Why does this keyboard have a MAGNET in every key? - Steelseries Apex Pro First Look

Thanks, Steelseries for sponsoring this video! Check out the Apex 7 line of keyboards at lmg.gg/steelse...
SteelSeries is back and looking to change the way you look at keyboards with their Apex Pro line of keyboards that utilizes magnets in every single key. Find out by watching the video!
Buy SteelSeries Keyboards
On Amazon: geni.us/HUkOvM
On Newegg: geni.us/Y6iE9
Discuss on the forum: linustechtips....
Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: linustechtips....
Get Private Internet Access today at geni.us/7lLuafK
Displate metal posters: lmg.gg/displat...
Linus Tech Tips merchandise at www.LTTStore.com/
Linus Tech Tips posters at crowdmade.com/l...
Our Test Benches on Amazon: www.amazon.com...
Our production gear: geni.us/cvOS
Twitter - / linustech
Facebook - / linustech
Instagram - / linustech
Twitch - / linustech
Intro Screen Music Credit:
Title: Laszlo - Supernova
Video Link: • [Electro] - Laszlo - S...
iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.c...
Artist Link: / laszlomusic
Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High / approachingnirvana

[@chepulis]

It should also be possible to make things that depend on press depth. Like walk/run speed in a game can depend on how hard you're pressing.

[@marioprawirosudiro7301]

Exactly. An analog keyboard. Well, maybe there's already an analog keyboard out there and I just don't know about it. But still a good idea.

[@skarrambo1]

This would absolutely be possible for Steelseries to do with their hardware through software, but honestly isn't immensely beneficial to a large enough user base to implement any time soon. Keep asking them though, they need to know what people want!

[@chepulis]

@@skarrambo1 I'm guessing target audience math is quite different for them - the users that would benefit them are exactly their niche. Boomer moms aren't shopping for uber-precise magnetic keyboards.

[@MrPhilip796]

@@marioprawirosudiro7301 There's one & it's called the Wooting One

[@marioprawirosudiro7301]

@@MrPhilip796 Ha, I knew it. There's bound to be at least one already on the market. Thanks for the info. Still, I guess more choices is good for consumers.

[@PhyNxFyre]

>sensitivity set to highest >accidentally bumps table >types entire paragraph

[@Neko-kun-dp1hq]

Now those essays that the English teacher needs can be typed with literally no effort whatsoever.

[@alberbo2557]

@@Neko-kun-dp1hq now you dont have to use those services where people do your essay for you

[@Eliminator6363]

Lol, keys so light you WILL out sentences

[@tjoloi]

- I've been in love with you for the last 6 month Rebecca, you're so smart, beautiful and your smile makes me melt instantly. I can't live another day without being with you. - Wtf Matt, you're a good friend but I can't see you as anything else - Sorry I breathed too close to my keyboard I can see this becoming useful in the future.

[@lightningwingdragon973]

And thats how the current day monkey writes shakespear!

[@OnlyNotes]

Air current created by a closing door: *Exists.* This keyboard: Is this user input?

[@americahaws8610]

Sorry that was my window

[@grama3057]

Funny how this comment has been up for 11 months and only has 1 reply. Plus it’s has over 850 likes.

[@ediblecacti]

Adonis Rodriguez 3*

[@royoon7579]

@@ediblecacti 4*

[@sammossbeck5250]

Royoon 5*

[@noiJadisCailleach]

4:25 Linus: "Now i gotta mash it" * *MASHES the keyboard on the table* * Sponsor regrets.

[@Yalikejazzboi]

Mashdrop.

[@MattB90]

He's a mash-hole...ill see myself out lol

[@diceyDA]

@Mark Zimmerman loll.. Me tooo

[@Fragoneryes]

@Mark Zimmerman same i knew it must be tagged in comments 😂

[@DarthSidious7]

@@Yalikejazzboi hahaha, not a sponsor :-P

[@redpanda2335]

Linus: "It has been a long time since Steelseries has sponsored us" Linus again: *_"Its also been a long time since they innovated"_* Never change

[@MaskedOG]

It´s not true tho if they gave in the blueprint 5 years ago they inovated then actually:)

[@dylantryalot6187]

Ole Grätz it’s about perspective, if it took me a month to eat an apple that would be ridiculous so they can’t be straight up wrong

[@a.k.a_aadi]

2:27 HE SOUNDED LIKE "GRU" FROM DESPICABLE ME

[@mit843]

AADITYA RAKESH NARAYAN honestly he is prob a nice guy but on screen he annoys me with his chipmunk voice. And that youtube style that you hear often that starts "and ... as he lowers his pitch. well i basically ..

[@pieceoftrash184]

He does lol

[@jafarr6924]

mitlisp thats mean :(

[@who3033]

Cringe

[@Jjube_]

lol

[@doctorgaming8791]

Sits down to write paper Keyboard: writes it instantly

[@lukas-ds3cm]

Modern Game Network now that’s something I’d pay good money for

[@Carbiniz3r]

back in the day, i pirated Dragonsoftware and literally spoke my essays in MS word with a microphone

[@lukas-ds3cm]

Carbiniz3r I used to do that in my moms mac xD

[@Saki630]

hahahahaha

[@HudsonGTV]

They need to add an analog-like feature like in the Wooting One keyboard.

[@TrueMegaManiac]

With this tech its definitely possible. I hope they do it.

[@romannasuti25]

@@WoutervanderMeulen interesting, although some part of me suspects they won't re-invent the wheel here. They're a small company, they'll likely license APT's MX-compatible Hall effect design and just add their mature analog tech.

