SteelSeries Apex Pro vs GLORIOUS GMMK 2

Which Keyboard Is Better?

Products

SteelSeries Apex Pro
GLORIOUS GMMK 2

Tested using Methodology v1.4.1

Updated Aug 21, 2025 06:31 PM

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Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

Updated Jun 19, 2025 03:58 PM

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Our Verdict

SteelSeries Apex Pro

GLORIOUS GMMK 2

The SteelSeries Apex Pro and the GLORIOUS GMMK 2 are both mechanical keyboards designed for gaming use. However, the SteelSeries performs better overall for this use as it has lower latency, and it has a unique feature that allows you to adjust the pre-travel distance on a per-key basis. On the other hand, the GLORIOUS is hot-swappable, so you're able to swap out the stock switches for any of your choosing.

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Variants

  • Apex Pro (Black)
  • GMMK 2 (Black - 65%)
  • GMMK 2 (Black - 96%)

Check Price

Black
Apex Pro
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Black - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
B&H
Pink - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
SteelSeries
Pink - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
Walmart.com
White - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
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Main Differences for
Gaming

Threshold 

0.10

Gaming 
 

8.6
8.1

Single-Key Latency 
 

9.0
8.1

Multi-Key Latency 
 

8.8
7.8

Chord Split 
 

7.9
6.5

Full Comparison

Design

Dimensions 
 

Top Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Top Picture
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Top Picture

Size 
 

Full-size (100%)
Compact (96%)

Height 
 

1.6" (4.0 cm)
1.8" (4.5 cm)

Width  

17.2" (43.7 cm)
14.8" (37.6 cm)

Depth 
 

5.5" (13.9 cm)
4.9" (12.5 cm)

Depth With Wrist Rest 
 

8.3" (21.1 cm)
N/A

Weight 
 

2.14 lbs (0.970 kg)
2.89 lbs (1.311 kg)
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

8.0
8.5

Build Quality Close Up 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Build Quality Close Up
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Build Quality Close Up

Keycap Material  

ABS
ABS
Show Text 

Ergonomics 
 

6.0
6.0

Side Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Side Picture
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Side Picture

Curved/Angled 
 

No
No

Split Keyboard 
 

No
No

Key Alignment 
 

Staggered
Staggered

Minimum Incline 
 

4.5°
5.5°

Medium Incline 
 

N/A
N/A

Maximum Incline 
 

11°
10.5°

Home Row Height 
 

33.0 mm (1.3")
35.0 mm (1.4")
Show Text 

Hardware Customizability 
 

6.0
8.7

Customizability Overview 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Customizability Overview
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Customizability Overview

Replaceable Cherry Stabilizers 
 

Yes
Yes

Stabilizer Fixation 
 

Plate-Mounted
Plate-Mounted

Spacebar Stabilizer Size 
 

6.25u
6.25u

Size Of Right Mod Keys 
 

1.25u
1u

Hot-Swappable Switches 
 

No
Yes

Switch Stem Shape 
 

Cherry MX Style
Cherry MX Style

Switch PCB Socket 
 

Soldered
5-pin Cherry

North-Facing Cherry MX Interference 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Backlight Features 
 

10
10

Backlighting Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Backlighting Picture
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Backlighting Picture

Brightness Max 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Brightness Max
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Brightness Max

Backlighting  

Yes
Yes

Brightness Min 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Brightness Min
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Brightness Min

RGB 
 

Yes
Yes

Per-Key Backlighting 
 

Yes
Yes

Effects 
 

Yes
Yes

Software Controllable 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Backlight Clarity 
 

9.0
8.0

White Shot 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro White Shot
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 White Shot
Show Text 

Cable & Connector  

Connectivity  

Wired
Wired

Detachable 
 

No
Yes (Wired Only Keyboard)

Length  

5.9 ft (1.8 m)
6.4 ft (2.0 m)

Connector (Keyboard side) 
 

Not Detachable
USB type-C
Show Text 

Wireless Versatility 
 

0.0
0.0

Bluetooth 
 

No
No

Bluetooth Multi-Device Pairing 
 

No
No

Proprietary Receiver 
 

No
No

Battery Type 
 

No Batteries
No Batteries
Show Text 

Macro Keys And Programming 
 

5.5
4.0

Dedicated Macro Keys Count  

0
0

Onboard Macro Programming 
 

Yes
No

Macro Programming With Software 
 

Yes
Yes

Extra Features 
 

Extra Features 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Extra Features
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Extra Features

