SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini keyboard review

The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini ($179) is a strong contender in the upper echelons of tournament-ready gaming keyboards.

The 60% version of the SteelSeries Apex Pro ($199) mechanical keyboard offers exceptional build quality, boasts SteelSeries’ OmniPoint magnetic switches and is perfect for competitive scenarios thanks to built-in memory storage for up to 5 profiles and customizable dual per-key actuation points. Actuation distance can be adjusted on the fly using onboard controls or the fantastic companion app, all the way down to an impressive 0.1mm, too, which makes the Apex Pro Mini one of the fastest and best gaming keyboards available.

The relatively high price point of $179 might cause some hesitation, but the Apex Pro Mini is priced similarly to either high-end boards with Hall Effect switches. Holding it back, however, are some minor issues with light spillage, while typing on the keyboard leaves a lot to be desired, making it hard to recommend the board if you need a dual productivity and gaming tool. 

To find out more, keep reading to see our full SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini review: Specs

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A 60% mechanical gaming keyboard
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers, especially FPS and MOBA players
• What does it cost? $179 (Wired) / $239 (wireless)
• What do we like? Highly customizable low-actuation magnetic switches, simple and sturdy design, plus excellent companion software
• What don’t we like? Doesn’t double up well as a productivity board if you also type a lot

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini: The ups

There is a lot to love about the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini. The wealth of features it offers will appeal to those wanting every competitive edge possible and high levels of customization. And most importantly, it performs like a dream.

Design

The Apex Pro Mini boasts exceptional build quality. The construction is very durable and sturdy thanks to the premium materials used: a high-quality plastic bottom case, an aircraft-grade aluminum top cover, and double-shot PBT keycaps — all of which will stand up well to constant use. It feels like no expense has been spared in the board’s construction, which should be expected at this price point.

All of this makes the Apex Pro Mini a good weight for a mini keyboard at 1.34 pounds — the Razer Huntsman Mini Analog ($149), for example, weighs in at 1.15 pounds. I found that its mass keeps the keyboard planted firmly in position and stops unwanted slippage while gaming. Naturally, the diminutive size of 11.5 x 4 x 1.6 inches is great for when desk space is at a premium, or for those running minimalist setups.

The Apex Pro Mini also sounds great — the sturdy aluminum design makes for a deep, satisfying and ping-free sound, which is aided by subtle thuds from the heavy double-shot PBT keycaps. The magnetic switches are also linear in operation, meaning the board is pretty quiet and there’s no distracting clicking during clutch situations.

The keyboard has a relatively simple sleek black design with clear text on the keys. This classic finish makes it look at home in a minimalist setup and the branding is kept to a minimum. I also liked the look of the keycaps, as their weighty appearance makes the Apex Pro Mini look like a premium gaming keyboard.

Performance

Thanks to the 1000hz polling rate and 0.7ms latency (reported by SteelSeries), the performance of the keyboard is stellar. The main appeal of the Apex Pro Mini, however, is SteelSeries’ magnetic OmniPoint switches, which allow per-key adjustable actuation down to 0.1mm. 

This means you can set the switches to actuate after an extremely short keypress travel for rapid inputs. This worked wonders in Valorant, where I could set the actuation for the movement keys to 0.1mm, where I needed speed, while keeping a longer actuation distance for my ability keys, helping me to avoid accidental inputs.

Hall Effect switches on the Apex Pro Mini allow for multiple actuation points per key, a feature seen in competitors like the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog ($217) and Corsair K70 Max ($230) — our favorite gaming keyboard so far. In Counter-Strike 2, I set the secondary actuation point of the W key as a macro for ‘Shift-W’, allowing me to walk with a half-press and run with a full press of the key. Not only does this free up the Shift key for other keybinds, it’s also quicker and more natural-feeling — it’s like pushing a joystick controller further forward to run faster.

The Apex Pro Mini also features Rapid Trigger input, which lets the board read multiple key presses in succession without a full release of keys. This allows for repeated presses at a much faster rate than with conventional keyboards, and worked exceptionally well for me in Counter-Strike 2, where I found repeated strafing was made much easier and micro-adjustments in my movement were more pronounced. It’s difficult to go back to a board without Rapid Trigger functionality once you've tried it.

