First Impressions
Steelseries positions the SteelSeries Apex 9 TKL Keyboard as a premium tkl keyboards, asking $83.70. After 842 customer reviews on Amazon, the verdict is a outstanding 4.6 stars. We've ranked it #11 out of 55 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: $83.70 (slightly above the $76.03 category average)
- Amazon rating: 4.6 of 5.0
- Reviews: 842
- Category rank: #11 of 55 in tkl keyboards
- Cheaper in category: 37 products
- Higher-rated in category: 10 products
- More-reviewed in category: 14 products
Real-World Feedback
842 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 $83.70, the SteelSeries Apex 9 TKL Keyboard sits slightly above the $76.03 category average. 37 options are cheaper and 17 are more expensive.
The category leader is the Redragon K552P Mechanical Keyboard ($40.99, 4.7★, 15,539 reviews). It's $42.71 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:
- Doci Bluetooth Split Keyboard - $19.99, 5.0★ (2 reviews) · Better on both axes
- AULA F87 Wireless 75% Keyboard - $59.99, 4.8★ (351 reviews) · Better on both axes
- Keychron C1 Pro 8K Wired Keyboard - $46.74, 4.8★ (6 reviews) · Better on both axes
If rating alone is your filter, the highest-rated option in this category is the Keychron C3 HE TKL Magnetic Keyboard at 5.0★. If pure price is the filter, the cheapest is the MOTOSPEED Wireless Mechanical Keyboard at $19.99.
Who Should Get This
Probably yes , with a caveat. The rating is strong and the price is reasonable. Just confirm the specific features you care about - connectivity, switches, ports, whatever - match what's listed.
Best fit for:
- Quality-first buyers who prioritize a track record of satisfaction over saving a few dollars
The Verdict
8.4/10
Functional, mid-pack option. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing pushing it above the better-ranked alternatives either.