Today, we are writing our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review to discuss everything related to the product.
When searching for gaming keyboards, there are tons of options available, which can get confusing at some point. And while mechanical switches are the top choice of gamers, manufacturers continue to release gaming keyboards featuring optical switches.
The Vulcan Pro comes with extra smooth optical linear switches but still with a nice tactile bump feel. It is packed with promising features and specifications, but is it better than the rest of its competition?
Our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review will share information related to the product, such as its features, design, functions, etc. But before looking into those details, let us check its packaging and contents.
Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Packaging
Our package arrived in a typical-looking keyboard box with the usual black theme. It looks similar to most keyboard box designs today.
The front displays an image of the keyboard with its RGBs lit. This area also shows its name and the company branding while highlighting the use of optical linear switches.
Of course, we checked its contents to share these details in our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review. Inside, you will find the Vulcan Pro, a detachable wrist rest, and a quick start guide.
Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review – Design and Functionality
The Vulcan Pro is a full-sized board, so you can expect it to take up space on your desk. Despite being quite large, it has a great build similar to the Vulcan 120 AIMO.
It has a plastic wrist rest and a frame that goes nicely with its brushed metallic plate at the top. Even if Roccat used these materials, the keyboard feels premium and pleasant to the touch. Although it flexes easily, its metal plate keeps the board stable which we appreciate.
Its ABS keycaps are stable, so the larger keys do not rattle. However, there might still be some wobbling on other keys, but we love that there are no loose parts. Its feet keep everything in place, so the keyboard will not slide around unnecessarily.
A common and standard feature on Roccat keyboards is their low profile. This feature, combined with the magnetic wrist support, helps prevent strain on the wrists and hands. With this, you can continue working and gaming more while significantly reducing the impact on your wrists.
The keyboard has consistent and smooth keystrokes thanks to the optical linear switches. You will also find a 1.4mm actuation point and 3.5mm travel distance.
The switches also have a 45gf operation force and are tested for 100 million keystrokes. That means the keyboard will last you a very long time.
The Vulcan Pro also features a full RGB backlight with individually-lit keys. You can customise its settings via software compatible with the AIMO Intelligent Lighting engine to sync RGBs with other devices.
Also, the keycaps are flat, allowing light to pass through the transparent switches.
The keyboard offers extra features, and we are discussing these in our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review.
A dedicated volume wheel in the form of a dial, media hotkeys, and mute/unmute buttons are all included. By hitting Fn+Scroll Lock, you can enable Game Mode and deactivate the Windows key. Doing so prevents you from unintentionally minimising your game.
Game Mode also enables macros assigned to the M1 via M6 keys.
You can assign macros to the alphabetical keys to the left of the board, including 5, T, G, and B. Do this via the Easy-Shift[+] feature in Game Mode.
Holding down the Caps Lock button gives you an additional set of macros. You can reprogram the remaining keys to do specific tasks, but these cannot programme macros.
Key Features of the Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard
With all the available mechanical keyboards on the market, what makes this product better than the rest? Let us discuss its key features in our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review.
Top-notch Design
The Vulcan Pro immediately took the gaming scene upon its release. Its exceptional build quality and functional aesthetics separate it from other keyboards on the market. With its new titan Switch Optical, the keyboard has a new level of elevation.
Optical Speed with a Mechanical Feel
The new Titan Switch Optical from Roccat offers a mechanical keystroke feel with a new level of performance. Its firmware recognises each stroke seamlessly without delays. Plus, the switches are faster with twice the durability, so there are no drawbacks.
Durable and Long-lasting
The Vulcan Pro uses an aircraft-grade aluminium layer for added strength and durability. Its optical switches also have a rated lifespan of 100 million keystrokes.
The Functionality of the Next Generation
The low-profile design of the Vulcan Pro keeps your hands flat to prevent fatigue, even after long periods of use. It has a magnetically detachable palm rest to provide premium comfort. Roccat increased the keyboard functionality by adding mixer-style audio controls that you can easily access.
The Intelligent AIMO Lighting Engine
The AIMO lighting engine from Roccat syncs with compatible products to form vivid illumination without needing to configure settings. The transparent switch housing amplifies the lighting effect and looks better with other AIMO devices.
Specifications
The specifications of the product you plan to purchase are vital. So, we are sharing this information with you in our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review.
The keyboard has optical linear switches with a 100 million keystroke life cycle. It also has a detachable ergonomic palm rest, plus a 512KB built-in macro and settings memory.
On the keyboard, you will find six programmable macro keys, the Easy-Shift[+] technology, and a 32-bit ARM Cortex M0-based processor. Additionally, it has a 1000Hz polling rate.
Measurements-wise, the keyboard is 3.20 x 46.20 x 23.50cm (HxWxL) and weighs 1150g. System requirements include USB 2.0 (or higher) and an internet connection for the driver software.
Hands-on with the Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard
In this part of our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review, we will share how the keyboard performed in our tests. We will also discuss its Roccat Swarm Software to give you an idea of how it works.
To make the most of your keyboard, we suggest you install the Roccat Swarm app despite not being required. Download and update the Vulcan Pro module via the update centre after installation.
You can adjust repeat delay, add typing sounds with the app, and fix repeat rates and the cursor blink rate. You can make up to five profiles, but only four of these are saveable.
A macro manager is also present, allowing you to assign functions to the keys on the Vulcan Pro. It includes the six keys that also work as macro keys.
The last tab on the app allows you to choose different illumination options, including the AIMO intelligent lighting. Also, you can set a custom mode on a per-key basis.
Lastly, the application can update the keyboard firmware. So it is best to check once in a while to ensure it is updated.
Just remember, when adjusting lighting and sound options, you need to apply these to try them out. That means there is no preview.
Since the keyboard has onboard memory, you can save the settings and use these on another PC. You can do this even without the software.
Gamers and coders trust mechanical switches since they are fast and highly responsive. However, companies like Roccat claim that the newer optical switches deliver better performance. We will test the Vulcan Pro to see if it works better.
The Vulcan Pro was a treat to use, based on our experience. It was as responsive as Roccat claims, and we had no issues while typing and gaming. In Game Mode, it worked perfectly with added macro functionality.
Since it has a unique low-profile design, it can take some time for others to feel comfortable using it. We recommend playing on practice mode or training grounds if your game has that feature. Testing it outside a match will help you be accustomed to the keyboard and avoid mistakes on your keystrokes.
Optical keyboards like the Vulcan Pro have a learning curve, so it is not an issue.
In typing, we had an excellent experience with the product. The linear switches only require light presses, so we did not experience fatigue. However, these may cause more typos since they lack tactile feedback.
We loved the well-spaced-out keys and the flat design. The keys were also stable despite having a slight wobble on them. These keys do not produce much noise, making the keyboard suitable for office environments.
Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review Summary
The Vulcan Pro is an impressive full-size mechanical keyboard. It has a low-profile design, an aluminium layer, and optical switches that offer high levels of durability and typing comfort. Plus, its RGB lighting offers vivid colours that shine through the keys, thus increasing its aesthetic appeal.
We enjoyed using the product when we tested it for our Roccat Vulcan Pro Keyboard Review. Its low pre-travel distance allowed for light keypresses, while its ergonomics made it excellent for prolonged use.
Overall, we were satisfied with its performance, so we highly recommend it.
Learn more about the Vulcan Pro Keyboard when you visit the official product page of Roccat.