Companion App

SteelSeries’ free companion app ‘GG’ is fantastic to use. It has a slick and intuitive interface, allowing you to make changes to custom profiles directly, with a visualized preview to help you see what you’re doing. This encouraged me to experiment with the board’s different features. There is also an option to toggle to a different keyboard configuration upon launching certain applications, automating profile selection and allowing you to focus on the game.

The Apex Pro Mini features 5 custom profiles, which can be stored in the on-board memory. Holding down the SteelSeries function button allows you to switch to the Meta Layer, allowing you to cycle through and adjust stored profiles easily — including actuation and macros. This allows you to quickly switch between them without needing the companion software, and will come in handy when you need to flick between a gaming or typing profile, for example.

Value

The Apex Pro Mini’s high price may seem daunting, but the keyboard offers comparatively greater value than many of its competitors, given the pro-tier features. The board provides cheaper access to SteelSeries’ excellent OmniPoint switches at $20 less than the full-sized Apex Pro ($199).

The Meletrix Boog75 ($229) features Hall Effect switches and is hot-swappable, but comes at a $50 premium. If you are after wireless versatility, SteelSeries has released a wireless version of the Apex Pro Mini for $239, which is a more portable option for $60 extra. Meanwhile, the wired Apex Pro Mini retails at the same price as the wireless Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed ($179), an excellent mini gaming keyboard but one that lacks magnetic Hall Effect switches. 

If your budget can’t stretch, cheaper options are available. As a Hall Effect board, the MelGeek CYBER-01 ($149) offers a similar array of features in a full-sized layout and for $30 cheaper. However, it doesn't offer dual actuation points for the same key press and the companion software leaves a lot to be desired compared to SteelSeries GG.

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini review: The downs

The Apex Pro Mini is a fantastic keyboard, if you’ve got the budget. However, my recommendation still comes with a few caveats — namely problems with the lighting and typing experience.

Wired-only

While more of a consideration than a fault, the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini version which retails at $179 is wired-only. The same can be said for most of our favorite gaming keyboards, as wired connections result in the lowest latency.

If you need the extra portability, consider the wireless version of the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini for an extra $60, or check out the Logitech G915 ($250) instead, our favorite wireless gaming keyboard.

Lighting

While I am a fan of the lighting presets available on the Apex Pro Mini, there are a couple of design issues when it comes to the RGB implementation that are frustrating to see at this price.

At low brightness, not enough light made it through the shine-through keycaps, causing issues with key legibility. Turn the brightness up, and light then spills out behind the back row of keys due to the low profile top case, which could be problematic if you game from a low monitor or laptop, as the LEDs may cause reflections.

Typing

While the keycaps on the Apex Pro Mini are large and easy to hit, with a subtle ergonomic shape, the lack of resistance from the Hall Effect switches caused problems during long typing stints.

My fingers became tired from the lack of tactile feedback over extended periods, and the ease of pressing the keys caused me to make about 5% more errors than on a keyboard designed for productivity, such as the Keychron B1 Pro. 

This is unsurprising given the Apex Pro Mini is a gaming-oriented board, but it nevertheless led me to gravitate away from using the keyboard while writing. If you need a dual-purpose gaming and productivity tool, we suggest a traditional mechanical board like the Keychron V1/V1 Max ($94) instead. 

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini review: Verdict

The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini offers a high-quality build and a versatile range of per-key customization options, designed specifically for competitive gamers. This is a fantastic keyboard for gaming and is an easy recommendation if you are looking for a competitive edge, particularly thanks to its Rapid Trigger functionality and switchable onboard profiles. It is also an excellent showcase of the capabilities of SteelSeries OmniPoint Hall Effect switches.

Budget-conscious or casual gamers should look elsewhere for a cheaper alternative, though, and if you want a board that’s also good for productivity, there are better hybrid boards out there. But for those seeking every advantage over their competition, there is no better 60% keyboard than the Apex Pro Mini.