The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL is an outstanding gaming and typing keyboard – and now it’s $70 off MSRP at Amazon in the US. Over at Eurogamer, this is our runner-up ‘best gaming keyboard’ pick – and there are strong arguments that it should be our number one option if you prefer a more compact design!
So this keyboard is, right out of the box, a brilliant keyboard to use. Its HyperPoint switches are registered faster than traditional mechanical alternatives, while its PBT keycaps with double-shot shine-through legends offer a great typing feel and bountiful RGB backlighting. There’s an OLED screen in the upper right of the keyboard that provides status info for music and Discord, amongst many other possible uses, while a small wheel allows you to adjust the volume without alt-tabbing out of your game or reaching for your speaker or headset’s knob. The TKL layout, which removes the numpad, is also ideal for FPS and MOBA titles as it allows you to position your mouse more in line with you arm, rather than way off to the side – allowing for easier movement and better ergonomics too.
If you’re willing to dig deeper, then SteelSeries’ “GG” software (terrible name) allows you to set the actuation point of each switch anywhere from 0.1mm to 4mm, allowing you to set up the keyboard for gaming with, eg, incredibly rapid movement on WASD or accident-preventing deep actuation points for ability keys.
There’s also a rapid trigger mode, which sends a new key press as soon as the key stops springing back up and starts heading back down, rather than waiting for an arbitrary actuation point to be reached. This allows for some seriously crispy and responsive controls, ideal for FPS and already a feature that has spread from progenitors Wooting to SteelSeries and Razer.
Beyond the fancy features and great typing experience, the Apex Pro TKL is just well-engineeered. There’s a magnetic wrist rest, the USB-C cable is detachable, the top plate is made from aluminium, and the whole keyboard feels incredibly resistant to flexion. It’s a real tank.
At this reduced price, the Apex Pro TKL is basically a no-brainer – if you’re in the market for a keyboard upgrade and you like the compact numpad-less design, this should be at the very top of your list.
That’s all for now, but for more keyboard talk, why not check out the RPS guide to the best gaming keyboards?
