Earlier this 12 months, SteelSeries launched the Apex Professional Mini and Apex Professional Mini Wi-fi — redesigned 60 % mini keyboards that includes the corporate’s new OmniPoint 2.0 linear optical switches with adjustable actuation. The Apex Professional Mini/Apex Professional Mini Wi-fi did a wonderful job of shoving each potential characteristic into the tiniest, most ultra-compact package deal potential. However even filled with options, a 60 % structure is fairly excessive for anybody with a desk bigger than an financial system class airplane tray.
Excellent news: SteelSeries now gives its Apex Professional line in a extra accessible TKL (tenkeyless) format with the Apex Professional TKL and Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi. This keyboard continues to be not full-size, however I assume that’s coming — ultimately.
The Apex Professional TKL/Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi sport the road’s OmniPoint 2.0 linear optical switches, which have each adjustable actuation (37 ranges per-key) and the impressive-sounding (however tricky-to-use) dual-action actuation. The keyboards additionally pack loads of premium options — aluminum alloy prime plate, double-shot PBT keycaps, vivid per-key RGB, and a removable magnetic wrist relaxation. The Apex Professional TKL/Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi’ roomier structure permits for devoted media keys and a customizable OLED sensible show.
For this overview, I examined the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi, however the two keyboards are largely similar, differing primarily in connectivity: the Apex Professional TKL is wired, whereas the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi provides each 2.4GHz “Quantum 2.0” wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.0. Each keyboards can be found now, they usually’re priced (unsurprisingly, as a part of SteelSeries’ flagship lineup) on-par with the costliest boards on our checklist of finest gaming keyboards: $190 for the Apex Professional TKL and $250 for the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi.
Design and Development of the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi is a wi-fi keyboard with a TKL (tenkeyless) structure, which implies it consists of perform, arrow, and navigation keys (however no numpad). Within the higher proper nook, it additionally has a customizable OLED sensible show, a multi-function media key, and a textured, clickable metallic quantity curler.
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Visually, the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi is nearly similar to the Apex 9 TKL — save for the OLED sensible show. Each keyboards have the identical matte black chassis, “aircraft-grade” aluminum alloy prime plate, and matte black double-shot PBT keycaps with translucent legends. On the again, each keyboards have two pairs of flip-out plastic ft for adjusting the angle. The again of the Apex 9 TKL additionally has an orange keycap puller saved below a silicone flap; the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi presumably wants this area for its battery (a keycap puller does come within the field, nevertheless).
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The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi comes with a removable magnetic wrist relaxation, which inserts completely alongside the keyboard’s backside edge and has a barely rubbery, soft-touch end. The wrist relaxation isn’t notably plush — it’s not comfortable and soft, just like the HyperX Wrist Relaxation — however its velvet-smooth floor appears and feels luxe, and its cosy alignment gives wonderful wrist and palm help. It solely aligns completely whenever you’re not utilizing the keyboard’s flip-out ft (however you shouldn’t be utilizing these anyway, if ergonomics are essential to you). The wrist relaxation additionally suits (and magnetically attaches to) the Apex 9 TKL.
Along with the keycap puller and wrist relaxation, the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi additionally comes with a 2.4GHz wi-fi USB-C dongle, a USB-C extender, and a braided, seven-foot USB-C to USB-A cable. The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi has the identical measurements because the Apex 9 TKL — 14 inches lengthy by 5.04 inches deep and 1.65 inches thick.
Whereas the Apex 9 TKL is listed at 1.4 kilos (635g) on its field, the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi is listed at 2.4 kilos (1070g). This appeared suspect — the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi’ battery and OLED display screen don’t look like they weigh an additional pound — so I weighed each keyboards: The Apex 9 TKL weighed 1.42 kilos (645g), and the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi weighed 1.65 kilos (747g). The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi and all of its equipment (wrist relaxation, cable, dongle, extender, and keycap puller) weighed roughly 2.33 kilos (1059g), nevertheless — so we will in all probability chalk this as much as an early-production mistake.
Specs
| Switches | SteelSeries OmniPoint 2.0 |
| Lighting | Per-Key RGB |
| Onboard Storage | Sure |
| Media Keys | Multi-function key, quantity curler |
| Recreation Mode | Sure |
| Connectivity | 2.4GHz wi-fi, Bluetooth, wired (USB-C) |
| Extra Ports | N/A |
| Keycaps | Double-shot PBT |
| Development | Plastic, aluminum alloy prime plate |
| Software program | SteelSeries GG |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 14 x 5.04 x 1.65 inches / 355 x 128 x 42 mm |
| Weight | 1.65lbs / 747g (with out cable) |
Typing and Gaming Expertise on the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi comes with SteelSeries’ OmniPoint 2.0 linear optical switches. Optical switches technically have mechanical components, however they’re not the identical as mechanical switches — mechanical switches are actuated through bodily power, whereas optical switches are actuated through gentle. The principle benefit of optical switches is velocity (gentle is, in spite of everything, sooner than…every part else) — in line with SteelSeries, its OmniPoint 2.0 switches have an actuation time 10x sooner than “conventional mechanical key switches.”
