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![SteelSeries Apex 7 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – OLED Smart Display – USB Passthrough and Media Controls – Tactile and Clicky]({"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yOuAUQAiL._AC_SS130_.jpg":[130,130],"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yOuAUQAiL._AC_SS260_.jpg":[260,260],"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yOuAUQAiL._AC_SS390_.jpg":[390,390]})
Hello all, as I am typing this review I am using my new Steelseries mechanical keyboard. This is my first mechanical keyboard, my old one was a Saitek Eclipse from almost 5 years ago so this is very different and new to me. I usually never write reviews but I feel there are some certain criticisms I have to make about this keyboard. I will keep this short.
Pros:
Cherry Black keys are perfect for me, I played around with a Razer at Microcenter and they use Blue's I felt they where a little too light so I am glad Steelseries chose black. Keyboard is also pretty heft, has a nice weight to it. Very minimalist design, no bells, whistles, and glossy black finishes.
Cons:
I deducted a couple points from ergonomics, firstly is I dont like how the "\" key is moved down next to the "?" key, I find myself actually missing the question mark key when I need to use it. This was a problem youtubers and critics have mentioned but I didnt think it was such a big deal but it is. The way I have been hitting the "?" all these years is I first like to use my middle finger to line up my index finger by feeling for the edge of the shift key, once I feel it I know once I drop my index finger its going to land on the "?" this is not the case with the 6GV2.
Secondly and I feel this is the biggest ergonomic flaw, is the space bar key. It is angled in a strange way so your thumb actually hits the edge of the key, which is quite sharp its not rounded like on most keyboards. Normal keyboards your thumb would be landing dead smack right in the center of the space, on the 6GV2 it hits the edge, and it hurts I dont know why they chose to do this but its the biggest drawback on this keyboard. I dont know if the 7G is like this.
My final gripe is with the company itself. I feel like Steelseries is marketing the 6GV2 as the "Poor mans 7G" keyboard. Reason is because the 6GV2 does not have a braided cable nor 18K gold connectors. Now these are small things but it matters, its a staple of craftsmanship when mice or keyboards have braided cords and gold plated connectors. Now a company like Steelseries markets itself as the best, making "Pro Gaming" accessories for world champions where a millisecond is all it takes for victory or defeat. Nothing should stand in the way for total absolute domination!....right? Well tell me why they skimped out on the 6GV2? It also does not have USB ports ontop of the missing golden connectors, headphone jack, and braided cord. Steelseries has to realize their customers are not people who care so much about money. If the best cost $150 we will buy it. The only reason I did not buy the 7G was because of the small backspace, and of the small left shift key. I bought this keyboard over the 7G for ergonomic reasons, not because my pockets are too shallow. $100 might be their entry level keyboard but its still not a small chunk of change. I expect every product that bears the "Steelseries" mark to be made to the standards they themselves set. For being such a high end company your humble reviewer honestly thinks Steelseries should make ONLY the 7G and discontinue the 6GV2. Make the 7G their flasgship keyboard and have the option for users to chose their own layout upon ordering. Name them the 7GV1 7GV2 7GV3 etc etc depending on the layout the customer chooses. If this ever happens then I will be first in line to buy it. That way yours truley can finally get his "smooth" space bar, gold connectors and braided cord, with a smaller "Enter" key and the "\" key returned to its rightful place ontop of the "Enter" Key. I would also like to have a wrist rest of some sort too. I look forward to this miraculous day comming, so I can finally give 5 stars to Steelseries. Unfortunately this keyboard did not earn it, so I suggest potential buyers to do some research prior to buying. Another company to consider is "DAS Keyboards" that was the other one I would have bought had I not got the Steelseries.
Anyways that concludes my Rant. And for you guys who just skipped to this line my overall rating for the keyboard is:
7.5/10.
Cheers!
Chris
10/12/11 EDIT:
The keyboard has been RMA im awaiting my replacement. The "B" key switch was defected. On another note, my Steelseries Sensei which I also had for less than a week MAY need to be RMA'ed also. The middle mouse button sometimes registers a single click twice, which is very annoying. Overall my first impressions with the Steelseries company has not been very pleasant. My old Saitek Eclipse and Razer Deathaddler are both 6 years old and still work flawlessly. Matter of factly I am using my Saitek to type this edit as my 6GV2 is en route back to Amazon.
