Roccat Vulcan II Max Keyboard Review – Symphony of Lights

Roccat Vulcan II Max Keyboard Review

There is no question, Roccat has been on a roll lately. Recently, we reviewed the Vulcan II Mini keyboard which scored incredibly well. Likewise, we dove deep with Roccat’s Kone XP Air mouse recently and it blew us away. It seems as though Roccat can do no wrong. The Vulcan II Max keyboard is no exception. Once again, Roccat has outdone itself and managed to produce a keyboard that stands out from the pack, in a pretty way.

Over the past few months, I have become accustomed to quiet keyboards. After years of using a ‘clicky’ mechanical keyboard, I made the transition a few months ago to a quieter and more subtle keyboard. I haven’t looked back, until now. The Vulcan II Max is wonderful. Sure it features clicky keys but they feel great. Not to mention, the Vulcan II Max features the world’s first “Dual-LED Smart Switches” which means you get a second LED light indicating secondary key functionality. The keyboard’s performance is excellent, it’s fully customizable and the Aimo lighting is absolutely spectacular. You could argue the star of the show is the detachable palm rest that lights up but I don’t want to take anything away from how good this gaming keyboard really is.

Out of the box, the Vulcan II Max features some basic instructions, a braided cable with dual USB connectors, a translucent wrist rest, and the keyboard itself, which features those super fast Roccat Titan II optical switches. This full-sized keyboard will cost you around $229.99 USD which is on par with other gaming keyboards on the market. The price point may give some folks some pause, especially when you consider it isn’t wireless. That said, this is hands down a sexy keyboard that should last for years.

Unlike its little brother, the Vulcan II Mini, this keyboard is a full-size keyboard with a plastic chassis. It’s lighter than most keyboards I have used even with its aluminum top plate. It measures 18.23 x 6.0625 inches, while the detachable wrist rest is 3.25-inches. It comes in black or white, but for the purpose of this review, we reviewed the black version.

Like other Roccat keyboards, the switches are fantastic. They have a smooth uniform keypress. It takes little effort to press the keys and I never experienced any strain at all using the keyboard for hours. The responsiveness of the keys is impressive. This sucker is fast! Not to mention they are durable. I don’t think I have used a keyboard with better switches, they are that good.

I like the linear design as well. While it is light, the keyboard sits firmly in place thanks to those rubber grips on the bottom of the keyboard. Its black colour with the translucent palm rest doesn’t exactly scream premium hardware, but once those Aimo RGB lights come on, it’s a beautiful light show.

There is no doubt, it is a bit of a bummer that it isn’t a wireless keyboard. Yet that slick wrist rest more than makes up for it. Granted, I do prefer a bulkier bigger wrist rest as this one sits a little lower than I would have liked. That said, it is comfortable and well, it is so cool how it lights up. It’s ribbed, made of silicone, and easily attaches to the base of the keyboard. When lit up it is stunning.

I should mention, you’ll need a couple of open USB ports to make this keyboard is functioning at an optimal level. The fixed six-foot braided cable features dual USB-A connectors. The dual connectors ensures the keyboard gets enough juice to power all those fancy lighting effects. This wasn’t an issue for me but might be for others who have a limited amount of ports

The Roccat Swarm Synapse software used to adjust the lighting and set up your profiles is easy to use. It works as advertised. With the software, you can adjust the lighting, brightness, edit keyboard profiles, adjust power settings, etc. If you are one that requires different macros for different games this software will be a lifesaver.

Overall Roccat Vulcan II Max keyboard is a stunner and one of the most unique keyboards I have used to date. Its performance is exceptional, the switches have a lighting-fast response time, it’s durable and the RGB illuminated wrist rest is badass. This smooth durable keyboard is excellent for any PC gamer looking to enhance their keyboard game.

***Keyboard was provided by Roccat for the purpose of this review***