[@batt3ryac1d]

Genius

[@Pleasant_exe]

Wouter van der Meulen Correct, the new Lekker switch which you can find out more at wooting.io/lekker

[@travdump209]

There’s three different Hall Effect switches, and three different analog switches. Crazy how nature make that.

[@sytykap]

I love the idea of adjusting the actuation points on keys often hit accidentally, like numlock.

[@ksam2000]

Daniel Morgan i

[@ksam2000]

Daniel Morgan ceeihiefwrijwfbiuebfiubeiubvuibeviubfijrhf

[@SuppleAloe64]

Unfortunately Numlock on this keyboard is not on a hall switch. Only the 61 "main typing area" keys are. The function keys, numpad, arrows, and the 6 keys above the arrows are on MX reds.

[@placeholder3863]

Moop no they are Steelseries Reds a Gateron I'm 99% sure

[@ouchtor]

@Kerosin Fuchs But then you can't write emojis

[@entinator]

you could make these switches to output analogue values

[@markp8295]

Maybe. The firmware on the board probably interprets the data from the hall sensors as 0.7ms/key is more than would be expected from the PC over USB. The setup may interpret the values within a range and actuate then. It was never tested how repeatable the depth was or if pushing a key next to it altered the value since you change the shape of the magnetic field. If the hall sensors data doesn't go through a corrective algorithm to accommodate data from neighbouring keys, then that would effect the height of your press based on how depressed keys are around it.

[@hellothere5437]

The PC may only set the actuation points where everything is handled by firmware and only the actual keystrokes are sent ,where analogue data is impossible unless if you have an extremely low-level interface. Magnetism is weird where I bet there's constant calibration required for accuracy, which probably requires ranges. I am (fairly) confident that adjacent keys won't mess up any actuation though.

[@julian23561]

If the software and firmware support it.

[@TotalElipse]

I really hope that's possible to be honest. Using a Wooting in games is really cool and seems bizarre not to at least support the option if you to the trouble of making the hardware. I'd love to have an analogue keyboard with gateron switches.

[@julian23561]

@@TotalElipse if the want this board to cater to everyone, they'd need to at least develop the firmware for it. Wooting did it, though with lasers, cooler Master did it with their game pad thing and that's all mechanical.

[@ryanku468]

Steelseries: *finally decides to sponsor LTT video* Linus: *decides to start the video off by roasting their development team*

[@OstropoloS]

That's not how it works. LTT is so huge and influential, Steelseries were begging to get sponsored by them but kept getting rejected. Linus isn't your average youtuber, LMG is a proper business. His 1 video about buying AMD stock increased their stock price by 10% to put that into perspective.

[@nightsniper8381]

OstropoloS I’m pretty sure it had to do with AMD releasing something people were excited with. It wasn’t just him, it was a lot of other youtubers and other journalists. LTT is big but it was not him alone.

[@ejhc9628]

@@nightsniper8381 Yeah but being big enough to influence stock puts you above the rest in terms of influence

[@hueanao]

@@ejhc9628 You missed the point by a mile...

[@ejhc9628]

@@hueanaoI think we all did, you should have just continued this nonsense like a good memer

[@sguzaki4545]

"Why does this keyboard have a magnet in every key?" *_Laughs in 1960's_*

[@Swordonator]

MaZeppA laughs in intelligence

[@kansas813]

@@Swordonator laughs

[@noxxile]

Explain pls

[@booboo9622]

Daniel basically these kind of switches “hall effect” have existed since the 60’s

[@noxxile]

@@booboo9622 thank you, learned something new today

[@maninarush2112]

Thank you very much for the {clickable}-{info} title format. As my thank you, I watched the whole post-roll

[@LingLing1337]

It makes the video more interesting to me when I know what the product will be

[@Sophistry0001]

Agreed. That title format actually makes a lot of sense as is way better than the clickbait only titles.

[@NWinnVR]

Really clunky and awkward wording choice but yes, I agree.

[@MiloTheFirst1]

not gonna lie, I found this new keyboard concept pretty cool

[@lorcro2000]

It's a pretty old concept, it just vanished for years because of the complexity. But modern technology is amazing.

[@julian23561]

Watch Chyrosran22 for info about old boards and technology such as this one. Hall Effect switches have been around since the 70s as far as keyboard applications are concerned IIRC.

[@MrPruske]

@@julian23561 they also make great controller trigger sensors

[@julian23561]

@Kasper Suomalainen tbh they didn't modernise it since AcePad Tech introduced it back in 2016, though it isn't a surprise not many would know about since the mech keyboard market is mostly dominated by Cherry, and Logitech that other, more interesting keyboard switch concept get pushed off to the side. Someone is also making a beam-spring board, I forgot the name but if you know beam-spring, it's one of the best switches back in the day, basically the grandfather of the buckling spring.

[@julian23561]

@Kasper Suomalainen tbh they didn't modernise it since AcePad Tech introduced it back in 2016, though it isn't a surprise not many would know about since the mech keyboard market is mostly dominated by Cherry, and Logitech that other, more interesting keyboard switch concept get pushed off to the side. Someone is also making a beam-spring board, I forgot the name but if you know beam-spring, it's one of the best switches back in the day, basically the grandfather of the buckling spring.

[@ClassicRedEye]

Now i can mess with my friends by Taping a Magnet under their desk.

[@leadlime29]

Now I will do this too

[@No-yb2kn]

Ah, yes, *satan*

[@ERROR_-_404]

Wouldn't it be possible to add analog Features just by software updates?

