With the Agon AGK700, manufacturer AOC has introduced a premium keyboard for 170 euros. MeinMMO has tested the gaming keyboard and reveals how well the device performs in practice.
The most important information at a glance:
- The Agon AGK700 is a full-size keyboard with red Cherry switches. The device also offers a wrist rest and additional macro keys.
- The MSRP for the keyboard is officially 179.99 euros.
- In the test, the keyboard impresses with excellent build quality and precise switches. The oddly placed macro keys and keycaps detract from the overall picture.
Which keyboard is being referred to? The AOC Agon AGK700 is a gaming keyboard with 115 programmable keys. Under the keys, either Cherry MX Blue or Red switches are installed. AOC primarily targets competitive gamers with its Agon AGK700.
Our test sample uses the red Cherry switches. Red switches do not click and are not tactile, but linear. Tactile means you feel the key when it activates. Linear, on the other hand, means that a key feels the same from press to activation.
Features and Technical Details:
| Design/Interface | Wired, full-size keyboard |
| Key type | Mechanical (red Cherry switches) |
| programmable keys | Yes |
| Illumination | Yes, RGB lighting and synchronization with AOC monitors |
| Compatibility | PC (with software) |
| Scope of delivery | Keyboard, wrist rest, manual |
| Special features | N-Key Rollover, Anti-Ghosting, USB Pass-Through function |
| Price (MSRP) | 179.99 euros |
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Agon by AOC AGK700 Gaming Tastatur - Deutsches Layout - Cherry MX Red Switches - Anti-Ghosting - AOC... | Zu Amazon |
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AOC Agon AGK700 in detail
In the following section, we will provide a detailed presentation of the gaming keyboard. We will cover the following aspects:
- Scope of delivery
- Design and build
- Build quality
- The software
Scope of delivery
What accessories are included? In addition to the keyboard, the box contains the leather-covered wrist rest. There are also four red keys (WASD) with a key puller in the box. This allows you to directly swap the keys.
Design and build
What does the keyboard look like? The AOC Agon AGK700 gaming keyboard offers 115 programmable keys with red Cherry switches. The switches are installed in a sturdy aluminum housing, giving the key a robust and high-quality feel.
The keyboard is otherwise kept in a simple gray-black color scheme, with some red accents on certain keys. The manufacturer’s logo is also discreetly located at the upper left corner.
On the back, there is a USB pass-through function as an additional USB port. Here, you can connect another USB device to your PC. At the front, there is a magnetic, detachable wrist rest with a leather surface.
For the RGB lighting, a proprietary system is used. The colors can be synchronized with certain gaming monitors and additional AOC peripherals. This way, all devices light up in harmony.
What keys does the keyboard offer? In addition to the usual keyboard keys, various special keys are mounted on the left and upper edge. At the top, there are 7 quick-access keys that allow you to mute the sound or open the Windows Explorer directly.
On the left side of the keyboard, there are 6 macro keys in black that you can freely assign. All keys, including the macro and special keys, are illuminated on the keyboard.
Build quality
What we like: Right from the unpacking of the gaming keyboard, you can feel the comparatively high weight of the device, which gives the user a robust feel and a first high-quality impression. Both the aluminum housing and the wrist rest underline the premium first impression.
The USB-A cable at the back of the keyboard is thick and sheathed, also appearing robust and high-quality.
The magnetic mechanism of the wrist rest is located inside the rest, reducing wear to a minimum. The media control wheel is made of metal and also feels very high-quality.
What we don’t like: AOC uses ABS keycaps for its AOC Agon AGK700. This seems somewhat inappropriate for a high-quality keyboard with a MSRP of 180 euros. The keycaps of the keyboard tend to become smooth quickly.
However, one must also consider that few manufacturers currently use PBT keycaps in their gaming keyboards by default or that one has to buy PBT keycaps separately (as is the case with HyperX or Razer). Since the keyboard uses standard Cherry switches, you can generally use any PBT keycaps on the keyboard.
AOC Agon AGK700 Software
What we like: AOC’s “G-Tools” app is clearly structured and sensibly organized. While it may not win a design award for its appearance, it is functional, and all features are accessible through clearly labeled windows. The software also responds quickly and is more responsive than, for example, Razer’s Synapse software. The G-Tools software also avoids additional features like streaming or gaming recordings.
What we don’t like: In some fields of the software, the text is too long and is not fully displayed. This looks odd, and the missing text can be shown by hovering over the box. However, this is indeed a problem with the German version. In English, the software looks reasonable.
