SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard and Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Review: Premium Gaming Gear with Superior Performance

SteelSeries is renowned for delivering top-tier gaming peripherals, and their Apex Pro Keyboard and Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset continue that tradition. Whether you’re a competitive gamer or seeking high-performance gear for immersive experiences, these accessories stand out with innovative features, exceptional build quality, and a sleek design. After weeks of testing, both products proved to be game-changers in comfort, performance, and durability.

When looking for a new gaming setup, SteelSeries has always been a brand I look to for the latest features, and I haven’t been disappointed with their latest accessories.

SteelSeries products are always well-built, beautifully designed, and last as long as anything out there. I don’t remember having many complaints with any of their products, and that’s saying something for a guy who has reviewed a ton of gear over the years.

SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a beautiful mechanical gaming keyboard with an OLED smart display, full number pad, LED backlit keys, removable and magnetic wrist rest, and USB passthrough port.

It also has dedicated multimedia controls with a roller to control volume. The frame of the Apex Pro is built using an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, which is super strong and ultra durable. It’s painted a sleek matte black, which is a great juxtaposition to the multi-colored LED backlit keys; the keys are fun and blink/react to typing.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard is built with Omnipoint Mechanical Switches, which use magnetic sensors instead of traditional switches that allow you to adjust the exact distance at which a key registers in order to provide faster response time, increased accuracy, and extra durability.

The adjustable omnipoint switches feature 5x faster actuation, 8x faster response time, and 2x more durability than traditional mechanical switches.

The keys feel incredibly good, with enough movement to feel like your typical mechanical keyboard, but not as much “clacking” noise as you might expect, so it’s better for an office setting while not being used for gaming.

The OLED display is also really useful. It features in-game alerts, Discord messages, and the current song being played.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard retails for $199.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset

I was excited to receive the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset for review, and, to be very clear, it lived up to all the hype. The headset features Active Noise Cancellation with a hear-through option, an AI-powered noise-canceling retractable microphone, and a simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection that allows you to mix gaming and mobile audio.

You also get 360-degree spatial audio on both PC (Sonar Software) and PS5 (Tempest 3D Audio.)

My favorite feature, however, is probably the hot-swappable batteries. These allow unlimited playing time, so if you run out of battery, you can switch batteries, charge the empty battery, and it’ll be ready if/when the second battery runs out of juice. This reduces the need to remember to recharge your headset every single time you’re done playing.

The base station has a spot on the side where you slide your second battery in to charge; it’s an incredibly simple, smart design.

The base station is the go-between your audio source and the headphones; it has an LCD screen that displays the audio source, battery status, volume, and more. You can also change pre-set EQ settings, audio profiles, etc., directly on the screen using the click wheel.

What’s really cool about it is that there are two audio inputs, allowing you to connect to two systems at the same time. So you can easily switch between a PC or PS5, Xbox or PS5, etc., without missing a beat.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is extremely comfortable, and the cups are made from super-soft foam, so you can wear them for hours.

The 40mm Neodymium Magnetic Drivers are designed to allow you to hear everything with an ultra-detailed soundscape of highs, mids, and deep bass with a frequency range of up to 40KHz. With the built-in AI noise cancellation, you’ll be able to hear everything you want to hear and nothing you don’t!

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset retails for $349.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

After using the SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard and the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headphones for the past few weeks, I can’t say anything but positive things. Both items are incredibly well made, come with features out the wazoo, and are a pleasure to use.

The Apex Pro keyboard feels great on your fingers and responds well. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headphones offer amazing sound, great comfort, and almost infinite battery life thanks to the swappable batteries. The expandable microphone is great as well, allowing you to hide it in the ear cups while not in use but bring it close to your mouth when you need it.

I’m a huge fan of these SteelSeries accessories and highly recommend them!

Source: Manufacturer Supplied review samples

What I Like: Amazing features offered on both the keyboard and headphones; Fantastic build quality; Great sound out of the Arctis Pro headphones; Great feel and adjustability on the Apex Pro keyboard

What Needs Improvement: Nothing