The go-to choice for gamers well versed in commands and shortcuts, 65 and 60 percent keyboards are also great for expert typists, and really anyone looking to save some desk real estate by shaving off a third of the keyboard. Make no mistake, losing size doesn’t mean loss of functionality. Some manufacturers of compact keyboards have gone above and beyond to cram in just about everything you’d expect from a full-size keyboard. The latest to come across our desk is the Roccat Vulcan II Mini Mechanical Gaming Keyboard ($149), a gorgeous 65 percent board with excellent RGB lighting and tons of functionality, courtesy of Roccat’s Easy Shift technology.

The New and Improved Vulcan

The Vulcan II is a looker straight out of its packaging. Topped with matte black keycaps, each key looks like its own miniature island, floating atop Roccat’s Titan II Optical Switches. The Vulcan II uses the Red version of these switches, which provide a linear and fast click with little to no sound. Compared with the more familiar Cherry MX Red, the TII Optical Red Switches have a much shorter actuation point (1.4mm to Cherry’s 2.0mm) and travel distance (3.4mm to Cherry’s 4.0). The difference is noticeable, and while it may take a moment to get used to, it does result in faster key presses.

The board’s switches aren’t hot-swappable like the Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mini’s are, but Roccat claims the key switches are compatible with most third-party cross-mount keycaps, offering plenty of customization options if you want to break free of the black or white color schemes offered by default.

Sacrificing a third of the keyboard makes for a compact form factor. The Vulcan II measures 1.2 by 12.7 by 4.5 inches (HWD), a little larger than the HyperX Alloy Origins 65 but otherwise a fairly standard size for a 65 percent keyboard. The keyboard is just 1.1 pounds, far lighter than many of our favorite compact boards, including the Asus Falchion Wireless, and is almost as light as the Razer Huntsman Mini Analog. The light weight is especially impressive considering the extra row of buttons on the Vulcan II.

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Flipping to the board’s backside, you’ll find four rubber grips and a ridged pattern that gives the keyboard an industrial feel. If you’re interested in ergonomics, the board comes equipped with two sets of adjustable feet, each tucked neatly into the underside of the board. At the top, a lone USB-C port welcomes a USB connection. No wireless connectivity options are included with the Vulcan II.

While gaming on a compact keyboard isn’t exactly my forte, the keyboard was fast and responsive in testing. As I mentioned prior, the actuation and travel distance were noticeably different, which fast-twitch gamers will appreciate.

Half the Size, Double the Function

Much of the functionality you expect from a full-size board has been condensed onto the remaining keys, but because of the way the key switches are displayed, the additional functions are not marked on the side of the key as they are on other compact boards. Roccat circumvents this issue with 30 multifunction smart keys equipped with a dual LED to indicate when their secondary function is active.

Vulcan II also makes use of Easy Shift, Roccat’s button duplicator technology. It’s the same technology used in the Roccat Kone XP and Kone XP Air. When the Easy Shift button is held (the left Shift button by default), new functions like hotkeys and macros can be assigned. It takes some work to get things set up properly, but once you’ve got the hang of things, you can potentially add more functionality than what you’d find by default in a full-size board.

All of this is managed in Roccat’s Swarm software, a useful tool that, despite its blast-from-the-past design, is easy to navigate and maneuver. You can edit character repeat rate and even add sound effects to your button presses, as well as customize the gorgeous RGB lighting. There’s no per-key illumination, but you can customize zones of lights or use AIMO, Roccat’s intelligent lighting system, which responds to how you use your computer. It can be synced up with other Roccat gear that supports AIMO illumination, for a coordinated light show across your desk. Up to five profiles can be saved onboard.

Finally, at $149, the 65 percent keyboard isn’t exactly cheap, although it matches the price range into which pretty much every other premium compact keyboard out there falls. But is the Roccat Vulcan II worth the spend? It’s certainly one of the better-looking mini keyboards, thanks to its clear key switches and bright RGB, and I do like that the RGB is functional as well as fashionable. And with Easy Shift, you can squeeze a ton of functionality from the tiny board. It’s excellent for MMOs and strategy games, but the trigger keys work great for shooters, as well. It’s an all-around treat.

Verdict: A Fine Addition to Roccat’s Pantheon

The Vulcan II Mini continues Roccat’s streak of high-quality computer accessories, impressing us with its RGB implementation and wide range of functions. It’s an excellent peripheral despite its lack of wireless options. Sure, its clicks might not be as satisfying as those offered by the Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mini, but it stands key-to-key with many of today’s best keyboard offerings.