Best keyboards for gaming! - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by litster 

For a lot of games 2-key-rollover is enough.  But sometimes it won't work for FPS if you need to move forward and right and also reload and jump at the same time.  You would need 6KRO or more.  Most USB keybaords do 6KRO as that's the default USB implementation for keyboards (6 individual keys plus modifiers: shifts, ctrl, alt, etc).  Some keyboards like Leopold can do N-key roll over on USB.  Poker can do NKRO as well.  Some of the NKRO implementation don't work on OS X though.  Most of the 6KRO can become NKRO over PS/2 port, if PS/2 is supported.

 

Rosewill, CM Storm are value gaming keyboards.  CM Storm tenkeyless is around $70 when discounted.  Leopold is good at around $110 from elitekeyboards.com. Filco is also very good, at round $140+ from keyboardco fulfilled by Amazon in the USA.  Both Leopold and Filco are better made keyboards with better PCB design and manufacturing than Poker, Rosewill, and CM Storm.  But you don't game better on the cheaper 6KRO keyboards.

 

As for linear (Cherry MX red and black) vs. tactile (Cherry MX brown and clear) vs. clicky (Cherry MX blue), it is just a personal preference.  There are professional Starcraft 2 players using any of the above.  Clicky switches like IBM buckling springs and Cherry MX blue are not as good for gaming if you need to double tap a lot (as in Starcraft 2) because the actuation point and the reset point are far away relative to linear (red/black) and tactile (Cherry MX brown).  So when double-tapping, the key switch stem needs to travel a longer distance comparing to linear switches which you could "float" between the actuation and reset points.

 

I am a noob here on head-fi, but I frequent geekhack.org and deskthority.net with 40+ keyboards in my collection.  So I can help out here or over on those 2 forums.

 

I personally love brown and red, as well as Realforce topre switches and sometimes IBM Model Ms.  But just today I am typing on a DAS2 with MX blue and blank keycaps at work. I guess I love them all.  :-)

As you might have suspected by my mechanical keyboard talk, I'm a fellow Geekhacker. I do have to admit that I don't browse those forums as much as I used to now that I pretty much know what I want...either a Cherry MX Clear board or a converted IBM Model F 122-key.

In the meantime, in addition to the Model M, I've also got a DSI Modular Mac (6KRO tenkeyless Cherry MX Blue board), two BTC-5339s (foam-and-foil capacitive NKRO boards), a Wang board of some sort (clicky yellow/orange Omrons with ALPS-esque stems), and a Dell AT101W (black ALPS). I cycle between them every now and then, but it's usually all about the Model M and the DSIMM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by our martin 

I have always thought that the logitech g110 was the best value gaming keyboard 

Not to mechanical keyboard fans; it's rubber-dome, like all Logitech boards.

If only I could find a way to refit this Logitech G15v1 I found at a thrift store with mechanical keyswitches throughout...it would take an immense amount of work, though, and all I'd really get out of it would be the LCD.

Quote:

Originally Posted by our martin 

So mechanical keyboards are the best then..razor do mechanical keyboards are they the ones to get?

It's not as simple as "buy X brand keyboards". Mechanical keyswitches come in all sorts of varieties: mainly clicky (has a distinct tactile change during travel, along with a clicking noise), tactile (keeps the tactile change, but doesn't have the clicky noise), and linear (completely smooth travel with no noise or other indication of switch actuation or release).

Clicky switches include buckling springs (IBM Model M and its Unicomp descendants) and Cherry MX Blues, tactile switches include Cherry MX Clears and Cherry MX Browns (though I highly dispute the latter, since the bump is very subtle), and linear switches include Cherry MX Blacks and Cherry MX Reds (the difference being that Blacks are stiffer and Reds have lower spring tension, thus easier to depress).

You'll have to pick the switch that suits your preferences, and it may not fall within the usual rhetoric. It's also not always the easiest of choices since brand new boards tend to be expensive, and you don't generally find mechanical keyboards on display at electronics stores to try out.

I suggest doing some reading on the Geekhack and Deskthority wikis to gain some more knowledge on the keyboard offerings available and hopefully choose one that best fits your tastes. There's quite a lot of boards out there, especially ones based on Cherry MX switches.

G500 and Sidewinder X4 will be a nice additon to my rig for under +100 

Nice, still debating between Logitech mouse of EVo Ec1. I'll go Logitech most likely. Just trying to decide now which to buy first, key board or mouse ;3

I read alot about Gaming keyboards and read alot of reviews of all popular game keyboards, alot of them got some nasty flaws (like issues with back lights under the keys, or losing power on the keyboard during the game because the usb can barely supply enough power to the keyboards (especially with backlights.) when pressing alot of keys at once

I did end up buying a Thermal Take Esports (without backlights) .. It even got a fan on the keyboard to cool down your hands. I used the keybaord for maybe 2 days and after that I got sick of it.

