Game board vs keyboard

Gaming includes repetitive, and sometimes forceful pressing, of certain keys. A good example of keys that suffer a lot of punishment when playing games are the W, A, S, and D keys which often used to move game characters around. It is therefore important for the switching mechanism to be durable. Most gaming keyboards use Cherry MX switches that have a lifespan of up to million.

Another difference between gaming and non-gaming keyboards is that most gaming keyboards have extra programmable keys. Programmable keys, also known as macro keys, allow you to assign a complex command sequence to a single key. In such games, you use programmable keys to set up your own key bindings to perform certain actions in a specific order. This eliminates the need to remember in-game hot-keys or press keys repetitively.

Macros also allow you to set up multiple profiles for different games. This means the keys can be customized to perform different actions depending on the game. Outside gaming, programmable keys can be used to save time and increase productivity in everyday activities such as copying and pasting, launching programs, and opening and closing windows. Backlights can be single-colored or multi-colored also known as RGB backlights. Besides giving keyboards a look that appeals to gamers, backlights allow you to game in all sorts of lighting conditions.

Some gamers love to play in low-lit environments because they find the experience more immersive. This is especially true when playing games in the action or horror genre. With RGB backlights, you can assign different colors to specific keys which makes it easy to place your fingers on the right keys without having to shift your eyes from the screen. Some manufacturers such as Logitech, Corsair, and Razer also allow you to synchronize the RGB lighting on your keyboard with that of other peripherals, such as gaming mice, from their brand.

This allows you to maintain a specific color theme with your PC build and peripherals. While regular keyboards generally come in a few select colors, usually black and white. It has decent latency that will provide a responsive-feeling experience for most gamers, but competitive gamers will likely prefer something with lower latency.

Unfortunately, it doesn't feel very sturdy and is made of plastic that flexes a lot. The ABS keycaps also feel cheap as they're slippery and prone to oil shine from fingers.

Additionally, it doesn't come with a wrist rest, though EVGA does sell one separately. Altogether this keyboard is a fantastic choice if you prefer the feel of non-mechanical switches, and it's much more affordable than many other gaming-focused models. Nov 26, We've restructured this article by transforming our alternative picks to standalone categories.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best keyboards for gaming for most people. We factor in the price a cheaper product wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it , feedback from our visitors, and availability no keyboard that is difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere. If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our gaming keyboard reviews.

Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no product is perfect for every use, most keyboards are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them. Be sure to know your key switch preferences before choosing. Get insider access.

Best Keyboards. Keyboard Recommendations. View all keyboard recommendations. All Keyboard Reviews Logitech. MX Keys. G Special Edition. G Prodigy. G PRO Keyboard. POP Keys. BlackWidow V3. Huntsman Mini. Cynosa V2. Huntsman V2. Huntsman Elite. Cynosa Chroma.

Ornata Chroma. Huntsman Tournament Edition. Ornata V2. K RGB. Apex Pro. Apex 7 TKL. Apex 3. Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Apex 3 TKL. Magic Keyboard Many gaming keyboards have mechanical keys to combat latency, but how well does it actually work? Well according to the video below the difference in latency can be as much as 30 ms milliseconds , that is 0,03 seconds. We have established that mechanical keyboards are in fact faster than regular membrane based ones, so why is it that most computer keyboards are membrane based?

The main reason, and the most obvious one, is of course money. This makes it a lot easier and cheaper to mass produce than a mechanical keyboard where each separate key has its own mechanical switch.

It should be noted though that most keyboards sold today uses a combination of the two technologies. These are so called hybrids, like the dome switch keyboard. Another reason to choose a membrane based keyboard is that they are quieter than the mechanical ones. However there are quiet mechanical keyboards as well. More on that later. Standard keyboards however use membrane technology, often referred to as dome switches. The membrane technology is used in regular keyboards due to the cheap manufacture price and quiet key press.

Gaming keyboards function just as a normal keyboard does, and can be used for the same purpose. All the regular features that you may find on a normal keyboard can also be found on a gaming device. Although mechanical switches are typically used in gaming keyboards, they are not limited to the devices. Most standard keyboards make use of membrane or dome switches. Membrane keyboards use silicone domes that sit under each key.

When the key is compressed the force is transmitted to the circuit beneath to register the keystroke. There are a few different variations of dome switches but all work very similar.

Gaming keyboards tend to make use of the popular mechanical switches. Keys on a mechanical keyboard all have their own individual switch which make use of springs. The switches have activation points which sit above the bottom or lowest point of compression. Due to this there is no need to bottom out the key to have your keystroke register.

There are many types of mechanical switches available, all with their own perks. These switches can be narrowed down to three primary types of switches; linear, tactile and clicky. Linear Switches: For competitive gamers linear switches are the preferred go to. They have a light key feel with a smooth compression. Tactile Switches: Tactile switches have a noticeable bump that you can feel when compressing the key.

This acts as a notice point for when the key has been activated. Tactile key switches are a preferred option for typing. Clicky Switches : The loudest of the three are clicky switches.

Which provide the same tactile bump as tactile switches, with an added click sound. Clicky switches are less preferred for gaming. Newer on the scene are optical switches. Optical switches make use of light technology for actuation to speed up response time.