We’ve mainly talked about Razer, Corsair and Logitech when it comes to gaming keyboards. SteelSeries has popped up on our radar mostly for gaming headsets, such as the incredible SteelSeries Arctis Wireless Pro. However, in this post we will introduce a remarkably low budget, high end gaming keyboard by SteelSeries and it is none other than the SteelSeries Apex 3.
The SteelSeries Apex 3 is a quiet, high performance and most importantly, an affordable gaming keyboard that is thriving in the area beyond the characterization of cheap. Now the lineup is pretty convenient in this Apex series. The Apex 3 is the beginner with surprisingly high end specs. Next comes the Apex 5,7,7TKL, Apex Pro and Apex Pro TKL. Each packing in more features than its predecessor.
The price as of today for the Apex 3 is a mere $38. And you might wonder how can a keyboard of such price integrate the so-called high end performance? Well, let’s see for ourselves and start off with the specs.
SteelSeries Apex 3 Specs
- High Quality Polymer Frame Top Material
- 1.8 lbs
- 10-Zone RGB Illumination
- SteelSeries Whisper-Quiet switches
- 20 Million Keypresses
- Compatible With Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox, and PS4
- SteelSeries Engine 3.15+ Software For Customizing
- IP32 Water Resistant
- Premium Magnetic Wrist Rest
- Dedicated Multimedia Controls
SteelSeries Apex 3 Review
Those are the specifications for the Apex 3. Perhaps the most intriguing part is the absence of mechanical switches and having membrane switches. Anyways let’s begin with the design.
Build Quality and Design
As we mentioned in the specs, the keyboard weighs only 1.8 pounds making it lightweight and compact. It is a full-size keyboard with a dedicated media button and knob. The premium quality of this keyboard makes it suitable for not only gaming but office use as well. Once unboxed, you won’t get the feeling that you’ve ordered a budget gaming keyboard because the looks speak otherwise. The height is 39.69 mm and therefore the keys feel a little taller than the average keyboard. However the palm rest eases this gap and it is a great addition at this price.
It is well stabilized with the eight rubber-padded feet and prevents sliding or unwanted movements during intensive gaming sessions. It magnetically sticks to the front of the board and holds well. But one of the most exciting features is the IP32 Water Resistant ability. IP32 is an industry standard for water and dust resistance. So with the Apex 3, it is hard for dust, moisture and dirt to enter and settle in the keyboard. Since the internal electronics on the Apex 3 are sealed, you won’t harm the board even when you accidentally spill some water. Learn how to clean your keyboard in such an instance.
Since this keyboard is compatible with Xbox and PlayStation, you are going to be using this in different locations. So the waterproof nature is quite handy. SteelSeries packed in a complete RGB lighting profile with the Apex 3. The 10-zone RGB illumination is fully customizable using the SteelSeries Engine 3 software. Another awesome addition is the reactive RGB effects. For example, you can customize it for Discord for notifications for messages, voice transmission etc. With games like Minecraft for alerts for durability, HP. You can also edit macros and the polling rate using the software.
The USB Cable is of standard quality and can be routed in three different ways from under the keyboard. This is good news for someone who wants to keep their desks organized and segregated. The cable isn’t braided though which makes the cable’s durability questionable. This is a common trait even in the high end SteelSeries peripherals which is surprising.
Performance
Okay, this is what we’ve been waiting for right? Now we know that unlike most traditional gaming keyboards, the Apex uses membrane switches. If you’ve been gaming on mechanical switches the Apex’s keys might feel too soft and chunky. But we have to state that they are much better than most membrane switches and certainly live up to the key marketing feature which is Whisper-Quiet.
The keys are undoubtedly quieter than most mechanical keys making them more than appropriate for office environments. They are also speedy with good feedback and after a short while you feel that they are a privilege to work with. SteelSeries guarantees them to last 20 million keypresses, which is a reasonable level of durability. And when the wrist rest is attached, it is one of the most comfortable keyboards to work with. Almost as good as some of the high end Corsair, Razer keyboards.
We have to mention the SteelSeries Apex 3 Software, the SteelSeries Engine. It will have a low impact on our gaming rig while controlling the peripheral’s gaming settings. You can customize the RGB backlighting, set custom macro and edit other settings. Easy to set up and navigate. Dedicated media controls. There is a button below the volume key to control music tracks. Hotkeys that lets you control the brightness of the backlight and you also can lock the Windows button when gaming.
SteelSeries Apex 3 vs Razer Cynosa V2
Two keyboards worth comparing. The Razer Cynosa Chroma is almost equal to the price of the Apex 3. The Razer Cynosa weighs 1.76 lbs, gaming-grade keys, with a 6.6 ft cable and chroma RGB. Razer Synapse 3 is the software to customize the lighting.
The design of the Cynosa is fairly large, because it’s a full-size keyboard. Takes less space than the Apex 3 because of the absence of a wrist rest, which is not so good. Although the Cynosa is made entirely out of plastic, there is some flexibility involved. Doubleshot ABS keycaps feel smooth, comfortable to work with and shouldn’t have any issues with key legends fading or chipping over use and time.
In terms of build quality, both the keyboards are on the same page. But when it comes to ergonomics the Apex 3 wins easily because of the wrist rest which makes work more easier. The Razer wins in the area of RGB. It has full RGB backlighting and each key can be customized using the Synapse software whereas in the Apex 3 you cannot control the lighting of individual keys.
The Razer has hotkeys for media control, backlight brightness, and Gaming mode, which locks the Windows key and you can customize these using the software. However the Apex 3 has dedicated media controls. The Apex 3 also wins in terms of latency. But you get the tactile feedback in the Razer although the keys are noisier than the Apex 3. So the typing experience with the Cynosa is average.
Overall speaking, the Apex 3 is better than the Cynosa. Because the SteelSeries Apex 3 price is $38 and the Razer Cynosa is $39. The typing experience, gaming, build quality and ergonomics are the winning factors of the Apex 3. Also the Razer customization software only works with Windows. Therefore we can clearly choose the Apex3 over the Cynosa should it come down to a choice between the two.
