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SteelSeries Apex Pro vs. Razer Huntsman Elite vs. Corsair K95 Platinum: Full Comparison & Verdict 2024

SteelSeries Apex Pro vs. Razer Huntsman Elite vs. Corsair K95 Platinum: Full Comparison & Verdict 2024

    In order to get a vastly superior gaming experience, a good screen, a comfortable, crisp headset, an ergonomic gaming chair—these are all important considerations, but picking up a good mouse and keyboard would be even more crucial when it comes to performance and comfort. There is no doubt that when it comes to gaming peripherals, Razer, SteelSeries, and Corsair are the pioneers of the industry. the Apex Pro from SteelSeries, the K95 RGB Platinum from Corsair, and the Huntsman Elite from Razer are the three most popular high-end gaming keyboards on the market currently. But what's the difference between them? Which one should I pick? Today, I will put SteelSeries Apex Pro vs. Razer Huntsman Elite vs. Corsair K95 Platinum mechanical gaming keyboards to the test and find out which one is best.

Cover Photo:steelseries.com

SteelSeries Apex Pro vs. Razer Huntsman Elite vs. Corsair K95 Platinum: Side-by-Side Comparison


SteelSeries Apex ProRazer Huntsman EliteCorsair K95 Platinum
ConnectivityWiredWiredWired

Size

Full-size (100%)Full-size (100%)Full-size (100%)
MechanicalYes
Yes
Yes

Dimensions

Height

1.6" (4.0 cm)1.4" (3.7 cm)1.3" (3.4 cm)
Width17.2" (43.7 cm)17.5" (44.5 cm)18.3" (46.5 cm)
Depth
5.5" (13.9 cm)5.5" (14.0 cm)6.6" (16.8 cm)

Depth With Wrist

Rest

8.3" (21.1 cm)9.1" (23.1 cm)9.1" (23.0 cm)

Weight 

2.14 lbs (0.970 kg)2.68 lbs (1.215 kg)2.65 lbs (1.200 kg)

Build Quality

Close Up 

ABSABSABS

Ergonomics

Board DesignStraightStraightStraight
Minimum Incline
4.5°
Medium InclineN/AN/A
Maximum Incline
11°
Wrist Rest
DetachableDetachableDetachable

Backlighting

Backlighting 

YesYesYes

Color 

RGBRGBRGB

Individually Backlit

Keys

YesYesYes
Color MixingGoodGreatGood
EffectsYesYesYes
Programmable
YesYesYes

Cable & Connector 

Detachable

No

NoNo
Length5.9 ft (1.8 m)6.7 ft (2.0 m)7.2 ft (2.2 m)

Connector

(Keyboard side)

Not DetachableNot DetachableNot Detachable
Wireless Versatility

Bluetooth 

NoNoNo

Bluetooth

Multi-Device Pairing

NoNoNo
Proprietary ReceiverNoNoNo
Battery Type
No BatteriesNo BatteriesNo Batteries

Extra Features

Media KeysDedicatedDedicatedDedicated

Macro

Programmable

Keys

AllAllAll
Trackpad / Trackball
NoNoNo
Wheel
YesYesYes
USB PassthroughYesNoYes
Numpad
YesYesYes
Windows Key Lock
YesYesYes
Lock Indicator
Caps & Num Lock

Caps, Scroll & Num

lock

Caps, Scroll & Num

lock

Keystrokes

Key SwitchesOmniPointRazer Linear OpticalCherry MX Speed
Feel
LinearLinearLinear
Operating Force
37 gf38 gf45 gf
Actuation Force37 gf37 gf42 gf
Pre-Travel1.4 mm1.0 mm1.1 mm
Total Travel
4.1 mm3.5 mm3.4 mm

Typing Noise

QuietQuietLoud
Latency
Latency Wired
3.4 ms1.3 ms1.8 ms
Latency Receiver
N/AN/AN/A
Latency BluetoothN/AN/AN/A
Software & Programming
Software NameSteelseries Engine

Razer Synapse 3

iCUE
Account RequiredNoNoNo
Profiles
6+6+6+
Onboard MemoryYesYesYes
Cloud SyncYesYesNo

Macro

Programming

Software and

Onboard

Software and

Onboard

Software and

Onboard

Ease Of UseEasy
Easy
Easy

Software Windows

Compatible

Yes
Yes
Yes

Software macOS

Compatible

Yes
NoYes
Keyboard Compatibility
Windows
FullFullFull
macOS 
FullPartialPartial
Linux
PartialPartialPartial
Android
NoNoNo
iOS
NoNoNo
iPadOS 
NoNoNo

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SteelSeries Apex Pro, Razer Huntsman Elite, and Corsair K95 Platinum Review

| #1  SteelSeries Apex Pro Full-Size Wired Mechanical OmniPoint Adjustable Actuation Switch Gaming Keyboard

Google Users Rating: 4.8/5

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a premium mechanical keyboard that comes with just about everything you could ask for. It has a sturdy aluminum alloy frame that stands up to heavy use. What makes it stand out is its adjustable OmniPoint switches. Advanced OmniPoint switches let you change the amount of pre-travel distance needed to input a keystroke, which in turns increases and decreases its actuation force. You can lower it for a more responsive experience in games, or you can raise it up to reduce the number of typos and accidental keystrokes when typing text. Each key can be adjusted to meet your preferred sensitivity level, whether it’s for gaming, work, or anything else. You can also program every key and customize the keyboard inside its software.

