ROCCAT, one of Germany’s leading PC peripherals companies, was acquired by Turtle Beach in 2019. We have not yet had the chance to try out their award winning hardware, so when given the opportunity to cover their latest Vulcan 122 mechanical gaming keyboard, we jumped on it.
The German Engineered Gaming Keyboard
The Vulcan 122 AIMO is the latest model in the ROCCAT gaming keyboard lineup. First impressions draw your eyes to the brushed anodized aluminum backplate that provides excellent structural rigidity to this keyboard. Secondly, I noticed the rubberized buttons for audio and effects; which are placed right beside a large solid volume knob that features great rotational feedback. It also comes with a wrist pad, sporting a high gloss white finish with the ROCCAT logo embossed on the far right side. It snaps into place magnetically. The Vulcan’s aesthetics and overall design are stunning.
The profile of the Vulvan 122 AIMO is slim, giving the elevated keys a really unique and upscale look. You’ll be typing on ROCCAT’s very own in-house Titan Switches, capable of 16.8 million colors per key. These were designed for gamers that appreciate tactile switches with a focus on precision. They feature an actuation point of 1.8mm and 3.6mm of total travel distance.
The firmware in place, powered by a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0 based processor, has been programmed to register these inputs 20% faster than your typical tactile based mechanical keyboard. They have also managed to reduce weight by 50% on their custom Switches, providing silky smooth performance with each and every keystroke.
We fired up Doom Eternal to see just how well it performed on the latest FPS from id Software. First off, this game is sensational and it’s absolutely best played with a premium keyboard and mouse. Inputs were quickly registered and as expected, slaying hordes of demons across this punishing 20 hour action packed campaign felt fantastic on the Vulcan 122 AIMO. It excelled in precision and comfort. We have a review coming up soon on the ROCCAT Kain 202 AIMO gaming mouse, in which we’ll be covering how crucial this gaming component is for dominating in online shooters.
AIMO Light Engine
The Swarm software by ROCCAT is a robust platform to truly customize your Vulcan gaming keyboard. You can save up to 4 different profiles. Here you can select sound feedback from each input if you wish, that range from click, typewriter, Sci-Fi and more. Add your custom Macros in the Key Assignment area. Lastly, customize your RGB effects with preset modes such as Wave, Breathing, Snake, Fade, Ripple, Heartbeat or go fully custom. Saving the best for last, I highly suggest you try out AIMO for your light show mode. This is controlled by an AI system developed by ROCCAT that reacts organically to your typing and inputs. It will glow, highlight and stream all sorts of effects across the keyboard, delivering a one of a kind RGB experience as you game or work.
Conclusion
The ROCCAT Vulcan 122 AIMO has proven to be an absolute all star in the mechanical gaming keyboard market. The German engineering shines here with incredible fit and finish, alongside stellar performance on the custom Titan Switches. The RGB presence on this model is the brightest we have ever seen and the Swarm Software offers impressive customization and feedback with just a few clicks. I’m incredibly impressed after spending weeks with this keyboard and it’s now very easy to see how it has won multiple awards for its design, features and proficiency. ROCCAT is a force to be reckoned with in this segment and I can’t wait to see what they come out with next.
