The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro is an exceptional gaming keyboard also available in a smaller, TenKeyLess form factor. It features ROCCAT Titan’s proprietary linear optical switches, which offer short pre-stroke distance and are light to press for a fast gaming experience. It is well built, with full RGB backlighting shining through the transparent switches. Some keys can be reprogrammed, but not all keys are macro-programmable, which may be disappointing to some.
ROCCAT Swarm software is available only on Windows and allows you to customize the backlighting and set macros. The ergonomics are good and the typing experience is great, but it may take some time to get used to the shape of the keys and the low preliminary travel may cause an increase in typing errors. The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro is a full-size keyboard that takes up a fair amount of desk space. If you wish to save space, a TKL variant, known as the ROCCAT Vulcan TKL Pro, is available. The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro has a very good build quality, very similar to that of the ROCCAT Vulcan 120 AIMO.
The chassis is plastic with a brushed metal plate on top, and the wrist rest is plastic. It flexes quite easily, but the metal plate helps keep it stable and should not be a problem. The ABS keycaps are quite stable and the larger keys do not make noise, but you can notice some wobble on some keys. There are no noticeable loose parts either. The feet under the keyboard keep it in place, and you don’t have to worry about it slipping with the wrist rest attached, as it provides a good grip.
The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro has good ergonomics. There is a tilt setting and a wrist rest that attaches magnetically. The flat profile of the keys may take some getting used to. This keyboard has full RGB backlighting with individually illuminated keys. You can customize RGB settings via dedicated software and it is compatible with the AIMO Intelligent Lighting engine to synchronize RGB lighting with other devices. The keys are flat and light passes easily through the transparent switches.
The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro has some extra features. There are media hotkeys, a dedicated volume wheel in the form of a dial, and mute/unmute buttons next to the wheel. You can activate Game Mode by pressing Fn+Scroll Lock to disable the Windows key, so you don’t accidentally minimize your game. Game Mode also activates macros set on keys M1 through M6, located above the arrow keys. In Game mode there is an Easy-Shift[+] function that allows you to set macros on the alphanumeric keys to the left of the panel, including 5, T, G, and B.
This provides an additional set of macros when the Caps Lock key is held down. The rest of the keys are not programmable with macros, but you can reprogram them for a given list of functions. If you prefer a keyboard where every key is programmable with macros, consider the HyperX Alloy FPS RGB. The ROCCAT Vulcan Pro has excellent typing quality.
The linear switches are light to type on and should not fatigue you as much, but they may cause more typing errors than usual because they lack tactile feedback. The keys are well spaced, but the flat, square shape of the keycaps may take some getting used to. The keys are quite stable, but a bit of wobble can be noticed on some of them. Despite the matte finish, the keys are glossy and grease easily. Overall, if you are a fan of linear switches, you will like this keyboard.