Five months after first using it, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 is still my favourite rapid trigger keyboard to date. If you're looking for a good gaming keyboard upgrade, or are feeling really generous towards a gamer in your life, a nice discount on this great rapid trigger keyboard may tempt you.
Luckily, right now, you can get it for $198 on Amazon, which is just over $20 off its MSRP. This is the best price we've seen on this keyboard since its launch.
Okay, let's get some of that jargon out of the way for those not in the know. Thanks to its OmniPoint 3.0 switches, this keyboard has rapid trigger which means it can register hits the second you let go of a key, rather than when it hits a certain threshold. This means you can stop moving even faster and easier, for example by counter-strafing, which is crucial in games like Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 where moving makes you less accurate.
Linked to this, you can have multiple actuation points meaning you can assign different key presses for how far down each key. You can also individually customize the actuation point of every key, to change how far down you have to press for an input.
After using both this and the cheaper SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 2 wireless, I can say the former keyboard feels not only much nicer to type on but much more sturdy. The Gen 3 TKL isn't very heavy and has a plastic back, but an aluminium top makes the whole thing feel more premium to the touch.
A little OLED screen up at the top right can also be used in games like the aforementioned Counter-Strike 2 to show kills, the weapon you hold, and more. However, my favourite thing to do with it is download a gif and have that play on repeat. My personal favourite is of a cat running to the right (just make sure to reverse the colours in the SteelSeries app for a sharper look).
This is an enthusiast keyboard, so if you couldn't imagine yourself actually using rapid trigger, it's likely a bit overkill, especially for the price. However, the price and mediocre software are the main hangups on an otherwise excellent-feeling and great-looking keyboard.
It is worth noting that this isn't the cheapest way to get a rapid trigger keyboard if that's your sole reason for buying the Apex Pro. The Keychron K2 HE is around $50 cheaper right now. As well as this, the Wooting 80HE is the same price as the Apex Pro and is our current pick for the best rapid trigger gaming keyboard.
Having used both the 80HE and Apex Pro Gen 3 TKL, my favourite is the latter thanks to its feel, weight, and extra accessories. However, feel will always be down to personal preference and our Jacob stands by the Wooting 80HE. Wooting's software does come out on top and it's a more no-nonsense build.
Do you need rapid trigger, an OLED screen, or a palm rest? Probably not. Do they add to the overall package SteelSeries is selling? Absolutely. Is it the gaming keyboard I'd buy if I were in the market for rapid trigger and had the cash for it? Undeniably.
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