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You came here because you want a quiet keyboard, you’ve narrowed it to two, and you want the honest call. The AUSDOM 98Pro Wireless Silent is the office-first board with real silent switches and a gasket build. The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is the gaming-first board with whisper-quiet membrane-mech hybrids at half the size and a much lower price. Both are quiet. They serve different rooms. Here’s how to pick.
At a Glance
| Feature | AUSDOM 98Pro Silent | SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $49.97 |
| Switch type | Silent tactile (true mech) | Whisper Quiet (membrane-mech hybrid) |
| Layout | 1800 compact, 97 keys | Tenkeyless, 87 keys |
| Wireless | BT + 2.4GHz + USB-C | USB-A wired only |
| Hot-swap | Yes | No |
| Backlight | White LED | 8-zone RGB |
| Protection | None rated | IP32 water/dust |
| Best for | Office, writers, late-night | Gaming, streamers, shared rooms |
AUSDOM 98Pro Wireless Silent
AUSDOM Hola98Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard – Silent, Customizable & Multi-Device!The Hola98Pro Green & White Silent Keyboard is a quiet mechanical keyboard designed for office and home use, elevating your typing experience! With 97 keys in a space-saving layout, it meets all your needs while...
This is the silent-first board. Silent tactile switches mean the dampener is built into the slider itself — bottom-out is muted and the upstroke ping is killed. Gasket mount decouples the plate from the case, which kills the hollow-case echo most cheap keyboards have. Three-mode wireless and hot-swap give you a long-term upgrade path. It’s $70 well spent if quiet is your number-one priority.
SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL
SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL gaming keyboard is the first ever water resistant TKL esports keyboard. It has the premium features of a serious gaming keyboard like a compact streamlined ten-keyless form factor, whisper quiet gaming switches that provide comfortable low friction performance for over 20...
This is the gaming-first quiet board. Whisper Quiet switches are a membrane-mechanical hybrid — not pure mech, but quieter than any traditional gaming switch and with a satisfying tactile feel. IP32 water/dust resistance, 8-zone RGB, and the SteelSeries Engine software stack are all here for under $50. The tradeoff is a fixed cable, no wireless, and the feel is slightly mushier than true mech.
Acoustics
On a hot mic six inches from the case, the AUSDOM 98Pro measures lower — silent switches with real dampeners beat any “quiet” gaming switch on raw noise floor. The Apex 3 TKL is still impressively quiet for a gaming board, especially the spacebar which is one of the loudest keys on most keyboards. If you stream, both work. If your partner is asleep in the next room, AUSDOM wins.
Typing Feel
AUSDOM feels like a real mechanical keyboard because it is one — tactile bump, defined actuation, 4mm of travel. The Apex 3 TKL feels closer to a high-end membrane — softer landing, less defined feedback, but consistent and not unpleasant. If you’re a touch typist or you grind code or copy all day, you’ll prefer the AUSDOM. If you primarily game and chat, the Apex 3 TKL feel is fine.
Layout
The AUSDOM is 1800 compact — function row, arrows, and a numpad in a smaller footprint than full-size. Great if you use the numpad. The Apex 3 TKL drops the numpad entirely, which frees mouse real estate and is what most competitive gamers prefer. Pick based on whether you need the numpad more than you need the mouse room.
Wireless & Connectivity
AUSDOM has Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle, and USB-C wired. The Apex 3 TKL is USB-A wired only. If you ever want to use the same keyboard with a laptop, phone, or tablet, AUSDOM is the only option. If you’re glued to one PC, the wired Apex 3 TKL is rock-solid and never needs charging.
Durability
The Apex 3 TKL has IP32 water/dust resistance. The AUSDOM doesn’t have a published IP rating. If you have toddlers, drink coffee at your desk, or eat lunch over your keyboard, the Apex 3 TKL is built to survive more abuse. The AUSDOM is built to feel premium, which is a different priority.
Value
Both punch above their price. The Apex 3 TKL at $50 is the easiest budget recommendation for a quiet gaming keyboard. The AUSDOM at $70 is the better keyboard if your work demands silence and you can stretch the budget. Per dollar of “quiet performance” the AUSDOM wins. Per dollar of “complete feature set under $50,” the Apex 3 TKL wins.
Verdict — Which One Should You Buy?
If your day is mostly typing — writing, coding, support tickets, late-night work — buy the AUSDOM 98Pro Silent. The silent switches, gasket build, and hot-swap upgrade path are worth every dollar over the Apex 3 TKL.
If your day is mostly gaming with some typing — and especially if you stream — buy the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL. The Whisper Quiet switches save your stream mix, IP32 protection saves your keyboard from spilled drinks, and the price leaves room for other gear.
Both are excellent in their lane. There’s no wrong answer if you match the keyboard to the use case.
