The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 didn’t make the best first impression on me. At a retail price of $220, that’s a lot of cash for a compact amount of keyboard, and the lack of a wireless mode or USB pass-through meant that you had to constantly dedicate a USB cable to this device to be able to employ it for long periods of time. Besides, if I were to buy the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96, I would now get the best wireless gaming keyboard and at a lower price.
However, from the switches to the feel to the software, SteelSeries has created a keyboard undeniably for enthusiasts – and in just a few hours of employ. My first impressions weren’t entirely wrong, but I failed to capture the nuances of a keyboard dedicated to enthusiasts.
Starting with perhaps the most essential element, the typing feel, this keyboard is impeccable. The caps go down without too much pressure, but are sturdy enough to go up when I lightly place my fingers on top before typing. Each key has a fairly muted but distinct sound, different from the pings of the typist’s keyboard and a more pleasant “thump”. This makes it perfect for an office environment or game room like the one I share with my partner.
The Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 has an aluminum top with a plastic back and feels extremely strong thanks to its compact frame. Weighing less than a kilogram, the item is featherlight enough to take with you, but is not featherlight in terms of build quality. This could be a success, although it’s a bit too pretty for me to pull off.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 Specifications
These keys are very responsive and comfortable to type on, both during hours of typing and gaming. They have a glossy, slightly curved center, which means your fingers can easily see the full keys in the gloomy – although thanks to the RGB backlighting, this is rarely the case. With only two media keys in the upper right corner, near the OLED screen, it lacks the more resilient controls like the Logitech G915 X Lightspeed, but it makes up for it in many other places.
For example, perhaps the biggest selling point of this keyboard is the OmniPoint 3.0 switches underneath. Described as the “fastest and most sensitive switches in the world”, thanks to faster response and actuation times, they employ Hall effect sensors, which means no contact is required to register keystrokes. In addition to being beneficial for long-term employ, this means there are no strict limits on how it increases activity.
Each key is individually lubricated, which means it is much easier to press without resistance, but it can also be activated with just 0.1mm, meaning you can raise its sensitivity as you wish. Each key (other than the navigation function keys) can have its actuation points adjusted, which means that movement keys with WASD can be made to be slightly harder to press, but timed situation keys such as those with QTEs or special powers, may be easier to click on and off.
Picture 1 With 3
Additionally, the quick release keys make an impression quite quickly. Instead of activating based on a specific pressure point or trigger, they activate based on when you intend to push and release. This means you don’t have to lean away from the key completely for it to stop pressing.
In practice, this means that the keyboard responds a little faster than you might expect. Once you download SteelSeries’ GG software, this keyboard will really start to shine, and not just because you can brighten up the RGB. The main categories of keyboard users are “Quickset” and “Engine”. The former allows you to configure profiles for different vibrations and games. It can also be used to open key customizations, which is one of the best parts of the software.
The price puts it out of immediate recommendation range and a bit closer to the enthusiast’s choice, but it’s great to employ
Here you can set key bindings and customize startup, but you can also set dual startup. This means that pressing a key halfway may press one key, and pressing it down may press another key.
I found this particularly useful in games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, where I was able to set left ctrl to bind for both crouching and prone, while still being able to slide or dive with enough pressure.
In addition, the keys have an optional “protection mode” that can make it challenging to press adjacent keys while you are holding them. For example, if you need to stretch to hit “m” while playing, and you accidentally press “n” while doing so, this may make it challenging to register “n” to avoid missing input. It’s a really frosty tool that most people probably won’t employ, but the right people will love it.
Speaking of love, the built-in OLED screen can also be customized via this menu. Each GIF, which works in black and white and measures 1287 x 40 pixels, can be played at 10 frames per second, and it’s a really frosty way to make your keeb feel like yours. If you’re looking for something more practical, head over to “Engine” for custom apps. This allows you to constantly monitor system performance or view Discord pings without having to launch the app.
Within the apps you can find individual programs for specific games, which is fantastic at best. Not only does Counter-Strike 2 display your weapon in the upper right corner when you pick it up and even show you kills, but the RGB can flash to indicate how much health you have. While many gamers don’t look at the keyboard while gaming, I find that these little touches have greatly enriched my gaming space. Even apps like Discord are compatible and show you via RGB when you’re muted, who’s speaking in your group, and how deafening you’re talking.
Buy if…
✅ You want to trigger individual keys and customize RGB: You can customize this keyboard in great detail, to an extent that is truly impressive.
✅ You Really Want a Competitive Keyboard: It’s a very speedy and responsive board with tons of great features if you have the time and inclination to check them out
✅ You need to travel with him: Thanks to its size and build quality, it is a keyboard that is uncomplicated to slip into a bag and take with you when traveling.
Don’t buy if…
❌ You have a restricted budget: You pay extra for these fresh and improved switches with rapid fire technology. You can buy solid keyboards for less, even if this one shows that price in terms of build quality and design.
❌ You only want this OLED screen: While this is a nice addition to the keyboard, there are cheaper ways to get keyboards with displays.
❌ You are not interested in macros, specific key bindings and RGB: This is a good keyboard for someone who likes to play around with settings and make sure everything works well. If you want something more plug-and-play, there are better options.
I was a bit surprised and delighted by so many little things while testing these keyboards, even if following the second-gen keyboard I was never fully wowed.
When I first launched the software, I encountered a strange bug where two keys weren’t lighting up – but the problem was soon fixed after a reboot and I haven’t been able to reproduce it since. Unfortunately, the software can be somewhat inconsistent in its specific implementation of software compatibility.
To get custom profiles with unique and customized RGB and images, you need to access specially designed applications. This means that where DOTA 2’s settings may seem manual, you’re left with more basic RGB controls. You can create your own applications via SteelSeries developer site but the only thing you can configure for in-app games is button reassignment.
If you’re looking for something similar but a bit cheaper, the Wooting 60HE is a great choice with Rapid Trigger keys, dual actuation, and great switches. Full price, it’s about $50 cheaper, but you can get it even cheaper since it’s been available for a few years. It even has a similar response time, the same launch range and lovely RGB.
SteelSeries has its own wrist rest, OLED screen, and those fresh switches are pretty impeccable, but it already has some great competition that’s worth watching.
This keyboard is excellent, from the build quality to the design to the fresh switches. The price puts it out of immediate recommendation range and a little closer to the enthusiast’s choice, but it’s great to employ, has some seriously impressive software and hardware, and looks great – if you can stomach the price.