[@ki3shy001]

I was thinking that straight away

[@jesondag]

That's what I was thinking... It depends. If the software is just controlling the sensitivity of the hall-effect sensors, then probably not. Unless they can very quickly cycle through sensitivity settings to determine at what sensitivity setting each key would trip at any given point. They would have to do this very very fast. On the other hand if they are simply reading field strength, and the sensitivity is just a software comparison of field strength versus your setting, then yes. they could easily do that.

[@ChiralWolf]

@jou fps as well. Would make creeping around a corner much easier by just pressing the key slightly then breaking into a full walk when fully pressed

[@loisoklm]

Yes they can

[@DzastinasLTL]

@@jesondag I don't think that you can "adjust" hall-effect sensor sensitivity. They always monitor the magnetic field in their calibrated range. I assume that the setting just set the minimum threshold when to activate the input so analog implementation should be easy to do.

[@TheInfectionization]

I generally don't 'like' videos, but I did leave a 'like' for using the *clickbait - legit name* as you said you would. Props to you

[@andrive]

Pretty much the base of clickbait titles nowadays

[@samuelm5140]

I like this new video title format so much better

[@derwissenskiosk8041]

Its always again amazing how much you can redesign a working product to make it even better....

[@rsjr9355]

Hardware lounge: Linus: Brands: hey man.

[@slp_ironcreeper_4728]

1:18, when I saw he was about to drop it I was like "Ah shit, here we go again"

[@inviss]

SLP_IronCreeper_ lmao

[@DerekPetersonLives]

he was so on point with that recovery though, my how the man has grown ^^

[@slp_ironcreeper_4728]

@@DerekPetersonLives now that's what I call some *real* skills

[@Cliffdog01]

That's really cool!! I can imagine that this tech would be really handy for game designers too (if they get to program for it) or maybe controllers with this tech built-in. It would be a game changer for racing/trucking games on PC since you would be able to scale the pressing of the key for brake and throttle so you don't have to buy accelerator pedals anymore.

[@BitterCynical]

A keyboard like this could essentially make every key work like a stick or trigger on a gamepad.

[@nmotschidontwannagivemyrea8932]

Like the laser keyboards. It's cool stuff; pressure sensitive keys potentially open up more options.

[@rkan2]

Gives a whole another meaning to QWERTY... Joystick!

[@PhantomMattcraft]

ikr? From what I understand this switch is capable of detection analog input. Im surprised they didnt also just include some of the extra hardware/software to make it a full analog keyboard. Would have been another great selling point.

[@profosist]

Correct but it doesn't look like their trying to do that at the moment.

[@topethermohenes7658]

Perfect for ranting online like press the keys harder to cap the letters and we all know cap letters=better argument

[@OrangeC7]

Welp, there's another item to add to the "Things I desperately want but I know if I bought all the things on this list I would go broke 5 times over" list

[@Cliffdog01]

Amen!!

[@peterknutsen3070]

Want vs Need

[@nahuelviera4850]

If it makes you feel any better I just bought the apex 750 and rival 600 a couple months ago now they released the rival 650 and apex pro one after another.... should've waited

[@Richard_Bumblebee]

That's why you compromise and only go broke 2.5 times over

[@ATK.]

Best part about being 17 and making $400 a week

[@TheDuckumz]

Pressure sensitive control with WASD coming from someone via scripts?

[@Edvardas96]

This reminds me there was a keyboard in development years ago that had analogue WASD keys. What ever happened to that?

[@acethebunny]

this was my first thought.

[@Tekologic]

@@acethebunny what about that roccat one i think its the isku force plus

[@E-Stoia]

Roccat has that already tho :P

[@florian30303]

​ @@Edvardas96 it's out. Wooting One / Two. The whole Keyboard uses Hall-Sensors.

[@Fe4rWulf]

This has some potential, not just for the sensitivity, but if it's measuring the field constantly, with updates it could add a bit of analog detection, like a controller trigger.

[@evilcanofdrpepper]

So like have a setting where the keys are used as a potentiometer so the more you press it down the faster your character runs or whatever? That would probably need the game companies to collaborate with them. I have the solution for how to do the clicks thing, Don't make the keys register through a manual click but have it so when the key actuates a small electromagnet is turned on and either provides a force on the key or have a rod on a spring with a magnet inside the electromagnet coil so that when the circuit is completed it pulls the rot up and that clicks on the bottom of the key or some other thing that is on a hair trigger that can be electronically actuated, It might not be exactly in the right spot but if they use the potentiometer stuff you could set it so you had it click slightly early or slightly later . This keyboard could change the face of typing and video gaming forever!

[@geoffreyyu5163]

Yeah, WOOTING is developing their Lekkar switch which is basically the same with this one but without the ridiculous marketing bullshit.

[@collin1001]

Linus: This keyboard knows how far down the keys are pressed Me: *wooting one flashbacks*

[@DanielFoerster]

Wooting actually announced a while back that they're working on a magnet-driven analog keyboard. Not sure the relation.

[@Crokto]

​@@DanielFoerster there are now 3 distinct analog hall effect key switches being developed. I mean, it's exciting, but why is everyone doing it at the same time...

[@DanielFoerster]

@@Crokto which are the others?

[@Crokto]

@@DanielFoerster wooting's and the silo switch from input club

[@McKenzieFrazer]

"I really liked how this felt under my fingers, it was soft in a good way, kind of like typing on boobs."

[@redstarsrbija]

Damn, hall effect based switches. Thats a great idea SteelSeries. I'm curious how the keys feel though.

[@Rugg-qk4pl]

Yeah its definitely never been done before

[@cameronwolf4997]

@@Rugg-qk4pl I think an extremely similar idea was completed by Wooting. I also think that I read or saw that they felt like reds

[@nottheengineer4957]

Hall switches have been done before and they are damn near unbreakable. Wooting made something even better by using optical switches wich are the smoothest switches you can get.

