Keychron Q3 Max vs SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3

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Q3 Max compared with Apex Pro TKL Gen 3

	KeychronQ3 Max	SteelSeriesApex Pro TKL Gen 3
Overview
Released
Released	January 2024	September 2024
Typing
Layout
Layout	Tenkeyless	Tenkeyless
Switches
Switches	Mechanical	Magnetic (Hall effect)
Backlight
Backlight	RGB	RGB
Keys labelled for
Keys labelled for	Mac, Windows and more	Windows
Touch ID
Touch ID	No	–
Switches
Switches	Gateron Jupiter switches (Red, Brown or Banana); hot-swappable; screw-in PCB stabilisers	OmniPoint 3.0 adjustable HyperMagnetic switches (analogue Hall effect magnetic sensors, not mechanical contacts), rated for up to 100 million keystrokes; per-key lubrication; 0.7 ms response time
Key travel
Key travel	–	Actuation point adjustable from 0.1 to 4.0 mm; 45 g bottom-out force
Keycaps
Keycaps	KSA-profile double-shot PBT (not shine-through), or OSA-profile side-printed double-shot PBT; keycaps for Mac and Windows	Double-shot PBT
Layouts
Layouts	80% TKL with a knob; ANSI (keychron.com); UK ISO (keychron.uk)	–
Backlight
Backlight	South-facing RGB LEDs	Dynamic per-key RGB, 16.8 million colours, with reactive typing effects
Special keys
Special keys	Programmable rotary knob; N-key rollover wireless and wired	OLED smart display; Rapid Trigger, Rapid Tap and Protection Mode; 5 onboard profiles; 32-bit ARM processor
Connections and battery
Connects by
Connects by	Bluetooth, USB receiver and Cable	Cable
Devices it switches between
Devices it switches between	3	–
Power
Power	Rechargeable	Cable
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 180 hours	–
Receiver
Receiver	2.4 GHz USB receiver at 1,000 Hz polling; Bluetooth 5.1 at 90 Hz to up to three devices; USB-C wired at 1,000 Hz	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	4,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery; up to 180 hours with the backlight off and up to 100 hours with RGB at its lowest brightness	–
Works with
Works with	macOS, Windows and Linux	Windows 10 and above; macOS 11 Big Sur and above with SteelSeries GG and Engine (not all features supported on macOS)
Software
Software	QMK firmware with VIA and the Keychron Launcher web app	SteelSeries GG with Engine and QuickSet
Design
Weight
Weight	1770 g	974 g (better)
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	–	355 × 129 × 42 mm
Size
Size	365 × 137 mm; 19.7 mm high at the front and 32.6 mm at the back without keycaps; 2.7 mm feet; 5.2° typing angle; 1,770 g ± 10 g fully assembled	355 × 129 × 42 mm (width × depth × height); rubber tri-level feet
Materials
Materials	CNC aluminium body; PC plate; double-gasket design; acoustic foams	Aluminium top plate; sound-dampening foam
Colours
Colours	Carbon Black, Shell White (keychron.com); Carbon Black (keychron.uk UK ISO)	Black; other finishes on steelseries.com
In the box
In the box	–	Keyboard, detachable braided USB-C to USB-A cable, extension adapter, wrist rest, keycap puller, product information guide