Like the name properly indicates, the SteelSeries Apex wants to stand at the top when it comes to the crowded gaming keyboards market, it tries to do so by providing users with a ton of options, both visually and in terms of gaming efficiency and functionality.
The SteelSeries Apex also has a kid brother of sorts called Apex Raw, it's basically the same keyboard in terms of visual design except for the multicolored lights and a few more columns of macro keys, in terms of gaming and general functionalities the regular Apex easily defeats its brother Raw.
To get a sensitive issue out of the way, none of the Apex keyboards are mechanical, this was a conscious decision and choice made by SteelSeries, according to them, membrane keys allow quicker button presses, making the Apex one of the fastest keyboards ever produced.
Right out of the box the Apex is one impressive keyboard, heavy and sturdy you can really feel the work SteelSeries has put into building a very solid and well made product.
Displaying a considerable number of macro keys, two extra arrow keys and a nice looking space-bar, the Apex is certainly a joy to look at, depending on who you ask it might actually be one of the best looking keyboards that SteelSeries has released to date, hopefully the awkward visual designs are a thing of the past now.
Going back to the "well built" department, the two sets of swappable rubber feet allow the user to find a more comfortable angle while also providing a very nice grip, stopping your keyboard from moving while playing (the considerable weight also helps).
While the bump on the W key that SteelSeries tries to emphasize as a big deal is nothing special - personally I had trouble feeling it - the very good key placement combined with the low profile keys certainly help out in intense gaming sessions, the large space-bar is simply awesome for both typing and gaming as it is super easy to reach and allows your thumb to rest, the only negative aspect I could find was the escape key, the habit of reaching for the top left corner of the keyboard usually ended up with me inadvertently changing the layer of keys, it is something you just need to get used to.
More great things await when you actually plug it in, a vast array of colorful lights turn on and become one with the keyboard, giving it a totally unique look depending on the preferences of each and every user, yes, each zone of the keyboard has an option to change the intensity and actual color of the light, possibly turning your Apex into an unique custom version of the original thing.
According to SteelSeries there are more than 16 million colors to choose from, while most of the zones look great, some areas are inconsistent, especially in the F keys the actual colors are usually a tad smudged when compared for example with the arrow keys or the SteelSeries logo, it's a minor complain when you take everything into consideration but hopefully in future versions of the Apex we'll see this problem fixed.
If you're a person that takes gaming seriously you should probably get this version of the Apex rather than the Raw one, the number of options in terms of layers (4 vs 2) and the extra column of macro keys will probably come in handy, especially for someone who plays MMO's (healing, dps, support and Tank layers).
According to my mathematical skills the Apex has a total of 88 macro keys and since every other key on the keyboard is programmable the total goes up to 504 keys (ok you got me, it's SteelSeries math).
To do all this programming and color changing you will want to have the SteelSeries Engine installed in your computer, from there you can configure almost anything you want with relative ease as the software is pretty simple to use, I found a few issues with layers not saving correctly a few times and going back to their default values, it only happened a couple of times but it was kind of annoying just the same.
Casual players and users in general can also rejoice, SteelSeries has included a few more functions like the dedicated media keys on the right side or the two usb ports on the back to make the Apex feel a bit more complete, use them as an excuse to buy this version (deep down we all know that we want the Apex because of the shiny colors).
Also expect to find a nice braided cable, something that personally I find important and sometimes is forgotten, this way your cables remain well protected most of the time.
Final Thoughts
For any gamer out there who is looking for a non-mechanical keyboard the SteelSeries Apex is the best option, everything feels right with this one, the price (99$), the visual appeal, the technology behind it and the build quality are all top-notch.
Even if you're not a gamer you should consider it as a valid option, the extra flare that SteelSeries added to this version over the Raw one definitely justifies the extra cash.
The Good
- Huge number of macro keys
- A lot of customization options
- Great design
- Feels sturdy and well built
- The amazing space-bar
- Very comfortable
The Bad
- Some minor issues with the SteelSeries Engine
- Light and color inconsistencies
Thanks to SteelSeries for providing the review sample
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