[@SuppleAloe64]

I got one. I personally prefer it to my IBM 5155's Model F. The hall keys on the Apex board feel a little heavier than the MX reds on the board, but the variable actuation makes that almost entirely a moot point.

[@lofimusiq]

Best feeling keyboard I’ve ever laid fingers on. But that’s preferential. It’s so buttery smooth and not obnoxiously loud. I picked one up yesterday and thought I may have buyers remorse after having spent $200 but I’m totally in love with it.

[@Narinjas]

Question ... 0n 0.4mm actuation setting... can you have CRT TV or Speakers next to the keyboard???

[@jonas1015119]

Some people have magnetic implants in their fingertips, bet those would mess with it as well.

[@2406ab]

@@jonas1015119 who has magnetic implants in their fingertips?? and why?

[@Klblaz]

Those magnets probably won't have a magnetic field strong enough to be detected by the sensor.

[@MaksKCS]

@@Klblaz idk man, those magnets seem pretty small to me

[@johncochran8497]

@@2406ab There are "biohackers" who implant small magnets in a finger or two to give themselves a "sixth sense" where they can detect magnetic fields, or for that matter alternating electrical current near their implant. You might find the wikipedia article interesting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_implant

[@15DjjC13]

Buys new keyboard for sweet new tech. Sets it so it acts exactly the same as current cherry board.

[@frank8william]

looks like an absolute win to me

[@itsyoboigucci7578]

1990: We gonna have flying cars in future 2019: This keyboard has MAGNET in every key.

[@Zingam]

I bought my Cherry G80-3000 keyboard in 1997 I still use it every day and it has no signs of wear. I had an even older IBM keyboard which I sold recently and one with metal inside it from the 80s which I lost. I doubt that any of these modern keyboards would last as long, despite of "double the life-span" claims.

[@Wave1dave]

@@Zingam Keyboards with magnetic sensors have been around longer than your first keyboard, trust me. They are used in industry for their durability, there is practically nothing to wear out.

[@ElNegus9985]

Irrelevant question, but are cherry mx keyboard superior over its membrane competitor?

[@mroyme]

That joke is so 90s.

[@xupPer22]

Also 2019: "It'sYoBoiGucci"

[@Clavinohou]

"some leetle tieny magnets" sounds like Gru. lol

[@zeenun.]

Yeah I was about to comment about 2:27

[@Vichion]

READ THIS AS HE SAID IT, OMG. IM DYING

[@mrandom6330]

Yeah I thought the same thing

[@pieceoftrash184]

Excuse me

[@maruftim]

whoa

[@user-fk5si9eg7r]

Hope they also do something usefull with it like analog key mod for racing games.

[@Jeremy-Biggers]

Yeah, I think they are missing a huge opportunity here if they don't include that out of the box

[@thischannelisforcommenting5680]

SDVX and IIDX player too.

[@ReSummit]

Honestly, it might be possible because if magnetic forces are measured always (which I think it is), then the keyboard can map the magnetic strength to analog input. I mean, if it took 5 years from patent to reality, then I think it might happen.

[@TimosHUN]

Yes the data is there, because hall sensors are used in joysticks so there are a continuous stream of data going from the sensors, therefore keys now can be used as sliders, joys, etc.. IMHO but ofc we don't know how 100 hall sensors are handled.

[@Pleasant_exe]

You might be interested in the Wooting Lekker switches coming out and the current wooting in general.

[@julian23561]

70s keyboard tech finally back in the mainstream market. Woot. There's also that beam spring keyboard coming. Keyboard tech is finally getting much more interesting

[@souqmadiq4835]

Please tmm don't nerf Steve

[@mrk2938]

Linus casually drops cutting edge keyboard @ 4:24

[@papajohns3726]

kalinator lol

[@DennyPhantom]

Thats why hes there, if the keyboard survives Linus then they will know that its durable.

[@DarkLordMatt]

Wouldn't be a linus tech tips vid without linus dropping something

[@indygeluk444]

He forgot to kick it tho😂

[@user-le8ul4nr5t]

So cutting edge there were ussr clone of magnetic keyswitches, chyrosran22 made a review of one.

[@DanielBloom1]

dude that's actually really impressive. That's, like, strictly better than any other keyboard.

[@Klblaz]

There have been optical switches on the market for couple of years, but I don't think they have as wide range.

[@killertruth186]

Meh, it doesn't impress me.

[@DanielBloom1]

@@snakesphere7889 cool, thanks for the tip!

[@EbrahimSaadawii]

Valley girl language

[@sirmurford2737]

"Apex 7 Lineup." Has 8 models. Why Steelseries?

[@ChinBiter47]

Money

[@mahuk.]

I think you missed the point they are sponsoring the video.

[@FastSloth87]

@@mahuk. I think you missed his point. Apex 7, 8 models, should've been 7, and be launched on 7/7 like the AMD 7nm stuff. That's the "issue", not SteelSeries.

[@goldswiz]

@@FastSloth87 what if its the apex 1-7 and then the apex pro ? with no number on it

[@KarmaSangheili]

Maybe it's a programmer joke? (A lot of things count from 0 within the field.)

[@olevolbracht9107]

I would get crazy over trying to find the perfect adjustment.

[@ericcartman3485]

@@Flawaffles i see myself in his picture. What is this condition called?

[@ericcartman3485]

@@Flawaffles Ah, i heard about that one before. But i dont think i have any sign of its symptoms. Its just the big decisions, where i struggle. For example which subject to study. Btw. your english is fine, im not a native speaker as well.

[@Christopher_Gibbons]

Forget adjustability. Wit some software tweaking, this could bring full analogue controls to PC gaming.

