Steelseries Apex M800 Mechanical Keyboard Review

Steelseries already own one of the best Headsets in the world the Siberia V3, nothing has been able to beat it yet, can they take the market with keyboards? Or even mice? Well, they are going to do their best.

Here we have it, now in the UK, the world’s fastest, most programmable mechanical gaming keyboard, offers the quickest response and personal controls to master all your favourite games, well that’s what Steelseries stat about their new baby.

Before I even start talking about the packaging, there is a small viewing hole on the box, which allows you to press down on the keys, the first thing I noticed was, nothing. Nothing you might be thinking, really, well yeah, nothing. When it comes to mechanical keyboards the keys are always loud when being pressed, these keys are not, its like using any normal keyboard with the benefits of mechanical.

*The viewing hole is not a peep show reference.

Steelseries have always known how to show off their products and they have done the same here, the front is a huge picture of the keyboard and like I said before a hole to press down on the keys. The main selling points would be, Customizable, Mechanical, Fastest and individual illumination, all of which are mentioned on the front.

When turning over to the back, everything about the keyboard is broken down in segments, a description of the APEX M800

‘The APEX M800 is designed for unmatched speed. It is extremely durable with a 60-million-click lifespan. Its low-profile design, optimized key shape and quick linear action and designed to maximize key press speed and ergonomics so you can play for hours on end in combat. The dual processor architecture gives the keys a dedicated CPU for error-free, fast-action response. The newly-designed QS1 mechanical switch in 25% faster that the industry standard with an incredibly low actuation point.’

Endless customization

‘The Steelseries engine software suite powers the Apex M800 and enables on-the-fly macro recording, illumination control and unlimited profile switching across all Steelseries devices with the touch of the button.’

Individual Key RBG Illumination

Choose from 16.8million different colours to customize every key with brilliant illumination. The QS1 mechanical switches feature centred LEDs which deliver even illumination and minimize light bleed between keys. Change your illumination style instantly based on a profile, game mode or with the press of a key. Design your own custom lighting effects or switch among built-in options like pulse, breathe and more.

There is plenty more to read and look at on the back, but that’s the basics and all you really need to know. One thing that I know and something I have seen from another gaming peripheral company, colour or should I say illumination, the keyboard boasts 16.8million colour variations, this is similar to the Razer Chroma Series and just recently Mionix with their new mouse ‘Castor’.

Steelseries have done well with this keyboard, this is from my first thoughts, following their new line of products which have 16.8, similar to Razer Chroma Series, just better. (*Personal opinion)

When you get the keyboard out, you will find that Steelseries has wrapped this up well, with enough protection to stop any stupid postman from damaging your new baby. After unwrapping the keyboard, you get to touch and feel, even play with the keys, and understand when I say these words, ‘DAMN this feels good’. It’s not too heavy, or too big and the keys feel so nice to press, not like other mechanical keyboards that make such a noise, these feel like a normal keyboard.

Before you plug-n-play grab yourself the SteelSeries Engine 3 from http://steelseries.com/downloads, of coarse, choose the APEX M800, but honestly anyone will do, they all use the same program.

Since using my Razer Chroma Mouse, I have been macroing buttons to make games, not easier, but more accessible, as most of the time, you will find game developers assign keys that are all over the damn keyboard and does not make your gaming experience, that much fun. The APEX M800 allows you to create a set of macro’s and assigns them to 1 – 5 macro keys on the left hand side of the keyboard.

Steelseries has recently launched its Gamesense, its currently in beta, so there are only 3 games that work with it CS-GO, DOTA 2 and Minecraft, all three games I do not play. I am hoping though that more game developers bring Gamesense to their games, as Steelseries is one of the main gaming peripheral companies on the block and Gamesence does make gaming more fun and colorful.

Gaming with this keyboard is a joy, with its almost silent keys, lighting system, macroing and its just great build quality. I have played Witcher 3, Diablo 3, Dragon Age Inquisition and many more since the keyboard arrived. I can tell you now, the keyboard never missed a keystroke, even when I press the key lightly the APEX M800 picked it up.

It said on the packaging ‘fastest keyboard in the world’, I raced it against my cycling bike, I have to say not that fast, as I left it behind in a puff of smoke, i then asked an old guy with a motor scooter to have a go, again the old guy, slithered away. Maybe they meant something else, as a keyboard is only as fast as its user, maybe its about key response, based on my, light clicks maybe it makes sense to say that it picks up my light clicks, not like other keyboards. So it has to be down to the reaction time of the switches they have used, the time it takes for a key when pressed to reset for another key stroke. I did try and time this, but I am no genius, it’s fast.

Making your life colourful is what 16.8 Million colours do, trying to prove that this keyboard has 16.8 million colours is another thing, something I cannot be bothered in doing, I am simply going to say, there is a shit load of colour options. Playing the 16.8 million colours is even more fun as you can assign any key with any colour, even making a Tetris pattern if you wish, I think I spent more time messing with this function that anything else for the first day and maybe some of the second day.

Moving towards extras, how do you fancy some more USB ports…? On the back on the APEX M800 comes with 2 spare ports, that’s nice on Steelseries, since this keyboard uses one, Steelseries have given you an extra one to make up for the inconvenience this has caused.

They have also assigned all cabling to the back of the keyboard, which in effect helps with cable routing and something I love from Steelseries the Braided Cord, is also used so no tangled wires.

The Apex M800 is a piece of art, refined, touched up and given to us. Dark, yet vibrant, sleek but bold, a keyboard that stands out in a crowd, a true wonder of our world, the gaming world.

How to move forward for Steelseries

I have seen Steelseries create the best Headset in the world, that beats all the competition with ease, I have seen them make great keyboards from the original Apex to this one. the Apex M800, now I hope to see them focus on their mice and mouse mats. This is where Steelseries need to focus on, why? All their mice are the same, same design different colour, create mice with more buttons, more colour variations, finger rest positioning, different design, look at the competition and improve.

A Quote from America, ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ If God was a Gamer, he would be a gamer with Steelseries.

*God bring a fictional character, created by man as a form of control over the human race, why not make us use SteelSeries, I would.

Grab the keyboard here https://steelseries.com/gaming-keyboards/apex-m800

Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.