Media Keys 
 

Non-Dedicated
Non-Dedicated

Trackpad / Trackball  

No
No

Scroll Wheel 
 

Yes
No

Control Knob 
 

No
No

USB Passthrough 
 

Yes
No

Numpad  

Yes
Yes

Windows Key Lock 
 

Yes
Yes

Lock Indicator  

Caps & Num Lock
Caps Lock
Show Text 

In The Box  

Bundle Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Bundle Picture
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Bundle Picture
Show Text 
Typing Experience

Typing Quality 
 

8.0
8.5

Key Spacing 
 

19.0 mm (0.748")
19.0 mm (0.748")
Show Text 

Typing Noise 
 

7.2
7.2

Typing Sample  

Average Loudness 
 

53.7 dBA
53.5 dBA

High Pitch Clicks 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Keystrokes 
 

Key Switch Actuation Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Apex Pro Key Switch Actuation Graph
 Preview Graph
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Key Switch Actuation Graph

Operating Force 
 

41 gf
50 gf

Actuation Force 
 

41 gf
50 gf

Pre-Travel 
 

2.2 mm
2.7 mm

Total Travel 
 

4.2 mm
4.3 mm
Show Text 

Adjustable Input Granularity 
 

7.8

Input Linearity Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Apex Pro Input Linearity Graph

Analog Output Graph  

SteelSeries Apex Pro Analog Output Graph

Top Deadzone 
 

0.52 mm

Bottom Deadzone 
 

0.32 mm

Detection Ratio 
 

79%

Minimum Step Depth 
 

0.05 mm
Show Text 

Switches 
 

Wobble Video  

Switch Name 
 

OmniPoint
Glorious Fox

Switch Type 
 

Magnetic
Mechanical

Feel 
 

Linear
Linear

Output Type 
 

Adjustable Actuation
No
Show Text 
Performance

Single-Key Latency 
 

9.0
8.1

Single-Key Latency Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Apex Pro Single-Key Latency Graph
 Preview Graph
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Single-Key Latency Graph

Best Connection 
 

4.1 ms
11.9 ms

Best Connection Std Dev  

±0.5 ms
±1.0 ms

Wired 
 

4.1 ms
11.9 ms

Receiver 
 

N/A
N/A

Bluetooth 
 

N/A
N/A

PCB (Estimated) 
 

N/A
9.6 ms
Show Text 

Multi-Key Latency 
 

8.8
7.8

Latency Video  

Multi-Key Latency Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Apex Pro Multi-Key Latency Graph
 Preview Graph
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Multi-Key Latency Graph

Connection Evaluated  

Wired
Wired

Key Press 
 

4.1 ms
12.3 ms

Key Release 
 

12.4 ms

Data Transmission 
 

8.7
7.8

Multi-Key Raw USB 
 

Compare High-Res
SteelSeries Apex Pro Multi-Key Raw USB
Compare High-Res
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Multi-Key Raw USB

Connection Evaluated  

Wired
Wired

USB Polling Rate 
 

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Effective Update Rate 
 

1,000 Hz
333 Hz

N-Key Rollover (NKRO) 
 

Yes
Yes

Multiple Keys Per USB Report 
 

Yes
Yes

Chord Split 
 

7.9
6.5

Chord Split Graph  

 Preview Graph
SteelSeries Apex Pro Chord Split Graph
 Preview Graph
GLORIOUS GMMK 2 Chord Split Graph

4 Chord Split Delay 
 

5.9 ms
8.7 ms

8 Chord Split Delay 
 

8.7 ms
21.0 ms
Software and Operating System

Configuration Software 
 

Software Tour  

Software Name  

Steelseries Engine
Glorious Core

Software Windows Compatible 
 

Yes
Yes

Software macOS Compatible 
 

Yes
No

Onboard Memory 
 

Yes
Yes

Profiles 
 

6+
3
Show Text 

Computer Compatibility 
 

10
10

Windows 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

macOS 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

Linux (Ubuntu 22) 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Windows, MacOS & Linux
Windows, MacOS & Linux
Show Text 

Wireless Mobile Compatibility 
 

0.0
0.0

Android 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

iOS 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

iPadOS 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible
Show Text 

Check Price

Black
Apex Pro
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Black - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
B&H
Pink - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
SteelSeries
Pink - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex Pro
Walmart.com
White - 65%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White - 96%
GMMK 2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

SteelSeries Apex Pro

GLORIOUS GMMK 2

Comments

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SteelSeries Apex Pro vs GLORIOUS GMMK 2: Main Discussion

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