[@nameless-user]

AFAIK, the Apex Pro doesn’t support full analogue for the keys. Support is dependent on games being able to support both K/M and controller support simultaneously. It’s why so few true analogue boards exist. Wooting’s offerings have full analogue support, but support in games is hit-or-miss.

[@MrPruske]

please make this have an analogue mode as well and i will throw my money at you.

[@MrPruske]

can you add rubber o rings?

[@MrPruske]

give me both and i'll give you $300

[@StremmeR]

and in addition, pressure analysis (in back ground and/or training) to adjust sensitivity to actual pressure in all the keystrokes. I bet not a lot of ppl would get the full use of this feature, buy adjusting it 1/10 of a mm each run.

[@MaksKCS]

@@MrPruske Are you talking to yourself?

[@SharkDrk]

The "Wooting One" and "Two" have analog input and you can adjust the actuation point.

[@jarwins649]

This seems like it would be really good for my arthritic ridden hands.

[@agent-jamer3334]

Theres glass or transparent keyboards out there, im not sure what they are exactly but they are also keyboards you can tap to type on

[@Islingr]

The Wooting One and Two can already do this. For those interested you might still want to wait since the next Keyboard will likely have an even larger analogue range ;)

[@samsprague6923]

i was watching this and when he said you can adjust the actuation point i looked down at my wooting one from last year and thought "mhmm"

[@SVENY]

Hall effect switches (magnetic switches basically) will last you forever!

[@nosville22]

Hall effect switches are nothing new, but tbh - it's good that we are finally starting to see some actual improvements in gaming keyboards

[@USSMariner]

I was on board with this till Linus brought up the *5 year old patents*. Then I realized he has no fucking idea what he's looking at and he's just eating up the copy. Oof.

[@Klblaz]

A modern hall-effect keyboard, wow. Does it have analogue features (e.g. controller emulation) like Wooting optical switches?

[@Pehmokettu]

There have been several modern companies that have made Hall Effect keyboards. For example Chyrosran22 has reviewed some of them.

[@CloudmasterGaming]

Just got mine today (Apex pro), gotta say it is AMAZING!

[@ewliang]

The magnet keyboard reminded me of Ben Heck's Analog WASD Keyboard project.

[@Hoto74]

Not really needed: wooting.io/

[@ibonitog]

USB Passthrough is such an awesome feature!

[@Mp57navy]

Most gaming keyboards have it. But, yeah. it's handy to plug in your phone for charging.

[@NobleBrutus]

So can we get analogue control? Imagine a racing game with analogue keyboard control! Or speed control in an FPS like pushing a joystick.

[@techsavy3221]

Check out Wooting!

[@NNNSSSCCC]

It’s already a thing

[@stoxic74]

wooting literally did it looooong ago, but steelseries gets the credits ? lmao

[@stormee211]

Wooting

[@vwertix1662]

wooting two lekker edition comes out in may which uses the same type of technology and has analog switches.

[@benitollan]

It's to make it harder for Linus to drop every key.

[@hueanao]

This joke is dead, stop fishing for likes

[@MidnightBloomDev]

Therapist : keyboards can't mentally harm you. Keyboard on 0.4 : I'll find you and then...

[@Valhav04]

I've been looking at that keyboard for some time now, but i didn't knew it have that magnetic feature! Now i'm 100% sure i'm gonna buy that!

[@yuraii8113]

Razer: ayyy we have some real quick switch Ss: hold up

[@buzdalys5524]

Ss

[@adamyounes6244]

Ss

[@skyzey9296]

Ss = SteelSeries --'

[@nouzzen]

Skyzey ss = stay safe plz zed is roaming

[@simedinson984]

soul split?

[@gagnon124]

You could also use it for linear response There was similar tech in some keyboards from the 80s

[@Jake-qo8mz]

linear is 0 or 1

[@gagnon124]

@@Jake-qo8mz don't you mean binary?

[@SVENY]

Linear response?

[@gagnon124]

@@SVENY you could have it progressive where if you are driving a car with WASD, you can control the amount of input to the steering, acceleration and breaking by the distance the key has travelled.

[@brandontakuto9761]

Glad to see more manufacturers picking up Hall Effect switches again like Ace Pad Tech has, Hall Effect switch keyboards were around as early as the 70's with the Honeywell D1B3S, 4B3E single and dual magnet switches and Micro Switch's Hall Effect switches. as well as soviet produced Hall Effect switches like the Tesla MS1SS1 and Elektronika PKB9 switches which could even have as many as 4 magnets per switch. They were sometimes used in some military and soviet keyboards alongside capacitive switches like foam and foil switches due to their insane reliability and durability (foam degrading not withstanding) To compare, most modern and even vintage contact based switches like Cherry and Alps switches have an expected cycle lifetime of about 20 million cycles, with Cherry switches getting up to about 50 million cycles with gold plated contacts, and capacitive switches like IBM Beamspring and Capacitive Buckling Springs as well as Foam and Foil switches have an estimated cycle lifetime of over 100 million cycles. Honeywell's Hall Effect switches have an estimated cycle lifetime of 30 BILLION cycles with other Hall Effect switches reaching well into the billions as well. To put that into perspective if you used a brand new keyboard with Honeywell Hall Effect switches and were working a desk job with an average working year of 253 days and had a consistent typing speed of 100 words per minute, working 8 hours a day and spending around 4 of those hours actually typing it would take you nearly 5000 years just to wear out just the space bar. Hall Effect switches are insane.

