At first we would like to thank SteelSeries for offering the Apex Pro TKL 2023 Gaming Keyboard for testing and reviewing.

 

About SteelSeries:

"From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making high performance gaming gear used by the most demanding, top professional gamers worldwide and peripherals that provide superior quality and a competitive edge to gamers of all skill levels. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying!

 

What originally began with two people who recognized the need for superior, high-quality/performance gaming gear that would give gamers a competitive edge, has grown into a global leader in gaming and entertainment gear sought after for their high performance capabilities.

 

Fast-forward to today, and we’ve come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

 

While we are proud of our technology and product innovation, we are even more excited about how these products are developed to meet the needs of gamers. Many companies may claim to develop superior gaming products but few actually do. Instead, they spend countless hours with lab engineers trying to force fit a new technology with bells and whistles and mediocre functionality for the end-user.

 

At SteelSeries, we develop our products with a small internal team and a vast network of technology partners, channel partners, game publishers, and gaming communities around the globe. We aren’t afraid of being challenged and implementing new ideas. Our main goal is to always to listen to the collective feedback of our professional gaming community.

 

We won’t bore you with cheeky slogans, trying to underline our authenticity as gamers. We fully acknowledge that the best professional gamers in the world know more about what they want and what will make them better, than we do. We are proud to be working with our partners, but we can’t take credit for their invaluable input and feedback. Instead we tell it like it is: they help us. We want to know what works and what doesn’t. For this reason, SteelSeries creates innovative solutions that provide a competitive advantage for all gamers.

 

Critical to our company’s success is also our reinvestment in the gaming communities and the individuals who support them. As a result, our corporate philosophy is to take a substantial portion of our revenue and put it back into the gaming community to help spur industry growth. We support our community in numerous ways, ranging from co-hosting tournaments like Iron Lady and King of the Hill, and supporting gaming competitions of all sizes, to promoting the top and up-and-coming gaming teams/organizations.

 

Put simply, SteelSeries does not claim to invent or reinvent the gaming industry. Nor do we focus on one specific product, copy other companies or follow the crowd.

 

Instead we leave it to you, the gamer, our customer/partner/inspiration, to decide if we are deserving of such declarations and accolades. What we do promise, however, is to remain committed to you. We will continue to work with you and the gaming community to make the best products possible and give you that competitive edge. We will continue to do our best to support the growth of the professional gaming industry and give back to the gaming communities. By doing so, we don’t just talk a good game, we win!"

Product Features:

 

Infinitely Customizable, Stupidly Fast

The world's fastest and most advanced keyboard performs effortlessly for all undertakings, whether you need the fastest keystrokes in gaming to destroy the competition, or deliberate presses for typing accuracy – the power is yours to wield.

 

20x Faster Actuation, 11x Faster Response Time , 2x More Durability when compared to conventional mechanical keyboards.

Omnipoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic Switches

New OmniPoint 2.0 switches use state-of-the-art magnetic sensors for instant, zero contact keystroke activation to give you what you want — speed.

Rapid Trigger

Eradicate latency arising from the physical movement of the switch through dynamic activation and deactivation of keys based on travel distance rather than a fixed point in the key travel.

Ultimate Adjustability

Absolute precision and unmatched customization are at your fingertips with the ability to tune the registration distance of your keystrokes to the nearest 0.1 mm. Whether you prefer the feather-light touch of 0.1 mm, or a firm press at 4.0 mm, the choice is yours.

 

2-in-1 Action Keys

Program two actions to a single key, depending on how you press it. Walk forward with a light keypress, and then sprint by pressing that same key deeper. Create your own advanced combos to overtake the competition.

 

OLED Smart Display

The OLED Smart Display is an integrated command center that allows you to adjust settings, change profiles, and see updates on the fly.

Esports-Ready TKL Design

The compact tenkeyless shape saves precious desk space for big mouse-swipes, drawing you closer to victory.

SteelSeries Engine

Unlock Apex Pro TKL's unique capabilities with Engine. 2-in-1 action key binds, per-key RGB illumination, and custom actuation points are all programmable through this easy-to-use software.

Aircraft Grade Aluminum Alloy

The Series 5000 metal top plate is identical to the aluminum used in jets providing enhanced rigidity and structural stability for a lifetime of use.

