SteelSeries Apex Pro

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is praised for its stylish design and high-quality construction. It features a plastic body with an aircraft-grade aluminum face, giving it a sleek and premium look. The compact form factor makes it ideal for those who prefer a space-saving design.

The keyboard is finished in an understated matte black, adding to its high-quality appearance. The use of aluminum alloy in the construction contributes to its durability and sturdiness.

The Apex Pro has several distinctive design features that set it apart from other gaming keyboards. It has an OLED smart display for adjusting settings and tracking on-the-fly information. The keyboard also has adjustable actuation switches, allowing users to customize the actuation distance of each key for a personalized typing experience.

The per-key RGB lighting is fully customizable with 16.8 million colors, and the keyboard comes with a premium magnetic wrist rest for added comfort.

The size and weight of the Apex Pro make it a great choice for users with limited desk space or those who need a portable option. It is relatively compact compared to other full-size keyboards and weighs around 750g, making it easy to set up and use in various gaming environments.

The Apex Pro offers customizable lighting options with impressive brightness and color accuracy. The SteelSeries Engine software provides an easy-to-use interface for customizing the lighting, although accessing all the options may require navigating through nested menus.

Overall, the SteelSeries Apex Pro is a visually appealing and durable gaming keyboard with unique design features. It is suitable for users who prioritize aesthetics, durability, and customization options in their gaming setup.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard features SteelSeries' proprietary OmniPoint switches, which are highly adjustable and customizable. These switches allow users to customize the actuation point of individual keys, making them ultra-sensitive for fast-paced gaming or less sensitive for everyday typing.

The switches require 45g of force and have a lightning-fast 0.7 millisecond response time. They also have a customizable actuation distance ranging from 0.4 millimeters to 3.6 millimeters. The OmniPoint switches are highly durable, guaranteed for 100 million keypresses, which is double the durability of many other switches.

In terms of typing, the adjustable actuation points can help prevent accidental keystrokes and reduce the chance of making typos. The smooth linear feel of the switches contributes to a comfortable and enjoyable typing experience.

For gaming, the adjustable actuation points give users greater control and precision. Specific keys can be set to have a low actuation point for quick and responsive actions, while others can be adjusted for actions that require deliberate keystrokes.

Overall, the OmniPoint switches in the SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard offer a highly customizable typing and gaming experience, allowing users to optimize the keyboard's performance based on their individual preferences and needs. Whether for precise control in gaming or comfort and accuracy in typing, the adjustable actuation points of the switches enhance the overall experience.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro offers extensive customization options for both RGB lighting and programmable keys. The keyboard features fully customizable per-key RGB lighting, allowing users to create their own lighting profiles and settings. The RGB lighting against the midnight gray frame of the keyboard is vibrant and illuminates the chassis brilliantly.

Users can also adjust the brightness or turn off the RGB lighting for a more subtle look.

In terms of programmable keys, the Apex Pro has a total of 87 programmable keys. The keyboard uses SteelSeries' OmniPoint switches, which allow for adjustable actuation points. This means that users can customize how far keys need to be pressed before they register, providing a high degree of control over the gaming or typing experience.

The Apex Pro comes with software that provides a clean and easy-to-navigate interface for customization. The software is divided into different tabs that deal with key bindings, meta bindings, actuation, illumination, and the OLED display. Users can easily rebind keys, program macros, and adjust settings such as actuation point and switch sensitivity.

The software also allows for syncing and controlling the RGB lighting and programmable keys.

One unique customization feature of the Apex Pro is the adjustable actuation switches. The OmniPoint switches allow users to customize the actuation distance for each key individually, ranging from 0.4mm to 3.6mm. This level of customization provides precise control and allows users to tailor the keyboard to their preferred typing or gaming style.

Additionally, the keyboard features an OLED smart display that serves as an integrated command center, providing real-time information from games, Spotify, Discord, and more.

Overall, the SteelSeries Apex Pro offers unparalleled customization options, making it an ideal choice for gamers and typists who want to personalize their keyboard to suit their specific needs and preferences. The software is generally considered easy to use, although some settings may require navigating through nested menus.

While certain settings may require the software to run in the background, the keyboard provides a wide range of adjustable options for a highly customizable experience.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro offers both wired and wireless connectivity options. The wired option provides a stable and reliable connection, ensuring no cutouts or lag during gameplay. It connects to your computer via a USB Type-A cable and features a USB passthrough port for convenient peripheral device connectivity.

The wireless option, available in the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023) version, can also be used as a wired keyboard and comes with a detachable USB-C to USB-A cable for charging and playing. The wireless version has a battery life of around 37 hours with RGB lighting. Reviewers have generally found the connectivity options of the SteelSeries Apex Pro to provide stable performance for gaming, with no reported issues of cutouts or lag.

However, individual experiences may vary depending on factors such as distance from the receiver and potential interference.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a highly compatible keyboard that works with both Windows and Mac operating systems. It supports Windows 7 or newer and Mac OSX 10.11 or newer, ensuring that users with either operating system can use the keyboard without any issues.

In terms of gaming platforms, the Apex Pro is designed to work with PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. This versatility allows gamers to use the keyboard across different gaming systems, making it suitable for a wide range of gaming setups. However, it is worth noting that while the keyboard can be paired with consoles, it may have limited functionality in that capacity.

To fully customize the keyboard and access all of its features, users will need to install the SteelSeries Engine 3 software. This software serves as a hub for all SteelSeries gear and allows users to customize key bindings, switch actuation point, keyboard illumination, and more. It also offers additional SteelSeries and third-party apps, as well as a library tab with games where users can assign profiles and devices.

The software is compatible with both Windows and macOS operating systems.

Overall, the SteelSeries Apex Pro is a highly compatible keyboard that is suitable for both Windows and Mac users. It is also versatile in terms of gaming platforms, although its full functionality may vary depending on the specific platform. With the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, users can fully customize the keyboard and access a range of features to enhance their gaming experience.