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  1. Table of Contents
  2. Top
  3. Main Differences
  4. Design
    1. Dimensions
    2. Build Quality
    3. Ergonomics
    4. Hardware Customizability
    5. Backlight Features
    6. Backlight Clarity
    7. Cable & Connector
    8. Wireless Versatility
    9. Macro Keys And Programming
    10. Extra Features
    11. In The Box
  5. Typing Experience
    1. Typing Quality
    2. Typing Noise
    3. Switches
    4. Keystrokes
  6. Performance
    1. Single-Key Latency
    2. Multi-Key Latency
    3. Data Transmission
    4. Chord Split
  7. Software and Operating System
    1. Configuration Software
    2. Computer Compatibility
    3. Wireless Mobile Compatibility
  8. Comments

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL vs SteelSeries Apex 9

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL
SteelSeries Apex 9

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

Updated Nov 30, 2023 07:02 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

Updated Feb 06, 2025 09:55 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Picture
SteelSeries Apex 9 Picture
ConnectivityWired
Size
TenKeyLess (80%)
Switch Type
Mechanical
N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
Yes
Hot-Swappable Switches
No
ConnectivityWired
Size
TenKeyLess (80%)
Switch Type
Optical
N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
Yes
Hot-Swappable Switches
Yes

Variants

  • Apex 7 TKL (Black)
  • Apex 7 (Black)
  • Apex 7 TKL (Ghost Edition)
  • Apex 9 TKL (Black)
  • Apex 9 Mini (Black)
  • Apex 9 Mini (FaZe Clan Limited Edition)

Review

See SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Review
See SteelSeries Apex 9 Review
0 
4 

Our Verdict

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL

SteelSeries Apex 9

The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL and the SteelSeries Apex 9 are both TenKeyLess gaming keyboards with some fundamental differences. The Apex 7 uses standard mechanical switches, which come in your choice of clicky Blue, tactile Brown, and linear Red, while the Apex 9 uses specialized OptiPoint switches, which have two actuation point presets available, one for gaming and one for typing. That said, the Apex 9 is a much higher-performing gaming option with lower latency.

0 

Check Price

Black
Apex 7 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 9 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 7
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 9 Mini
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Ghost Edition
Apex 7 TKL
SEARCH
Amazon.com
FaZe Clan Limited Edition
Apex 9 Mini
SEARCH
Amazon.com

Main Differences for
Gaming

Threshold 

0.10

Gaming 

8.3
8.7

Single-Key Latency 
 

8.0
9.2

Multi-Key Latency 
 

7.8
8.9

Full Comparison

Design

Dimensions 
 

Top Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Top Picture
SteelSeries Apex 9 Top Picture

Size 
 

TenKeyLess (80%)
TenKeyLess (80%)

Height 
 

1.6" (4.0 cm)
1.6" (4.1 cm)

Width  

14.0" (35.5 cm)
14.0" (35.5 cm)

Depth 
 

5.5" (13.9 cm)
5.0" (12.8 cm)

Depth With Wrist Rest 
 

8.3" (21.0 cm)
N/A

Weight 
 

1.54 lbs (0.700 kg)
1.41 lbs (0.640 kg)
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

8.5
8.5

Build Quality Close Up  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Build Quality Close Up
SteelSeries Apex 9 Build Quality Close Up

Keycap Material  

ABS
PBT
Show Text 

Ergonomics 
 

6.0
6.0

Side Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Side Picture
SteelSeries Apex 9 Side Picture

Curved/Angled 
 

No
No

Split Keyboard 
 

No
No

Key Alignment 
 

Staggered
Staggered

Minimum Incline 
 

4°
4°

Medium Incline 
 

N/A
7°

Maximum Incline 
 

10.5°
11°

Home Row Height 
 

32.2 mm (1.3")
33.3 mm (1.3")
Show Text 

Hardware Customizability 
 

6.0
7.4

Customizability Overview  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Customizability Overview
SteelSeries Apex 9 Customizability Overview

Replaceable Cherry Stabilizers 
 

Yes
Yes

Stabilizer Fixation 
 

Plate-Mounted
Plate-Mounted

Spacebar Stabilizer Size 
 

6.25u
6.25u

Size Of Right Mod Keys 
 

1.25u
1.25u

Hot-Swappable Switches 
 

No
Yes

Switch Stem Shape 
 

Cherry MX Style
Cherry MX Style

Switch PCB Socket 
 

Soldered
Non-Customizable Design

North-Facing Cherry MX Interference 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Backlight Features 
 

10
10

Backlighting Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Backlighting Picture
SteelSeries Apex 9 Backlighting Picture

Brightness Max  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Brightness Max
SteelSeries Apex 9 Brightness Max

Backlighting  

Yes
Yes

Brightness Min  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Brightness Min
SteelSeries Apex 9 Brightness Min