I think as with many game keyboards the keys pressure is very different (to make sure you dont accidently push a wrong button) . Also i really couldnt discover a noteicable input lag between a so called game keyboard and my old school ibm keyboard. The macro keys i hardly ever used as well.. Also one of the most annoying things i found (and im not sure if this is on other game keyboards too) is the click sound. I prefer my old ibm keyboard for the silence and the keys just press alot nicer and easier. This gaming keyboard I got is just still in its original package somewhere in the closet. The only reason I still got it is because it just looks cool lol. But no more gaming keyboards for me, I thought of trying another one with backlights but i get enough light on my keyboard from the screen in the dark
 

Edit - Just tried to find out which model I got exactly .. Its the KB-9910 and it only costs between 5 and 10 USD ! So you cant really go wrong giving it a try. Its my all time fav from different keyboards i been using over the years (more expensive logitech/microsoft and the Thermal Take Gaming keyboard) . Think I really like the compact size + the silence and key pressure make it a winner for me. And if you still dont like the keyboard you got a great and cheap back up keyboard :)

Also I have never ran into any issues yet where i was holding too much keys at once (for example on some ****ty keyboards you can go in crough mode but while holding crouch you cant move because the keyboard cant handle an x amount of keys pressed at once).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoax 

I read alot about Gaming keyboards and read alot of reviews of all popular game keyboards, alot of them got some nasty flaws (like issues with back lights under the keys, or losing power on the keyboard during the game because the usb can barely supply enough power to the keyboards (especially with backlights.) when pressing alot of keys at once

 

I did end up buying a Thermal Take Esports (without backlights) .. It even got a fan on the keyboard to cool down your hands. I used the keybaord for maybe 2 days and after that I got sick of it.

I think as with many game keyboards the keys pressure is very different (to make sure you dont accidently push a wrong button) . Also i really couldnt discover a noteicable input lag between a so called game keyboard and my old school ibm keyboard. The macro keys i hardly ever used as well.. Also one of the most annoying things i found (and im not sure if this is on other game keyboards too) is the click sound. I prefer my old ibm keyboard for the silence and the keys just press alot nicer and easier. This gaming keyboard I got is just still in its original package somewhere in the closet. The only reason I still got it is because it just looks cool lol. But no more gaming keyboards for me, I thought of trying another one with backlights but i get enough light on my keyboard from the screen in the dark
 

Edit - Just tried to find out which model I got exactly .. Its the KB-9910 and it only costs between 5 and 10 USD ! So you cant really go wrong giving it a try. Its my all time fav from different keyboards i been using over the years (more expensive logitech/microsoft and the Thermal Take Gaming keyboard) . Think I really like the compact size + the silence and key pressure make it a winner for me. And if you still dont like the keyboard you got a great and cheap back up keyboard :)

 

Also I have never ran into any issues yet where i was holding too much keys at once (for example on some ****ty keyboards you can go in crough mode but while holding crouch you cant move because the keyboard cant handle an x amount of keys pressed at once).

Yea that's called Ghosting, when you can't press more than x amount of key at one tiime. I like Marcos and they are fun to use in arcade based fighters, Or in mmorpgs when you need to spam your buffs. But I'm getting the mouse first, as I got a new-ish USB keyboard I'll use till I start getting heavy into MMO's then I'll proably get the Side Winder :3, still when you spend SO much on a pc and pair it with an old key board xD seems kinda silly, but like you said, the older stuff might be the best! I most certinaly don't like "flat" key boards, like on laptops <.<

I still use my G15 v1 that I bought years ago.

Very durable product, only had it apart once to thoroughly clean it. (There has got to be a 100 screws in that thing)

When it finally packs in I'll be looking for another backlit keyboard, (must have feature) but I don't think I'll get the G19 unless I can get it for a really good price, like half off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrollDragon 

I still use my G15 v1 that I bought years ago.

Very durable product, only had it apart once to thoroughly clean it. (There has got to be a 100 screws in that thing)

 

When it finally packs in I'll be looking for another backlit keyboard, (must have feature) but I don't think I'll get the G19 unless I can get it for a really good price, like half off.

Nice

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mshenay 

Yea that's called Ghosting, when you can't press more than x amount of key at one tiime.

Technically, ghosting is when you press multiple keys and an extra key that you didn't press gets triggered as well due to the keyboard matrix, which can be just as undesirable. They generally limit the board's rollover (how many keys can be pressed simultaneously before the next ones are dropped) to prevent that from happening.

I'm not sure what caused the rift in terms between "anti-ghosting" and "N-key rollover" to describe the same thing...marketing, probably.

Though what I really don't understand is why most keyboard manufacturers can't just spend a few more cents on diodes and make their keyboards full NKRO...I guess that's cost-cutting for you. Some of them will just make a "gaming-optimized" matrix where the left-hand side has more key combinations that don't hit the 2KRO limit like on most keyboards, but it's still 2KRO because there's at least one three-key combination that fails to go through entirely. (It's especially baffling when you see "gaming" keyboards from the likes of Logitech and Razer doing it...then again, "gaming" products have a reputation for being cheap cash-ins. Just ask anyone here about gaming headsets...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by our martin 

The new joypad i bought not one game works how it should even battlefield3s commands are all over the place..

:[, I'm sorry to hear that. My Dual action pad is working nicely on my new system! That takes care of my Dugeon Crawling and Driving needs, just need a Key Board and mice pair for MMO and FPS, in addition I got a hard drive that disappeared -.-