At a look
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Excellent workmanship and high-quality supplies
- Individually adjustable OmniPoint 3.0 switches
- Rapid Trigger and Dual Action for quick response occasions
- Quiet typing noise because of built-in damping and double-shot PBT keycaps
- High-quality palm relaxation and secure Construction
Cons
- Very excessive worth
- No hot-swap for switches
- No devoted macro or media keys
- “Only” 1,000 Hertz polling charge
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 is among the most technically superior gaming keyboards available on the market, providing first-class construct high quality, typing really feel, and customization.
Price When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
259.99
Best Prices Today: Steelseries Apex Pro Gen 3
$224.99
SteelSeries has despatched its flagship keyboard into its third era. The firm claims the Apex Pro Gen 3 is the quickest gaming keyboard on the planet, that includes new magnetic switches, improved consolation, and quieter typing. We took a better look to see what’s behind the hype and whether or not the premium worth is justified.
Friedrich Stiemer
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Design and ergonomics
The SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 makes an impression as quickly as you unpack it. The housing consists of a sturdy aluminum prime and a strong plastic base. Weighing round 2.42 kilos, it sits firmly on the desk. Nothing wobbles, nothing slips.
A sensible spotlight is the magnetic palm relaxation, which adheres firmly to the decrease edge and affords a pleasantly gentle floor. It gives noticeable reduction for the wrists, particularly throughout lengthy gaming classes. The keyboard is full-size, together with a quantity pad, making it excellent for anybody who writes or does workplace work. However, with dimensions of round 436 × 139 × 40 millimeters, it does take up a good quantity of desk area.
Friedrich Stiemer
The RGB lighting is remarkably even. Thanks to the brand new double-shot PBT keycaps, the sunshine not solely shines by means of the labeling, but additionally from the edges. These keycaps are recognized for his or her sturdiness and abrasion resistance, provide a safe grip, and hardly discolor over time.
One small drawback is that PBT keycaps are dearer to fabricate and might really feel barely rougher than ABS caps. In darkish rooms, this seems to be spectacular with out being distracting. The matte end seems to be prime quality and hardly attracts fingerprints.
Friedrich Stiemer
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Accessories
In addition to the keyboard itself, the field comprises a removable, braided USB-C cable, the magnetic palm relaxation, and a keycap remover. Replacement caps or different extras aren’t included. While they aren’t important for a premium keyboard on this class, their presence would’ve been a welcome bonus.
Friedrich Stiemer
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Technology and options
At the guts of the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 are the brand new OmniPoint 3.0 switches, manufactured by Gateron. These magnetic switches register keystrokes not mechanically, however through a Hall-effect sensor. This is a expertise that works with magnetic fields to measure key journey (with out contact) and with excessive precision.
The switches have a linear really feel with an actuating drive of round 45 grams, which permits quick and constant enter. The standout function is the per-key adjustability, permitting actuation depth to be set anyplace from an ultra-fast 0.1 mm to a full 4.0 mm.
Friedrich Stiemer
In follow, which means when you want quick response occasions in shooters, you’ll be able to set the buttons to extraordinarily high-quality triggering. If you favor exact typing, enhance the depth for extra typing management. The customization takes place within the SteelSeries GG software program and is saved on to the keyboard. This permits customers to play with their saved profiles even with out the software program put in.
Not all keys are outfitted with the dearer OmniPoint switches. While the principle block makes use of them, the operate row and quantity keys depend on basic linear SteelSeries Red switches. This is hardly noticeable in on a regular basis use, however it’s nonetheless value noting. There is not any hot-swap operate for changing the switches.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Performance
The polling charge is 1,000 Hz. That’s strong, however not record-breaking. Some high-end keyboards now provide as much as 8,000 Hz. This implies that the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 registers inputs as much as 1,000 occasions per second, which helps maintain enter latency very low.
The keyboard additionally helps N-key rollover and anti-ghosting, in order that a number of simultaneous keystrokes are reliably acknowledged. This is very vital for fast-paced video games.
Friedrich Stiemer
One spotlight is the “Rapid Trigger” operate, which permits a key to reset and actuate once more as quickly as it’s lifted barely. In fast-paced video games equivalent to Valorant or Counter-Strike 2, this allows lightning-fast route modifications.
In mixture with “Dual Action Keybinds” (i.e. double task relying on the depth of strain), the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 turns into a severe software in esports. One button can carry out two actions: a lightweight press prompts strolling, for instance, whereas a stronger press in the identical keystroke prompts sprinting. This is good for dynamic actions in video games equivalent to Apex Legends or Call of Duty.
SteelSeries has additionally improved the keyboard’s acoustics. A layer of damping materials now sits between the circuit board and the bottom. As a outcome, it’s a lot quieter than different mechanical keyboards. It produces extra of a mild “thock” as an alternative of the standard click-clack.
Friedrich Stiemer
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Software and operation
Setup through the SteelSeries GG software program is simple. Here you’ll be able to set the set off level for every button, regulate the lighting, program macros, or handle profiles. Particularly handy are the predefined presets for well-known video games equivalent to Apex Legends, CS2, and Fortnite.
Friedrich Stiemer
An built-in OLED show within the prime right-hand nook reveals system data, quantity, profiles, and incoming Discord messages. It will also be custom-made with private textual content or a small brand.
Together with the aluminum rotary wheel, the show additionally doubles as a hub for media management. Here you’ll be able to regulate the amount, hit play or pause, and modify the lighting. However, there are not any devoted media buttons, which is a little bit of a disgrace at this worth level.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3: Everyday life and gaming
In on a regular basis use, the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 proves to be a real all-rounder. It feels pleasantly direct and exact when typing and reacts lightning-fast in gaming conditions. Shooters, specifically, profit from the low latency. When enjoying Valorant and Call of Duty, keys responded virtually immediately.
The keyboard additionally impresses with lengthy texts. The stroke stays gentle, the typing noise discreet, and the palm relaxation ensures consolation. Anyone who has ever skilled the distinction between 0.1 and 4 millimeters of actuation will perceive how finely the typing conduct may be tuned.
Friedrich Stiemer
The solely draw back is that, with its weight and wired connection, the Apex Pro Gen 3 is clearly designed as a desktop keyboard. If you’re normally on the transfer, it’s higher to go for the TKL or wi-fi model. That model, nonetheless, comes with second-generation OmniPoint switches.