 

Double Shot PBT Keycaps

Experience a giant leap in quality and durability. Our fadeproof PBT keycaps are engineered with a unique texture for enhanced keystroke feel and better typing accuracy.

 

Detachable USB Type-C Braided Cable

Durable and portable, the removable USB-C Braided Cable can withstand the wear and tear of daily life.

 

Height-Adjustable Tilt Legs

Optimally position the keyboard for comfortable play over long sessions. The adjustable tilt legs give you flexibility for three ergonomic options: flat, half, and full extension.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Technical Specifications:

Key Switches: OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic Switches (Analog Hall Effect Magnetic Sensor)

Switch Rating: Guaranteed 100 Million Presses

On-Board Memory: 5 Custom Profiles

Processor: 32 bit ARM

Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.1 mm - 4.0 mm (Read OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic Switches blog post)

Response Time: 0.7 ms (Read OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic Switches blog post)

Connection: Detachable USB Type-C

 

Design Specifications:

Width: 355 mm / 14 in

Depth: 128 mm / 5.04 in

Height: 42 mm / 1.65 in

Weight: 960 g / 2.1 lbs

Height Adjustment: Rubber Tri Level Feet

Lighting: Per Key RGB Illumination

 

Compatibility:

OS

Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, and Mac OS X*. USB port required

*Not all software features supported on Mac OS

Software

SteelSeries Engine for Windows (8.1 or newer) and Mac OS X* (10.13 or newer)

*Not all software features supported on Mac OS

 

SteelSeries has recently updated the Apex Pro series of mechanical keyboards with the new 2023 versions, which do feature a wider range of adjustable actuation points (between 0.2mm and 3.8mm) but also a dual actuation feature, where each key can have two different actuation points, for two different preset functions!

 

The Apex Pro TKL 2023 has arrived in a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, showing a photo of the keyboard in operation, but also highlighting the presence of the OmniPoint 2.0 Switches:

 

 

 

On the side, we will note the technical specifications:

 

 

 

The main highlights of the Apex Pro TKL 2023 are present on the back, where we will note some in-depth details on the OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic switches as well:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box and lifting the top cover, we will note that the keyboard is additionally wrapped in a semi-transparent plastic bag:

 

 

 

The hardware bundle is placed on the lower layer, together with the documentation:

 

 

 

 

The Product Information Guide does show the user how to access the additional features via key bindings and more!

 

 

 

The supplied USB cable is fully-braided:

 

 

 

The USB connectors do feature a slim, rounded design with the SteelSeries logo. On the computer side we will note an USB-A interface, while the keyboard side does feature an USB-C one:

 

 

 

The supplied wrist-rest is all black and features a rubberized finish on the contact area:

 

 

 

A subtle SteelSeries logo is present on the middle:

 

 

 

In order to avoid slips, we have no less than 6 rubber feet on the bottom:

 

 

 

 

The keyboard does come with a professional look, thanks to the Series 5000 aircraft-grade aluminum alloy top plate, which enhances rigidity; the keycaps are double-shot PBT in order to ensure durability over time, while the included OLED Smart Display can display lots of information!

 

 

 

The F9, F10, F11 and F12 can be used for extra functions:

 

 

 

The OLED display is accompanied by a control wheel and a Menu button, which also acts as a Back button when short pressed; it can be used for configuring lots of stuff such as the illumination levels, macros, actuation levels, work with the display options and more!

 

 

 

In the frontal area, SteelSeries has mounted magnets in order to interface with the wrist rest:

 

 

 

A tiny logo can be found in the left corner:

 

 

 

When looking from the side, we will note the black plastic frame:

 

 

 

In the frontal area, we do have an USB-C port, a middle SteelSeries logo but no other ports for pass-through:

 

 

 

 

 

The bottom area of the keyboard is made from plastic and incorporates rubberized feet for stability purposes; in the middle there is a rubber cover which hides a special compartment:

 

 

 

The Apex Pro TKL 2023 does incorporate not one but two kickstands, for operating the keyboard at two different angles:

 

 

 

 

 

The hidden compartment does hold an orange key puller and underneath we will note the sticker with product information:

 

 

