As a modern gamer, you need all the right tools to be successful. If you’re going to have a top-notch gaming system and gaming mouse, you also need a high-quality gaming keyboard that will match this amazing gaming platform.
Technology has come a long way, especially in the context of the growing growth of the gaming industry. With an overload of high-quality products from different manufacturers, gamers now have a plethora of keyboards to choose from to suit their personalized playstyle.
What To Look for When Buying A Keyboard
There are many things to consider when looking for the right keyboard. With so many keyboards on the market today, you will want to be sure that you are selecting the right product that suits your needs.
Different keyboards fulfill different functions. Are you the type of gamer who prefers bigger keyboards?
Do You Value Macros and Easily Accessible Keys?
Or maybe you are just a gamer who values ergonomics and comfort while playing. Here are a few factors to consider when deciding which to choose your next gaming keyboard
Size
As you may have noticed, the sizes of the keyboards vary. This is especially true for laptops where screen size is a decisive factor. A keyboard is considered “full-sized” when it has 104 or 105 keys, including a full QWERTY section, numeric keypad, dedicated function keys, and four directional cursor keys.
Full-size keyboards are the most sophisticated of styles and can be too large for the size of the playing surface. Some players will opt out of the numeric keypad as it may seem like it takes up too much space between the keys they use with their left hand and the space for the mouse. On the other hand, if the numeric keypad is key to you, you will want to go with a full-sized keyboard.
If you decide to take a route with a missing number pad, the tenkeyless size is the right choice for you. It will be a much more manageable size and will still contain all the necessary keys. Most players find the tenkeyless size works fine
Ergonomics
Comfort is very important in games. Most gaming keyboards come with palm rests to help prevent wrist cramps after hours of intense gaming.
Another common feature you will see is the convenient placement of the keys like the rubberized WASD keys, or the absence of a Windows key on the control key, which can be very painful if pressed during a hot gaming session.
As a single player, you want to go for a minimalist, classic selection. Avoid the circles, mysterious multimedia buttons that clutter the look of the keyboard and contribute to unnecessarily high prices.
Gaming Keyboard and Connection
There are two types of keyboard connection, wired and wireless. Wired keyboards are the most common type of keyboards available. These keyboards do not require constant battery level monitoring to make sure your game does not get ruined by a sudden black computer.
There Are Two Types of Wired Connections:
Commonly Recognized USB Socket: While this is a common connection method, there are several downsides to this method. You are facing a serious problem as you may experience lag in hits if the USB bus becomes overloaded with other connections. The second problem is that the number of simultaneous hits is limited when using a USB connection.
PS / 2 is the better type of connection, but it is difficult to locate as it has become obsolete. This method of connection allows for simultaneous hits, resulting in a high response.
The wireless connection will give you the freedom to play anywhere, but again you will have a hard time keeping your device charged.
Game Keys
Do not overlook any aspect of choosing a gaming keyboard. The key material and hardware design are the core components of the keyboard and its functionality that will affect your playing. After prolonged use of a poor-quality keyboard, the keys will wear out and the labels will disappear
Two Types of Plastic Are Used in The Keys:
- The first is ABS {acrylonitrile butadiene styrene} plastic.
- This is expensive
- It does not rub off
- It is resistant to high temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and durable.
- The second is PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) plastic
- It is of low quality and lightweight
- Characters are removed
- It will melt after just a few hours in the sun
- There are also different methods for adding characters to keys:
You will find that most of the keyboard characters are printed. They are applied to stickers that can be easily peeled off. Due to their affordable price, they have become the most popular method of labeling keyboard keys. If you have such a package, you can purchase a sticker package and replace it when you have it
it is steamed and then injected into the plastic. This application technique gives a very lasting effect. The characters pale for a long time and the keys are fluid.
Two-component molding: then the key consists of two parts. There is a base and a tabletop in which the figurine is located.
KEYBOARD TYPES
Mechanical Vs. Membrane
Membrane keyboards are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and facilitate the use of thin designs. There is a layer of rubber or silicone that acts as a spring and an electrical contact. Membrane keyboards are versatile, but they lack that “click” we’re all used to, making it difficult to tell when a key was pressed until it registers it on the computer. Most players underestimate the squishy feeling and prefer a different kind of keyboard.
Mechanical keyboards are the more traditional keyboard model. There is a dedicated mechanical switch under each key. These switches have their housings, springs, and pins that create a “click” that is very audible and felt while typing. There are three types of key switches with three different types of clicks depending on how much you want to feel.
If you’re a serious gamer, you’ll likely need a mechanical keyboard. They are more accurate, give better feedback, and are the most durable type of keyboard. Statistically, they can handle about 40-50 million clicks before they need to be replaced.
Customize Keyboard And Macro Buttons
Another point to watch out for is the customization buttons and keyboard macros. The right gaming keyboard can give you an advantage over your opponents. Some gaming keyboards come with a set of controls that can be programmed to activate in-game macros, or in other words, a predefined combination of commands. For example, in some complex games, you have to type commands and use the mouse, then click the icon to activate the macro. When you assign macros to a macro button on your keyboard, you only need to press one key to perform the same action. Do you see the advantage? Having this feature is very helpful.
Mechanical keyboards will also allow you to change the switches under each key for further personalization. If you want a softer spring under the WASD keys but more space clicks then this is doable.
N-Key Rollover And Anti-Ghosting Functions
When you use the keyboard for everyday activities, you rarely press more than one key at a time, unless you are using the Shift key. And while gaming, you press the keys at the same time, and accuracy matters.
Gaming keyboards are built to withstand a specific number of simultaneous presses. This is called “n-key raid”. In this case, the letter n represents the number of keys that can be pressed simultaneously. The higher the number “n”, the more the keyboard will be able to handle. If you are a competitive gamer or are playing games where two players are using the keyboard simultaneously, a high level of n keys is essential.
Another thing that can happen with regular keyboards is the keys smear. This happens when you press certain keys simultaneously or quickly in succession, and the keyboard registers when you press an adjacent key that has never been pressed. While not a big deal with your daily keyboard activities, it can cost you money while gaming.
All in all, you want a gaming keyboard that has great n-key scrolling and anti-ghosting. Anything less can make the gaming sessions frustrating.
Keyboard Backlight
You have probably seen these gaming keyboards with dazzling rainbow lights and visual effects. Most models are equipped with a bright backlight. While the lights may seem like they are all for show, light is more than just an eye-catcher.
You can customize your keyboard to assign specific colors to specific parts of the keyboard. This will help you keep track of where the keys are and what their functions are. The more you can use these lights as a reference, the faster and more accurate you can play, which makes the difference.
