SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3: A Hall Effect 60% Keyboard

The largest issue with the Apex Pro Mini is its software: SteelSeries GG. While GG is not terrible, it’s not great either. Settings like individual switch actuation points or dual-bindings (where pressing a switch partially creates one input, and all the way creates a second one) are easy to set and work consistently, but I found the menus to be cluttered and difficult to navigate. The home screen of GG, which I expected to be a hub for connected devices and quick customizations, instead presents the user with ads for the rest of SteelSeries’ product lineup.

RGB customizations are easy to configure and work well, especially with unique features like an on-keyboard RGB audio visualizer. However, I found the Apex Pro Mini’s lighting to be less bright than the other accessories on my desk, and its customization options were more limited.

The Apex Pro Mini features “Protection Mode,” a feature added in the newest 3.0 generation of the Apex line. This automatically decreases the sensitivity of surrounding keys when a selected key is pressed to prevent mis-inputs. While I didn’t find myself constantly using this feature, I did find it helpful in ability-focused games like Destiny 2 or Marvel Rivals, where multiple adjacent keys are mapped to different abilities with cooldowns. However, GG doesn’t tell you which keys are considered “adjacent,” so I was sometimes left wondering whether a specific key, such as the X key when pressing the spacebar, would be affected by Protection Mode. I like this function, but it could use some refinement on the software.

Underwhelming, Unusual Assembly

The Apex Pro Mini is shockingly robust considering its plastic case. The keyboard feels solid, and the thick aluminum plate ensures it can’t be flexed or bent by hand. The keycaps are standard for a gaming-oriented keyboard. They are passably thick, double-shot, and have shine-through for the keyboard’s RGB lighting. They also have front-facing legends that indicate the default layout of the function layer, which I like, although it’s disappointing that these aren’t shine-through as well.

On the underside of the keyboard, there's a large silicone flap that can be lifted to reveal a switch puller and a hidden sticker with all of the legal fine print. I like this detail; it’s a good way to keep the switch puller from getting lost and keep the underside of the keyboard looking clean.