Manufacturers are in an ongoing battle to innovate premiummechanical gaming keyboards. The wired SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 builds on a foundation of durable esports-approved peripherals with more versatileHall effectmagnetic switches. However, the latest Apex Pro also includes software improvements catering to competitive and casual gamers. Two compact wired and wireless Apex Pro TKL models join the newly released Apex Pro Gen 3.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 Gaming Keyboard
The SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 is the continued evolution of the most innovative gaming keyboard. Using OmniPoint 3.0 Hall Effect switches, gamers gain an edge over the competition with rapid and accurate inputs. Benefiting from a higher degree of customization, the Apex Pro Gen 3 allows players to specify more precisely when actuation levels trigger different commands. New features like Rapid Trigger, Rapid Tap, and Protection Mode help gamers avoid costly mistakes and register inputs with even more speed. An OLED smart display carries over from previous Apex Pro models to provide notifications and alerts during intense gameplay.
Companies often introduce revised versions of gaming keyboards with minor changes. At first glance, the Apex Pro Gen 3 and its predecessor look nearly identical. The OLED Smart Display returns, showing notifications and the keyboard’s current status. Gamers who prioritize RGB lighting will also encounter the same brilliant per-key illumination. Once again, a detachable magnetic wrist rest sits below the full-sized key layout. It’s not until players type on the Apex Pro Gen 3 and explore its software that any added capabilities become apparent.
Competitive gamers who demand longevity and precision in their gear know the value of Hall effect technology. Now standard on thebest gaming controllers, the new keyboard maximizes the potential of the magnetic switches that the first Apex Pro introduced. Instead of physical components colliding, a magnetic sensor relies on electromagnetic conduction to measure keystrokes. The OmniPoint 3.0 Switches in the Apex Pro Gen 3 can now detect 40 different actuation levels, and gamers are able to customize keystroke distances from .1 mm to 4.0 mm. This benefits gamers who prioritize rapid inputs for FPS titles and allows assigning multiple functions per key in software.
Although the Apex Pro Gen 3 isn’t ahot-swappable keyboard, SteelSeries made other modifications that are popular with enthusiasts. Inside the keyboard, additional layers of foam absorb the excess pinging produced by furious typing. The company also used sturdier stabilizers and more lubricant, resulting in a smoother and quieter typing experience.
The SteelSeries GG app unlocks many headline-making advancements with the Apex Pro Gen 3. Recently, Razer caused controversy among pro gamers by implementingSnap Tapin many of its keyboards. Razer Snap Tap and SteelSeries Rapid Tap are very similar and ensure that only the last key pressed registers an input. The goal of Rapid Tap is to prevent conflicting commands from canceling each other out. Meanwhile, Protection Mode takes advantage of the keyboard’s customizable actuation to reduce the sensitivity of keys near essential commands. Finally, Rapid Trigger allows gamers to repeatedly fire off the same attacks without waiting for a key to return to its original height.
In reality, Rapid Tap and Protection Mode are more aimed at casual players than competitive gamers. Esportspros who use keyboardslike the Apex Pro are usually skilled enough to avoid mistakes. Nevertheless, the titles most played on pro circuits, likeCounter-Strike 2, have already banned these features. Another convenient SteelSeries GG option is Quickset, which sets profiles with actuation settings and RGB lighting patterns while activating modes like Rapid Tap.
SteelSeries has been busy in recent weeks, even beyond the release of three new Apex Pro Gen 3 keyboards. Gamers withwhite keyboardsand cases welcomed matching white versions of the mid-rangeArctis Nova 5 headsets. Also, mobile gamers celebrated the release of low-latency wirelessArctis GameBudsfor consoles, mobile devices, and laptops.
The Apex Pro Gen 3 offers enough upgrades to earn SteelSeries some attention without help. As more retailers stock the keyboard, it will soon become apparent if its Hall Effect switches are winning over skeptics.
