So unless you are like me and want to go in to customize every single key as soon as possible, it’s not immediately necessary. The only functionality that appeared to be missing or locked out without this update was just the ability to customize the RGB lights and effects on the keyboard. Thankfully, I already had the SteelSeries Engine app installed because of my other accessories, but I can see how it might be annoying to those who have not had to deal with these kinds of apps before. The Apex 7 did require an update out of the box.

To those who prefer a less-clacky sounding keyboard, the Apex 7 TKL does come in three different switch types: the tactile and clicky blue switch, the tactical but quiet brown switch, and the linear and quiet red switch.

There’s a little give on each key before it registers a stroke, so accidental keystrokes were rare. You wouldn’t think from just looking at it, but typing on the keyboard was effortless. The weight of the keys felt like nothing, and it barely required any force to press it down. I have been using a lot of bad keyboards lately – at work, on my Surface, on my wife’s laptop – so the quality of this keyboard really stood out to me in contrast. I switched from my old keyboard’s membrane keys to the Apex’s blue mechanical keys, so the click-clack sound when typing was an adjustment for me too. I never realized how much real estate my previous keyboard was eating up, and it felt a lot more comfortable and natural having my keyboard and mouse closer together.Īctually using the keyboard was another experience. The extra space on my desktop was a welcome change, though. I quickly adjusted however, but I still found myself accidently reaching past the keyboard to use the number pad.

I’m more familiar with having a number pad on the right side, so losing those 10 keys was challenging at first because I like to use those keys for signing in on my computer and as hotkeys.

My first impressions of this keyboard were kind of mixed. SteelSeries Engine 3.15+ for Windows 7 or newer and Mac OS X 10.11 or newer

Steel series apex 7