Who has a 'Gaming' keyboard and is it worth it?

I can understand a gaming mouse as higher dpi, inches/s, and smooth movement etc. and decent headphones can all help out in FPS and the like, but what about gaming keyboards? I don't see them helping out in speed anyway nor in presicion. The only features I can see that can be gained from a 'gaming' keyboard are macros and/or a small built in LCD, but as I am always looking at the monitor I don't see that I would benefit from the LCD.

But what are your opinions? Does anyone have a gaming keyboard and how do they feel about it? Are the extra features worth the money over my £8 Microsoft one?

 

I got a razer gaming keyboard, and no, it's not worth it, I would have gotten the filco majestouch mechanical keyboard if I could choose again, at least a mechanical keyboard provides much better typing experience.

 

I had a gaming keyboard. A Saitek gamers.

It was a great keyboard, best I ever had and now I use its cousin the Saitek Eclipse.

"gaming keyboard" is just a term, it does not actually mean it has to have "X" feature.

In the case of the Saitek there was no fancy LCD readout or strange gimmick like function. It was great because it had really good tactile feedback keys and supported 8+ key presses at the same time. After using it for years the keys still felt like new and it has the best feedback and responce of any keyboard I used.

The difference in the Eclipse vs the Gamers is the gamer keyboard also had a little secondary keypad that was optional to attach that could be programed to do any number of things. Just secondary keys like say you played world of warcraft and you want to bind spells to those keys, or full blown macros. Again world of warcraft a good example you could macro the inputs needed to craft an item or advertise something for sale in chat.

The build quality of the gamers seems a bit better than the eclipse I have now also.

It was definitely worth the money but it was only like $50 full price and I got it for $40.00.

These Logitech G series keyboards I think are a total waist of money, like you said that LCD screen is not going to benifit you any, its just cool to show off to friends or in pictures on the net.

It can be programed to do neat things like show ram/cpu usage, some games let you put HUD elements in there. But none of those things are going to make you play better or really benefit you any and the cost goes WAY up.

All that is important is the quality and feel of the keyboard, everything else is just extra and you have to determine if the extra is worth your cash.

 

If you want no ghosting in keyboards, not that I've ever noticed or experienced this.

Buy MECHANICAL KEYBOARD

Unfortunately the cheapest I've seen is like $120

Other than that, I've used laptop keyboard for gaming for the past 10 years. I don't think I'm awful in BC2 because I use laptop keyboard, I just think I'm awful.

Gamers who blame keyboard are a bit odd to me.

 

As noted, look for a mechanical keyboard for a superior typing experience. To save money, go on eBay and look for an IBM Model M or '90s Dell Quietkey.

"Gaming" keyboards are more about aesthetics than enhanced functionality. At the end of the day they are still the same cheap rubber dome/membrane technology.

 

I have a Logitech G110 and definitely like it a lot! It was only $50 after discounts and rebates @ Newegg.com

 

My wife would kill me if I used a full mech keyboard. In the middle of the night all she would hear is "click clack click clack" lol.

The original one I know use the PS2 port and not usb and my mobo I do not even think has a PS2 port for keyboard. Though I think they do make adapters, but I am not sure if that has any ill effects.

 

I got rid of all my gaming kb's, Logitech G15 & Saitek Eclipse, and settled on a Logitech Illuminated kb instead. It's not a gaming keyboard per se but it does have macro ability and it has the best illumination of any kb I've personally seen. Takes up much less space, too.

 

there are quiet ones.

yup. membranes suck, although laptop ones are okay.

 

Essentially with good software everything a gaming keyboard can do a regular keyboard can do (and it won't be nearly as expensive or high profile). Aside from LED backlights (which I really find my monitor lights my keyboards anyhow), the gaming keyboards are unneeded entirely.

 

I have a G15 rev1 since it came out, and to me, it's worth it.

I have never used any of the macro keys. Backlit keyboard looks nice at times but I don't ever type in dark. The keys are small, not quiet, nor are they responsive. The only reason I keep this for so long is because of the LCD. The 'game' element of the LCD is not strong, only a handful of games comes with LCD support (recently, BC2 and L4D). Though there are some very neat apps. Besides the date'n'time and system performance monitor, Fraps brings up fps and a nice graph showing the fps for last 30 seconds. Everest can show temperature and other system stats in a customizable interface. MPC shows a some nifty basic info on the clip I am watching. There are plenty more and there's a strong community supporting it.

The LCD is just a handy gadget to have, and I would definitely miss it if I change my keyboard. I am quite surprised that it's still useful to this day despite being a niche gimmick on boot.

 

I've used my brother's Logitech G15 at times, and in my opinion...

It's garbage. Like others have said, the rubber dome technology gives no confidence whatsoever. It's mushy, has no predictable breaking point, and has a long throw. I strongly prefer using my laptop's built in keyboard, with the ubiquitous scissor key technology. Compact and clicky, all the keys are within a finger's reach. Not to mention the "G" hotkeys were more annoying than helpful on the G15. I'd often hit the G key in the lower left hand corner thinking it was Control. It was terrible for actual work, and subpar for gaming.

Now a gaming mouse on the other hand, is leaps and bounds better than a regular mouse. The difference is night and day when I use a G9 in comparison to my Logitech Bluetooth travel mouse

 

Is the old IBM PS2 keyboard considered mechanical? I loved that thing, and actually think I have a brand new one still in shrink wrap. My IBM keyboard was still going strong after five years, except the clackity clackity clack ended up driving my wife nuts, so I got rid of it. Especially since I can type about 70 words per minute, it really clacks. I find most other keyboards miss keystrokes from time to time.

