Page 3 - Conclusion
The ROCCAT Vulcan II we are reviewing today uses Titan II Mechanical switches, while the Vulcan II Max uses Titan II Optical switches. What other changes were there, and how else do the keyboards compare? I like how the company retained its clean, visually appealing design, and the build quality remains solid with a backplate flex little to none under use. I also like its RGB LED lighting effects, which has always been a strong suit of the Vulcan series, but it is a level down from the Vulcan II Max. I like the Titan II Mechanical switches too, which is a great option for those who prefer its smooth switch mechanism, but prefer a mechanical connection for actuation rather than light. What is different compared to the Vulcan II Max includes the removal of secondary function and performance monitoring LEDs. The removal of the secondary LEDs means the Num Lock, Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Win Lock indicator LEDs are relocated to the plastic strip near the arrow keys, making them more visible compared to the Vulcan II Max for those who normally configure their keyboard backlight to white. The hard plastic wrist rest in the Vulcan II does not allow the dramatic LED light projection into the silicone wrist rest found in the Vulcan II Max. The rubber strips under the Vulcan II are also smaller. Other than that, both keyboards have common areas of improvement. I recommend changing from the current ABS keycaps to harder PBT keycaps. As always, ROCCAT Swarm looks and feels outdated, and should have been replaced more than 6 years ago. I am pretty sure I have said this in all my ROCCAT reviews for as long as I remember, so maybe one day we will see this happen, haha. For about $150 at press time, the ROCCAT Vulcan II is only $20 cheaper than the Vulcan II Max, which is surprising to me. The Vulcan II is no doubt an excellent pre-built retail keyboard, but the Vulcan II Max is loaded with features to the hilt for only a marginal increase in price. If you prefer mechanical switches over optical switches, the Vulcan II is a solid pick, but if you want everything else, spending a little more money on the Vulcan II Max is worth it in my opinion.
ROCCAT provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.6/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The ROCCAT Vulcan II is an excellent pre-built retail keyboard with smooth Titan II Mechanical switches and great RGB LED lighting effects.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Conclusion
