Closer Examination

As we can see, the SteelSeries APEX M800 looks fairly similar to most keyboards apart from the spacebar. We can also see the 6 macro buttons along the left-hand side of the board. The APEX M800 is quite a bit larger than a lot of the keyboards we receive, even with its extra macro keys taken into account; one way to combat this would be to reduce the size of its empty areas. There seems to be a lot of wasted space, although the strip at the front does enable the hand to be comfortably placed, almost acting like a wrist rest.


The font on the keycaps is very clear and easy to read. There are no silly characters or "gaming" style fonts, which is a huge plus for me as although I should wear glasses, I rarely do whilst using my PC.


Under the keycaps, we have the SteelSeries QS1 switches. QS1 switches have a 3mm throw depth, a 1.5mm actuation point, and only require 45cN actuation force. They have a smooth feel and seem very consistent, but do not have the cross-shaped stem we see Cherry and other brands use, which makes finding keycaps to fit these very hard.


As with other models of the SteelSeries APEX series, there is an oversized spacebar, which makes hitting the spacebar during fierce gaming sessions easier. It is also quite useful whilst typing, although it certainly isn't something I would solely buy the keyboard for.


The SteelSeries APEX M800 comes with six dedicated macro keys along its left-hand side; again, this does mean the keyboard is larger than usual, but I do love dedicated macro keys, mainly for Photoshop and other programs rather than gaming. All other keys have the ability to be programmed to run anything you desire, but we will look into this a little more later.


The SteelSeries logo is essentially the function key for the APEX M800; it allows us to use the secondary functions of the F5-F12 keys. One thing I really like is that the LEDs of all the keys that don't have a secondary function are turned off whilst you hold the key. This means that our eyes are drawn toward the keys that are still lit, which makes using the function key as natural as possible. As can be seen, using the SteelSeries function key allows for media control as well as control over how bright the LEDs will be.


At the rear of the keyboard are two USB 2.0 ports, which enables users to quickly and conveniently plug in such items as headsets or control pads without having to stretch for their PC. These are not the easiest of ports to access as they are recessed into the board. However, I do like having USB ports on my desk, and this is a very easy way to gain an additional two.


Turning the APEX M800 over, we can see that SteelSeries opted for a different system for the feet. Instead of the flick-out plastic feet we usually get on a keyboard, they have gone for removable rubber domes. There are two at the front and two at the rear. There are also two additional, substantially bigger rubber feet included in the box, which allows the keyboard to be tilted. I quite like this idea as the plastic feet on keyboards are susceptible to snapping, which obviously can't happen with these rubber feet. These being made of rubber, there is also no scratching of the surface the keyboard is placed upon.


The 2m cable is braided with a high-quality soft braid. There was no snagging or pulling while I used it, and it doesn't tangle more than any other cable. At the end of the cable are two USB terminals due to the USB pass-through mentioned above; they have a nice rubber coating to ensure they don't bend or get damaged.


Looking at the SteelSeries APEX M800 from the side, we can see that the keys are very low profile, which is unusual for a mechanical keyboard; this is where I think the keyboard is either loved or hated. Some people just love low-profile keyboards whereas others can't stand them; it does split the audience down the middle, which is a brave move from SteelSeries, but does give users the option to have a low-profile keyboard. From this angle, we can also see the recess along the keyboard's side, which glows rather nicely with the rest of the keyboard when the LEDs are on.