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  1. Home
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SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL vs 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard

Which Keyboard Is Better?

    Top
    Main Differences
    Design
      DimensionsBuild QualityErgonomicsHardware CustomizabilityBacklight FeaturesBacklight ClarityCable & ConnectorWireless VersatilityMacro Keys And ProgrammingExtra FeaturesIn The Box
    Typing Experience
      Typing QualityTyping NoiseSwitchesKeystrokes
    Performance
      Single-Key LatencyMulti-Key LatencyData TransmissionChord Split
    Software and Operating System
      Configuration SoftwareComputer CompatibilityWireless Mobile Compatibility
    Comments

Products

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

Updated Jun 05, 2026 01:05 PM

SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

Updated Jun 05, 2026 12:30 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon
SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Picture

Track

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Picture

Track

ConnectivityWired
Size
TenKeyLess (80%)
Switch Type
Mechanical
N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
Yes
Hot-Swappable Switches
No
ConnectivityWireless
Size
TenKeyLess (80%)
Switch Type
Mechanical
N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
Yes
Hot-Swappable Switches
Yes

Our Verdict

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard

The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL and the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard are gaming keyboards with tenkeyless layouts. The SteelSeries is a wired-only model with a more conventional look and full RGB backlighting. It comes with your choice of linear, tactile, or clicky mechanical switches. The 8BitDo is a wireless model that connects with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth. It has a retro-inspired look with higher-quality PBT keycaps and a hot-swappable PCB that allows you to change out the stock clicky switches if you want. It also has a separate two-button gamepad module but doesn't have backlighting.

GIFT THIS COMPARISON

0 

Variants

  • Apex 7 TKL (Black)
  • Apex 7 (Black)
  • Retro Mechanical Keyboard (Fami Edition)
  • Retro Mechanical Keyboard (N Edition)

Review

See SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Review
See 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review
0 
2 

Check Price

Black
Apex 7 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon
Fami Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
Amazon
Black
Apex 7
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
N Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Ghost Edition
Apex 7 TKL
SEARCH
Amazon
Xbox Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
Amazon

Main Differences for
Gaming

Threshold 

0.10

Gaming 
 

0.0
0.0
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Full Comparison

Design

Dimensions 
 

Top Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Top Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Top Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Size 
 

Locked
Locked

Height 
 

Lock" (Lock cm)
Lock" (Lock cm)

Width  

Lock" (Lock cm)
Lock" (Lock cm)

Depth 
 

Lock" (Lock cm)
Lock" (Lock cm)

Depth With Wrist Rest 
 

Lock" (Lock cm)
N/A

Weight 
 

Lock lbs (Lock kg)
Lock lbs (Lock kg)

Build Quality 
 

N/A
N/A

Build Quality Close Up  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Build Quality Close Up Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Build Quality Close Up Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Keycap Material  

Locked
Locked

Ergonomics 
 

N/A
N/A

Side Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Side Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Side Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Curved/Angled 
 

Locked
Locked

Split Keyboard 
 

Locked
Locked

Key Alignment 
 

Locked
Locked

Minimum Incline 
 

Lock°
Lock°

Medium Incline 
 

N/A
N/A

Maximum Incline 
 

Lock°
N/A

Home Row Height 
 

Lock mm (Lock")
Lock mm (Lock")

Hardware Customizability 
 

N/A
N/A

Customizability Overview  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Customizability Overview Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Customizability Overview Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Replaceable Cherry Stabilizers 
 

Locked
Locked

Stabilizer Fixation 
 

Locked
Locked

Spacebar Stabilizer Size 
 

Locked
Locked

Size Of Right Mod Keys 
 

Locked
Locked

Hot-Swappable Switches 
 

Locked
Locked

Switch Stem Shape 
 

Locked
Locked

Switch PCB Socket 
 

Locked
Locked

North-Facing Cherry MX Interference 
 

Locked
Locked

Backlight Features 
 

N/A
N/A

Backlighting Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Backlighting Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Backlighting Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Brightness Max  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Brightness Max Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Brightness Max Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Backlighting  

Locked
Locked

Brightness Min  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Brightness Min Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Brightness Min Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

RGB 
 

Locked
Locked

Per-Key Backlighting 
 

Locked
Locked

Effects 
 

Locked
Locked

Software Controllable 
 

Locked
Locked

Backlight Clarity 
 

N/A
N/A

White Shot  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL White Shot Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard White Shot Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Cable & Connector  

