Hands-on: SteelSeries Ghost limited-edition Apex 7 TKL and Aerox 3 Wireless shine bright [Video]

While RGB generally goes hand-in-hand with gaming peripherals, it can be a polarizing subject. If you’re a fan of adding some color to your setup, though, then the SteelSeries Ghost edition is probably going to tickle your fancy. With a clean design and bright RGB, the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL and Aerox 3 Wireless Ghost Edition will light up any desktop. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details.

Apex 7 TKL

First, let’s take a look at the Apex 7 TKL. SteelSeries still has the standard version with a variety of switches in black coming in at $130 as well as the Apex Pro TKL at $180, but the Ghost Edition definitely stands out with its design and hits the middle at $150.

Apex 7 TKL: design

This limited edition is all about looks. The Apex7 TKL Ghost edition features brilliant lighting, thanks to the double shot PBT pudding keycaps. With light emanating from all sides and shining brightly through the legends on top of the keys, it’s a beautiful display of color. 

The board is made of aluminum and feels solid. On the bottom, the keyboard features a handy three-way channel to route the attached cable on the left, right, or center. The Apex 7 TKL also features a USB passthrough, which means the cable has two USB-A plugs. If you don’t need the passthrough, though, you don’t need to plug in that extra cable. 

Also included is a white wrist rest that attaches magnetically. It features a white surface that is hard but has a bit of give to it, like rubber. SteelSeries calls this their soft-touch finish.

SteelSeries Ghost Edition: Video

OLED Smart Display

One unique feature of the Apex 7 is the OLED display in the upper right corner of the keyboard. Holding the menu button will open up the ability to adjust the illumination, macros, profiles, and settings. The menu button also acts as a multi-function media control with the ability to play, pause, and skip tracks. The dial above the menu button works to navigate menus, controls volume and when pressed, can mute audio.

Apex 7 TKL Ghost: switches

For the Ghost Edition, SteelSeries is using their linear red switches. With an actuation force of 45, these switches are light and easy to press, making for a fast keyboard. They also feature a 2mm actuation distance with 4mm total travel. Be sure to hit the video to hear how they sound.

Aerox 3 Wireless

On the other side of the setup is the other member of the SteelSeries Ghost edition, the Aerox 3 Wireless mouse. Coming in at $100, it shares the original price of the original Aerox 3 that is now down to $75. 

Quick specs

  • Weight: 68g
  • Dimensions: 1205mm L x 57.9mm W (front) x 37.98mm H (back) 
  • RGB: 3 RGB zones
  • Battery life: Up to 80hrs RGB, up to 200 hrs Bluetooth

Aerox 3 Wireless: design

Overall the Aerox 3 Wireless Ghost Edition shares a similar design to the standard version, just in a beautiful white colorway. The perforated shell also has a bit of translucency to help make the RGB even more prevalent. 

One other major feature is the lightweight design. Coming in at just 68g, the Aerox 3 Wireless feels light and nimble when combined with the 100% virgin PTFE feet. While not as light as the G Pro X Superlight from Logitech, this is still super light for a wireless mouse with up to 80 hours of battery life. 

By default, the lighting on the Aerox 3 Wireless will turn off when the mouse is in motion and then illuminate when it comes to a stop. This can be turned off from the SteelSeries Engine app, though, if you’d rather it stay illuminated at all times. 

9to5Toys’ Take

If you really want some RGB to shine on your battle station, the SteelSeries Ghost Edition is a beautiful way to do that. It’d be great to have an option of switches, but linear seems to be taking over the world these days, so it’s no surprise to find red switches under the pudding keycaps. 

And the Aerox 3 Wireless is a great addition with some bright colors, but there are also other wireless options like the Glorious Model O Wireless, which is one of my favorites. 

Buy SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Ghost Edition

Buy Aerox 3 Wireless Ghost Edition

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