SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 gaming keyboard review — Riding on nitrous

My desk generally features a lot of SteelSeries devices. Even so, I do get gear that I like a bit better, and switch devices out regularly. I’ve really loved my Apex Pro keyboard, however, and even after reviewing a few other great keyboards I’ve always gone back to it. It’s been getting a bit long in tooth, so when the Gen 3 refresh arrived from SteelSeries, I had to check it out and see if what I loved about the Apex 9 TKL translated over. To no one’s surprise, this iteration might be the best keyboard I’ve ever used.

In the box you’ll find the Apex Pro Gen 3 Gaming Keyboard (henceforth known as the Apex Pro Gen 3), the wrist rest, a braided USB-C cable, and a keycap puller. This is all par for the course when it comes to a keyboard. Compared to my previous Apex Pro Gen 3, I’m very happy with the braided cable, which is less intrusive than the dual USB cable that was permanently attached to my old one. This allows the Apex Pro Gen 3 to be much more portable, even if it’s a big boy.

This full-size beauty is a combo of a sturdy plastic base and a light metal faceplate. All of the keycaps are perfect double shot PBT, which have a bit of a texture to them that I love typing on. With the extra roller and button next to the outstanding OLED display, this is just a well built keyboard that didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, just to improve what was already there. I am disappointed not to see the USB passthrough port returning, but it’s not a dealbreaker for me. Also not a revelation but as good as ever, the magnetic silicone wrist rest; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

If you’re like me and prefer to have your ten keys, this is going to take up plenty of space on your desk. Thankfully, SteelSeries didn’t only refresh this model. You can grab a tenkeyless model, and also a wireless variant as well. Having options is appreciated.

Once I set up the keyboard, I could already tell it was going to be exactly the kind of upgrade I was hoping for. The build quality has been enhanced with this third generation, meaning my keyboard isn’t nearly as loud as it used to be. The thonky clacks have a great sound to them, and I’m not sure why, but my fingers feel like they flow across the keyboard better than the older model of the Apex Pro Gen 3. Whatever adjustments that have been made have certainly helped with my typing reviews.

SteelSeries uses their own switches for the Apex Pro Gen 3, known as OmniPoint switches. This design differs not just in the sound they make, but also in the actuation of using them. If you’re unfamiliar with them, OmniPoint switches allow for your key press to be registered specifically to the force you apply. Meaning, if I prefer to mash my keyboard, having the actuation up at its highest will work. If I like a lighter touch, I can adjust it to require less pressure. On an Apex Pro Gen 3 now, you can fine tune it even further, as heavy as the full 4mm press or as light as a 0.1mm press. Having control over your keyboard is essential for a gamer, and no one lets you do that like SteelSeries. Even better, every single key on your keyboard has this capability, so you can calibrate each and every one if you wish.

It’s tough for me to speak on the keyboard’s physical updates more than that, and that’s because there aren’t many. The Apex Pro Gen 3 is already a great keyboard, so tweaking it makes more sense than a full rebuild. While gaming with it, I’ve noticed how fantastic it feels, with the OmniPoint 3.0 switches being impressively responsive as I’ve played games like Halo Infinite, Blindfire, Counterstrike 2, and more. Shooters specifically require precision, and while your gaming mouse might make more of a difference in terms of aim, this version of the Apex Pro Gen 3 handles all of your movement and equipment function expertly. One of the best compliments I can pay to this gaming keyboard is that the Apex Pro Gen 3 makes using it feel effortless, which is an outstanding quality.

The most major updates for the Apex Pro Gen 3 have been made on the software side. I’ve always been one to sing SteelSeries praises over their GG and Sonar software, and they’ve been at it again with this refresh. There are several different functions available, but it all boils down to the new GG QuickSet menu. In here, you’ll find the ability to add up to five profiles to set up for different purposes using these new functions.

Where SteelSeries Sonar idea succeeded was the incredible suite of EQ profiles at your fingertips. The design team wanted to replicate that, but for keyboards. Imagine this, you boot into Fortnite. Instead of having to set everything up yourself, or if you’re like me and don’t know your way around these additional tools that can give you an advantage, GG QuickSet will recognize Fortnite as a supported game, and if you have an Apex Pro Gen 3 Gen 3 connected, it’ll automatically change your presets over. It’s literally like EQ, but for a keyboard, which is amazing. More games will receive profiles in the future as well, alongside esport pro-made tunings, so it’s a feature that will only grow.

Some of the functions here can get that automatic treatment, but are also available for you to tune yourself. Rapid tap prioritizes your first pressed key in moments where you might be trying to out-strafe an enemy, allowing you to never have a key overlap. For those of you who are all about slide-canceling or counter-strafing, this feature is integral to success. Rapid trigger similarly lets you reset your press more quickly, and it’s something you’re only going to get from the precision of OmniPoint switches. If you’re like me and play a lot of shooters, you know a split second is all the difference it takes between gunning down an opponent or getting put six feet under.

One of the coolest additions is 2-1 Action. PlayStation introduced us to the adaptive triggers on the DualSense controller, and in the game Returnal (one of my favorites and our 2021 GOTY), you could half pull your right trigger to aim down sights and fully pull it for the weapon’s special fire mode. This is essentially what 2-1 Action unlocks on the Apex Pro, the ability to use the extremely tunable actuation to get two key presses while barely moving a finger. A good way to take advantage of this function would be pushing a kay to the first threshold for walking, and to the full press to run. There are many other creative ways one could make these; off the top of my head, in Call of Duty you could use it to slide cancel or snake a heady quite easily.

A favorite new feature of the software is protection mode, something we can all get behind. This gets rid of a disease we’re all infected with – fat-fingering keys. We’ve all been on Call of Duty, panicked when an entire team rounded a corner, and pressed every key except run. While you’ll still have to remember to do the right thing eventually, this means that if you accidentally knock into your R key when attempting to press D to move right, the R key is already on a lower sensitivity because of your other press. This is set to individual keys, so you don’t have to worry about it affecting certain keys. The best part about protection mode is that you can continue to enjoy the benefits of fast, responsive, high-actuation keys, without risking a misfire in an adrenaline-fueled press.

I’m a big fan of the OLED display on the top right of SteelSeries keyboards. In fact, it influenced my original purchase back when I grabbed an Apex Pro. This extra has been a hit since it arrived on the market, and you’ve been able to use it for plenty of different functions via SteelSeries GG. Now, you can operate it outside of the software, with a menu of settings pulling up after holding down the media button. It’s not random either, with illumination, macros, even the new actuation options and rapid tap is available to modify here. The insane level of customization available at your fingertips, even without installed software, is phenomenal.

Lastly, you knew we couldn’t get out of here without talking about RGB lighting. It wouldn’t be a good gaming keyboard without some flashing lights, and SteelSeries’ bevy of options are here. There are plenty of ways you can customize yours in GG, even down to individual keys. My one hangup with the Apex Pro Gen 3 is that the lights aren’t as bright as I’d like to see. While you can purchase Prism Caps to let more of it through, the textured grip of the current PBT keycaps make me pause, as function reigns over fashion in this instance.

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