The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) is a wired gaming keyboard that continues SteelSeries' Apex Pro (2023) lineup. Like previous entries in the Apex Pro series, this keyboard uses OmniPoint switches, which let you customize the actuation point of individual switches. Several new features were introduced from the previous generation Apex Pro TKL, released in 2019. New features with this generation include a wider range of adjustable actuation points (now between 0.2mm-3.8mm) and the ability to program two functions to activate at different actuation points in a single keypress. SteelSeries has also added a Rapid Trigger feature via a firmware update post-launch, which allows you to set how far your switches need to travel back up before you can register another keystroke. For more details about this mode, see the Single-Key Latency section later in this review.
We bought and tested the wired version of this keyboard, but there is also a wireless version available called the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023). We expect our test results to also largely apply to the wireless version.
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL 2023 is an excellent gaming keyboard. It has remarkably low latency, and the OmniPoint switches allow you to fine-tune the sensitivity of your keypresses to best suit your preferences and the game you're playing. It also feels well-built, and the PBT keycaps have a pleasant texture for added grip. There's also an included wrist rest for added comfort, a rare feature on smaller TKL keyboards.
- Remarkably low latency.
- Switches have adjustable actuation points.
- Impressive build quality.
- Keys wobble slightly.
- No tactile switch options.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL 2023 is an impressive keyboard for office work, but it isn't explicitly designed for this use. It feels well-built and has good ergonomics with two incline settings and an included wrist rest, which is a rare feature for a keyboard of this size. The companion software is also fully compatible with Windows and macOS, and you can customize the sensitivity of keypresses to find a sensitivity that best suits your workflow. While this is a wired-only model, a wireless version of this keyboard is available that connects with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth, which can help reduce the clutter on your desk as there isn't a cable to worry about.
- Switches have adjustable actuation points.
- Impressive build quality.
- Wired-only.
- Keys wobble slightly.
- No tactile switch options.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL 2023 isn't suitable for use with mobile devices or tablets.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL 2023 is great for programming use. It feels well-built, has full RGB backlighting, and offers impressive typing quality with the ability to customize the sensitivity of your keypresses to suit your preferences. It also has good ergonomics with two incline settings and an included wrist rest, which is a rare feature for a TKL keyboard. You can program macros to any key directly on the board or use the customization software compatible with Windows and macOS.
- Switches have adjustable actuation points.
- Impressive build quality.
- Wired-only.
- Keys wobble slightly.
- No tactile switch options.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL is inadequate for an entertainment or home theater PC setup. While it feels well-built and has full RGB backlighting, it's a wired-only model, so you have to sit fairly close to your PC to use it. That said, there's a wireless version of this keyboard available called the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023) that would be better suited for this use.
- Impressive build quality.
- Wired-only.
- Keys wobble slightly.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 02, 2025: Our 1.4.2 Test Bench Update makes changes to the Hardware Customizability test group. We've created a new Magnetic Switch Compatibility test and renamed our previous PCB Socket test to Mechanical Switch Compatibility. See our full changelog.
- Updated Aug 26, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.4.1. This update removes the Key Release test and a video element from the Multi-Key Latency section, resulting in minor score changes. See our full 1.4.1 changelog for details.
- Updated Jun 21, 2025: We've updated this review with our new Test Bench 1.4 methodology. It adds a new Output Type classification in the Switches box, indicating whether the keyboard's output is non-adjustable, adjustable, or analog. It also introduces a new Adjustable Input Granularity test, which improves comparability between keyboards with adjustable input.
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Updated Nov 18, 2024:
We've added a link to the newly-reviewed SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3. to the Dimensions section.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) is only available in a black colorway and with OmniPoint 2.0 switches. There's also a wireless version of this keyboard, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023). We expect our test results to apply broadly to the wireless version too. You can see the label for the unit we bought and tested here.
