SteelSeries - Apex Pro TKL (2023)

I used the fun60 as an example and specifically asked for no one to tell stats on the largest 3 analog kb companies, I literally have an analog rn but it has shit build quality and is falling apart so I want an upgrade, and if I will upgrade I don't want to waste money on a razer, wooting, or steelseries that are overpriced asf, I want to know if there are any genuine downsides to the "budget" analog keyboards compared to the primary companies, for perspective I currently have a 2023 Apex Pro TKL

performance wise, steelseries does have some pretty close numbers to wooting, but I wouldn't buy from them again because of their terrible build quality, my stabs are literally falling off of my steelseries apex pro tkl

Best gaming keyboard seems to be a Wooting. A 4 year warranty tells me a lot about a company. What’s your budget? I just went from a steel series Apex Pro TKL Gen 2 to Keychron Q1 HE. Have a Wooting 80HE on the way so I’ll keep either the Wooting or Keychron. Steel Series is 100% going back. It felt good upgrading to the Steel Series but the Keychron is on another level.

The Steel Series Apex pro TKL - Personally I wish I got the Mini 60he version just for a little added desk space. I'm enjoying the TKL though.

I'm using the Mchose Ace 60 Pro with the TTC Uranus Magnetic SE switches. It's under $50. Simple and does the job. The software has gotten much better since launch. I used to complain about it but it's so much better. Not perfect but it works as it should now. Low bar i know. Sounds decent. Good weight... better than my more expensive Apex pro TKL ( didn't last as long for the price ) There are better so I'm told. TMR switches are modern and the direction gaming Keyboards will be going. One aspect of TMR, it uses less power which means they don't need a big battery in them and can go wireless and last a decent time before recharging. Mine is wired. Something to consider. He may want a clean, wireless Keyboard. I'll post the link to mine. It's pretty inexpensive. [https://www.mchose.store/products/mchose-ace-60-hall-effect-magnetic-switch-gaming-keyboard?variant=49303600628007](https://www.mchose.store/products/mchose-ace-60-hall-effect-magnetic-switch-gaming-keyboard?variant=49303600628007)

Really struggling. I wanna buy a new gaming keyboard because my Apex Pro TKL just isn't working well anymore. So, I wanna ask for suggestions. I want a gaming keyboard that is nice, but no wild custom build or anything. Just a solid and simple keyboard. Willing to go for most prices just give me recommendations for like budget, mid-tier, and high-tier prices please. Thank you this is urgent

Have a few ones, my current main one for games is the Steelseries Apex Pro TKL. Wouldn't have gotten it if it hadn't been a HE keyboard for $80 new, there were a couple other options at the time but I couldn't justify the price difference. The software is way too bloated. Though I'll admit, if the app wasn't unreliable, the volume control features seem nice. I already have a hardware solution to control sound channels individually, but if I didn't the Steelseries software solution seems almost as good. Would I recommend it? Probably not, unless you find a really good deal on the mini or TKL. I doubt the Womier 68HE, the Madlions MAD60HE, and other variants are too reliable, but they're so much cheaper than the alternatives, have browser software, and other competitive features. Seems worth the gamble (unless you're not a fan of the blatant copying they did of Wooting)