Connectivity  

Locked
Locked

Detachable 
 

Locked
Locked

Length  

Lock ft (Lock m)
Lock ft (Lock m)

Connector (Keyboard side) 
 

Locked
Locked

Wireless Versatility 
 

N/A
N/A

Bluetooth 
 

Locked
Locked

Bluetooth Multi-Device Pairing 
 

Locked
Locked

Proprietary Receiver 
 

Locked
Locked

Battery Type 
 

Locked
Locked

Macro Keys And Programming 
 

N/A
N/A

Dedicated Macro Keys Count  

Lock
Lock

Onboard Macro Programming 
 

Locked
Locked

Macro Programming With Software 
 

Locked
Locked

Extra Features 
 

Extra Features  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Extra Features Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Extra Features Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Media Keys 
 

Locked
Locked

Trackpad / Trackball  

Locked
Locked

Scroll Wheel 
 

Locked
Locked

Control Knob 
 

Locked
Locked

USB Passthrough 
 

Locked
Locked

Numpad  

Locked
Locked

Windows Key Lock 
 

Locked
Locked

Lock Indicator  

Locked
Locked

In The Box  

Bundle Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Bundle Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Bundle Picture Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Typing Experience

Typing Quality 
 

N/A
N/A

Key Spacing 
 

Lock mm (Lock")
Lock mm (Lock")

Typing Noise 
 

N/A
N/A

Typing Sample  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Typing Sample Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Typing Sample Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

Average Loudness 
 

Lock dBA
Lock dBA

High Pitch Clicks 
 

Locked
Locked

Switches 
 

Wobble Video  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Wobble Video Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Wobble Video Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

Switch Name 
 

Locked
Locked

Switch Type 
 

Locked
Locked

Feel 
 

Locked
Locked

Analog 
 

Locked
Locked

Keystrokes 
 

Key Switch Actuation Graph  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Key Switch Actuation Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Key Switch Actuation Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Operating Force 
 

Lock gf
Lock gf

Actuation Force 
 

Lock gf
Lock gf

Pre-Travel 
 

Lock mm
Lock mm

Total Travel 
 

Lock mm
Lock mm
Performance

Single-Key Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Single-Key Latency Graph  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Single-Key Latency Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Single-Key Latency Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Best Connection 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

Best Connection Std Dev  

±Lock ms
±Lock ms

Wired 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

Receiver 
 

N/A
Lock ms

Bluetooth 
 

N/A
Lock ms

PCB (Estimated) 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

Multi-Key Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency Video  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Latency Video Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Latency Video Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

Multi-Key Latency Graph  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Multi-Key Latency Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Multi-Key Latency Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Connection Evaluated  

Locked
Locked

Key Press 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

Key Release 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

Data Transmission 
 

N/A
N/A

Multi-Key Raw USB  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Multi-Key Raw USB Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Multi-Key Raw USB Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

Connection Evaluated  

Locked
Locked

USB Polling Rate 
 

Lock Hz
Lock Hz

Effective Update Rate 
 

Lock Hz
Lock Hz

N-Key Rollover (NKRO) 
 

Locked
Locked

Multiple Keys Per USB Report 
 

Locked
Locked

Chord Split 
 

N/A
N/A

Chord Split Graph  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Chord Split Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Chord Split Graph Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for pictures & test results

4 Chord Split Delay 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms

8 Chord Split Delay 
 

Lock ms
Lock ms
Software and Operating System

Configuration Software 
 

Software Tour  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Software Tour Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Software Tour Sample

SAMPLE

Join Now

for videos & test results

Software Name  

Locked
Locked

Software Windows Compatible 
 

Locked
Locked

Software macOS Compatible 
 

Locked
Locked

Onboard Memory 
 

Locked
Locked

Profiles 
 

Locked
Locked

Computer Compatibility 
 

N/A
N/A

Windows 
 

Locked
Locked

macOS 
 

Locked
Locked

Linux (Ubuntu 22) 
 

Locked
Locked

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Locked
Locked

Wireless Mobile Compatibility 
 

N/A
N/A

Android 
 

Locked
Locked

iOS 
 

Locked
Locked

iPadOS 
 

Locked
Locked

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Locked
Locked

Check Price

Black
Apex 7 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon
Fami Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
Amazon
Black
Apex 7
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
N Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Ghost Edition
Apex 7 TKL
SEARCH
Amazon
Xbox Edition
Retro Mechanical Keyboard
SEE PRICE
Amazon
Back to Top

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard

Comments

  1. Comparison
 • Posted 2 years ago

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL vs 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard: Main Discussion

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