For casual emails and essays, the keyboard that came with your PC could be adequate, but if you want to take your gaming seriously, you need the correct equipment. Competitive players use gaming keyboards that are built for high performance and dependability even after years of constant usage and abuse.
There is more to a gaming keyboard than just flashy RGB lighting. Compared to a standard keyboard, they are much more robust, sturdy, and accurate. They also last longer and enable long-term cost savings. Gaming keyboards can enhance your gaming experience and make each session much more fun, even though they won’t turn you into a pro player over night.
The majority of gaming keyboards are adequate for the job, but you still need to be aware of a few factors that make one option superior to the other. Here are some of the top gaming keyboard features to consider making your gaming sessions more enjoyable.
1. Mechanical vs Membrane Keyboard
Most of the typical keyboards that you use at home and at work are membrane keyboards. Each key presses down on a substantial rubber strip that the keys are mounted on. This explains why using these keyboards feels flimsy. They are quieter and slightly less expensive than mechanical ones, although being less accurate.
On the other hand, all professional gamers favor and utilize mechanical keyboards. The keyboard’s unique “switches” or mechanisms for each key enable faster and more precise operation. Investing in a mechanical gaming keyboard is worthwhile if you want to get the most out of your gaming experience.
2. RGB vs Non-RGB
Get your hands on a mechanical keyboard with RGB lighting if you want to modify the mood of your space with those glistening RGB lights on your keyboard. Even while purchasing a keyboard with a single-color backlight may enable you to make a small financial savings, you will forfeit that eye-catching light display.
3. Choose the Right Switch
The best gaming keyboards have a mix of mechanical switches that control how each keypress feels and sounds. The sort of switch you choose will depend on how you want to type and play games. The most typical kinds of mechanical switches are listed below
- Quiet Tactile: Brown, Clear
- Clicky Tactile: Blue, Green, White
- Linear (quiet and easy to use keys): Red, Silver
The ability to easily replace the switches is the best feature of mechanical keyboards. Simply purchase the various switches from the market and put them on your keyboard if you are tired of the switches on your keyboard or want to try out alternative switches.
4. Full-size vs Tenkeyless vs Smaller
Tenkeyless keyboards lack a Numpad; also, 65% of them omit navigation keys and some don’t have arrow keys. A full-size keyboard would be a terrific investment if you want every key on it. On the other hand, a smaller keyboard is the one you need if you want more room on your workstation.
5. Quality
Gamers are hardly the most gentle of beings. Your present keyboard may be able to withstand the mild tapping needed to post a meme, but frenetic gaming causes button-mashing and the inevitable fury that may ensue. A durable keyboard is what you need. Fortunately, durability is considered when designing gaming keyboards. Metal backplates are found on the majority of expensive keyboards, which eliminates flex and the possibility of shattering. The keyboard’s internal switches and circuits are supported and protected by metal or extremely robust plastic housings. These premium polymers are made to withstand the lifetime of your keyboard and are resistant to oil.
PVC is the material that is most frequently utilized in conventional keyboards. PVC is cheap, but it breaks rapidly and shows wear. Fortunately for you, a more durable option is nearly always provided by gaming keyboards. Since they are designed to withstand repeated, strong keystrokes and resist natural oils, plastics like ABS are far more durable. Metal or ABS is ideal if you want the best.
6. Key Rollover and Anti-ghosting
Key Rollover is a measurement of the maximum number of keystrokes your keyboard can record simultaneously. One or two keys (1/2KRO) can be rolled over on most common keyboards. If you push more than that at once, either the extra keystrokes won’t be recorded or your keyboard will record more unpressed keys. This problem is most generally referred to as “ghosting.”
Quality gaming keyboards include a least 6-Key Rollover to prevent ghosting. Most gamers and others who type quickly can use 6KRO’s ample simultaneous keystroke capacity. Keyboards with N-Key Rollover (NKRO) are guaranteed to register EVERY keystroke if you want performance at a competitive level.
7. Macros and Software Customization
The function of any key can be changed on a gaming keyboard. To record a complete string of keystrokes and mouse actions, utilize the supplied program. Making use of this, you can utilize a single tap to activate several skills or abilities. Even more unassigned keys that are intended only for macros are included in some gaming keyboards. For instance, a macro key can be assigned to start Steam or Discord, start an immensely complicated combination when the game is about to cool down, or load a profile with all of your preferred presets.
8. Price
The last and possibly most crucial factor is price. Prices for keyboards can range from $30 to as much as $200 or even more. Despite the saying “you get what you pay for” frequently being accurate, don’t let fancy advertising fool you. A keyboard that costs $100 can perform just as well as one that costs $200. And while spending $100 on a gaming keyboard may seem excessive, keep in mind that you are purchasing high-performance technology that will endure for many years.
Conclusion
Mechanical gaming keyboards, in particular, aren’t for everyone. Buying a mechanical keyboard is a sensible decision if you want to improve your gaming experience and consider yourself a true gamer. You’ll not only have more control over the keyboard but you’ll be able to execute several tasks quickly and without any interruptions.