[@SuppleAloe64]

Have you seen the description steelseries gave about their 100 million keypresses number? Basically they got tired of waiting for their testing robots to push keys hundreds of millions of times and stopped it at 100 million. Can't say I blame them, lol. xD

[@brandontakuto9761]

Moop yeah I have seen it. After 100 million key presses it's considered to be reliable to the point that you wouldn't have to question if the switches worked after a long time of use. Just think of what equipment had to be used on Hall Effect switches to estimate their 30 billion + key press lifetime!

[@SuppleAloe64]

@@brandontakuto9761 A jackhammer. Left running for a year. "Yep, one billion Ts and still going." :) Really, though, one could set up a high-frequency electromagnetic signal that would be able to simulate a billion signals across a hall sensor pretty quickly. But I think the failure point is probably the spring, whose life can be calculated given knowledge of the material properties. One would need to test the spring for how many million presses it takes to get meaningful deformation and extrapolate it to the point of plastic deformation. Believe it or not, specialized spring testing tools do in fact exist for things like that.

[@MsWouto]

They should add support for linear input like on an xbox controller LT/RT

[@TheXnyu]

they should!

[@VeraxonHD]

Literally just got an apex 750 and they throw this stuff my way... Nice.

[@lukeharman7054]

I have the APEX 7 TKL edition and I love it. Steelseries' current line of headsets, keyboards and mice are some of the best at the moment

[@PhatPazzo]

I really hope they release an api for detecting how pressed a button is. Imagine that for gaming, especially any game where you’re driving or sneaking.

[@perkele1989]

Now THIS is true innovation. Someone is wrong on the internet? Keyboard automatically makes all CAPS when you type harder.

[@crushermach3263]

Linus: This keyboard knows how far down the keys are pressed Me: **flashbacks to laser switches**

[@DefinitelyGenta]

Yeah same lol

[@mit843]

Crushermach3 hey, we have kids in this channel..

[@rizzy6087]

mitlisp so?

[@mraghav93]

The way he started the video is just too awesome! He is one of the only youtuber who has got the balls to talk like that about his own sponser!

[@Frozevil]

I'm Big fan of steelseries, looking forward to buy that one

[@enderoftime2530]

This would be perfect for analog input.

[@stri8ted]

VST virtual instruments

[@loser-nobody]

At least 5 years developing this tech and they haven't realized this possibility yet?! It already polls the position every 0.7ms, It sounds like all the hard work is already done; make it happens Steelseries and then I'm interested!

[@aimson]

I'm also incredibly impressed with the font they use. So clean and gorgeous!

[@boinbo8090]

I'm genuinely impressed by Steelseries's innovation. Well done!

[@boinbo8090]

Oh man first highlited comment, and I got likes? Thanks strangers!

[@chadlachlanross]

I've never said "Day 1 Buy" before... but this may be the time.

[@jarcherneu1179]

@@antonywhatever572 0,7 ms

[@hydrobyte8333]

@@antonywhatever572 It's 0.7ms, so it might actually be pretty fast

[@maxkallenbach9969]

Antony Whatever 0.7ms

[@mixtermuxter8602]

theoretically they can't do that many things wrong with this one. hall sensors are relatively old technology, and well understood (by experts, not me, that is). I still wanna see a proper review first tho...

[@trophywolfe]

Only if the buttons can be tuned to be like an anolog trigger

[@FeltsuOnYT]

Just bought the Apex Pro two weeks ago and im in love with this thing. The writing feels so good, gaming feels as if ur controlling a characters movement by mind and of course knowing Steelseries the led brightness is more than enough, i only use about 30% of max and its still bright asf. Sound aint that bad neither. Keeping an eye at my cpu & gpu temps with the little integrated screen which i usually would not do since i run a single monitor setup, but thank to ss i do now. Can also use it for so much more than just temperature checking! I'm glad to waste my money on this!

[@JeorgeDeLaCuuzOfficial]

I think I just found my new keyboard. It's a true beauty. 😍😍😍

[@JeorgeDeLaCuuzOfficial]

@@JeighNeither From what I can gather from the software, I believe so. In all honesty, I don't think I would abuse that function since I don't really use RGB all that much.

[@SuppleAloe64]

@@JeighNeither Technically yes, but it's not in the software yet. I think they're going to add it in an update.

[@brennandorsey193]

Seems like some Dev could use the different levels of actuation to simulate a pressure sensitive effect with these keyboards.

[@sashabagdasarow497]

That's great! You can adjust button sensitivity OF EVERY KEYBOARD! That's so cool. I don't know if any other keyboards with such a technology exists, but this is just like an innovation.

[@RadoHx]

You can adjust REALFORCE capacitive keyboards as well ...

[@samtherat6]

0:32 Linus has ruined me to the point where I spent 5 minutes trying to figure if that was a sexual innuendo he made about Yvonne.

[@iZetto1]

You could just use the word *hint*, but whatever.

[@wil-fri]

Linus hetero? Is a Skrull

[@BloodSprite-tan]

i really don't think it is, linus is just that good at trolling.

[@ediblecacti]

Bought this keyboard, well worth it. Love this thing and it’s always fun to play with the actuation with friends

[@preazes]

lucky guy

[@Vandel212]

I don't find keyboards exciting, but this was impressive.