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From the manufacturer
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Redefining "Anti-Ghosting"Ever tried pressing a few keys on your keyboard and getting a beep sound? It either happens when you press too many keys at the same time, or when you press too many keys within the same cluster at the same time (like the keys around WASD which often used for movements in games). If your keyboard exhibits this behavior it will hinder your ability to perform certain actions, movement in FPS games being one example. The industry calls this anti-ghosting. When using USB, you can use up to 6 keys plus modifiers at the same time, which is the highest spec limit a USB connection can accommodate. Golden Quality and Rapid Response Time: The SteelSeries 6Gv2 features PS/2 and gold-plated USB connectors as well as 18K gold-plated mechanical switches with a switch lifetime of 50 million operations, more than 10 times the lifespan of a typical "membrane" keyboard. Its increased response times and extreme durability make the SteelSeries 6Gv2 the ultimate keyboard option for gamers. |
Increased APMIt gets even better. With the 6Gv2 you don't have to press the keys all the way down for them to register. The mechanical switches will register key presses quickly with a travel distance roughly 50% shorter than a conventional keyboard. You will type faster, with a consistent tactile feeling. Your Actions Per Minute (APM) can reach new heights with the 6Gv2 thanks to this feature. Tactile Feedback and Unrivaled Lifecycle: But the 6Gv2 offers more than just a long lifecycle. The rubber domes on a conventional keyboard will, over time, lose their tactile feeling due to rubber flexing. The keys you use the most will start to feel different. The physical construction of the mechanical switches used in the 6Gv2, and the strict tolerance levels in which the switches are manufactured, is what allows the key presses on this keyboard to always feel consistent. |
Mechanical SwitchesSteelSeries 6Gv2 is built with mechanical no-click switches. The user's experience with mechanical switches is very different compared to using the "soft feel" keys found on conventional keyboards or even laptops. So how is it different? Traditional keyboards are built with small rubber domes under the keys. It is these rubber domes that provide the "soft feel" level of resistance when you type. When you operate a rubber dome keyboard, the keys needs to be pressed down until a membrane switch is activated. These membrane switches will slowly wear out, typically after one to five million key presses. You may already have tried this. After a while you will find yourself pressing harder and harder to get the keyboard to register key presses. Typing gradually becomes annoying and irritating-but when you’re gaming and you start missing critical in-game commands, frustration sets in. The 6Gv2 offers a life cycle of 50 million key presses per key, which is more than 10 times of the amount of a conventional keyboards. |
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AcclimationIt may take a while to get used to a mechanical keyboard. Most gamers or typists acclimate in approximately 1 to 2 weeks. Once you are properly acclimated you will appreciate better tactile feedback, superior response times and ultimately greater control. Simply put: You will become a better typist. And It's Heavy: It's not just called "heavyweight" because it packs the best performance in the industry. The 6Gv2 is also physically heavy. All keys are mounted on a metal plate within the keyboard to ensure durability. The plastic material used to create the keyboard has metal elements, also to help to improve durability. |
USB and PS/2 ConnectorsThe 6Gv2 is built with a USB as standard, but also included is a USB to PS/2 adapter in the box. The choice is yours. The PS/2 connector will give you total freedom with no limit to the amount of simultaneous key presses. And, equally as important, using the PS/2 may just improve your overall gaming experience. The reason is that when you use a USB keyboard your computer is actually using CPU time polling your keyboard. The higher the polling rate the more CPU time is used to perform the polling. And because of the built-in debounce rate found on any quality keyboard, any polling rate above 200Hz is simply a waste of CPU time and really just a result of pointless marketing hype. Unlike USB keyboards, a PS/2 keyboard isn't polled at all. The keyboard simply sends a signal to the computer as key presses are made, which causes a hardware interrupt, forcing the CPU to register the signal. |
Easy Access to Media ControlsThe Windows key is useful for certain things and in certain situations. But not in the middle of a gaming session. Replacing it on the 6Gv2 is a SteelSeries Key that won't wreak havoc during a gaming session by minimizing your game or by opening a menu. The SteelSeries Key serves a different purpose: it's a function key for the Media Controls found on the 6Gv2. You can press the SteelSeries key and access the Media Controls via the first six F-keys on the keyboard. What's in the Box: The SteelSeries 6Gv2 Mechanical Keyboard with USB connectors and a USB to PS/2 adapter. |
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| 6Gv2 | 7G | Merc Stealth | Shift | |
| Integrated Media Keys | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PS/2 Connection Option | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Mechanical Switches | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Extreme "Anti-Ghosting" | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| USB Hub | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Gold-plated Audio Ports | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Dedicated Gaming Terrain | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Illuminated Keyboard | ✓ | |||
| Record Macros Directly on Keyboard | ✓ | |||
| Interchangeable Keysets | ✓ |
Compare with similar items