The draw back of optical switches is the general really feel and typing expertise. Typing on the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi wasn’t horrible — in fact, I knew what to anticipate from my time with the Apex Professional Mini. The OmniPoint 2.0 switches are linear, with {smooth}, uniform keypresses — no tactile bump or audible suggestions on the press, although I nonetheless appreciated the semi-hollow clacky sound I acquired with extra aggressive typing. These weren’t unhealthy for optical switches, however they did retain the slight sponginess on the underside out that I don’t really feel with mechanical switches (even linear ones).
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi could also be simply okay for typing, however it’s wonderful for gaming. The linear optical switches are gentle and speedy — good for video games that require lots of fast successive keypresses. Plus, the truth that you possibly can regulate every key’s actuation degree individually means you possibly can customise your gaming setup so as to skirt over some keys with out by chance actuating others. I’m nonetheless not completely bought on the dual-bind characteristic, which lets you bind two actions to at least one keypress (at completely different actuation ranges) — however it’s extra of a bonus, anyway, because the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi already permits for intensive per-key customization.
Options and Software program of the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi has a handful of settings that may be managed straight from the keyboard (through default secondary keybind and/or the OLED sensible show), with out the necessity to obtain or set up any software program. These embody brightness and actuation degree, switching profiles, checking battery life, and recording macros. However the principle promoting level of Apex Professional keyboards is intensive, detailed customization. And also you’ll want SteelSeries’ companion app, SteelSeries GG, to take full benefit.
You are able to do loads relating to customizing the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi in SteelSeries GG (arguably fairly a bit greater than you actually need to have the ability to do). You possibly can configure main and secondary keybinds, regulate main and secondary actuation factors (0.2mm – 3.8mm, in increments of 0.1mm), and assign twin bindings (as much as eight).
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On the customization facet, there’s an illumination part for configuring the keyboard’s vivid, per-key RGB. You can too customise the picture (128 x 40 pixels) that seems on the OLED display screen when it’s not displaying different data (not very helpful, however enjoyable). Along with your customized picture and remaining battery life, the OLED display screen can show info from apps and video games (e.g. real-time {hardware} monitoring, Discord notifications) by way of SteelSeries GG’s app/recreation integrations.
Wi-fi Expertise and Battery Lifetime of the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi gives 3 ways to attach: 2.4GHz “Quantum 2.0” wi-fi for gaming, Bluetooth 5.0 for comfort, and wired (through USB-C). For gaming, the keyboard’s 2.4GHz wi-fi connection is strong, secure, and really low latency (not no latency, however nearly undetectable). Whereas the keyboard’s wi-fi efficiency was wonderful whereas in use, it did appear to lag a bit of when waking up after a keypress — I feel this may occasionally have been associated to one of many firmware updates/rollbacks I needed to do throughout my testing (I used to be assured all firmware points can be fastened upon launch, so it’s not a giant difficulty — however it’s there).
SteelSeries says the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi will get as much as 40 hours of battery life — not a powerhouse, however respectable contemplating the keyboard’s comparatively small footprint and light-weight weight. Plus, most of us aren’t toting TKLs round frequently, so 40 hours needs to be loads of juice for one thing that may be simply and ceaselessly plugged in.
The Backside Line
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi isn’t revolutionary and even stunning. It’s the Apex Professional Mini-redesign of the present Apex Professional TKL, that includes the Apex Professional Mini’s sturdy, minimal, and extra generic-looking chassis design and up to date OmniPoint 2.0 switches. The brand new Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi retains its predecessor’s customizable OLED display screen, media key/quantity curler, and removable magnetic wrist relaxation. Additionally, in contrast to its predecessor, it is available in each wired and wi-fi variations.
The Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi is a wonderful, extremely customizable gaming keyboard in a TKL structure, which is far much less restrictive than the Apex Professional Mini’s 60 % structure — however I’m nonetheless holding out for an replace to the full-size SteelSeries Apex Professional.
My solely minor difficulty with the Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi is that — regardless of being a really predictable subsequent step in SteelSeries Apex Professional lineup, it felt unexpectedly launched. I had a handful of points whereas I used to be testing that have been fastened and unfixed by some firmware updates and rollbacks. SteelSeries says all points can be fastened by launch. Whereas which may be correct, I nonetheless wish to double-check to verify every part’s been ironed out.
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