Steelseries Apex any good?

[Jangodog]

Hi GeekHack. I'm going for steelseries Apex but before i buy are there anyone here
who has the Apex and is it a good gamer/allround keyboard?

Or should i just go for the Raw edition instead?


Jangodog 

[jwaz]

Judging by the really low profile keys I'm going to guess that's a scissor switch keyboard. A "good" gaming keyboard will use a Cherry MX switches

If you're dead set on all the pretty lights maybe a Ducky keyboard?

[Jangodog]

Hi well i'll be using it for office and gaming. Ducky keyboards are too much
for my budget I purchased the Roccat Isku last week but think it's
a bit old school and cheap looking, but has many game funktions

Should i stay with Isku or get the Apex i'm confused.


jangodog

[chel-]

How much does it cost? I've read that the price is going to be around $100. For that much you have quite a few options. What are you looking for specifically?

[BucklingSpring]

The space bar on this thing is huge. Will they call it a space platform or a space shelf or a space table?

[Jangodog]

i'm looking for a keyboard for games and office every day typing. As i said i have the Isku from Roccat
and it feels a bit cheap when typing. Or is it just me not getting used to a gamer board with the noise that
it makes?

Tanks for response

jangodog

[ishumprod]

"gamer boards" don't always make noise, the noise comes from the switch type ( color )

for gameing and typing i would recommend you a QFR with reds or blacks, because blues make a lot of noise and coud be annoying for your coworkers

[GordonZed]

i'm looking for a keyboard for games and office every day typing. As i said i have the Isku from Roccat
and it feels a bit cheap when typing. Or is it just me not getting used to a gamer board with the noise that
it makes?

Tanks for response

jangodog

I don't think that's a mechanical keyboard, so I can't imagine it would sound too different from any normal keyboard.

Anyway, if you're going to spend a good sum of money on your keyboard, I'd recommend you lurk around the forum a bit, do some research, read some reviews, and make an informed decision. It seems to me that you know you want a better keyboard but you don't know enough about them to know what to get. That's not an insult, just an observation. I am by no means an expert myself; I do, however, believe in research before making a purchase.

Where are you located? If you have a gaming computer store near you (NCIX is awesome, I don't know any others) check if they have mechanical keyboards there, and actually try them out. There are a lot of options, and it is certainly hard to make a choice without trying them.

If you don't have a store near you with a range of keyboards to try, I would recommend this: http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/wasd-sampler-kit.html

It contains 4 of the more popular types of switches, so you can actually see the difference in feel. The blue one is tactile and clicky, the brown is tactile with no click (you can feel a click but not hear it), the black and red are both linear (no click, smooth action to the bottom) but the black takes more force to press. Many say the red is like typing on a cloud. I like my blues personally.

So, it's a pretty subjective decision, and there's a lot of small things you can obsess over. I'd recommend you worry about the big things, mainly: switch type; extra keys. Decide if you like it clicky or smooth, and if you require any macros or programmable keys. That last choice will definitely shrink the number of keyboards you have to choose from. Many gamers demand it; I'm not a gamer so I have the very no-frills Filco Majestouch Ninja.

Ok, I'm rambling. Hopefully this came out helpful rather than unintelligible. Good luck, fine sir.

[Jangodog]

Well that was good info GordonZed  I,m still in between gamer and allround keyboard
for my purpose. There is a couple of dealers in my arier and i went there and tried some
boards.

I'm still hooked on the steelseries apex due to the cool design and affordable price.

Tanks again GZ nice input to my dilemma 

jangodog

[GordonZed]

I don't know about the Apex but I've heard good things about Steelseries in general. See if there's anything in the reviews section here and/or at Deskthority.

[Jangodog]

I did found few threads about the apex in this forum but it
seems like everyone thinks is dissapointing with lack of mechanical keys.

Well i'll rest my case for now

Tanks for your input.

jangodog

[davkol]

If you're after a relatively cheap, quiet, low-profile keyboard, I recommend Logitech K800.

[Hyde]

Mmmmmm might help if you can give us a little bit more information, for example do you want:

Budget?
Backlight?
Macro Keys?
Media Keys (Volume Control, Play/Pause... etc.)?
Full size (With number pad) or tenkeyless (No number pad)?

And you mentioned gaming and office so so far MX Brown or MX Red would probably be your best bet.

Unless you want low profile (low height keys) and quiet keys then like davkol said Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is a good choice too (He listed the wireless version but I prefer the wired version).  http://www.logitech.com/en-ca/product/4740?crid=26

While most people here are not fan of Razer but here's another scissor switch option:  http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-deathstalker

Though a little bit more information would help 

[davkol]

Don't quote me on this, because I don't know if they haven't updated the Illuminated, but IIRC K800 has 6KRO, while the Illuminated doesn't.