In Practice
In this section, we present how the keyboard performs in practical tests. We will cover ergonomics and handling. We will also look at how typing and gaming with the keys feels and what possibilities the keyboard offers in practice. We will explain the following points:
- Ergonomics and handling
- The keys, haptic feedback, and sound
- Macro functions
Ergonomics and Handling
AOC uses ABS keys in its high-end keyboard that feel pleasant under the fingers. The keys remind us of similar gaming models like the Roccat Pyro and Fnatic Streak, which also use similar gray-black ABS keycaps.
The keys feel pleasant and high-quality under the fingers. The wrist rest is held securely in place by the magnetic closure, making it only removable with effort. The material is soft, and the wrists rest stably on it.
The media control wheel is made of metal and has a premium feel and turns smoothly. The other macro and special keys are of a comfortable size, making them easy to reach in combat. The left special keys are slightly lower than the other keys and could have been positioned a bit higher for better ergonomics.
The lighting is also a positive feature of the keyboard. All keys are well lit, and even from a side or angled view, all keys are easily readable. The letters and numbers on the keyboard are large enough to be clearly visible even in a dark room.
Especially the special and macro keys are also easy to see in the dark, which we found to be much better compared to the Logitech G815.
Keys, Haptic Feedback, and Sound
AOC uses red Cherry switches, which are linear switches. This means that pressing the keys requires less force, but you don’t hear a click when the key is activated. That is the case, for example, with blue switches, which produce a noticeable click.
Through the proprietary G-Tools app, the response times of the keys can be displayed. In the fastest case, there is a delay of 16 ms, and on average, we measured between 30 and 60 ms. This falls within the speed of similar gaming keyboards. The Razer Ornata Chroma averages around 35 ms.
As with any mechanical keyboard, the AGON AGK700 can also be noticeably loud when typing and gaming. When pressing a key, you can hear a slight metallic resonance along with the usual key press sound. When gaming with headphones, the noise is not noticeable; however, those gaming with speakers or typing a text might perceive the metallic noise as disruptive.
In practice, the keyboard is well-suited for gaming, especially fast-paced games like Apex Legends. The keys are responsive, and the hands rest comfortably on the wrist rest. The macro keys on the left side are overall positioned a bit too low, and the mute button is placed somewhat far at the upper right corner.
Macro Functions
What we like: The game mode is also helpful. Here, you can set whether you want to disable the Windows key or swap the WASD and arrow keys. This works quite well, and switching functions is easy.
The dedicated macro keys on the left can also be assigned quickly and easily. The macro editor integrated in G-Tools is a bit unconventional, but works without issues.
What we don’t like: Overall, there are too few tooltips for users within the software. We had to click through the macro editor and try various things. The Swarm software from Roccat does this better, as it provides a tooltip for every setting.
Conclusion: Premium Gaming Keyboard for Professional Gamers
Who is this gaming keyboard suitable for? With the AGON series, manufacturer AOC targets professional gamers. For 180 euros, you definitely get an extremely high-quality gaming keyboard with a sturdy casing, comfortable wrist rest, and intuitive software. The additional special and macro keys, along with the extra USB port, round off the positive overall picture.
Heavy typists or those looking for a keyboard for home office should rather opt for a keyboard with blue or brown switches. These offer a clear feel when activating the key and feel more precise when typing. Examples include the Logitech G815 and the Roccat Vulcan 121. For better ergonomics, we would even recommend the TKL variant of the Vulcan.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Agon by AOC AGK700 Gaming Tastatur - Deutsches Layout - Cherry MX Red Switches - Anti-Ghosting - AOC... | Zu Amazon |
*Affiliate-Links. Wir erhalten bei einem Kauf eine kleine Provision von Amazon. Vielen Dank für Eure Unterstützung!
What alternatives are there?
- The Logitech G815 offers you similarly high build quality and blue switches. These are special low-profile switches, which are said to be particularly good for typing. However, the illumination of the keyboard is somewhat inferior.
- Roccat’s Vulcan 121 offers high-quality build quality and precise switch keys for around 150 euros. However, compared to the AGK700, you do not get dedicated macro keys or a USB port on the back. However, you do get a unique design.
- Corsair K100 RGB offers opto-mechanical switches, which are said to be significantly more durable than Cherry switches. The keyboard is also very high-quality and offers better macro keys than the AGON AGK700.
