Updated 28 Oct 2026
Is the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL worth it?
Yes, as a cheap first gaming keyboard.
It's a compact tenkeyless board with quiet rubber-dome keys, a media roller and button, RGB lighting in eight zones and an IP32 rating against spills. Every key can hold a macro through SteelSeries GG. The keys need a firm press and travel a long way before they register, and its latency is too high for competitive play, though fine for casual games.
94%of 33 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Cheap and compact
- Quiet keys, resists spills
- Media controls and RGB
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What owners say
Owners like its compact size, solid feel and lighting, and that it's good to game on for the money. The two unhappy owners, and a few happy ones, dislike needing SteelSeries' software to control the lighting.
Good to know
- The keys need a firm press.
- Too much latency for competitive play.
- Lighting is in eight zones, not per key.
From 33 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, October 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Good to game onMentioned a lot
- Looks good, nice lightingMentioned a lot
- Compact, fits a small deskMentioned a lot
- Solid and well madeMentioned a lot
- Pleasant, quiet keysMentioned often
- Good valueAlso mentioned
What they complain about
Hardly any: just 2 of 33 owners gave it 3 stars or fewer, and no complaint came up often enough to list.
Get it if…
- You want a cheap, quiet gaming keyboard for casual games.
- Drinks get spilt near your desk.
Skip it if…
- You play competitive shooters: the Keychron K2 HE is far faster.
- You want mechanical keys on a budget: the Redragon K552.
More on the Apex 3 TKL
How we reached this verdict
RTINGS rates it decent for gaming: light-ish rubber-dome keys with long travel, macros on every key and zone RGB, plus an IP32 spill rating, but too much latency for competitive gamers. Custom PC (85%) liked the design, quiet keys, spill resistance and very low price but found the keys stiff, and GamesRadar+ (3/5) called the keys particularly heavy, offset by excellent value.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, Custom PC, GamesRadar+, SteelSeries, RTINGS, Tom's Guide, PC Gamer, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 28 Oct 2026How we decide