If you come across another variant of this keyboard that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) is a mechanical gaming keyboard that continues SteelSeries' Apex Pro (2023) lineup. Like other models in the lineup, this board uses SteelSeries' proprietary OmniPoint 2.0 switches. Unlike standard mechanical switches, these switches allow you to adjust the actuation point of individual keys. In other words, this lets you adjust how sensitive your keys feel. You can set certain keys to be ultra-sensitive for playing competitive FPS or other fast-paced games and then switch to a much less sensitive setting for everyday typing to help prevent typos. These OmniPoint switches use hall effect sensors to register keypresses, and while this technology is still fairly rare to find in gaming keyboards, there are several other examples of models with similar switches, including the Wooting two HE and Wooting 60HE, which also use hall effect switches, and the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog which uses optical switches to achieve the same effect.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, the best TKL keyboards, and the best mechanical keyboards.
Both the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) are wired, analog gaming keyboards with comparable gaming performance in the same product lineup. The Apex Pro Gen 3 is a newer model with a full-size layout compared to the older Apex Pro TKL (2023) which has a tenkeyless (80%) layout. The newer Gen 3 has some minor build quality improvements, like tuned stabilizers and acoustic foam that improve the sound profile and dampen typing noise. Unfortunately, its actuation settings are much less accurate, although this may be something SteelSeries can fix with firmware updates in the future.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) and the Wooting 60HE are mechanical gaming keyboards with outstanding gaming performance and analog switch functionality that allow you to adjust the pre-travel distance of individual keys. The SteelSeries is a TenKeyLess (80%) model and has an included wrist rest. It also has an OLED screen and a control wheel, which the Wooting lacks. On the other hand, the Wooting 60HE is a smaller, Compact (60%) model. The Wooting has several software features the SteelSeries doesn't, including a low latency Tachyon Mode and an Analog Mode that reproduces the gradual inputs of controller joysticks.
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) are tenkeyless wired gaming keyboards that use analog optical switches that allow you to customize pre-travel and reset distance of individual keys. Both keyboards provide similar gaming performance. Otherwise, the differences come down to some of their extra features: the SteelSeries has an OLED screen and programmable scroll wheel while the Razer has dedicated media keys and a programmable rotary control knob.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) are mechanical gaming keyboards that belong to the same lineup and use OmniPoint switches that allow you to customize the actuation point of individual keys. The Apex Pro Mini has a smaller Compact (60%) form factor. On the other hand, the Apex Pro TKL (2023) has a TenKeyLess (80%) form factor. It also has an OLED screen and an included wrist rest, which the Apex Pro Mini lacks.
Test Results
It's a fairly compact keyboard that doesn't take up much space on your desk compared to most full-size keyboards, including the original full-size SteelSeries Apex Pro. It isn't as compact as the Apex Pro Mini Wireless. You can also choose to remove the included wrist rest if you prefer.
If you're interested in a newer, full-size version in the same product lineup, check out the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3.
This keyboard has impressive build quality. The chassis is made of plastic with only a small degree of flexibility, and the top plate is made of aluminum, which looks and feels high-quality. The keycaps are made of PBT plastic. They feel nice to the touch and have a textured finish for added grip. There's some wobbling on the keys, but it isn't very noticeable while typing. On the back of the keyboard, there's an indent in the case for storing the included keycap puller.
If you're interested in a similar gaming keyboard with Hall effect switches but with more premium-feeling build quality, check out the Keychron Q1 HE.
This keyboard has good ergonomics. There are two plastic incline feet on the back of the keyboard that offer two incline angles. There's also an included wrist rest, which is unusual for keyboards of this size. The wrist rest attaches magnetically and provides good support.
This keyboard has outstanding full RGB backlighting with individually lit keys. You can use the companion software to customize lighting effects and colors on a per-key basis.
The keycaps have shine-through legends, making them easy to read in darker rooms. Unfortunately, the color mixing is poor, and the white lighting has a strong blue tint.
This keyboard has a detachable, braided USB-A to USB-C cable. The cable feels high quality but retains some kinks from its packaging.
This is a wired-only keyboard, but there's also a wireless version of this keyboard available called the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023).
This keyboard has various extra features, some of which are fairly standard on similar gaming keyboards at this price point, like Full Key NKRO and anti-ghosting, storage for onboard profiles, and media hotkeys keys.