 | SteelSeries Apex Pro USB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Adjustable Actuation Switches – World’s Fastest Mechanical Keyboard – OLED Smart Display – RGB Backlit | Logitech G413 Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with USB Passthrough – Carbon | SteelSeries USB Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Per-Key RGB Illumination – Aircraft Grade Aluminum Alloy Frame – OLED Smart Display (Hybrid Blue Switch) | Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, 16.8 Million Colors RGB Backlit Keys, Ultra Portable Design, Detachable Micro USB Cable | |
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| Customer Rating | (298) | (3313) | (3866) | (9302) | (1305) |
| Price | Unavailable | $189.99 | $59.99 | $89.99 | $39.95 |
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Only1deal |
| Item Dimensions | 3.3 x 21.5 x 12.6 inches | 5.5 x 17.2 x 1.6 inches | 1.4 x 17.5 x 5.1 inches | 5.51 x 17.52 x 1.59 inches | 14.2 x 1.4 x 6 inches |
| Item Weight | 2.60 lbs | — | — | — | 2.16 lbs |
| Platform | Windows | — | — | — | Windows |
Hello all, as I am typing this review I am using my new Steelseries mechanical keyboard. This is my first mechanical keyboard, my old one was a Saitek Eclipse from almost 5 years ago so this is very different and new to me. I usually never write reviews but I feel there are some certain criticisms I have to make about this keyboard. I will keep this short.Pros:Cherry Black keys are perfect for me, I played around with a Razer at Microcenter and they use Blue's I felt they where a little too light so I am glad Steelseries chose black. Keyboard is also pretty heft, has a nice weight to it. Very minimalist design, no bells, whistles, and glossy black finishes.Cons:I deducted a couple points from ergonomics, firstly is I dont like how the "\" key is moved down next to the "?" key, I find myself actually missing the question mark key when I need to use it. This was a problem youtubers and critics have mentioned but I didnt think it was such a big deal but it is. The way I have been hitting the "?" all these years is I first like to use my middle finger to line up my index finger by feeling for the edge of the shift key, once I feel it I know once I drop my index finger its going to land on the "?" this is not the case with the 6GV2.Secondly and I feel this is the biggest ergonomic flaw, is the space bar key. It is angled in a strange way so your thumb actually hits the edge of the key, which is quite sharp its not rounded like on most keyboards. Normal keyboards your thumb would be landing dead smack right in the center of the space, on the 6GV2 it hits the edge, and it hurts I dont know why they chose to do this but its the biggest drawback on this keyboard. I dont know if the 7G is like this.My final gripe is with the company itself. I feel like Steelseries is marketing the 6GV2 as the "Poor mans 7G" keyboard. Reason is because the 6GV2 does not have a braided cable nor 18K gold connectors. Now these are small things but it matters, its a staple of craftsmanship when mice or keyboards have braided cords and gold plated connectors. Now a company like Steelseries markets itself as the best, making "Pro Gaming" accessories for world champions where a millisecond is all it takes for victory or defeat. Nothing should stand in the way for total absolute domination!....right? Well tell me why they skimped out on the 6GV2? It also does not have USB ports ontop of the missing golden connectors, headphone jack, and braided cord. Steelseries has to realize their customers are not people who care so much about money. If the best cost $150 we will buy it. The only reason I did not buy the 7G was because of the small backspace, and of the small left shift key. I bought this keyboard over the 7G for ergonomic reasons, not because my pockets are too shallow. $100 might be their entry level keyboard but its still not a small chunk of change. I expect every product that bears the "Steelseries" mark to be made to the standards they themselves set. For being such a high end company your humble reviewer honestly thinks Steelseries should make ONLY the 7G and discontinue the 6GV2. Make the 7G their flasgship keyboard and have the option for users to chose their own layout upon ordering. Name them the 7GV1 7GV2 7GV3 etc etc depending on the layout the customer chooses. If this ever happens then I will be first in line to buy it. That way yours truley can finally get his "smooth" space bar, gold connectors and braided cord, with a smaller "Enter" key and the "\" key returned to its rightful place ontop of the "Enter" Key. I would also like to have a wrist rest of some sort too. I look forward to this miraculous day comming, so I can finally give 5 stars to Steelseries. Unfortunately this keyboard did not earn it, so I suggest potential buyers to do some research prior to buying. Another company to consider is "DAS Keyboards" that was the other one I would have bought had I not got the Steelseries.Anyways that concludes my Rant. And for you guys who just skipped to this line my overall rating for the keyboard is:7.5/10.Cheers!Chris10/12/11 EDIT:The keyboard has been RMA im awaiting my replacement. The "B" key switch was defected. On another note, my Steelseries Sensei which I also had for less than a week MAY need to be RMA'ed also. The middle mouse button sometimes registers a single click twice, which is very annoying. Overall my first impressions with the Steelseries company has not been very pleasant. My old Saitek Eclipse and Razer Deathaddler are both 6 years old and still work flawlessly. Matter of factly I am using my Saitek to type this edit as my 6GV2 is en route back to Amazon.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 5, 2011
Hello all, as I am typing this review I am using my new Steelseries mechanical keyboard. This is my first mechanical keyboard, my old one was a Saitek Eclipse from almost 5 years ago so this is very different and new to me. I usually never write reviews but I feel there are some certain criticisms I have to make about this keyboard. I will keep this short.