[@cassell1253]

perfect timing im in need of a new keyboard

[@Soulreigner]

gonna need to re mortgage

[@SuppleAloe64]

So thanks to this video for highlighting the magnetics, I actually own one of these now. I'm not a competitive gamer, but I've managed to somehow accrue about 30 years worth of keyboards--the oldest being a Model F strapped to an IBM 5155 portable (complete with gigantic space bar)--just through life. The Apex Pro keyboard, which I'm typing on right now, blows almost everything that came before it out of the water, with maybe the exception of those old Apple chiclet keyboards many people swear by for productivity, including me (in fact I have one of those also hooked up to this same computer). Some notes not touched on in the video that I came across, in no particular order: ->I don't know why they call this a "mechanical" keyboard. It's not: it's [mostly] a hall effect keyboard. That means it will probably outlive all of us and still be fine, which is mainly why I got one. ->The keys do have springs in them, as do all hall effect switches, so it feels more like a mechanical keyboard despite not actually being one for the most part. ->I have 2.5 gripes with the Apex Pro, and none really matter: 0.5: There appears to be a firmware funny (maybe it's a bug?) where putting an animated GIF on the OLED screen causes the lock key indicator to be hidden. Static images are fine, so I think the lock indicator is being drawn over the current frame and the next frame in the animation overwrites it. Either way, it's a new product and this may be addressed in an update. 1. The Apex USB passthrough port is only USB 2.0, despite the manual's stating to plug into a USB 3.0 port. That's related to power draw, as USB 3.0 ports can supply 3x the current of USB 2.0 and the board needs 1.4x more power than a USB 2.0 port is supposed to provide. Oh well. 2. The function row, arrow keys, numpad, and DEL/INS/HOME/END/PGUP/PGDN keys are actually plain Cherry MX red mechanical keys. It's the 61 "main typing area" keys that are all hall effect. Though it may be possible to swap out the Cherry switches for Omnipoints, the software isn't set up to handle that so it wouldn't be possible to change their actuation levels. The user-adjustable actuation and innate reliability mean that this may very well be the be-all-end-all of keyboard technologies for a number of people, "pro gamer" or not. Yes, IMO it's better than the Model F, and it will at minimum last twice as long. I can see why some might prefer older Apple chiclet keyboards since they feel radically different, but that's about the only concession I can make. This keyboard is just that good. Note: The only other hall effect computer keyboards you can realistically buy are that massdrop XMIT one (if you can find one on eBay) and the Chinese boards they're based on, which are known to have all kinds of quality control issues. The rest are mainly military-grade, application-specific keyboards from the 60s and 70s that are not really meant for normal computers, though at one point there was an option to do a $6000 bulk order for 10 hall effect keyboards that doesn't appear to be available anymore. If memory serves, those were mainly meant for nuclear power plant control systems. In any case, the Apex Pro is cheaper than all of these minus the XMIT by a long shot, and this thing is built like a tank. It's also worth pointing out that lasers and LEDs in optical sensors like in the Wooting One can die over time, by the way, whereas magnets as used in Hall Effect sensors are pretty much indestructible.

[@madsmads4]

shouldn't it be possible to do "analog" keys with this tech aswell?, seems like a missed opportunity.

[@hueanao]

Yeah, it would be a lot more useful.

[@ph4rox]

@@hueanao Search for the Wooting One Keyboard

[@tonn333]

This is awesome, but it would be infinitely more awesome if tactile bump is adjustable.

[@fosstheboss31]

There is no tactile bump.

[@tonn333]

@@fosstheboss31 I'm well aware of that

[@eddiegardner8232]

Honeywell made Hall-effect keyboards back in the 1970s. We had one on our CDC 6400 at the console. It was not sensitivity adjustable, but with double-shot keycaps, it had an indefinite lifetime rating, and never missed a stroke.

[@isthatajojosreference5146]

Keyboard set to .44mm Person: *Breathes* Keyboard: types your 3,000-page essay Person: *Shocked Pikachu Face*

[@Brewpl]

That's some next level text-to-speech!

[@xSeRosiSx]

I wonder if you can "desynch" the hall sensors by waving a decently sized neodymium magnet across the keyboard. Effectively destroying the keyboard until it can be degaussed .

[@shush-ant]

sorry i didnt understand i thing u said

[@xSeRosiSx]

@@shush-ant A thing with older Televisions (Cathode Ray Tubes) is that if you bring a magnet near them they deform and output a "corrupt" signal. Example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poWUep2dYttpo9k I was wondering if the same could happen to a magnetic keyboard albeit with signal processors.

[@boof45]

i was just about to buy this keyboard and now i want it even more

[@zillo38]

so this opens up for the opportunity to make PC games have a controller like throttle function on a keyboard, cherry MX just became obsolete in my book

[@dpear3]

That tech has actually been around for a while, I think the most notable example would be wooting. It's normally done with optical sensors, but there have been magnetic field detecting analog switches, just not from a popular manufacturer.

[@-dubu]

dpear3 Topre has been doing it a lot longer than wooting

[@linuxgeex]

Reminds me of the capacitive switch keyboard I saw a couple years ago... that one also allowed to treat any key on the keyboard as a pressure-sensitive joypad, so for WASD you could actually control how fast you move on each axis via how hard you press!

[@LeonardChurch33]

A nice quality of life upgrade for this keyboard that could be done in software would be some kind of auto-calibration that would be applied on a per-profile basis. For example, you could put it in "typing" mode, set it to calibrate and it would monitor your typing until you stopped the calibration. The software would then level out the actuation point on a per-key basis so that keys you have a harder time pressing are made more sensitive and ones that you press by accident are made less sensitive. It could even display the heat map of the actuation points using the RGB lighting.

[@jessicagray8852]

Sounds very similar to how Xbox one controller triggers work. Those switches might make racing games and stuff more comfortable on keyboard.

[@placeholder3863]

This isn't analog

[@bg0063]

Adjustable key press force? That is craaaaaaaaaazy cool. Wow. Creativity met science!

