I want to tell you about my favourite thing from Gamescom. It’s not the Xbox Ally X, it’s not an active sim racing brake pedal, and it’s not even that 720Hz tandem OLED monitor. It’s a keyboard – a very special keyboard with one glaring flaw. Let me explain.
The Falcata is another of Asus’ keyboards named after a sword (Falchion, Claymore), and in this case it’s a falcon-shaped sword that was used in the Iberian peninsula. I had no idea that “falcon” was a valid shape for a sword, but there you go. The keyboard itself Falcon-shaped (thankfully), instead it’s kind of normal 75 percent keyboard sized. It does look a little odd though, with a loop of USB wire up top connecting the left side to the right.
That’s because the keyboard splits in half when given a tug, allowing some interesting possibilities. The left side houses all of the internals, so you can use it fully standalone as a keypad, giving you a huge amount of mousing space even if you have a small desk. You can also keep that right side connected, but separate the two halves, angling them outward for a more comfortable typing position. The bonus here is that a convenient space opens up between the two halves, which is ideal for a steaming mug of tea.
Beyond the split ergonomic design, the Falcata is quite a comfy keyboard for typing. The big difference here is the inclusion of four layers of sound dampening poron and silicone, quieting the keyboard while also making its report deeper and more satisfying. There are also PBT keycaps, which last longer than ABS alternatives and tend to have a bit more texture to them, and detachable wrist rests for each side.