The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is a gaming keyboard for beginners. It has rubber dome switches. It’s a smaller version of the SteelSeries Apex 3, and it’s one of the few non-mechanical gaming keyboards that come in a TenKeyLess size. Since it doesn’t have a numpad, you’ll have more room on your desk to move your mouse around.
It’s also rated IP32, which means it can handle some liquid. If you spill your drink, you shouldn’t have to worry about breaking it. With the new SteelSeries GG software, you can programme macros for all of the keys. It also has RGB backlighting, but the keys don’t light up individually, so you can only change eight zones.
Specifications
- Switches: SteelSeries Whisper-Quiet Switches
- Lighting: Addressable
- Onboard Storage: 1 Profile
- Media Keys: Yes
- Connectivity: USB Type-A
- Cable: 6-feet, rubber
- Additional Ports: N/A
- Keycaps:N/A
- Software: SteelSeries Engine
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 364mm x 150mm x 40mm
- Weight: 1.41 pounds
Where to buy SteelSeries Apex 3 keyboard?
This whole keyboard is made of slightly shiny plastic, but it doesn’t show fingerprints nearly as much as competitors like the Wooting Two HE, which is impressive given that it costs less than half as much as Wooting’s board. The plastic makes it very light. With a weight of only 1.41 pounds (639 g), it’s a bit too light for its own good. Its small, ten-keyless frame would sometimes move around on my desk because it didn’t have enough weight.
On the top right of the keyboard, there is a wheel with notches that controls the volume and a small black square that controls your media. If you press the square once, it will pause your media. If you press it twice, you can skip a track, and if you press it three times, you can go back to the track you were on before.
The Apex 3 TKL keyboard has 8 zones of customizable RGB lighting. It also responds to game events, social media like Discord, and even when the hardware is at rest (should players leave their gaming PCs on at all times). Sometimes, the software used to change RGB keyboards is the biggest problem, but that’s not the case here. The software is easy to use and intuitive, and it comes with more than just the standard RGB customizations. SteelSeries GG users can share moments and do other things all from one app.
The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is a great deal considering how cheap it is. The features that let you customise it and play media are great. The heavier keys won’t make you a speed demon, but they’ll get you through everyday play as long as you’re not typing for long periods or playing fast-paced action games.