In January, I checked out the SteelSeries Apex 9 TKL (opens in new tab). This keyboard is anything but useful, but I didn't think it made the most of the on-board optical switches. So SteelSeries said they had just the thing: the Apex Pro TKL Wireless (2023). This keyboard has more adjustable magnetic switches (yes, there is a difference) and definitely suits my speed.

In fact, the Apex Pro TKL is very speedy. The actuation of most keys on the keyboard can be adjusted in 1mm increments between 0.2mm and 3.8mm; 0.2mm is very sensitive to the lightest of touches, more than enough to type error-free for everyday typing tasks, but perfect for gaming.

This light touch means that you hardly press a key when it is activated, which not only saves press time, but also makes resets much faster. This is useful for games that require a quick series of key switch presses.

Another great feature is dual actuation. With it, any key can be set to provide two functions depending on how hard you press it, a feature we've used sparingly on other magnetic keyboards, such as Wooting Two HE (open in new tab), but it takes some getting used to and is useful once you find the right use for it.

What I found useful on the Apex Pro TKL Wireless was the ability to easily set up and switch between multiple profiles for typing and gaming. Simply hold down the SteelSeries logo key on the keyboard (instead of the function key) and press the F9 key to switch between all the available profiles loaded on the board. I have a profile for typing at 1.8mm and a profile for Destiny with the left hand peripheral key group, including WASD, set at 0.2mm.

Each profile can also set its own image on the Pro TKL's mini-OLED screen.

My typing profile is very branded, with the PC Gamer logo all over the screen; for my Destiny profile, I used a picture of the Gjallerhorn, the champion weapon.

Upload any image to the app and it will estimate it to the low pixel pitch of the OLED. Sometimes the results can be horrific; I uploaded a picture of a PC gamer's face and it looked like a character from "World of Horror" and my colleagues made fun of me.

However, I appreciate that the SteelSeries GG app can handle almost any image without requiring minor resizing and downsizing to project the image on a small screen like other apps.

What I quickly turned off in the GG app, however, was the default sleep timer on the keyboard. SteelSeries gear can be quite slow to wake from sleep, especially if the connection to the dongle is not the strongest. SteelSeries gear can be quite slow to wake up, especially if the connection to the dongle is not the strongest. I assume this is to help with battery life, but after almost a week of use I still have about 50% left, so overall it's not that much of a problem.

Now let's talk about the price: $250 is really on the high side for a keyboard of this small size, and you're competing with the Asus ROG Azoth (opens in a new tab), which is great for the same amount of money. It will be competing for the same price, with SteelSeries focusing on speed and specialized switches, while the Azoth is a more geeky high-end keyboard.

The lack of a numeric keypad is unfortunate, but if you're just gaming, it's not a problem. However, it is very well made, and the compact space it fits perfectly makes up for it.

My biggest problem, however, is how much more I have to pay for this wireless version of the Pro TKL. The wired board is $60 cheaper and has all the same switches and features. If you really need the wireless capability, the wired version will suffice in most cases, although it will inevitably be more expensive. Likewise, even if you opt for the wired option, you can spend a little more money (and wait a little longer to get it) and get the full-sized Wooting Two HE.

Overall, it's an impressive keyboard and one that makes good use of its clever switches, but in the end the wired version is a better buy.