Ive played with some of the best gaming keyboards around, but this analog model is the one I keep coming back to heres why

Date:
Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Description:
The SteelSeries Apex Pro has been around for a few years, and its latest iteration is just as spectacular as ever.

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Analog keyboards are more popular than ever, providing gamers with greater tactility and nuance. They allow for modulated presses and customizable actuation points, and come with exclusive features such as the all-important Rapid Trigger that make them ideal for elite-level play.

There are plenty of analog boards to choose from, but the best, in my view,
is the SteelSeries Apex Pro. Weve included the 2023 version in our best
gaming keyboard guide, and the updated Gen 3 model is no less impressive. So let's dive into what makes the Apex Pro such a fantastic analog keyboard.
Best in class

Lets start with the build quality: you wont find many other keyboards built
to such exacting standards. Every inch of the Apex Pro looks and feels
premium and durable.

The chassis is solid yet not too heavy, making it relatively easy to get into position. As you would expect, it also comes equipped with double-shot PBT keycaps the gold standard material. These feel great in use, thanks to their subtle but noticeable texture that makes them tactile.

The TKL models and bigger even feature a small screen in the top-right
corner. This can be customized to display all manner of content, from
pictures and GIFs to vital in-game information for popular titles, such as Counter-Strike 2 and League of Legends . It also has a menu where you can alter various settings, including the global actuation point and Rapid
Trigger toggle. The insane brightness of the G5 OLED allows colorful movies such as Wicked to really pop. (Image credit: Future)

It might not be the most eye-catching gaming keyboard, but beneath that restrained exterior lurks an incredibly high-performing machine. In my SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review , I noted how great those analog switches feel: theyre satisfyingly damped, yet still provide plenty of snap, which makes the Apex Pro ideal for gaming and typing.

Whats more, the keys provide enough feedback and travel to make hitting certain actuation points easier than on other analog keyboards Ive experienced. The indentations of the keycaps help to get a secure and comfortable position, while the bottom row is easy to use when adopting the WASD position which isnt something I can say about every gaming keyboard Ive tried.

SteelSeries GG software can be used to customize the Apex Pro. Youll find a multitude of rebinding options, although the selection isnt quite as vast as youll find in other apps, such as Razers Synapse. Still, the media and system shortcuts that are available should suffice for most users. The Hisense C2 Ultra projector delivers excellent colors, but needs a darkened room to
really shine. (Image credit: Future)

Naturally, there are various actuation adjustments and features, too. You can set the activation point between 0.1mm and 4mm for each key individually, and you can also choose whether a key activates on its down or upstroke. Along with Rapid Trigger, theres a dual-actuation mode that lets you bind two
inputs to a single key.

GG is quick to run and has an easy layout to navigate, although I wish it provided more visual feedback for actuation, as other analog keyboard
software provides.

The wireless variant of the Apex Pro has excellent connectivity, providing both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth methods for greater versatility, and both performed with aplomb on the devices I tested. As I noted in my SteelSeries Apex Pro
TKL Wireless Gen 3 review , battery life is also quite good, living up to its 40-hour claim according to my experience. Even with light coming in through the windows to the right of the screen, there's barely a reflection in sight. (Image credit: Future)

About the only drawback I can find with the Apex Pro, aside from its eye-watering price tag, is the wrist rest: it lacks padding, and I didnt find it wide enough to accommodate my whole wrist and I dont have big hands.
Whats more, it has an annoying tendency to flip upwards when exerting too
much pressure in the wrong place.

Yes, the Apex Pro costs a lot of money, but youre getting one of the
best-made and best-performing gaming keyboards on the market. Also, there are TKL and Mini variants that help to bring the cost down. The latter in particular does a sterling job of compensating for its lack of keys with some useful second-layer shortcuts.

There are wired models that are cheaper too, although the price difference isnt that great, which is why I would recommend the wireless models (although the Mini is currently wired-only). But no matter which variant you go with, the Apex Pro offers a superlative analog experience. You might also like You can get an RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop for just $1,124 right now here's how Don't expect any good Prime Day Nintendo Switch 2 deals here are the 3 handheld gaming PCs I recommend instead, and the deals to look for DOOM: The Dark Ages looks stunning at 8K with new lighting effects but it almost humbled my Nvidia RTX 5090



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/keyboards/ive-played-with-some-of-the-best -gaming-keyboards-around-but-this-analog-model-is-the-one-i-keep-coming-back-t o-heres-why


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