What is the difference between the Apex Pro and the Apex 7 keyboards?
The main difference between the Apex Pro and the Apex 7 keyboards is the type of switch used in them. While the Apex Pro keyboard uses OminiPoint mechanical adjustable switches that help in sensitivity adjustment, the Apex 7 keyboard has brown, blue or red mechanical gaming switches.
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- Keypress sound
The Apex Pro keyboard has comparatively quieter and smoother keys than the Apex 7 keyboard that makes it a better choice for some people. This is because the switches of the Apex Pro are linear while those of the Apex 7 are either tactile, clicky or linear.
- Keypress lifetime
The keys of the Apex Pro are more durable and have double the lifespan as that of the Apex 7. While the former keyboard supports 100 million keypresses, the latter is capable of withstanding 50 million keypresses.
- Backlighting
The keys of the Apex Pro have slightly less bright backlighting when compared to that of the Apex 7 keyboard and that makes it have better color mixing.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Vs Apex 7 keyboard specs
The following table compares some vital features of the SteelSeries Apex Pro 7 and Apex 7 keyboards.
| Specifications | Apex Pro | Apex 7 |
| Cable length | This wired keyboard comes with a 5.9 ft. (1.8m) long cable. | This keyboard incorporates a 6.2 ft. (1.9m) cable. |
| Incline angle | The minimum incline and maximum incline angles are 4.5° and 11° respectively. | The minimum incline and maximum incline angles are 4° and 10.5° respectively. |
| Latency | This keyboard comes with a latency of 3.4ms. | This keyboard comes with a latency of 6.8ms. |
| Operating force | The keys have an operating force of 37gf. | The keys feature an operating force of 44 gf. |
| Travel distance | The keyboard features a pre-travel distance of 1.4mm. | The keyboard features a pre-travel distance of 2.4mm. |
Which is better Apex Pro or Apex Pro TKL?
The Apex Pro TKL is often a better option than the Apex Pro because of the only one distinguishing feature between the two keyboards. The TKL version doesn’t have a number pad on its right side. This gives the user more space for a mouse.
Is the SteelSeries Apex 7 worth it?
Yes, the SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard is definitely worth it for gamers. The keyboard is a good choice if you want to own a keyboard that is equipped with a mini-OLED screen. It’s also an ideal option if you are not specific about per-key actuation.
Is the SteelSeries Apex Pro worth it?
Yes, the SteelSeries Apex Pro is worth buying, especially for avid gamers. The keyboard features very good responsiveness and all aspects, including the pre-travel distance of its keys, can be completely customized.
The keyboard also has a rugged design and its full RGB backlighting makes nighttime gaming enjoyable. It’s also suitable for those who wish to have a Numpad on their keypad along with smooth keypresses.
Is the SteelSeries Apex Pro the fastest keyboard?
Yes, the SteelSeries is the fastest keyboard available right now. Its keys feature eight times faster response time and five times faster actuation than the usual mechanical switches. The keyboard overtakes the Apex M800 keyboard that was the fastest keyboard before the Apex Pro was released.
Average response time (Apex Pro Vs Apex 7)
Each key of the Apex Pro keyboard has an average response time of 0.7ms. The actuation point can be adjusted to as little as 0.4mm or as high as 3.6mm.
In contrast, the red, brown and blue switches of the Apex 7 have a slightly lower response time and an actuation point of 2mm.
What switches does the SteelSeries Apex 7 have?
The SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard has QX2 mechanical gaming RGB switches with a snappy mechanism. The switches appear to be a tad louder than the Romer-G type switches. There are three types of switch options, each of which has a unique feature based on which you can choose your keyboard. They are as follows.
- Red – Linear
- Brown – Tactile
- Blue – Clicky
The blue switches are the loudest of the three switches. The brown switches are considerably quiet while the red-colored switches are the quietest.
All three switches can withstand a maximum of 50 million keypresses and have an actuation point of 2mm. The red switches are also the easiest to press among the three types.
What switches does the SteelSeries Apex Pro have?
The SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard primarily has two types of switches:
- OmniPoint adjustable mechanical switches with Hall Effect sensors
- Cherry MX Red switches
The OmniPoint adjustable switches are linear, quiet and smooth by nature with a weight of 45g. They are located to the right Control key of the keyboard and are located on the primary 61 key cluster. These switches have a customizable actuation point.
The actuation point can be set to any value ranging between 0.4mm and 3.6mm. The switches have a response time of 0.7ms.
They feature twice the durability of conventional mechanical switches with five times quicker actuation as well as eight times quicker response.
How much is the SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard?
The SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard, on average, costs around $160. However, the price can also be slightly higher at close to $180. The actual price of the keyboard may vary depending on the type of switches you opt for.
The TKL variant of the Apex 7, namely the Apex 7 TKL, is priced lower than the Apex 7 and costs around $125. This is because this keyboard has no Numpad and hence the number of keys is lesser.
How much is the SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard?
The SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard is priced at around $200. The slightly high cost is because of its magnetic OmniPoint switches that are adjustable. The sleek design is another factor that makes the price fairly justifiable.
The Apex Pro TKL version costs slightly lower than the Apex Pro and is priced at around $180. The only difference from the Apex Pro is that it doesn’t have a Numpad, which makes it a smaller keyboard with lesser keys.
SteelSeries Apex 7 Vs TKL
The SteelSeries Apex 7 and the Apex 7 TKL keyboards are essentially the same with just one major difference. The TKL keyboard is a ten-key-less keyboard without the Numpad. This makes it smaller and more compact than the Apex 7 keyboard and is also not as heavy.
The following list highlights some key points that are worth noting about both the keyboards.
- The SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard comes in a size of 403.3 x 139.2 x 17.2mm. On the other hand, the TKL variant is sized at 355 x 139 x 40mm.
- The Apex 7 keyboard weighs 2.1 pounds while the Apex 7 TKL weighs slightly lesser at 1.6 pounds.
- Both the Apex keyboards support RGB illumination and NKRO key rollover.
- The two keyboards are equipped with QX2 brown, red and blue switches as well as dedicated media controls. However, they don’t have any macro keys.
- The keyboards are fully programmable and come with a display, USB passthrough and laser-etched ABS keycaps.
SteelSeries Apex 7 Vs Apex 5
The SteelSeries Apex 7 and the Apex 5 keyboards have the same aluminum top build and a mechanical build. However, they have a few noteworthy differences as given below.
- The Apex 7 keyboard features fully mechanical switches whilst the Apex 5 keyboard makes use of hybrid mechanical switches with the smoothness of a mechanical switch.
- The keys of the Apex 7 have a lifespan of 50 million keypresses whereas those of the Apex 5 have a maximum lifetime of 20 million keypresses.
- The Apex 7 is equipped with the USB Passthrough feature but the Apex 5 does not have this option.
- The Apex 7 keyboard is available in full-sized keyboard and TKL variants. The Apex 5 keyboard comes only as a full-sized keyboard.
- The Apex 7 is fairly higher priced than that of the Apex 5 keyboard. The price difference is about $50.
- The Apex 7 has three different switch type options in red, blue and brown colors with different functionalities. However, the Apex 5 has only blue switches.
SteelSeries Apex 7 Vs Razer Huntsman Elite
The SteelSeries Apex 7 and Razer Huntsman come in black color with a wired connection and mechanical switches. The two keyboards also have their fair share of differences as mentioned here.
- The SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard is sized at 403.3 x 139.2 x 17.2mm with a weight of 2.1 pounds. In contrast, the Razer Huntsman Elite keyboard is available in a size of 448 x 234.1 x 36 mm and weighs 3.76 pounds.
- The Apex 7 is also offered as a TKL variant whilst the Huntsman Elite has only a full-sized keyboard option.
- The SteelSeries keyboard has QX2 red, blue and brown colored switches whereas the Razer keyboard features only the Razer purple switch.
- The Apex 7 keyboard sports a better click sound than the Huntsman Elite keyboard that sounds hollow for some gamers.
- The SteelSeries keyboard comes with a more affordable price tag when compared to the Razer keyboard.