RGB 
 

Yes
Yes

Per-Key Backlighting 
 

Yes
Yes

Effects 
 

Yes
Yes

Software Controllable 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Backlight Clarity 
 

9.0
8.0

White Shot  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL White Shot
SteelSeries Apex 9 White Shot

Cable & Connector  

Connectivity  

Wired
Wired

Detachable 
 

No
Yes (Wired Only Keyboard)

Length  

6.2 ft (1.9 m)
7.5 ft (2.3 m)

Connector (Keyboard side) 
 

Not Detachable
USB type-C
Show Text 

Wireless Versatility 
 

0.0
0.0

Bluetooth 
 

No
No

Bluetooth Multi-Device Pairing 
 

No
No

Proprietary Receiver 
 

No
No

Battery Type 
 

No Batteries
No Batteries
Show Text 

Macro Keys And Programming 
 

5.5
5.5

Dedicated Macro Keys Count  

0
0

Onboard Macro Programming 
 

Yes
Yes

Macro Programming With Software 
 

Yes
Yes

Extra Features 
 

Extra Features  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Extra Features
SteelSeries Apex 9 Extra Features

Media Keys 
 

Dedicated
Dedicated

Trackpad / Trackball  

No
No

Scroll Wheel 
 

Yes
Yes

Control Knob 
 

No
No

USB Passthrough 
 

Yes
No

Numpad  

No
No

Windows Key Lock 
 

Yes
Yes

Lock Indicator  

Caps Lock
Caps Lock
Show Text 

In The Box  

Bundle Picture  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Bundle Picture
SteelSeries Apex 9 Bundle Picture
Show Text 
Typing Experience

Typing Quality 
 

8.0
8.0

Key Spacing 
 

19.0 mm (0.748")
19.0 mm (0.748")
Show Text 

Typing Noise 
 

6.0
7.5

Typing Sample  

Average Loudness 
 

60.0 dBA
52.2 dBA

High Pitch Clicks 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Switches 
 

Wobble Video  

Switch Name 
 

SteelSeries Brown
SteelSeries Linear OptiPoint Optical

Switch Type 
 

Mechanical
Optical

Feel 
 

Tactile
Linear

Analog 
 

No
No

Keystrokes 
 

Key Switch Actuation Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Operating Force 
 

44 gf
34 gf

Actuation Force 
 

37 gf
35 gf

Pre-Travel 
 

2.4 mm
1.1 mm

Total Travel 
 

4.1 mm
3.2 mm
Show Text 
Performance

Single-Key Latency 
 

8.0
9.2

Single-Key Latency Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Best Connection 
 

11.9 ms
3.0 ms

Best Connection Std Dev  

±1.3 ms
±0.4 ms

Wired 
 

11.9 ms
3.0 ms

Receiver 
 

N/A
N/A

Bluetooth 
 

N/A
N/A

PCB (Estimated) 
 

9.7 ms
2.0 ms
Show Text 

Multi-Key Latency 
 

7.8
8.9

Latency Video  

Multi-Key Latency Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Connection Evaluated  

Wired
Wired

Key Press 
 

12.6 ms
3.0 ms

Key Release 
 

11.7 ms
9.0 ms
Show Text 

Data Transmission 
 

8.7
8.7

Multi-Key Raw USB  

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Multi-Key Raw USB
SteelSeries Apex 9 Multi-Key Raw USB

Connection Evaluated  

Wired
Wired

USB Polling Rate 
 

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Effective Update Rate 
 

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

N-Key Rollover (NKRO) 
 

Yes
Yes

Multiple Keys Per USB Report 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Chord Split 
 

8.0
7.6

Chord Split Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

4 Chord Split Delay 
 

5.4 ms
6.8 ms

8 Chord Split Delay 
 

11.3 ms
9.7 ms
Show Text 
Software and Operating System

Configuration Software 
 

Software Tour  

Software Name  

Steelseries Engine
SteelSeries GG

Software Windows Compatible 
 

Yes
Yes

Software macOS Compatible 
 

Yes
Yes

Onboard Memory 
 

Yes
Yes

Profiles 
 

5
6+
Show Text 

Computer Compatibility 
 

10
10

Windows 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

macOS 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

Linux (Ubuntu 22) 
 

Fully Compatible
Fully Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Windows, MacOS & Linux
Windows, MacOS & Linux
Show Text 

Wireless Mobile Compatibility 
 

0.0
0.0

Android 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

iOS 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

iPadOS 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Not Compatible
Not Compatible

Check Price

Black
Apex 7 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 9 TKL
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 7
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Apex 9 Mini
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Ghost Edition
Apex 7 TKL
SEARCH
Amazon.com
FaZe Clan Limited Edition
Apex 9 Mini
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Back to Top

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL

SteelSeries Apex 9

Comments

  1. Comparison
 • Posted 1 year ago

SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL vs SteelSeries Apex 9: Main Discussion

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