I tried SteelSeries' new Hall effect gaming keyboard and I'm genuinely surprised these switches deliver such a satisfying THONK

When I stepped into SteelSeries' Copenhagen offices and noticed what was on the table, my heart sank a little. It was another Apex Pro keyboard that, for all intents and purposes, looked the same as the last. My hopes weren't raised by talk of the new software presets and the company's take on SOCD, either. But then I heard the new Apex Pro 3 clack. And boy, does it clack.

I was mighty impressed by the unadulterated thockiness of the Apex Pro 3, given it's a Hall effect gaming keyboard and that weighty thunk is traditionally a more mechanical affair. Still, after the SteelSeries representative had given a tantalisingly short demo of the Pro 3's clickety clack, all talk of its newest bells and whistles fell on somewhat deaf ears. 

I didn't care about software features; I needed another hit of that sensory goodness that only other fellow dampening and lubricating button pushers could understand.

I could've spent the hands-on time I got with the keyboard testing its latest software features—and sure, I did at least some of that—but more than anything I just wanted to type. So type I did, and colour me impressed. 

My phone mic, hastily positioned in my chest pocket as I leant over to test out the keyboard, doesn't do it justice at all, but it's better than nothing and you can certainly hear the difference. Here's a comparison between me first typing on the previous-gen Apex Pro (up to 0:08) and then on the new one (0:08 onwards).

SteelSeries says this improved typing experience is thanks to a «triple layer sound dampening foam solution», improved stabilisers, and per-key lubrication. In other words, all the gubbins you'd want out of an enthusiast keeb.

Now listen, I'm not saying the Apex Pro 3 is up to the high standards of typing enthusiasts who spend hundreds modding their custom keyboards for the perfect timbre and downstroke resonance. The Pro 3 isn't that good. It doesn't offer quite the typing experience of my circa-$180 Varmillo keeb with aftermarket Tecsee