1.png

Source:bestbuy.com

The SteelSeries Apex Pro also boasts a USB pass-through, which can be extremely useful if you have USB peripherals to which you’d like easy access. The other luxurious features include a tiny OLED display plus a dedicated media playback and volume control wheel, both of which help navigate the onboard UI, which allows you to customize every aspect of the keyboard without having to launch the software. In addition, Apex Pro is known for providing unmatched RGB illumination and customization with over 16.8 million colors. To take it one step further, with this keyboard, you can customize each individual key. The included magnetic wrist rest may be a bit of a dust magnet but it’s comfy and helps with the overall ergonomics of the board nicely. There is no doubt that the SteelSeries Apex Pro is one of the best gaming keyboards. The custom actuation, elegant build, and bright RGB lighting all help to make it stand out among the dense competition.

PROSCONS
Fantastic build qualityThe questionable long-term typing experience
Comfortable wrist restNo dedicated macro keys
OLED Smart DisplayNot cheap
Can customize actuation distance
Keypress feedback is spot on
Brilliant per-key RGB lighting
5 onboard profiles
USB pass-through

| #2  Razer Huntsman Elite Full Size Wired Opto-Mechanical Linear Switch Gaming Keyboard

Google Users Rating: 4.8/5

The Razer Huntsman Elite is a good gaming keyboard with novel optomechanical switches. As the name suggests, it is outfitted with hybrid optical/mechanical switches. Instead of using metal contact leaves, these switches register keystrokes with lasers, which eliminates switch debounce and extends the lifespan of the switch—by an extra 50 million clicks compared to Cherry MX, according to Razer which is especially useful for gamers who need tap keys repeatedly. The Razer Huntsman Elite has two optical switches to choose from, the Razer Clicky Optical switch (purple) provides tactile and audible feedback, like known from Cherry MX Blue switches, while the Razer Linear Optical switch (red) offers a simple, smooth keypress.

2.png

Source:bestbuy.com

In addition, the Razer Huntsman Elite comes with padded wrist support that magnetically attaches to the bottom of the keyboard and syncs with its Chroma lighting patterns. It's not the best wrist pad out there, but it offers adequate support for your wrists while you type and game for long sessions. The Razer Huntsman Elite also has dedicated media controls, and in addition to its full RGB backlighting, it has underglow LEDs on the keyboard and the wrist rest. All keys are macro-programmable and even the volume dial can be reassigned. Some customizations can be done on the board, but Razer Synapse 3 is needed to access full customization options and it's only available on Windows. The Razer Huntsman Elite does lack the USB pass-through and requires two USB cables to power, but that’s a small price to pay for such a speedy board.  Its premium performance and the overall great gaming experience still make it worth every cent.

PROSCONS
Smart design  
No dedicated macro keys

Extremely comfortable magnetic wrist

rest

No USB passthrough
Phenomenal hybrid switchesRequires two USB ports for power
Fastest key actuation ever 
Dedicated media controls
Per-key RGB backlighting and underflow

Hybrid On-board and Cloud Storage –

Up to 5 Profiles


Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly

macro recording


| #3  CORSAIR K95 RGB PLATINUM Full-size Wired Mechanical Cherry MX Speed Linear Switch Gaming Keyboard

Google Users Rating: 4.7/5

The Corsair K95 Platinum is the supercar of gaming keyboards, coming loaded with everything a hardcore gamer needs.  Design-wise, the aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum chassis and robust construction complement the K95 with a more premium feel and look, giving it a bit of heft to help with stability and augment the rubberized leg stoppers.This keyboard is available in several switch configurations, from the standard Cherry MX Blues and Browns to the coveted MX Speed Silvers. The MX Speed Silver switch comes with 1.2 mm of actuation distance for that ultra-fast reflex improvement while boasting a long lifespan of over 100 million keystrokes.

3.png

Source:bestbuy.com

In terms of RGB lights, the K95 features per-key illumination. You can also alter the RGB lights in 19 different zones around the keyboard using the top edge light bar for a more sophisticated and dramatic animation. Using Corsair's iCue software you can customize the K95, including assigning special functions to the column of keys on the far-left side of the keyboard with macros or whatever you want. If you often experience wrist pain after a long gaming session, you’d be please to hear that this keyboard comes with a removable and super comfortable wrist rest. In addition, the Corsair K95 also features six dedicated macro keys and has a few dedicated media controls, including a volume wheel, a USB 2.0 port (yes, not USB 3.0), and 8MB of profile storage for whatever macro and lighting profiles you need to set for your games. Even though this is an expensive keyboard, it does offer a premium experience. That old saying “you get what you pay for,” couldn’t be more true.

PROSCONS
Military-grade aluminum frame

The textured side of the wrist-rest can collect dust and crumbs quickly

Comfortable wrist restNo Audio Pass-through
Good QC of Cherry MX switches

Two USB ports are required on your PC if it

doesn't have USB 3.0 available

Responsive, smooth keys
Dedicated macro and media controls
Built-in 8 MB of memory for saving your user profiles

Stunning design with gorgeous RGB

lighting


iCUE software is intuitive and easy to

use


 Verdict

SteelSeries Apex Pro vs. Razer Huntsman Elite vs. Corsair K95 Platinum: Which Should I Pick?

There’s really no clear-cut winner here. For PC gaming enthusiasts or anyone who enjoys a quality typing experience, the SteelSeries Apex Pro, the Razer Huntsman Elite, and the Corsair K95 Platinum are all worth every penny. In other words, you can’t go terribly wrong with either choice.
In terms of key switches, the SteelSeries Apex Pro, the Razer Huntsman Elite, and the Corsair K95 Platinum are evenly matched despite the major difference in their designs, and both have a full-size footprint. In addition, they all feature a detachable wrist rest and full RGB lighting. So you're going to have a great experience playing games with either, regardless of what those games are.
If I had to choose, I'd go with the SteelSeries Apex Pro, but that’s only for the extra features. The SteelSeries has a customizable OLED screen, a USB passthrough. It also has better compatibility, as its customization software is available for macOS.

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2022-02-09 17:47557