The Vulcan II Mini Air is a cordless variation of the Vulcan II Mini. Stop me if this is getting too stunning for you. That reductive introduction does not inform the whole story, since there’s a lot of engineering going on in the Vulcan II Mini Air beyond tossing a radio and a battery in the case and calling it a day.
The keyboard’s remarkable battery life makes wireless operation with its overblown lighting allowed a genuine option, even if you’re a power user. That’s a good innovation, even if it just applies to a really specific niche sort of user. That niche is so particular– a small, premium, video gaming, optical, wireless keyboard that can continuously charm you with RGB goodness– that it practically validates the high price.
Practically. At the end of the day we’re talking about a $180 for a tiny keyboard, and for that type of dough, you ‘d much better be providing at all levels. It’s out of factor to consider for a lot of users, but for that little bit of the Venn diagram, it’s worth it.
Further reading: See our roundup of the best cordless video gaming keyboards to learn more about contending products.
What’s brand-new, Roccat (woah woah woah)?
At first glimpse, not much has actually changed since I reviewed the Vulcan II Mini a year back. You get the same 65% design with complete arrow secrets, the exact same Titan II optical switches for fast, smooth operation, and the same “floating” keycaps that display Roccat’s best-in-class RGB lighting (along with the intense LEDs and transparent switch housing). The wireless version has to do with half an inch taller on the Y axis, simply enough to put a brightened Roccat logo design above the secrets. It likewise wisely moves the USB-C port to the left, adds a power switch, and offers you a little bay to stow the 2.4 GHz dongle.
The keyboard is heavier than the Vulcan II Mini … however shockingly, not by much. On my cooking area scale the wired board is 17.7 ounces, while the cordless one (sans dongle) is 20.4 ounces. Roccat managed to pack cordless hardware and a battery in there with less than 3 ounces. For the sake of comparison, I threw the Corsair K65 Pro Mini on the scale, which has the very same 65% design and optical switches however does not have a radio or battery, and it was a complete ounce much heavier than the Vulcan II Mini Air. Outstanding! That kind of weight-saving makes the Roccat style an excellent portable board, though those drifting keycaps suggest you’ll certainly want some sort of protective case on it before you toss it in a knapsack. That’s something the Asus Falchion consists of in the box, by the method.
To repeat what I wrote about the completely brand-new, full-sized Vulcan II: Roccat is unbeatable when it comes to eye-popping RGB lights. All the exact same things use to the Vulcan II Mini Air … except that this little board is running on a battery.
How is the Vulcan Mini II Air battery?
With the lights on full power and in cordless 2.4 GHz mode, the Vulcan Mini II Air lasted five days on a battery charge for me. That may not sound like much, so let me put it in context. One, keep in mind that Roccat’s lighting system is ridiculous– the focus and definitely the highlight of the Vulcan series. And 2, I’m a heavy user to a potentially unhealthy degree. A basic mini keyboard running completely animated RGB lights will last me one day, maaaaaybe two if it’s lucky.
When Roccat claims that this keyboard can last 150 hours (on the clock, not active use) in its standard mode, or up to 750 hours with the RGB disabled, I’m inclined to believe it. The specs do not state how big the battery is, but with just a couple of ounces of additional weight, it can’t be capacious. This is, without credentials, the very best battery life I’ve ever seen from a video gaming keyboard.
And on top of that, Roccat handled a technique I hardly ever see: immediate wake. I’ve seen comparable tech on Logitech’s MX Keys line, however even those high-end boards don’t boast this kind of insane battery life.
One last note on the battery life. If you hold down the Fn secret, the LED beneath the V crucial becomes your battery bar, gradually going from green to yellow to orange to red as the battery drains pipes.
How is the Vulcan Mini II Air for gaming and typing?
Like its non-wireless version– and unlike the full-sized, wired Vulcan II– the Vulcan II Mini Air comes geared up with optical crucial switches. In contrast to a conventional mechanical keyboard switch that closes a circuit with an electrical contact, these spot a crucial press by interrupting a beam. This allows for (theoretically) super-fast efficiency and smooth, unhindered action from the top of the essential press to the bottom, and back once again.
Roccat and Corsair both provide optical switches, giving us a chance to compare the Vulcan II Mini Air to the K65 Pro Mini. Throw in the flat, slippery ABS keycaps that Roccat utilizes on the Vulcan line versus the pleasantly rough PBT caps on the Corsair, and the latter is the clear winner in terms of typing and gaming “feel,” if not by a massive margin.
Obviously, you might constantly put PBT keycaps on the Vulcan. You could even put Corsair’s keycaps on the Vulcan, given that the design is nearly similar. Then you would not get the full advantage of Roccat’s lighting system, and I question anyone interested in purchasing this board is prepared to go that far. You also can’t swap out the switches, but that’s typical for optical designs.
Roccat’s layout is also less instinctive than Corsair’s, though both devote the cardinal sin, in my viewpoint, of an unmovable Fn button. The Vulcan II Mini Air is even more limiting than many, as the Windows, Esc, and best Ctrl secret are also off-limits. By default media secrets are spread out between Z and the period, in some cases requiring two hands, and the Print Screen secret is on the O, exactly one area left of where it ought to be (in my mind, anyhow).
As far as video gaming chops go, the Vulcan II Mini Air uses 1,000 Hz ballot and N-key rollover, more than any simple mortal could want make use of. With the exception of the slippery keycaps, I discovered it reasonably comfy, though I wish the single-stage keyboard feet had an alternative for a greater profile. I also think that for the price, a consisted of and matching wrist rest isn’t too much to request for. After all, the Vulcan II– a less expensive, wired board– has one.
Roccat’s Swarm software is practical, if unspectacular. Like the Vulcan boards themselves, the huge draw is the lighting, and all of the included defaults are both more interesting and much more smoothly animated than any of the competition. You can customize the speed, brightness, and color of each, and if that’s inadequate, program a totally custom-made system yourself.
As a wireless board Swarm has a little bit more to handle for this gadget, and it does so very well. If you desire even more extreme battery life you can change the sensitivity of the keyboard’s proximity sensor or disable it entirely. Doing so implies that the keyboard needs to wake from sleep, however it does so in a tiny split second, so it looks like a fair compromise to me.
The Vulcan II Mini Air will delight your eyeballs with a light show that lasts for days.
Should you buy the Roccat Vulcan Mini II Air?
When I reviewed the $180 Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless, I called its price sky-high and dinged it for an absence of value. The Roccat Vulcan II Mini Air is the exact same rate, with a lot of the same features, like a choice of Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz dongle wireless. So why do I believe it’s a better deal?
A great deal of reasons. One, it’s just a better board for traveling, being the same weight in spite of a bigger design that includes easy to use arrow secrets. It has faster optical switches, and it has an unequalled battery life. That’s true whether or not you prefer your gaming sessions illuminated, and if you do, the Vulcan II Mini Air will thrill your eyeballs with a light show that lasts for days.
That being stated, $180 is still a great deal of cash for a keyboard, specifically one that’s this small and does not featured extras like a wrist rest or case. So it’s only worth it for a really specific kind of player. That player is one who wants that stunning RGB goodness, desires it to last a long, very long time, and is alright with switches, keycaps, and design that aren’t the best around.
If those caveats do not trouble you, the Vulcan II Mini Air is worth the high asking cost for a super-portable board that takes its light show on the road.