 

 

 

The arrow keys, navigation and function keys are not OmniPoint 2.0 switches, but sport a default linear feel; we would also note that the Apex Pro TKL 2023 does not come with a removable switch system:

 

 

 

Here is a complete view of the keyboard, with the magnetic wrist rest attached to it:

 

 

 

The dedicated, unified software from SteelSeries has detected the new keyboard right away:

 

 

 

The Engine interface has been revamped, with easily accessible options. We will get a list of on-board profiles on the left side, while plenty of menus can be accessed from the main, central section. The key bindings area does allow the user to set different functions to the available keys:

 

 

When configuring a specific key, a new menu will option with the selection (an example here with Keyboard Buttons):

 

 

Plenty of actions can be chosen from:

 

 

We can also enable a macro from the selected button:

 

 

 

The macro editor can be opened right away:

 

 

 

 

Here is the list of the available functions:

 

Media Buttons

Device Functions

Mouse Buttons

 

Deactivate Button

Launch Application

Launch Configuration

Launch Engine Apps

OS Shortcuts

Macro Recorder

 

The OmniPoint 2.0 switches are available for customization in terms of actuation:

 

 

 

Rapid Trigger can be also enabled, where keys do no longer have a fixed actuation point; with this function enabled, we will have reset and active points on the switch based on the movement of that specific key, becoming active as soon as it is pressed. This way we will be able to press twice or more on a key without fully letting go of that specific key, if you need to input that action multiple times; this allows for higher actuation speeds and will bring some benefits in games:

 

 

 

We can adjust the actuation distance from 0.1 and up to 4.0mm, with increments of just 0.1:

 

 

 

 

The Dual Bindings area does allow the keys to have double functions:

 

 

 

 

In the Dual Actuation menu, we can choose a secondary actuation value for one of the 61 adjustable keys, which will fire a secondary function for the same key if the same key is configured for Dual Bindings:

 

 

 

Meta Bindings are available when keys are used along the SteelSeries key (as a secondary function key):

 

 

 

 

In the OLED & Settings screen we can configure the keyboard layout, but also work with the OLED logos and animations:

 

 

 

The uploaded animation files will play at 10 FPS:

 

 

 

In order to access the RGB illumination, we will go to the Prism area, which has quite a bit of presets to choose from:

 

 

 

We can also customize further with Effects:

 

 

 

Depending on the selected effect, we will get different options to choose from:

 

Breathe

ColorShift

Reflect

Single Color

 

We can configure effects for the Active, Reactive and IDLE layers:

 

 

 

Plugins are also available within Engine, such as PrismSync, which allows the same effects to be used on all connected SteelSeries devices:

 

 

 

System Monitor will display system details right onto the OLED screen:

 

 

 

 

Tracks played in TIDAL can be shown on the OLED screen as well:

 

 

 

The keyboard can act as a visual EQ for the default audio device, when the Audio Visualizer plugin is enabled:

 

 

 

RGB Presets

 

 

OLED Menus

 

The Apex Pro TKL 2023 improves on the previous design, offering a great level of customization thanks to the OmniPoint 2.0 magnetic switches with Hall Effect. These are pleasant to actuate and the selected keys can have two functions, depending on the selected actuation distance; each key can be selected with a different actuation distance and the Rapid Trigger brings advantages sometimes found with some gamepads. We did play Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint and noted that we could easily switch between walking and running with a single key and this feature can be used with a ton of other games as well!

 

The keyboard can fit with your typing preferences right away if we work with the actuation distance adjustment via software or the OLED screen, selecting the value which works best. The OLED screen allows for easy configuration of other settings as well, while the splash screen can be customized with our own graphics, may it be static or animations.

 

The Apex Pro TKL 2023 does not disappoint in terms of RGB configuration either, supplying a healthy selection of presets and we can also configure separate layers: Active, Reactive, IDLE. Besides that, we have integration with lots of games, apps such as TIDAL but we can also use the display for showing live system information.

 

The flagship keyboard from SteelSeries can be now found for about 180 Euros online, which we think it is a fair price for the multitude of features we are getting!

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL 2023 Gaming Keyboard is Recommended for:

 

 

 

We would like to thank again to SteelSeries for making this review possible!