SteelSeries Apex Pro

One of the best gaming keyboards available right now with excellent build quality, endless customization options and some innovative new ideas.

SteelSeries Apex Pro is a premium gaming keyboard with a rare talent: customizable actuation points for each key.

While it won’t change the feel of the keyboard, it will allow you to customize the sensitivity of each key. For example, you can set the WASD keys as highly sensitive so that they trigger a slight pressure, while you can configure the ‘G’ key to make a deep press to avoid accidental grenade throwing.

While the invention of this new gaming keyboard is certainly impressive, it is not entirely made like the choice of Wooting One or Razer Huntsman V2 analog, which can bind multiple inputs to a single key at different actuation points. But SteelSeries Apex Pro is £ 50 cheaper than the latter, with an RRP of £ 199.99.

While it’s expensive, the Apex Pro justifies its query value with much more impressive features and build quality that sits among the superior devices I’ve reviewed in recent years. Those looking for a comfortable, robust, and customizable keyboard of the highest caliber need not look further than this.

Price and availability

SteelSeries Apex Pro is now available from official SteelSeries stores and third-party retailers such as Amazon.

The official price of the Apex Pro is £ 199.99 / $ 199.99 / € 229.99, although it is possible to get it cheaper from the choice of Amazon Renewed.

Design and build

• A £ 200 gaming keyboard clearly targets enthusiasts
• An aluminum alloy frame game described as “aircraft” grade
• Comes with an optional magnetic wrist-rest for extra comfort

After removing it from the packaging, the Apex Pro immediately left an interesting impression. It has a significant height, lands on my desk with a ‘thank you’ when I plug it in and is greeted by a fantastic display of RGB light. The aluminum-alloy frame has been described as “aircraft” grade, which means it can probably withstand a lot of punishment, although I wouldn’t recommend throwing it against the wall if you want to keep all the keys intact.

On the one hand, knowing the Apex Pro will definitely last through a decent amount of wear makes it feel like a premium product, with its sleek OLED smart display, scroll wheel and a wealth of other features elevating it above a standard gaming keyboard. You’ll also find a USB passthrough port on the back, which is ideal for plugging in controllers or other devices that can be quickly and periodically removed.

You can customize the OLED display above with a variety of statistics, or even manually change it to display a picture or text that suits your preferences. Admittedly, this is a fairly unnecessary feature for most gamers, but when used properly, it’s a delightful compliment that I’ve come to appreciate in my time with it.

By standard, the OLED screen will flip between the current temperature and the usage of your GPU, CPU and RAM. This is great for testing how hard recent games can be on your rig, or evaluating how many Google Chrome tabs it can tolerate before buckling.

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However, enter the customization settings and this display becomes an irresistible basket of possibilities. It can be used to show your current music, control the actuation points of different keys or even offer an easy way to switch between different profiles at the touch of a button.

You can adjust the volume and pause video and other media with the scroll wheel and assistant buttons. It only takes up a small amount of overall real estate on the keyboard, but this smart display arguably sets Apex Pro apart after most of the competition. Animated GIFs and images can even be replaced on display, but this kind of achievement will require a lot of determination and extremely small custom resolution formats.

Performance

• Actuation points can be customized for each key
• The main actuation points range from 0.4 to 3.6 mm
• Smart displays create a compelling multimedia experience

SteelSeries Apex Pro is one of the best gaming keyboards I have used in recent years, with many unique features and a bright fast functionality that is really hard to blame.

The keyboard is built using SteelSeries’ standalone OmniPoint switch. These boast a very fast response time of 0.7 milliseconds, with an actuation point of only 0.4 millimeters. As a result, Apex Pro feels extremely satisfying to use on a daily basis, using thousands of words in Google Docs, or playing a few rounds. Overwatch In the evening it’s not just a peripheral for gamers, though it’s definitely leaning heavily in that direction.

Each key features an actuation point of 0.4 to 3.6 mm, which can be customized to your liking. Bespoke actuation points placed on their own variable profiles would be ideal for gamers who are seriously concerned about the responsiveness of their keyboard. For example, competing players may focus on one profile overwatch, the other may be dedicated to the League of Legends. Switching between them is done by pressing a few buttons, until everything in the SteelSeries engine is confirmed in advance.

It’s relatively non-stop, and the difference you can make in how the keys respond to your touch is truly amazing. More casual gamers will probably be happy with the default setup of the Apex Pro, as it looks quite chic out of the box with minimal fiddling, although ignoring this feature defeats the reason for buying such an expensive peripheral.

The only major problem here is that customizing the actuation point for each key for individual games can be a long and tedious process, so it’s probably reserved for most of your gameplay. The extra time required to use this keyboard to its full potential may be a bit of a hindrance, but I really think the extra bit of learning is more than a success. However, it is It’s a shame you can’t combine two functions like the Razor Huntsman V2 Analog and the Outing One into a single key.

SteelSeries says the Apex Pro will withstand more than 100 million keypresses, so after losing 200 pounds it is expected to hold for years to come. I’ve been using it for several weeks now, and I haven’t noticed any drop in performance or ease of use. If anything, the Apex Pro has only become more intuitive as I begin to gel with the sensitivity of its unique design, further strengthened by the sensitive but durable keys that allow me to type at blister speeds without the slightest mistake.

Software and lighting

• RGB customization options are almost limitless
• You can sync it with a selection of music and games
• Easy to play with still series engine

With the same level of intuitive customization as the Apex Pro’s RGB lighting keys, all your options are housed in SteelSeries’ Bespoke program. It’s easy to use, allows you to register multiple profiles, each with its own unique light pattern. Individual keys can be decorated with their own color, so that you can possibly create any image of your choice, as long as it works within the suggested space.

If you wish, the RGB light can be pulse or explode on a brightly colored horse, or pulse along with music, games and apps to further immerse the experience. Again, you have to dedicate some of your own time to learning how Apex Pro works best, but I think it’s worth the investment. It’s some of the best RGB lights I’ve seen on a gaming keyboard in a while, proving itself to be both explosive and subtle in equal measure.

Conclusion

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a fantastic gaming keyboard, featuring fast and quick mechanical switches, as well as boasting innovative features like configurable actuation points and an OLED display.

It’s a shame that the Apex Pro misses the dual-key functions, making the Razr Huntsman V2 analog a more tempting offer if you’re willing to get the extra £ 50, yet SteelSeries Apex Pro is still one of the absolute best. Gaming keyboard options you can buy now.

If you must buy it.

• You want one of the best gaming keyboards around
  SteelSeries Apex Pro has received significant acclaim from players and critics alike and deserves such a reception. If you want one of the best keyboards available right now, this is one to consider.

• Customization is important to you
  It is a keyboard that offers a powerful level of customization not only for its RGB lighting, but also for the functionality of the keys themselves. You can dig incredibly deep here if you want, so this could be one for hardcore technology fans.

• You are a competitive player
  The ability to switch between different performance profiles at the touch of a button makes the Apex Pro an ideal keyboard for competitive gamers. It is sharp, precise and comfortable to use in a way that would greatly benefit such an environment.

You shouldn’t buy this if.