Pros:
Cherry Black keys are perfect for me, I played around with a Razer at Microcenter and they use Blue's I felt they where a little too light so I am glad Steelseries chose black. Keyboard is also pretty heft, has a nice weight to it. Very minimalist design, no bells, whistles, and glossy black finishes.
Cons:
I deducted a couple points from ergonomics, firstly is I dont like how the "\" key is moved down next to the "?" key, I find myself actually missing the question mark key when I need to use it. This was a problem youtubers and critics have mentioned but I didnt think it was such a big deal but it is. The way I have been hitting the "?" all these years is I first like to use my middle finger to line up my index finger by feeling for the edge of the shift key, once I feel it I know once I drop my index finger its going to land on the "?" this is not the case with the 6GV2.
Secondly and I feel this is the biggest ergonomic flaw, is the space bar key. It is angled in a strange way so your thumb actually hits the edge of the key, which is quite sharp its not rounded like on most keyboards. Normal keyboards your thumb would be landing dead smack right in the center of the space, on the 6GV2 it hits the edge, and it hurts I dont know why they chose to do this but its the biggest drawback on this keyboard. I dont know if the 7G is like this.
My final gripe is with the company itself. I feel like Steelseries is marketing the 6GV2 as the "Poor mans 7G" keyboard. Reason is because the 6GV2 does not have a braided cable nor 18K gold connectors. Now these are small things but it matters, its a staple of craftsmanship when mice or keyboards have braided cords and gold plated connectors. Now a company like Steelseries markets itself as the best, making "Pro Gaming" accessories for world champions where a millisecond is all it takes for victory or defeat. Nothing should stand in the way for total absolute domination!....right? Well tell me why they skimped out on the 6GV2? It also does not have USB ports ontop of the missing golden connectors, headphone jack, and braided cord. Steelseries has to realize their customers are not people who care so much about money. If the best cost $150 we will buy it. The only reason I did not buy the 7G was because of the small backspace, and of the small left shift key. I bought this keyboard over the 7G for ergonomic reasons, not because my pockets are too shallow. $100 might be their entry level keyboard but its still not a small chunk of change. I expect every product that bears the "Steelseries" mark to be made to the standards they themselves set. For being such a high end company your humble reviewer honestly thinks Steelseries should make ONLY the 7G and discontinue the 6GV2. Make the 7G their flasgship keyboard and have the option for users to chose their own layout upon ordering. Name them the 7GV1 7GV2 7GV3 etc etc depending on the layout the customer chooses. If this ever happens then I will be first in line to buy it. That way yours truley can finally get his "smooth" space bar, gold connectors and braided cord, with a smaller "Enter" key and the "\" key returned to its rightful place ontop of the "Enter" Key. I would also like to have a wrist rest of some sort too. I look forward to this miraculous day comming, so I can finally give 5 stars to Steelseries. Unfortunately this keyboard did not earn it, so I suggest potential buyers to do some research prior to buying. Another company to consider is "DAS Keyboards" that was the other one I would have bought had I not got the Steelseries.
Anyways that concludes my Rant. And for you guys who just skipped to this line my overall rating for the keyboard is:
7.5/10.
Cheers!