 

I'm a big fan of scissor laptop type keyboards. They can be loud (don't care) but they are great because of the shallow press and quick return if you want alot of speed. I'm so used to laptop keyboards, it's what I prefer. As for gaming specific keyboards, I really don't care. Not worth the money, normal keyboards do the job well enough, though if it was possible I would love to have a wireless illuminated keyboard, but I don't think there are any on the market. For both of my desktops, I have Logitech VX Nanos (before they took away the page forward/back buttons). I bought the first one for my Asus G51, because it was highly portable, had a mini receiver, and is very comfortable. I used it with my main desktop and my Asus when I took it somewhere. When I made my second desktop using left over parts from my main desktop, I bought another one. I'm very glad I did since I believe they have been discontinued. Only downside was the price ($70), but I'm very glad to have them. I'm not a huge fan of having a million buttons on a mouse, but I wouldn't mind having a gaming mouse. I like what I have very much.

 

The noise is one of the great things about mechanical keyboard, it won't be like a mechanical keyboard without the noise.

Right now, most mechanical keyboards still use PS2 port, because using PS2 port won't have the issue of ghosting on keyboards, the computer will be able to detect as many keys as you can type, while most USB keyboards detects up to 3 keys at the same time, using the adapter makes your mechanical keyboard become like an USB keyboard with ghosting.

 

I've been looking about and although a mech keyboard would be nice I cannot justify £100 on it. With regards to non mech keyboards I guess it's all the same stuff, price just depends on fancyness. Thanks all !

 

Can't justify spending on a mechanical keyboard?

How about the fact that they last forever? Or that they feel and sound so delicious? Clickety clickety clack!

And if you pick up a Das Keyboard, you might even learn to type faster, heh.

 

I still have my old IBM PS/2 mechanical keyboard from the late 80's. Loud as ever, but I keep it around just because it's so darn *durable!* I spilled pepto bismol in it once when I was 8 and it still works... O_O too bad they're out of the hardware business. If they made IBM gaming keyboards, I'd probably buy one.

 

I do prefer to have a dedicated game pad than using the laptops keyboard, out of wearing down to fast the keys, but in time i also adpted this at home, using G13s. Im starting to wonder about a mechanical keyboard but probably not for gaming still, but just for typing, but i kinda like the logitech Illuminated atm.

 

Deck Keyboards

Illuminated mechanical keyboards that aren't loud.

 

Yea i seen them recently, has me thinking about it, just really expensive ($200+), i was more planing on like $100 like the Filco with brown switches.

 

Wow one of those Deck keyboards would be cool.

I like the fact it uses cherry switches (thats what my home built arcade uses) so that means you can probably replace the switches if one goes out rather than have to get a new keyboard. That could help take down the near $200 cost.

A led for each key is not a good thing IMO, I dont want the brightest LED keyboard in the world, I always keep my Eclipse at the lowest setting. You need just enough light to see a key/keys in low light or the dark. There is no need to sear the lettering into the back of your retina so when you have to do a midnight bathroom run and your trying to look down at the toilet all you can see is ASDF.

Im sure all those LEDS mean more power drain also.

The one thing its missing that upsets me is no volume keys and I do not see a backlight control key. The eclipse has both, and honestly it may be membrane based but it feels and types great.

 

I also love scissor-switch keyboards (flat laptop keys) because they are comfortable to type on (barely any fatigue when I type long essays) and my typing speed has doubled ever since I started using one.

You should try the Kensington SlimType Keyboard at Fry's Electronics or CompUSA. It's around $20-30 and it doesn't make a loud clicking noise like those mechanical keyboards.

SlimType Keyboard - PC USB - K64365 - Kensington

 

not when i could buy a keyboard every 3 years for £8 and after 30 years be at the same amount spent. and i would like my keyboard to not be clicky

ohhhhh the lols XD

 

This freaking thing right here:

 

you have to pay me more than £100 to use those mushy keyboards for 30 years.

 

lucky i won't have to pay you then

and sir shroom, that beasty thing looks.... i dunno what it looks like :S pefect for gaming ?! what's it cost? (out of interest of price, not to buy it)

 

Around 60 bucks if I remember. Paired with my DeathAdder, It's perfect for FPS games.

 

I use Razer Lycosa, it works very well for me. The backlighting is pretty useful. Also used Logitech G15, it was relatively good to type on from what I remember. The LCD display can be made to work with XFire chat which is pretty useful.

I'd never use those mechanical keyboards any more. Clicking sound+the feeling = yuck. (And I first used them when I got my 1st computer, some 15 years ago...)

The only thing I am missing today are big L shaped Enter keys.

 

Well, it looks like mechanical keyboards are love/hate. I'm on the love side I damn near ate a grape the first time I laid my hands on my keyboard. CLICKETY CLACK.

Completely durable, with tactile feedback that can't be beaten, and with extra geek factor from having no labels on any of the keys. Plus it's not ostentatious, like all those ridiculous "gaming keyboards" with their glowing keys.

For bonus points, take the keyboard to either your office (if you work out of an open office or cubicle) or to an examination hall.

 

Haha! I'd buy a mechanical keyboard if I'd need to take it to a steel mill, wood processing plant or a construction site office. Just seems to fits there well.