Back in the days, I used to visit my cousin in Toronto every year. Actually, I still do, but that is another story. We used to hang out in the den of his house, where he would sit in front of his desktop computer, and I would work away on my laptop. Occasionally, as guys goes, we would hurl random insults at each other. The conversation will end when the epitome of all insults are made. "Yeah, well, your keyboard is loud," we used to say, and it will be quiet for about five seconds before we burst out laughing at our immaturity and geekiness. After all, we were both in Junior High back then. Since when is calling someone's keyboard loud an insult? Even we are not sure how that was started, but the thing is, having a loud keyboard may not be the most pleasant thing at all times. Here at APH Networks, we have covered quite a number of mechanical keyboards from various manufacturers such as Cooler Master and Thermaltake. Like many computer enthusiasts, we love our mechanical keyboards. Its independent keyswitches provide a unique level of tactility, response, and reliability that cannot be replicated by anyone else. On the other hand, it is not the solution to all problems in life. What if I prefer short key travel like my laptop? What if I wanted something a little quieter, so your cousin next to you cannot say your keyboard is loud? In situations like this, you might want something other than a mechanical keyboard, and fortunately, there are some pretty good ones to choose from. Today, we will take a look at the SteelSeries Apex, a high end non-mechanical keyboard that features twenty two macro keys, four macro layers, and five independent backlight zones configurable to over sixteen million colors at eight intensity levels. Is this the keyboard to splash your cash on? Read on to find out!