Chris
10/12/11 EDIT:
The keyboard has been RMA im awaiting my replacement. The "B" key switch was defected. On another note, my Steelseries Sensei which I also had for less than a week MAY need to be RMA'ed also. The middle mouse button sometimes registers a single click twice, which is very annoying. Overall my first impressions with the Steelseries company has not been very pleasant. My old Saitek Eclipse and Razer Deathaddler are both 6 years old and still work flawlessly. Matter of factly I am using my Saitek to type this edit as my 6GV2 is en route back to Amazon.
Pros:
Cherry Black keys are perfect for me, I played around with a Razer at Microcenter and they use Blue's I felt they where a little too light so I am glad Steelseries chose black. Keyboard is also pretty heft, has a nice weight to it. Very minimalist design, no bells, whistles, and glossy black finishes.
Cons:
I deducted a couple points from ergonomics, firstly is I dont like how the "\" key is moved down next to the "?" key, I find myself actually missing the question mark key when I need to use it. This was a problem youtubers and critics have mentioned but I didnt think it was such a big deal but it is. The way I have been hitting the "?" all these years is I first like to use my middle finger to line up my index finger by feeling for the edge of the shift key, once I feel it I know once I drop my index finger its going to land on the "?" this is not the case with the 6GV2.
Secondly and I feel this is the biggest ergonomic flaw, is the space bar key. It is angled in a strange way so your thumb actually hits the edge of the key, which is quite sharp its not rounded like on most keyboards. Normal keyboards your thumb would be landing dead smack right in the center of the space, on the 6GV2 it hits the edge, and it hurts I dont know why they chose to do this but its the biggest drawback on this keyboard. I dont know if the 7G is like this.
My final gripe is with the company itself. I feel like Steelseries is marketing the 6GV2 as the "Poor mans 7G" keyboard. Reason is because the 6GV2 does not have a braided cable nor 18K gold connectors. Now these are small things but it matters, its a staple of craftsmanship when mice or keyboards have braided cords and gold plated connectors. Now a company like Steelseries markets itself as the best, making "Pro Gaming" accessories for world champions where a millisecond is all it takes for victory or defeat. Nothing should stand in the way for total absolute domination!....right? Well tell me why they skimped out on the 6GV2? It also does not have USB ports ontop of the missing golden connectors, headphone jack, and braided cord. Steelseries has to realize their customers are not people who care so much about money. If the best cost $150 we will buy it. The only reason I did not buy the 7G was because of the small backspace, and of the small left shift key. I bought this keyboard over the 7G for ergonomic reasons, not because my pockets are too shallow. $100 might be their entry level keyboard but its still not a small chunk of change. I expect every product that bears the "Steelseries" mark to be made to the standards they themselves set. For being such a high end company your humble reviewer honestly thinks Steelseries should make ONLY the 7G and discontinue the 6GV2. Make the 7G their flasgship keyboard and have the option for users to chose their own layout upon ordering. Name them the 7GV1 7GV2 7GV3 etc etc depending on the layout the customer chooses. If this ever happens then I will be first in line to buy it. That way yours truley can finally get his "smooth" space bar, gold connectors and braided cord, with a smaller "Enter" key and the "\" key returned to its rightful place ontop of the "Enter" Key. I would also like to have a wrist rest of some sort too. I look forward to this miraculous day comming, so I can finally give 5 stars to Steelseries. Unfortunately this keyboard did not earn it, so I suggest potential buyers to do some research prior to buying. Another company to consider is "DAS Keyboards" that was the other one I would have bought had I not got the Steelseries.
Anyways that concludes my Rant. And for you guys who just skipped to this line my overall rating for the keyboard is:
7.5/10.
Cheers!
Chris
10/12/11 EDIT:
The keyboard has been RMA im awaiting my replacement. The "B" key switch was defected. On another note, my Steelseries Sensei which I also had for less than a week MAY need to be RMA'ed also. The middle mouse button sometimes registers a single click twice, which is very annoying. Overall my first impressions with the Steelseries company has not been very pleasant. My old Saitek Eclipse and Razer Deathaddler are both 6 years old and still work flawlessly. Matter of factly I am using my Saitek to type this edit as my 6GV2 is en route back to Amazon.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 15, 2012
Top reviews from other countries
Ash
Certainly superior to my previous keyboard in some aspects
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 16, 2013Mr. D. J. Mordey
excellent gaming and office keyboard
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 5, 2012Francesco Noferi
Great build quality!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 23, 2013Daniel Gajkowski
Love it love it love it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 24, 2014
Daniel Contreras
Gran teclado mecanico y aun gran precio
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on September 5, 2016
