The best SMG Guide to compete and dominate the competition. Learn about the choice of weapons, their attachments, scopes and pure stats.
Overview of SMGs in Apex
Apex SMGs have become more and more powerful across recent seasons. Close range combat is the way to go, and there is no better choice than an SMG. The introduction of laser sights further helped Apex SMG's become the ultimate close quarters weapon.
The selection of SMG's in Apex gives you a wide variety of choices. Some are stronger than others at mid range. You also have a choice between burst fire and fully automatic weapons. This means that you can comfortably always find an SMG to compliment your loadout.
Apex SMG's can take a variety of attachments. All the SMG's have a magazine, most can take a laser sight and they all also take a stock and an optic.
In terms of optics, the possible options for the SMGs in Apex are:
- 1x Holo
- 1x HCOG "Classic."
- 2x HCOG "Bruiser."
- 1x-2x Variable Holo
- 1x Digital Threat
SMG's have risen in popularity over the last few seasons. They have far surpassed Shotguns as the most popular primary weapon This is partly because the time to kill (TTK) for SMGs are some of the fastest in the game. However, they are also more flexible than Shotguns. You can use SMG's at medium range far better than you can with a shotgun. This means they can be paired with weapons like Snipers or Marksman's to give you some medium and close range impact.
Our personal favorite is the R99 paired with a Flatline. This combo works well because the R99 has one of the fastest TTK's of the SMGs and the Flatline is a great weapon that can also put in work at all ranges with the right attachments (typically a 3x ACOG optics).
Alternator SMG
Weapon type Fire Rate Magazine Capacity Reload time Recoil Pattern Damage (Head/body/legs) | Light 600 RMP 19/22/25/27 2.23 Vertical 24/16/13 |
Prowler Burst PDW
Weapon type Fire Rate Magazine Capacity Reload time Recoil Pattern Damage (Head/body/legs) | Heavy 697RMP 20/25/30/35 2.6 Vertical, then curve left 22/15/12 |
R-99 SMG
Weapon type Fire Rate Magazine Capacity Reload time Recoil Pattern Damage (Head/body/legs) | Light 1,080 RMP 19/21/24/27 2.45 Vertical + curve left 18/12/10 |
Volt SMG
Weapon type Fire Rate Magazine Capacity Reload time Recoil Pattern Damage (Head/body/legs) | Energy 720 RMP 19/21/23/26 2.03 Vertical + hook left 23/15/12 |
CAR SMG
Weapon type Fire Rate Magazine Capacity Reload time Recoil Pattern Damage (Head/body/legs) | Heavy and Light 930 RMP 19/21/23/26 2.13 Vertical 20/13/10 |
Alternator SMG Overview
The Alternator is a sturdy choice for an Apex SMG. It is one of the more common SMG's to find on the ground and excels in the early to mid game. It has impressive accuracy, with a very tight hip fire even with no laser sight. The Alternator is also solid at medium range, and has a very strong magazine capacity.
Where is falls behind some of the other Apex SMG's is in DPS. While the Alternator has the highest damage of any SMG, it has a slower fire rate and this hold it back in those close range fights.
Pros
- An easy to control recoil
- A compact hipfire spread
- High magazine capacity
- Highest damage of all the SMGs
Cons
- Low fire rate compared to other SMG
Don't be afraid to pick up and use the Alternator, but if you have chance to swap to a CAR SMG or craft an R99 you will feel the benefits.
Prowler Burst PDW Overview
The Prowler is one of the most underrated Apex SMG's. Many players find it somewhat awkward to use, due to it's burst fire. However, the Prowler can do incredible damage in no time at all if you hit your shots.
Each bullet does 15 damage to the body, and one burst is 5 bullets. That means landing a full burst can deal 75 damage. If you use a Prowler as a secondary, you might only need one burst to down your opponents. The prowler is hard to use at midrange, as landing bursts on moving targets at range is difficult.
Pros
- A high DPS
- An easy to control recoil
- Big damage per burst
- Tight hipfire spread
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Cons
- Some players find burst weapons hard to use
- Lacks flexibility at midrange
A standout aspect of the Prowler is its impressive hip fire spread. With a purple laser sight the Prowler is virtually free of any spread at all. If you aim well, the Prowler will deliver for you.
R-99 SMG Overview
The R-99 SMG is, and has been a top-tier weapon in Apex Legends since the start of Apex. It's an excellent and viable choice in almost every loadout. The R-99 is an amazing weapon due with an incredibly fast fire rate. It can be tricky to master. The fast fire rate means if you stray off your target, you can miss a lot of your magazine.
The R99 does have some noticeable recoil, but once you learn to manage it it truly is one of the best weapons in Apex. Currently, the R99 is inside the Replicator and is not available as floor loot.
Pros
- Insanely fast fire rate
- A very high DPS with full mag
- Surplus of light ammo
Cons
- High recoil
- Lower damage per bullet than some apex SMG's
The R99's high recoil also means it can be tricky to use at medium range. The R99 is far more suited to 'in your face' engagements.
Volt SMG Overview
The Volt SMG is an interesting member of the Apex SMG class. At face value, it seems to be a middling option. It does not the highest DPS, the tightest hip fire or even the easiest recoil.
However, the Volt is a very well rounded weapon with aspects of all the other SMG's. It's DPS is not the worst, it has good magazine size and the recoil is manageable. Using it at close or long range is viable, and the Volt has solid hip fire spread.
Pros
- A 'jack of all trades' SMG
- A good performance at medium-range
- A fast projectile speed
Cons
- No standout strength
- Can be outclassed by other SMG's due to lower DPS
A major disadvantage of the Volt used to be Energy Ammo. However, the arrival of the Nemesis has meant that many players are now using energy weapons and ammo is much easier to find.
CAR SMG Overview
The CAR SMG has been a dominant weapon since it arrived with Apex Legends Season 11. It is the first weapon in Apex Legends history that can take two ammunition types. This makes it incredibly flexible, allowing you to hotswap between ammunition as and when you need too.
The CAR SMG is also unable to take a laser sight. Respawn removed this to counteract the CAR SMG's strength in other areas. The CAR has solid hip fire even without any attachments.
Pros
- Can take two ammo types
- Strong hipfire spread as a base
- Good magazine sizes
Cons
- Cannot take laser sights
- Weak at midrange
Like the R99, the CAR SMG has noticeable recoil and can be difficult to control at medium range. However, many prefer the CAR SMG over the R99 due to the slightly slower fire rate, which helps it feel slightly easier to handle at range.
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