One of the more unique features this keyboard offers is the ability to adjust the actuation point of its OmniPoint 2.0 switches within a range of 0.2mm-3.8mm. You can also program dual bindings for two separate actions at different actuation points. Note that you can only adjust the actuation point on the keyboard's 61 alphanumeric keys, as seen in this image. You can't adjust the actuation point of the function keys, navigation keys, and arrow keys.
There's an OLED screen on the right side of the keyboard that you can use to customize select options directly on your keyboard without using software, custom profile, RGB lighting, and actuation point settings. You can also use it to display custom images or short animations.
- SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023)
- Wrist rest
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Keycap puller
- User documentation
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) offers a great typing experience. The keycaps feel high quality and are made of PBT plastic with pleasantly textured surfaces for added grip. The keys wobble a bit, but it's hard to notice while typing. The switches themselves have a smooth linear feel without any tactile feedback. You can also adjust your typing experience somewhat by adjusting the actuation point of switches between more sensitive or deliberate pre-travel distances, and the switches have a smooth linear feel.
This keyboard is at the upper limit of what we would consider quiet. If you're concerned about noise, you may want to check out our recommendations for the best quiet keyboards for alternatives.
This keyboard uses switches that allow you to change the actuation point of the 61 alphanumeric keys (highlighted in this picture). Note that the function, navigation, and arrow keys aren't adjustable and have a default linear feel.
By default, the actuation point of the switches is set to 1.8 mm, which is the setting we used to test this keyboard. You can adjust the pre-travel distance of keys within a range of 0.2mm–3.8mm, which is an improvement over previous generation OmniPoint switches found on earlier models in this lineup with an actuation range between 0.4mm–3.6mm. It's important to note that during testing with this adjustable pre-travel distance, the recorded measurement varied slightly between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm longer than the measurement set in the software. However, these differences are very marginal, so you're unlikely to notice the difference, and it doesn't present issues during gameplay. However, you may need to slightly fine-tune individual keypresses to achieve your desired sensitivity levels.
If you're interested in a keyboard that offers similar functionality, allowing you to adjust the pre-travel of individual keys more consistently and precisely, check out the Wooting 60HE.
Alternatively, if you're interested in an analog gaming keyboard that uses tactile Topre switches, see our review of the REALFORCE GX1.
This keyboard has remarkably low latency. It delivers an extremely responsive-feeling experience for games in any genre and casual or competitive play.
SteelSeries added a Rapid Trigger feature to this keyboard via a firmware update post-launch. This feature allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the switch reset point or how far the switch needs to travel back up and reset before you can register another keystroke. This feature can help you register repeated keystrokes more quickly.
We tested the latency of this keyboard with the actuation point set to its lowest setting (0.2mm) and with Rapid Trigger set to its most sensitive setting (0.1mm).
This keyboard offers excellent multi-key latency performance, making it very well-suited for playing games requiring additional inputs while multiple keys are already being pressed and held down.
We tested the latency of this keyboard with the actuation point set to its lowest setting (0.2mm) and with Rapid Trigger set to its most sensitive setting (0.1mm).
This keyboard has excellent data transmission performance. It has a maximum polling rate of 1000Hz, and data transmission isn't bottlenecked by other latency components. It also supports N-key rollover by default out of the box and can send multiple inputs per USB report.
If you're interested in a similar analog gaming keyboard with a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz, check out the NuPhy Field75 HE.
This keyboard uses SteelSeries GG software. The software is well laid out, easy to use, and provides a wide range of adjustable options. You can rebind keys, program macros, adjust the pre-travel distance of individual switches, and adjust RGB lighting settings. You can also adjust the actuation point of these switches or record macros directly on the keyboard without using the software if you prefer. Note that certain settings, including custom RGB settings, can't be saved to onboard memory and require the software to run in the background.
Similar to the software options from other major manufacturers, this software receives criticism for requiring frequent updates and taking up disproportionate system resources. You may find this software frustrating if you prefer more lightweight software options or no software at all.