SteelSeries is known for its vast line of gaming peripherals that are used by professional and hard-core gamers alike. While high-end peripherals can cost an arm and a leg, the SteelSeries Apex 150 Keyboard merges high-end quality with a more affordable price.
Insane With the Membrane
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There are two types of keyboards when it comes to gaming. You have mechanical keyboards that make a “click-clack” sound when you type on them and membrane keyboards that make little to no noise when you type on them.
The SteelSeries Apex 150 features a uniquely designed membrane sheet and quick tension switches that are designed to cause less friction. This results in extended durability of the keys all without making a sound.
As someone familiar with a mechanical keyboard, the membrane style of the SteelSeries Apex 150 was something to get used to. The keys even have a soft feel to them and made long gaming sessions more comfortable for my fingers. This is due to the rubber dome sheet that is under each key.
While the keys may feel a little soft, SteelSeries built a solid keyboard that can take a lot of punishment and keep on licking in the heat of battle. With a brilliant RGB display throughout the entire keyboard, it shines beautifully and is programmable with the SteelSeries Engine.
Simple Software
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The SteelSeries Engine is the heart of the RGB display for any SteelSeries device. With the SteelSeries Engine, you can change how colors appear and act on your device. If you want your keyboard to change colors, stay a solid color, have a wave, breathing, or heartbeat effect, the SteelSeries Engine gives you those options.
The biggest thing I enjoyed about the SteelSeries Engine is that I was able to set up light notifications on my keyboard for Discord. These notifications range from receiving new messages, people entering and leaving a room, people talking, and showing your own mute status.
These light notifications could be assigned to specific grids of the keyboard, and you could also attach a particular color if you wanted to. I had my number pad set to light up blue when people entered the room, and I would see my number pad light up before hearing the notification sound.
Discord isn’t the only application it works with either. You can, of course, set any SteelSeries item up with PrismSync, so all your SteelSeries devices react the same. If you have Philips Hue Lights, you can set it up with that as well.
Somewhat Spill Proof
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The most exciting feature of the SteelSeries Apex 150 is its spill-proof and splash-proof design. The same membrane sheet that is used to make the keyboard so quiet also helps repel water from damaging the internal electronics. The water is directed to two drainage cavities on the bottom of the keyboard to the outside.
When I noticed that the SteelSeries Apex 150 was spill proof, I knew it had to be something I needed to try out.
I will warn you that spilling water on the keyboard was for review purposes only and in any circumstances, you should never pour or spill water on electronics. Even SteelSeries states that it is not to be submerged or set out it in the rain.
To simulate a spill, I knocked over a cup that contained a little less than a fourth a cup of water. The water drained through the two drainage cavities on the bottom of the keyboard and everything seemed fine.
I wiped up the water off my key and table, set paper towels under the drainage cavities to soak up any excess water and kept on playing. The spill-proof design seemed to work for a bit until I noticed I lost the function of the F key.
At this point, I decided to unplug the keyboard and set it aside to give it time to dry out thoroughly. After plugging the keyboard back in the next day, I opened up Word, and immediately knew it was worse off after typing on a few keys. I guess that water slipped through the membrane sheet and into the internal electronics.
While the SteelSeries Apex 150 may not be completely spill-proof, it still outshines other keyboards with its solid build, impressive quietness, brilliant RGB design, and efficient software. The SteelSeries Apex 150 is only $50 and is hard to beat for how well it performs compared to other keyboards in that price range. Pair the Apex 150 with the SteelSeries Rival 310 mouse and you have a very nice keyboard and mouse set that won’t break the bank.
If you’re curious about what budget mouse to pair it with, check out our review of the SteelSeries Rival 310 mouse.
Review Summary
Guide Stash received this product free of charge.
Features - 7
Build and Quality Feel - 7
Value - 8
7
Rating
The SteelSeries Apex 150 carries the same high-end quality SteelSeries is known for, but with less the cost.