Quick Overview
Steelseries positions the SteelSeries Apex 5 Gaming Keyboard as a premium mechanical keyboards, asking $98.99. After 4,134 customer reviews on Amazon, the verdict is a outstanding 4.6 stars. We've ranked it #7 out of 43 in this category. It's in the top quartile of the category, which is where most buyers should be looking.
What It Feels Like to Type On
The keyboard's exact switch type isn't specified in the product listing, which is unusual at this price point. If switch feel matters to you, it's worth checking the manufacturer's site before ordering. In this price tier, you should expect aluminum top plates, doubleshot or PBT keycaps, and per-key RGB. If those aren't here, the price is hard to justify.
Specs at a Glance
- Brand: Steelseries
- Price: $98.99 (well above the $81.95 category average)
- Amazon rating: 4.6 of 5.0
- Reviews: 4,134
- Category rank: #7 of 43 in mechanical keyboards
- Cheaper in category: 33 products
- Higher-rated in category: 8 products
- More-reviewed in category: 8 products
Real-World Feedback
4,134 reviews and a 4.6-star average is a strong signal. At this scale, manufactured reviews would have to be unrealistically pervasive to move the score this much, which means the satisfaction is real for the typical buyer.
The Field Around It
At $98.99, the SteelSeries Apex 5 Gaming Keyboard sits well above the $81.95 category average. 33 options are cheaper and 9 are more expensive.
The category leader is the Redragon K552 Mechanical Keyboard ($31.33, 4.5★, 34,386 reviews). It's $67.66 more expensive than the top pick despite ranking lower, which is a hard combination to justify unless a specific feature swings the decision.
Cheaper alternatives worth a look:
- AULA F75 Wireless Gaming Keyboard - $65.99, 4.9★ (30 reviews) · Better on both axes
- AULA F75 75% Mechanical Keyboard - $65.99, 4.7★ (1,695 reviews) · Better on both axes
- Womier SK80 75% Mechanical Keyboard - $56.99, 4.7★ (1,460 reviews) · Better on both axes
If rating alone is your filter, the highest-rated option in this category is the AULA F75 Wireless Gaming Keyboard at 4.9★. If pure price is the filter, the cheapest is the wegear RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard at $29.99.
Who Should Get This
Maybe. Middle-of-the-pack on rating and price, no standout strengths. If a specific feature matches your need (look at the spec list), it's reasonable. Otherwise the top picks are safer bets.
Best fit for:
- Quality-first buyers who prioritize a track record of satisfaction over saving a few dollars
The Verdict
7.9/10
Functional, mid-pack option. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing pushing it above the better-ranked alternatives either.