[rootwyrm]

The Apex is rubber dome. - us.
The Apex is rubber dome. - photo.
The Apex is rubber dome. - SteelSeries.

My job here is done.

[GordonZed]

Have you considered the Steelseries 6gv2 or 7g? Those are some pretty reapectable models. Not many extra features, just a solid minimal mechanical keyboard.

[jwaz]

Have you considered the Steelseries 6gv2 or 7g? Those are some pretty reapectable models. Not many extra features, just a solid minimal mechanical keyboard.

They have a weird enter key and only come in Cherry MX-Black high force linear switch and maybe MX-Red?

I'd say you should just get a CM Storm

[Jangodog]

Lots of input very nice 

I had the illuminated logitech keyboard but 2 keys broke after nearly
3 year of use. I have now the Roccat Isku as mentioned and i'm trying
it out for 2 weeks. Then i can return the keyboard to the dealer nice service
they have in the store called Elgiganten 

Don,t know if you guys have the same option in your country but we have
it here in Denmark  ) )

I did check out the steelseries 7G but think the keys make it to old timer.
But i think the CM series are nice too

And to answer your question on what i'm going for is that my budget says
around 100$ and it must be with makro/media keys and back light.

And i prefer low keys mechanical or not   


Jangodog

[aizen]

I haven't practice in english.  That's mean - more pics, less words. Sorry.

I'm owner of "Apex" in pre-sale version and "Apex RAW" with [ru] legend.
It's fully programmable keyboards with brilliant backlight!
But APEX haven't "16 million colors". I can get about 20 colors or something.
About key pressing. Usual membrane keys. But stroke about 3mm instead 4 mm. It's unusual and nervous for me.
Space funny, but useful. Have very light stroke.
Apex huge and colorful. Use 17 3-color  LEDs. Have L1-L4 layer keys. And you can change colors choosing layer by L keys.
Apex RAW more simple and "intelligent", but haven't USB-hub, white only backlight, less additional keys and a little-little-little not so flat backlight like Apex.

Apex



Apex RAW


Apex Colors.



Apex RAW color.


The hole


Logitech G15 vs SteelSeries Apex


What inside




Controller = mc9s08jm32


Legs.


USB hub v2.0


Other photo and review in russian = http://www.3ona51.com/blog/2013/06/steelseries-apex-and-apex-raw-revie/

Ask your questions.

[daerid]

Amazing review, thanks! Looks a bit like the way Razer put together the Lycosa, so.. no thanks

[rootwyrm]

Yeah. The Apex family is all rubber dome, period. So if you're looking for mechanical, forget it. And no, it is nothing like the Lycosa. SteelSeries actually gives a crap about quality - they actually obsess over it.

SteelSeries Engine (what lets you program/configure) the Apex and other stuff is fantastic though. Not enough to make up for it in my opinion, since blech rubber dome, but the software really is great.

[daerid]

Maybe I was thinking of the Tarantula.. low profile but not a scissor switch. Yeah, I really like Engine for my Sensei. It's actually pretty good software.

[rootwyrm]

Maybe I was thinking of the Tarantula.. low profile but not a scissor switch. Yeah, I really like Engine for my Sensei. It's actually pretty good software.

Rule of Thumb: if I call it good software, it is quite literally fantastic beyond description.
I'm beyond picky about my software, to put it mildly. There's no excuse for crashing, bugs, etcetera in this day and age - much less the crap like Razer pulls where it is quite literally spyware.
The only thing that's ever succeeded in breaking Engine has been a faulty USB hub and a faulty USB port. That's how it should be. And I hammer on it harder than even people at SteelSeries. They were actually surprised at just how hard I beat on it from a software perspective on a regular basis. And the few bugs I have uncovered? Got fixed - quickly.

I just wish they'd done the Apex in mechanical. I really do.

[aizen]

Maybe I was thinking of the Tarantula.. low profile but not a scissor switch.

Tarantula have tactile feedback due to the small but tough membrane.
Apex tactile feedback closer to a normal membrane keyboard, except shortest key stroke (~3mm). But it's pre-sale sample.
Apex RAW, which from store shelves, have feedback like - "pressing stops suddenly", and its have same 3mm key stroke.
And tartantula have awful wrist-rest. In this plane Apex's looks more comfortable.

[shadowness]

from what i see in amazon, steelseries apex RaW is around $60??? man... just add a little bit more and you can get a nice low entry mechanical keyboards around $80?.... it will make you more satisfied far far ahead....

[Thimplum]

If you want lights, then I'd recommend waiting for the Ducky Shine III to go on sale, then search ebay for people selling off their Shine IIs at a lower price.