You've put a lot of thought into this. I wish everyone was as diligent. The main risk with HE switches is that they might not be around for the long-term. Although Hall Effect keyboard have been produced for decades, that was a very niche technology. Since the popularity of the Wooting has brought HE into the mainstream, there is sudden broad support for it. But there is also a competing magnetic technology in TMR (Tunnel Magento Resistance). There is no way of knowing whether either technology will stick around for the long-term. HE detects voltage changes induced by a magnetic field, whereas TMR detects changes in resistance. Both work in very similar ways, though HE draws more power (still negligible in overall terms though). The magnetic fields in both technologies are extremely small. They don't cause interference with anything. They have to be small, because you wouldn't want one key interfering with another. The most that I have seen is slight interference with a device that was placed on the keyboard wrist rest. I wouldn't place the keyboard near a strong magnetic source, but other than that very unlikely scenario, there is no concern about the magnetic fields involved. PBT does not contain phthalates. It's short-chain ortho-phthalates that are problematic, because they are absorbable. Long-chain tere-phthalates are not problematic. PBT is a polyester, very similar to PET (polyethylene terephthalate) used in food packaging. But as you don't like the feel of PBT, that's not a concern anyway. The main concern with ABS is that it tends to become 'shiny' more readily than PBT. Skin oils and repeated use tends to make the surface wear to a shine. There's no concern about ABS wearing out over time - just the shine. The wrist rests that come included with some keyboards tend to be middling at best. About the only advantage they can offer over a third party one is that some of them attach to the keyboard. Otherwise, you're always better getting your own separately. The primary reason to use a magnetic or optical keyboard for gaming is latency. All mechanical keyboards suffer from contact bounce. Indeed, all mechanical switches, regardless of use, do. When two metal surface initially touch, there is a very short period during which they bounce - they bound and rebound against each other. Accordingly, all mechanical keyboards have a debounce time (typically around 5-8 milliseconds) where they ignore the input of the switch, until the contact bounce ends. Setting the debounce time too low results in chatter. Because magnetic and optical switches have no contacts, they have no contact bounce or debounce time. So they are, in theory, quicker to respond. One thing that is rarely mentioned when talking about magnetic keyboards is that they are inherently hot-swap. This means the switches are not soldered to the circuitboard, so you can replace them without tools. Many mechanical keyboards are also hotswap, though they require adaptors to make that possible. The concern about magnetic hotswap is that some keyboards are factory-calibrated so you can't easily replace switches yourself. Also, there is no agreed standard for magnetic switches, so those from one manufacturer aren't likely to be compatible with those from another. Grrr. SteeelSeries uses OmniPoint switches, which are rebranded Gaterons, so replacements are relatively easy to find. Corsair uses MGX Hyperdrive switches (save us from these names), which you cannot buy separately - Corsair says they will make switches available for sale, but it's been a while. A large concern with magnetic keyboards is software. In most keyboards, any software is largely irrelevant unless you want to play with lighting patterns. But because the actuation point is adjusted through software, you need software to control that. And that, I would say, is a reason to choose a big brand, rather than a Chinese keyboard. Keyboard software is often a minimally-viable-product, poorly programmed and buggy. It also tends to be infrequently, if ever, updated. With the software being so important to magnetic keyboards, you do want some assurance that the software will endure. As the manufacturer with the longest experience of HE keyboards, Wooting undoubtedly has the best software. But their 80HE isn't a true TKL layout, lacking some keys and employing a 'compact' layout that changes the position of some of the keys. I would generally recommend the Wooting if you can get used to the layout. You're looking at the Corsair K70 Pro TKL and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL. Both are basically fine. It's hard to recommend one over the other as they're so very similar. As I'm sure you've read, some of the switches on the K70 aren't actually HE switches at all - they're normal mechanical switches. If you would like all the switches to be HE, get the SteelSeries. If you want the extra knobs that the Corsair has, get that.

***Endgame Gear KB65HE*** if youre looking for something 60% and budget. Any from the ***Wooting*** lineup, they're the go to for hall effect and essentially made it a 'thing'. ***Steelseries Apex Pro series*** if you want something more 'premium' with lots of software capabilities. Theres lots of hall effect keyboards, you can find them as cheap as 40 bucks on amazon in the UK, but i wouldnt settle for less than the Endgame KB65HE. All that I mentioned are hall effect and if you want to prioritise movements, you need hall effect.

SteelSeries Apex. It's big AF and I like it.

I have been really pleased with mine for about 2 years. Then it started to go bad (bad led and key getting stuck), and Steelseries support has been absolutely awful. I’ll wait for it to definitely die then I switching to another one.

I've literally just swapped out my 80HE for a Lemokey P1 HE and couldn't be happier. On paper the 80HE has better raw performance , but there's zero difference to me. I wanted one keyboard to do everything, and I hated typing on the Wooting. Not to mention the build quality is just terrible. I've also used a Razor Huntsman V3 Pro and hated the typing on that too. Steelseries Apex was pretty good, but again, just wasn't it and I hated the looks. The P1 has so far been the best all round keyboard I've ever used. Some might be better in certain areas, but they're nowhere near as well rounded. It's also the best typing feel on a HE keyboard I've ever used, and beats out 98% of mechanicals I've had.