry MX Red RGB switches, this keyboard is not only responsive, it is also highly programmable via the ASUS Armoury Crate software. This allows you to not only create and record keystroke macros, but to create a custom aesthetic for your setup with per-key RGB programming.
In form and function, the ROG Strix Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard is one rockin’ board! Even if the other pieces in this collection don’t appeal to you, you won’t want to sleep on this one… if you can find one in stock. At the time of writing this review, we could not find a retailer that had them in stock.
Impact II Mouse Specifications:
- Switches: Omron 50M
- Sensor: Pixart 3327
- DPI Range: 6200
- Max Speed: 22 IPS
- Programmable Buttons: 5, ALPS Scroll Wheel, DPI Switch
- USB Polling Rate: 1000 Hz
- Connectivity: USB 2.0
- Weight: 79g
Speaking of sleeping, the ROG Strix Impact II Gaming Mouse is the sleeper of the set. It is unassuming with it’s black shell and Electro Punk pink buttons, but this is one response beast! Weighting in at a meager 79g, this mouse is lightweight for fast responses.
While 6,200 dpi is not the fastest tracking we have seen in a mouse, the Pixart 3327 sensor found inside the Impact II provides a mix speed and precision without getting out of control - which is where this mouse thrives! The dpi switch on the bottom of the mouse allows the user to change the tracking speed. This is a bit of a double-edged sword as it makes changing speeds on-the-fly semi-convenient without having a switch right in the middle of your other buttons.
On that note, button layout if fairly typical of an eSports-geared peripheral, but it does have a few small difference: the side buttons on the Impact II pivot for ease of clicking and the switches for the main left and right buttons can be hot swapped for alternative switches in the Omron D2F and D2FC series. It is billed as an ambidextrous mouse, but a left-handed user might find the placement of the side buttons a bit unwieldy to use.
From a comfort and design standpoint, the Impact II is pretty comfortable whether you prefer a palm or claw style grip. There is not much to say about the build quality other than the mouse, while on the lighter side, has a decent heft to it without feeling chunky in weight or size. Whether you have larger hands or small, the fit is good.
Like the rest of the Electro Punk bundle, the ROG Strix Impact II Gaming Mouse takes full advantage of customization with the ASUS Armoury Crate for the setting up macros, assigning keybindings, and connecting to RGB theming via Aura Sync.
Sheath Extended Mouse Mat Specification:
- Dimensions: 900mm x 440mm
- Base: Non-slip
- Edges: anti-fray stitched
What can I say that you can’t already see?
The Sheath is a really big mouse mat.
It will dominate whatever space you put it in, providing a backdrop to accentuate this beautiful set of peripherals while providing a smooth surface for that Impact II to glide across.
Final Thoughts
At the time of writing this review, the bundle could be purchased here for $349.99 USD. However, with stock limitations, we may need to wait and see if ASUS will offer it again. As mentioned previously, it seems as though the hot item in this set has been the ROG Strix Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard - and understandably so! The biggest question, looking at these items together is this: is it worth it?
Looking down through the products included, if you were to purchase these parts separately, here is the breakdown of what each would cost:
- ROG Strix GO 2.4 Wireless Headphones - $199.99
- ROG Strix Scope TKL Mechanical Keyboard - $109.99
- ROG Strix Impact II Mouse - $49.99
- ROG Sheath Extended Mouse Mat - $29.99
From a purely financial standpoint - just looking at the numbers, bundling these items together essentially gives you the Sheath Extended Mouse Mat for free and an extra ~$10 USD off the rest of the parts. This isn’t a terrible bargain if you were already looking at spending money on a new suite of peripherals. However, if you have already established a favorite piece of gear, you probably are not looking to prioritize form in sacrifice of the function you already have in place.
That being said, each piece functions well individually and as a set. While every product has their pros and cons, ASUS has chosen a great array of products to carry the cyberpunk vibe throughout each piece without minimizing the quality of products that have given them the reputation they have today.
Keep in mind, the Electro Punk product line also has a laptop, backpack, and t-shirts if you want to go all in on this. If you have been itching to put together a suite of themed peripherals and you dig the pink accents in the aesthetic, the Republic of Gamers Electro Punk bundle from ASUS is a pretty solid offering.
There might just be a little extra pink (and punk) in your future!
The bundle of products discussed in this article were provided by ASUS for the purposes of review.