ROG is on a string of keyboard launches this year. After the launch of their flagship ROG Azoth Extreme, they are back with the ROG Falchion Ace HFX. Aside from the traditional “ROG Quality” that we expect, it is their first try in employing a hall effect switch on a keyboard.
| Switches | ROG HFX Magnetic Switch |
| Switch Durability | Up to 100 million keypresses |
| Layout | Compact 65%, 78-key |
| Connectivity | Dual USB-C |
| Build | Plastic Chassis, Aluminum Plate |
| RGB Lighting | On-Board RGB Lighting, ASUS Aura Sync |
| Software | Armoury Crate |
| Keycaps | ROG PBT Double Shot Keycaps |
| Features | N-Key Rollover, Onboard Memory, Interactive Touch Panel,a Speed Tap Mode, Rapid Trigger Toggle |
| Battery | N/A |
| Weight | 643g (without cable) |
| Dimensions | 315 x 115 x 35mm |
| Colors | Black |
| Accessories | Keyboard Cover, ROG Keycap Puller, USB-C to USB-A cable, CTRL Keycap |
The ROG Falchion Ace HFX ships in a traditional red and black themed box as expected. It comes with several accessories including cloth cover, a cover, a braided USB-C to USB-A cable, keycap puller, an extra CTRL keycap, stickers, and documentation.
From its floating keycaps, RGB, and a shiny finish at the top, the Falchion Ace HFX has a gamer-y aesthetic. It is lightweight at just 643 thanks to its plastic chassis, which makes it easy to transport to a LAN party.
Its form factor is a compact 65% layout with a total of 78 keys. There are no physical function keys here so you might have a bit of a learning curve using such a small keyboard. Keys that are missing can be accessed by pressing the Fn key. ROG clearly marks the keycaps for bound secondary commands.
It’s worth mentioning that ROG has replaced the right-hand CTRL button with a dedicated Copilot button. This can be removed via software and the keycap can be replaced with its bundled accessories.
Another nice touch from ROG is that the cover can be used as an armor of sorts to further raise up the keyboard for those who want a taller keyboard. It won’t slip either as the cover comes with several non-slip pads.
Depending on the region, you may get PBT doubleshot or UV-Coated ABS keycaps. The unit we have on review seems to be the ABS variant. Its UV coating promises protection against keycap shining in the long term. The keycap themselves aren’t particularly thick, but they have a course texture to them. Paired with their concave shape, it makes slipping less likely.
At the back are two USB-C ports so you can connect the keyboard to two separate systems. Controls can be easily toggled via a handy switch right at the middle.
Over at the left-hand side of the back is a multi-function button and an interactive touch panel. These enable you to control system volume, playback, RGB brightness, and actuation point of the switches.
Pressing the multi-function button switches modes and you’ll be able to tell what mode you’re on depending on the LED light at the top. The touch panel will then be able to tweak your settings by just swiping left or right, or by double tapping.
At the right-hand side is a Rapid Trigger toggle that increases the response and repeat rate of the keys. These may be handy if you’re quickly spamming commands in games.
Pressing Fn + Tab turns on Speed Tap Mode. It prioritizes your latest input without releasing the previous key instead of just key blocking separate commands. Once you lift the latest input, the keyboard will then return to the key you’re pressing down previously. Helpful for strafing or jittering in FPS games. It’s only available on the WASD keys by default, but this can be changed via software.
Speaking of software, the ROG Falchion Ace HFX can be customized via Armoury Crate. Updating the software may be a hassle and it’s better to just uninstall and reinstall the whole thing.
Software customization is comprehensive. From its own tab, you can create your own macros, bind and unbind keys, adjust RGB lighting brightness and effects, and update its firmware.
While there is per key macro on the keyboard, you can’t create your own Function layer nor adjust the pre-loaded Function keys.
Its hall effect keys (which we’ll explain later) allows the keyboard to have adjustable actuation points. These can be adjusted from 0.1mm to 4.0mm for both regular and Rapid Trigger modes. The touch panel can also be customized with the last option letting you bind customizable commands.
Taking center stage are the new ROG HFX Magnetic Switches. They are hall effect switches that uses magnets and sensors to activate the switch. This enables you to adjust the keyboard’s actuation point to your preferred distance. They are using primarily POM on most of the switches though their top housing is made out of PC material.
Hall effect switches also remove the traditional metal actuation leaf found on conventional switches. This leads to a smoother and more durable switch as there are fewer moving parts to wear out. The smoothness is also helped out by ROG pre-lubing the both the switches and stabilizers in the factory.
While ROG doesn’t list the actuation force of their HFX Magnetic Switches, they do feel like Cherry MX Red switches. This puts them around a lighter 40g of actuation force, making them very light to the touch. Unlike MX Red switches, however, they are incredibly smooth. There’s barely any friction detectable on regular use.
Here’s a quick typing sound test of the ROG Falchion Ace HFX.
Typing on the ROG Falchion Ace HFX and its hall effect switches sound good. It sounds thoccy enough for most people though enthusiasts will still be able to make it better. The pre-lubed stabilizers make the larger keys sound snappy even if you hit it at any angle.
While usage of hall effect switches on keyboard is nothing new, ROG might be one of the biggest mainstream brands to do so. The ROG HFX Magnetic switches are well-executed with smooth and responsive performance.
That’s not all, however, as they also implemented several quality-of-life features. Speed Tap, Rapid Trigger mode, and dual USB-Cs might be niche, but they can be helpful. The multi-function button and touchpad is perhaps one of the biggest additions on the keyboard and adds plenty of utility on a small keyboard.
Some may need a bit of time to adjust to its small size but this leaves you with more space to move around your mouse, which is especially helpful for low sensitivity gamers. We also expected a metal chassis instead of plastic, that would have improved its build quality.
The ROG Falchion Ace HFX is a well-rounded, compact keyboard with plenty of features to like. Those looking to get an ultra-smooth typing experience on a small footprint keyboard may want to give this a try.
The ROG Falchion Ace HFX is priced at PhP 9,180 in the Philippines. You can get it through authorized ASUS and ROG online and retail stores nationwide. Here’s a handy list of official stores.