[@JD3Gamer]

As someone who really doesn’t care about keyboard tech this is really fascinating

[@wjjxkskqkw]

Yeah thats cool, but remember that when in the market, there is about nothing that a keyboard or mouse can really do to improve your setup. Unless you have some other things to look at, like these features that nobody asked for, or latency. All professional keyboards and mouse nowadays are low latency with n-key rollover. Rather have a good typing keyboard then this shit.

[@kobitz9001]

couldnt it also technically emulate analog with those switches?

[@hamizannaruto]

Technically yeah. It is pressure sensitive. But with a update rate of 0.7 second, i dont think it will be that accurate. However, it is still possible. It could be the second type of keyboard to able to emulate analog. Atleast i think it is the second. I know there is a laser keyboard that could emulate analog due to detecting distance of the laser. But i dont know any other keyboard that able to do that.

[@kobitz9001]

hamizannaruto I thought I heard 0.7 milliseconds?

[@vadhub]

@@kobitz9001 yeah it's 0.7 milliseconds. Since you can adjust it from software someone should probably be able to figure out a way to remap the pressure to something like a virtual analog controller to use it in games

[@hamizannaruto]

@@kobitz9001 Oh really, i must have misheard it then. Sorry

[@GodOfMacro]

Yeah, it has already been done too, this is not the first keyboard too have this technology

[@Bennet2391]

You could, probably with some software acrobatics, map the WASD keys to a virtual analog input device, like an analog stick. You could walk at different speeds depending on how hard you press the key.

[@josephmarsh5031]

why doesn't his have an analog WASD setting for FPSes?

[@Bl4ckWarHawk]

Whats that supposed to mean?

[@josephmarsh5031]

@@Bl4ckWarHawk If you can gauge the distance a key has been pressed, you can make movement controls a gradient rather than a binary. In other words, rather then moving forward or not moving forward, you could rig it so that your toon moves faster or slower, depending on how far you press a key.

[@damianskiba4876]

That was actually the first thing that popped in my head, an actual analog keyboard. Sounds neat

[@keithlancaster6643]

@@josephmarsh5031 Wooting has this already

[@Eskoxo]

Topre keyboards can adjust actuation point for quite a few years now

[@lubb213]

They are membrane keys

[@ZachDxn]

For adjustable tactile feedback... Put a small vibrator beneath each key that triggers at the same time as the key is actuated

[@Shadowsphere1]

Shit take: Make the tactile bump a sound file that plays from your speakers depending on the actuation setting... I just reread that and I should have deleted it.

[@PAPO1990]

Wait, no, you could do it, you just need to turn the key-switch into, basically a speaker, then you can actuate, or create resistance in the key with software. It would be complicated and expensive, but OMG would it be cool. If anyone from SteelSeries is reading this, and hasn’t thought of this yet, you can have my idea, I just want a note I can put on my resume ;)

[@firisimsurisim4806]

@@PAPO1990 lol

[@zmc9403]

PAPO1990 And slap a couple localized vibration motors in there too, for good measure.

[@firisimsurisim4806]

@@zmc9403 thats a cool ass idea

[@IANSYT]

or just use an actual mechanical keyboard and have it last 10 times longer, feel better, and cost less

[@inv41id]

>first What about the Wooting keyboards?

[@jriver226]

There isn't a whole lot original here, it's just a hall effect keyboard. They have existed since electronic keyboards became a thing.

[@inv41id]

@@jriver226 Yeah I know about hall effect boards but haven't heard of it being used for variable actuation points before. Steelseries isn't even the only company making modern hall effect boards.

[@lorcro2000]

Hall effect keyboards have been done but not very many of them lately. They were used in early keyboards but the cost and complexity of manufacturing at the time made them basically vanish. But they have many advantages and with modern manufacturing techniques it seems much more feasible to do them. For instance, tunable activation point is one thing. Another is the fact that they are extremely durable due to how they function, they can do millions and millions of activations, basically key switches for life. The Chinese "Xmit" people started making some in 2016 I think, and I guess now we see them in more mainstream keyboards. Cool stuff.

[@texdoc89]

Just ordered mine, I've never in my life wanted it to be Monday this much LMAO

[@BasicLegend]

How was it?

[@texdoc89]

@@BasicLegend 10/10 would buy again, the ability to manually adjust my key actuation is legit. Does take some getting used to at first,

[@ok_shibba]

I'd rather get a Wooting, you can go analog or just turn switch to normal mode if you don't need it.

[@pexunfuni]

yeah it seems wooting is better in pretty much every way, i don't get how this is innovating

[@Fiendir]

Yeah, I was just about to say, Wooting has been doing this for years already lol, only difference is the switch tech used. But even then, Wooting announced a few months back that they're making their own hall-effect switches called Lekker, which are free to be used by any manufacturer that gets in contact with them. TBH, I'd rather have the wooting ones as they're intended to be hot-swappable, something not mentioned anywhere about the Apex Pro. SteelSeries would've only sold me on this if they managed to make the tactile point adjustable/optionable, right now they're just monkeying Wooting.

[@JoeJacksonJr]

I like where they are going with this keyboard. Very much considering to buy..

[@F7INN]

Could this be used for analogue input? Like a controller's trigger?

[@stephenmaher4690]

There is already a bonafide analog mechanical keyboard, it's made by a company called Wooting. They are worth checking out, I am typing from one right now so admittedly my opinion is a little biased; but this technology is nothing new.

[@alflud]

Yes, it definitely could - it's just a matter of developing the software. We'll be able to control the acceleration of racing vehicles by how much we press the assigned the key! Great!!!

[@imnobody7765]

I'm differently getting this keyboard I love your content and I go to you for reviews and new products

[@topphatt1312]

The trailer music for this was (and still is) absolute fire