Verdict
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is the best TKL keyboard we have used to date, so it is no shock that it is ranked second in our Zero1 Best Mechanical Keyboard 2021. It is full of options and the one factor it is lacking is a quantity pad, however since it is a TKL keyboard, that is the purpose. The solely grievance we’ve got about it’s that it is loud, so if you’re in search of a TKL mechanical keyboard and do not thoughts it being loud at INR 11,999, then go for the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL.
Steelseries Apex 7 TKL detailed assessment
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is a part of SteelSeries’ new line of mechanical gaming keyboards, together with the SteelSeries Apex Professional and Apex 7. Because the title suggests, it is a TKL or Tenkeyless variant. At first look, it is a premium keyboard with a chic and classy design and a robust aluminum body. In fact, let’s not overlook the OLED display within the higher right nook of the keyboard, which additionally stands out. With all that stated, let’s bounce into the assessment and see how the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL performs and if you can purchase it.
Steelseries Apex 7 TKL specs at a look
Higher materials: Aviation aluminum alloy body
N-Key RollOver: 84-Key Anti-Ghosting
Dynamic RGB lighting for every key
weight: 771
Dimensions: 355.44 x 139.26 x 40.44 mm
SteelSeries QX2 RGB mechanical change
Change activation: 2 mm
Whole Journey: 4 mm
Energy: 45cN
Time of life: 50 million keystrokes
Steelseries Apex 7 TKL Building and design
As we talked about earlier, that is the TKL variant of the Apex 7. This successfully implies that there is no such thing as a numeric keypad included. Now, whereas the dearth of a numeric keypad might take some getting used to, it additionally has a number of advantages. First, TKL keyboards normally take up much less house on the desktop; more room is at all times good. Moreover, there’s some profit to having your hands nearer collectively whereas gaming, as decreasing the gap between the keyboard and mouse has been proven to assist players carry out higher for longer durations of time. There may be additionally the plain benefit of a less expensive keyboard. Nonetheless, having a numeric keypad additionally has its benefits, so relying on your preferences, you might desire the SteelSeries Apex Professional or Apex 7 over the Apex 7 TKL.
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL has a really premium feel and appear. The prime panel of the keyboard physique is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, which is gentle and sturdy. The backside plate is made from laborious plastic and has a number of grooves for cable routing, which is sweet. The Apex 7 TKL makes use of twin affect PBT caps, so you do not have to fret concerning the legends sporting out anytime quickly. On the prime right nook of the keyboard is a clickable scroll wheel that doubles as quantity controls. Scroll up or down to manage the quantity and faucet to mute. You could have one button right beneath the scroll wheel that acts as a play pause button. As well as, each the scroll wheel and media button can be used to navigate the 128×40 OLED display, which is situated to the left of them. This display shows the SteelSeries brand by default, but it surely can be personalized and used for a lot of different capabilities, which we’ll cowl within the options part.
You even have one USB pass-through behind the left aspect of the keyboard that’s lit up with a white gentle to assist you truly discover the port, which is fairly helpful.
The Apex 7 TKL comes with its personal magnetic wrist relaxation, which has a rubber coating, so you’ll haven’t any downside gripping it. It’s also at a reasonably snug top, however you at all times have the choice of doing with out it. The wrist relaxation aligns effectively with the keyboard and attaches with a magnet. The magnet is robust sufficient to click on into place, but it surely’s not very safe; elevate the keyboard and it’ll go aside.
Options of Steelseries Apex 7 TKL
Subsequent, we transfer on to capabilities. Beginning with the important thing switches, the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL comes with QX2 RGB mechanical switches that are not too dissimilar to Cherry MX switches; your general expertise should not be too completely different. We talked about earlier that many well-known manufacturers are releasing their very own change choices as a substitute of Cherry MX, the QX2 is one such choice. The Apex 7 TKL unit we obtained for assessment got here with QX2 Reds, that are a linear and quiet change. Along with purple, you even have blue switches that click on and are tactile, and brown switches which might be tactile and silent. There isn’t a distinction between the three in relation to actuation drive and journey distance, all with 45cN of actuation drive, 2mm of actuation distance and 4mm of whole journey.
The keyboard options RGB lighting for every key, which can be personalized utilizing the accompanying SteelSeries Engine software program. You can additionally customise the OLED display right here. Each key on the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL can be reprogrammed to your liking, so there’s loads of customization to go well with your preferences.
As for the OLED display itself, as we talked about above, it comes with the SteelSeries brand by default, however you can customise it to your liking and even run gifs on it in standby mode. With the SteelSeries Engine, there are a bunch of preset issues you can run on the OLED display, together with system stats like CPU or RAM utilization, temperature, and extra. As well as, some video games are additionally appropriate with the OLED display, which permits them to show sure statistics, however this may increasingly or might not be helpful, contemplating that most individuals are usually not going to look away from the sport to take a look at the OLED display.
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We talked about earlier how the quantity scroll wheel and media button can be used to navigate the OLED display. With out having to enter software program or settings, issues can be adjusted instantly on the keyboard itself, which could be very handy. If you merely maintain down the media button for a number of seconds, 4 choices will seem on the show: lighting, macros, profile and settings. All that is fairly self-explanatory. Right here you can cycle via a number of lighting choices, together with preset and customized lighting. Regulate brightness, create or delete macros, change between macros, and create profiles. Having the ability to do all of this with out having to open the software program, even when you’re in the midst of one thing, is fairly helpful.
Steelseries Apex 7 TKL Efficiency
We had no complaints whereas utilizing the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL. The lack of a numeric keypad might take some getting used to, however the general expertise is kind of nice, each whereas gaming and typing. We discovered the keys to be responsive and the keyboard snug even after lengthy gaming periods. Typing was additionally good on the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL, however experiences might differ as individuals have completely different switching preferences.
We personally desire the purple keys due to their quietness, however we discovered the QX2’s switches to be fairly loud regardless. This has extra to do with the keycaps than the switches themselves. Principally the sound is brought on by the highest half of the keycaps touching the highest of the change base. If that is so for each the blue and brown variations of the switches, then you’re most likely assuming the identical factor, most likely a lot louder within the case of the blue switches, which additionally click on.
Software program – Steelseries Engine
SteelSeries’ companion software program, SteelSeries Engine, is intuitive, straightforward to navigate, and has a pleasant aesthetic in addition. Right here you can customise keyboard shortcuts, macros, lighting, and OLED settings. Whereas you can modify these options instantly on the OLED display, the software program supplies far more info and choices to work with. The SteelSeries Engine can additionally load apps for your OLED display that can run within the background, similar to a music participant, system monitor, and Gamesense apps for sure video games; which you might want to show info associated to the sport.
Verdict Steelseries Apex 7 TKL
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is the best TKL keyboard we have used to date, so it is no shock that it is ranked second in our Zero1 Best Mechanical Keyboard 2021. It is full of options and the one factor it is lacking is a quantity pad, however since it is a TKL keyboard, that is the purpose. The solely grievance we’ve got about it’s that it is loud, so if you’re in search of a TKL mechanical keyboard and do not thoughts it being loud at INR 11,999, then go for the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL.
