The understated SteelSeries Apex M500 ($99.99) is a mechanical gaming keyboard that focuses on the essentials—high-quality switches, programmable keys, and LED lighting—while forgoing frills like wrist rests, RGB lighting, and dedicated macro keys. At half the price of the Corsair K95 RGB ( at Amazon) , our Editors' Choice gaming keyboard, the M500 is a solid option for gamers who prize function over form. Design and FeaturesThe Apex M500 sports a more utilitarian look than its cousins, the SteelSeries Apex ($199.99 at Amazon) (which has dome switches) and the SteelSeries Apex M800 ($299.99 at Amazon) , both of which feature an enlarged space bar, large frames, macro keys, and RGB lighting. While it does have blue LED backlighting, the M500 otherwise looks like something you might find around the typical office. It measures 1.56 by 17.3 by 5.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.7 pounds, making it both smaller and lighter than the M800 (1.6 by 20.1 by 6.8 inches, 3.1 pounds) and the Apex...
The SteelSeries M500 is a sleek, minimalist mechanical gaming keyboard that is comfortable, customizable, and reasonably priced.
Affordable; Cherry MX Red switches; Programmable keys; 104-key rollover
Lacks dedicated macro keys; Backlighting is only blue and occasionally uneven