Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: A 96-percent magnetic switch keyboard with a semi-customizable LCD screen
While I didn’t get enough time with the keyboard before heading to CES 2026 to do a full review, I did spend a couple of days with it, playing Borderlands 4 and editing / writing as 2025 wound down.
The lubed ROG HFX V2 switches feel smooth and pleasing, and I noticed effectively no key wobble. Their actuation range, between 0.1 and 3.5mm, is a bit shorter than most other HE keyboards / switches, which have a range of 0.1-4mm, but I certainly didn’t miss the extra distance. I slightly prefer those in the Keychron K8 HE for their slightly softer sound and more cushioned feeling when bottoming out, but I’d have no major complaints switching to the Falchion Ace 75 HE and its ROG HFX V2 switches – for gaming or for work. And if I were meticulously dialing in actuation points for my favorite games, I would prefer the Asus ROG keyboard because it makes it easier to turn some of those features off when I’m doing things other than gaming, thanks to the adjustment wheel and the Rapid Trigger switch.
That said, I don’t particularly find the touchbar on the rear of the Falchion Ace 75 HE particularly intuitive or ergonomic. Perhaps I need more time to get used to it, and I do like that you can change it via the Web interface to control volume, media playback, lighting intensity, and other features. But you have to reach back behind the top edge of the keyboard and tap or swipe. There’s also a button back there that lets you toggle between modes. Using this feature feels awkward, and I sometimes found myself accidentally pressing the first few function keys when trying to skip a song on a playlist. I may find it more intuitive with time, but it feels like having the same touch area on the left side of the keyboard, rather than the back, would be a better choice, since you wouldn’t have to reach up and over the Function keys to use it.
The switches are also swappable, although with all magnetic keyboards, compatible options are pretty limited. Aside from the HFX V2 that comes with this keyboard, Asus lists an HFX V2X switch, alongside a “3rd Party Golden Switch,” which appears to be the same HFX V2 switch , made by TTC, just without the Asus branding. Asus also says that the switches from Asus’ other recent HE keyboard (the Falcata and Azoth 96 HE) will also work. In case you have multiple high-end keyboards from Asus and want to swap your switches around.
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/peripherals/hands-on-with-asuss-rog-falchion-ace-75-he-premium-gaming-with-an-emphasis-on-physical-adjustments-and-web-based-configuration#main
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.