ASUS ROG Keris Review: Ultra-lightweight gaming mouse with responsive sensor
ASUS ROG Keris is a compact, lightweight gaming mouse with a clever shape that's perfect for finger grip. The mouse is equipped with a reliable, accurate and fast optical sensor, as well as great ROG switches with a lifespan of 70 million keystrokes. The dual functionality is also included with the mouse, which can be easily swapped for the included Omron replacements if desired or needed. Thanks to the ASUS Paracord braid, the cable is very lightweight and comfortable. But, unfortunately, the braid itself is not too hard-wearing and quickly loses its neat appearance. The second complaint to ASUS ROG Keris is the lack of any kind of embossing or rubber inserts on the sides. As a result the mouse occasionally slips out of your hand. At the moment ASUS ROG Keris is priced at $70. There is also a wireless version of the mouse.
Pros:
- minimal weight and small size
- fast and accurate optical sensor
- durable ROG switches and replaceable Omron included
- very light and soft cable
- handy software Armoury Crate
Cons:
- the mouse occasionally slips out of your hand due to the lack of raised or rubberized sides
- short-lived cable braid
- What's in the box?
- What does ASUS ROG Keris look like?
- How comfortable is it to use?
- What can ASUS ROG Keris do?
- Bottom line
What's in the box?
ASUS ROG Keris is packed in the usual black and red box. Inside is a nice set with a couple of useful bonuses. In addition to the standard documentation and stickers, there's a set of replacement ROG Omni Mouse Teflon "feet" as well as replaceable key toggles made by Omron.
| ASUS ROG Keris | |
|---|---|
| Number of buttons | 7 |
| Sensor resolution | 16,000 dpi |
| Sensor type | optical, PixArt PMW3389 |
| Maximum acceleration | 50G |
| Maximum speed | 400 inches/s |
| Polling frequency | 1000 Hz |
| Number of buttons | 7 |
| Response time | up to 1 ms |
| Connection | wired |
| Cable | 2.0 m, ROG Paracord |
| Dimensions | 116x68x39 mm |
What does ASUS ROG Keris look like?
The ASUS ROG Keris looks like a typical gaming mouse from the company: black base color, backlit ROG logo on the "back" and backlit scroll wheel. The entire surface is made of brushed plastic. The main part and side inserts are made of smoother, while the main buttons are made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). This type of plastic is harder, more resistant to wear and has a rougher surface. One of the main tricks of the mouse is a very light weight: only 62g without the cable. Moreover, claimed to have no influence on the stiffness of the mouse due to internal construction in the form of a beehive. The similar solution is already used in ASUS gaming notebooks. ROG Keris is an asymmetric right-handed mouse. Although there are no radical protrusions or "swells" on the sides.
The plastic side panels have no additional rubberized or textured inserts to improve grip. There are two large additional buttons on the left end, with only ROG embossing on the right.
The scroll wheel has a rubberized finish with diagonal notches. It is fully backlit like the ROG Gladius III we've already seen. While most gaming mice only have illuminated side panels. Whether it looks good or not is up to you to decide. Moreover you can even turn off the backlight.
The place for cable entry into the mouse is in the middle in a small cutout. The protection against bending is present.
On the bottom of the mouse are four triangular Teflon feet ROG Omni Mouse white. There is a small indentation next to each one to make it easier to pry them out and replace them with new ones. Another Teflon insert is around the optical sensor window PixArt PMW3389. Next to it is the DPI switch button. And under the two round rubber plugs are the screws to be removed to remove the top cover when replacing the switches.
The wired version of ASUS ROG Keris has arrived to us. It has a non-removable ASUS Paracord cable, like the ASUS ROG Gladius III. Convenience-wise, the cable is good: it's very light, malleable, and hardly felt in use. But in terms of durability, it doesn't seem to be doing so well. Keris did not come to us new, so we can estimate the traces of use. Besides the fact that the braid gets wrinkled and twisted inside the cable, it quickly becomes unsightly. A "fringe" appears on the braid.
The mouse is quite compact: 116x68x39 mm. But more importantly - it weighs only 62 g, so the users who like lightweight models will definitely like it.
How comfortable is it to use?
ASUS ROG Keris is a fairly compact mouse and will primarily appeal to those with smaller hands. It's not much of a palm grip (unless you have a very small hand), but the claw and especially your thumb grip can handle it pretty well. In particular due to its light weight. It is very easy and comfortable to use. The ROG Keris has great balance and the mouse doesn't tilt when you pull it off the surface. The only complaint I have is I wish the sides were embossed or rubberized: your fingers occasionally slip on the right side.
The scroll wheel is very quiet at any speed. At first, the wheel travel may seem a little tight, but you get used to it very quickly. The cutoffs are crisp and informative. The main buttons feature ASUS' own proprietary ROG Micro Switch with a lifespan of 70 million presses. They're short, crisp, and informative, with little force required to act. The optional Omron replacement switches D2F-01F felt a little more "tight" to me. Either way, the choice is good, as is the availability of replacement switches in the kit.
To change the switches you have to unscrew two screws on the bottom part of the mouse and take off the top cover. The slots for the switches are made in the way that replacement doesn't require any additional tools. Everything is very simple and fast.
What can ASUS ROG Keris do?
ASUS ROG Keris uses PixArt PMW3389 optical sensor with a maximum resolution of 16,000 DPI. It's capable of tracking at a maximum speed of 400 inches per second with an acceleration of up to 50g. I have found this sensor in a lot of different gaming mice and it has never let me down. It's a great companion for any game we play, especially fast-paced first-person shooters. The ASUS ROG Keris performs flawlessly too, with accurate positioning, no shaking, snapping, or other unpleasant surprises.
The button on the bottom of the mouse can be used to quickly switch DPI levels. You can save 4 values. To fully customize ASUS ROG Keris, use the traditional ASUS proprietary application Armoury Crate. It allows you to re-assign actions to each button, set four levels of resolution, poll rate, backlight (including support for AURA sync), adjust the height of detachment from the surface and calibrate the mouse performance depending on the surface you are using. There are presets for ASUS surfaces, as well as calibration to any other.
Bottom line: Three things to know about ASUS ROG Keris:
- ASUS ROG Keris is a lightweight right-handed gaming mouse with interchangeable ROG or Omron switches (included);
- It uses PixArt PMW3389 16,000 DPI optical sensor is fast and accurate;
- All customization is via Armoury Crate app.
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