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Gaming Keyboard Review: SteelSeries Apex

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is an excellent gaming keyboard that is also fairly flexible. It includes a unique function that allows you to adjust the amount of pre-travel distance required to enter a keystroke, which affects the actuation force. You may set it to a lower value for a more responsive gaming experience or a higher one to limit the frequency of mistakes and unintentional keystrokes when entering text. This keyboard is really well-made, with dedicated media keys and a convenient magnetic wrist rest.

 

Before I go into the customizable actuation, I have to add that the Apex Pro is a beautiful keyboard. SteelSeries claims that the Series 5000 aluminum alloy frame is aircraft-grade. The matte surface has a plastic-like feel to it, and the black structure provides a nice backdrop for the RGB lighting. The Apex Pro connects to your PC through the included USB Type-A connector, as one would expect from a mechanical keyboard. The cable management method is even more astonishing. A lengthy channel on the rear of the keyboard allows you to snap in the keyboard's cord and stretch it outwards from one of three points.

 

You can keep things neat whether your PC's port is on the right, left, or center of the keyboard. I wish there was more space because the wire is so lengthy (approximately 7 feet). Three rubber pads on the bottom hold the keyboard in place on your desk. The flip-out feet provide a little raise in back height, while others may prefer a bigger boost. It makes up for its lack of height with a soft-touch magnetic wrist rest that snaps on and off in a flash. The silky smooth wrist rest feels fantastic, especially when moving around the keyboard, and contributes to the kind of experience you'd expect from a $200 keyboard. It's not as thick and fluffy as a fabric wrist rest like the HyperX wrist rest, but it should be strong and long-lasting without the need for fabric, and it has eight rubber feet for added stability. The keyboard's screen is OLED, but it's all about readability with its small size and black-and-white display. Its unique feature is the ability to customize it. Double-tapping the right-hand button brings up a menu (Illumination / Macros / Actuation / Profiles and Settings), which you may traverse using the audio wheel and press in. It's convenient that you can use the keyboard without having to download the Steelseries Engine 3 companion software, especially if you'll be using it on various PCs. The sleek audio wheel also controls the volume on your PC. A USB 2.0 Type-A passthrough port, like many mechanical keyboards, is located on the top, next to a modest SteelSeries branding. To use it, connect one of the two-pronged USB connections on the keyboard cord to your computer. This effectively transfers one USB port from your PC, which may be blocked by cables or shoved against a wall, to a more accessible location—ideal for plugging in your mouse or a Bluetooth dongle. When the USB passthrough port is ready to use, it glows brilliant white. The Apex Pro is smaller than comparable 104-key keyboards like the Hexgears Impulse (2 pounds, 17.25 x 6 inches) and Patriot Memory Viper V765 at 2.14 pounds and 17.2 x 1.9 x 4.4 inches (2.5 pounds, 18.4 x 6.4 inches). If you have a small workstation, this would be worth considering, but a tenkeyless keyboard will save you a lot of room.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is without a doubt one of the greatest gaming keyboards I've tried in recent years, with so many unique features and lightning-fast speed that it's difficult to find fault with it. SteelSeries' OmniPoint switches are used to construct the keyboard. These have an extremely quick 0.7 millisecond reaction time and a 0.4 millimetre actuation point. As a consequence, whether hammering thousands of words into Google Docs or playing a few games of Overwatch in the evening, the Apex Pro feels tremendously pleasurable to use on a regular basis. This isn't just a gamer's accessory, but it does lean heavily in that way. Each key has an actuation point that can be adjusted from 0.4 to 3.6mm to suit your preferences. For gamers who are very particular about the responsiveness of their keyboard, bespoke actuation points stored in their own switchable profiles will be excellent. Competitive gamers, for example, may have one profile dedicated to Overwatch and another to League of Legends. Switching between them is as simple as pressing a few buttons, as long as everything is approved in SteelSeries Engine beforehand.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is one of the greatest, if not the best, gaming keyboards available. It stands out from the crowd because to its bespoke actuation, attractive design, and vivid RGB lights. It's a touch pricey, but considering the keyboards it's up against, it should be. The SteelSeries Apex Pro should be at the top of your list if you have the cash and are searching for a premium gaming keyboard.