Gaming Keyboards

Gaming Keyboard Features

 

There are a lot of features and terms you may come across when searching for any new keyboard, and there are even more when you start to look at keyboards specifically for gaming. The ads and boxes talk about all the features that they think will best sell their keyboards, and it’s important for you to know what to look for and what they are talking about. 

 

Size

 

The overall size doesn’t always play a major factor in how a keyboard functions. Instead, you want to find a keyboard that fits your hands well and feels good to you. A smaller keyboard has smaller keys, which can be a problem for people with large hands. But a larger keyboard is heavier and takes more desk space. By taking up desk space, it may not leave enough room for your mouse or joystick on your desk. 

Tenkeyless or TKL

One term you may see that refers to size is tenkeyless. These keyboards are often much shorter than standard keyboards. They accomplish this by removing the numeric keypad. 

Standard or Full-sized Keyboards

These are the regular, larger keyboards that you see almost everywhere. They have all the normal keys you see, including the full numeric keypad along the right side. 

Compact

Compact keyboards are smaller than even most tenkeyless keyboards. They come in various sizes, sometimes as small as 60% the size of a standard keyboard. They accomplish this by removing the numeric keypad and combining several of the remaining keys into one. Most of the time they also reduce the size of the keys and the spacing between them to make the keyboards even smaller. 

 

Mechanical Keyboards Vs. Membrane Keyboards

Mechanical Keyboard

A mechanical keyboard is a keyboard with an actual physical switch underneath each key. They are usually what people have in mind when they think of old-school keyboards from the 1980s and 1990s. These switches sometimes produce an audible click when you press a key, but not all do. Mechanical keyboards are often higher quality than membrane keyboards, and they usually last longer. But the better quality and durability make mechanical keyboards more expensive than membrane keyboards.

Membrane Keyboard

A membrane keyboard is one without mechanical switches and instead replaces the switches with a rubber membrane. The membrane has a conductive material on the bottom. When you press the key it pushes that conductive part down across contacts on the keyboard’s main circuit board. This completes the circuit in a similar way as a mechanical switch, but the membranes are not nearly as durable. They also can have a rubbery feel to them. Many computer systems come with a membrane keyboard when you buy them, partially because they are much cheaper to produce. 

 

Many people prefer the feel of the mechanical keyboard, but some like the membrane keyboards better. As far as feel, this comes down to personal preference. As far as durability, though, the mechanical keyboard usually lasts longer and takes more abuse.

 

Switch Type

 

The switches you often hear spoken about when referring to keyboards are the physical switches below the keys. They are tiny momentary electrical switches, and act much like any switch you see, such as a refrigerator light switch. The difference is that the refrigerator switch turns off when pushed and comes on when not pushed, while your key switches turn on when pushed and off when not pushed. 

Clicky

The term clicky is often referring to the sound produced by some mechanical keyboards. You can usually feel an added resistance at the actuation point just before the switch engages and produces the click. Some people prefer the loud click sound, some do not. 

Tactile

This is much like the clicky switch except that there is no click. There is still an added resistance at the actuation point just before the switch engages, but they are quieter and do not produce the click sound. 

Linear

Linear key switches travel in a smooth manner all the way to the bottom, never giving the sudden moment of added resistance just before the switch engages. Instead, you get slowly increasing resistance all the way down.

 

Do you prefer a clicky, tactile, or linear switch? There is no right answer to this. Some people find the linear switch a bit more responsive for gaming, but some feel they get better performance from a tactile or clicky switch. While the clicky switch can be loud, some people really enjoy that. 

 

There are several switch brands considered good for gaming. A few you may see advertised are:

 

• Cherry
• Kailh
• Razer
• Logitech 
• SteelSeries
• Bloody
• Roccat
• Tesoro
• Matias
• Alps

 

Some people swear by one brand or another, but a lot of these will work equally well for you. There are some differences in the feel and responsiveness, though, so if you can see them in action before buying it is best. Otherwise, make a list of your top options of keyboard brands and then read up on which switches they use. You can use that information to rule those keyboards in or out based on what kind of switch you prefer. And remember, some people use membrane or rubber dome keyboards and get great results, so don’t completely rule those keyboards out.

 

N-key Rollover(NKRO), Or Key Rollover

 

Key rollover is the maximum number of keys you can press at once and have the keyboard and system recognize them. Many cheap keyboards will have a very limited number of key rollovers, while better keyboards will have unlimited rollover, which is what it means when you see N-key rollover, or NKRO for short.

Ghosting

Sometimes manufacturers use the term ghosting to indicate a situation where you press multiple keys and some are ignored, and sometimes they use it to describe a phenomenon where you press multiple keys and it causes an incorrect key signal to go through. In the former a key is missed, the latter a keypress you didn’t expect is registered. Either way, a high key rollover or n-key rollover will help to combat the issue.

 

N-key rollover could be important, depending on the game. While most games do not require you to push very many buttons at once, some may. With most games you would likely be fine with a six key rollover, or 6KRO.

 

Macros And Macro Keys

Macros

A good gaming keyboard may let you reprogram each key. Even those that don’t often include special additional keys to specifically handle macros. This lets you use software to record a set of keystrokes, letting you assign a complicated key combination to a single key click. These macros can drastically speed up parts of some games, and save you a lot of keypresses. 

Macro Keys

These are extra keys specifically set aside so that you can program in repeated tasks. This lets you assign certain in-game actions to a simple keypress.

 

Lighting

 

This specifically refers to backlighting. It is lighting underneath the keys. If you play a lot of games in a dark room you may prefer a keyboard with backlighting, especially if you aren’t a touch-typist. 

 

Some lighting is plain white light, but many keyboards are available with RGB lighting. Those with RGB sometimes allow you to set the color of each key or the level of each color. 

 

Wired Vs. Wireless

 

Depending on your situation, a wireless keyboard may work better for you. They can also sometimes suffer from interference. Another problem with wireless keyboards is that you need to charge the batteries regularly. Nobody wants to have their keyboard die in the middle of an intense gaming session.

 

Wired keyboards do not suffer from the same interference problems or have batteries that can go dead, but they do have a cable that can get in your way and look more cluttered on your desk. They also tend to be cheaper than their wireless counterparts. 

 

Left-Handed

 

Most keyboards you see have the numeric keypad and arrows on the right side. This may not be ideal for you, especially if you are left handed. Some keyboards are available that move that keypad and the arrow keys to the left side. 

 

Price

 

Gaming keyboards can range in price from $75 to more than $200. If you are gaming on a budget, you may be able to forego some of the niceties to get a better deal. If any specific feature is important to you then you may be more willing to spring for the extra cost to make sure you get it.

 

Additional Important Terms

 

While the features and terms mentioned above are usually the most important, there are some other things you may want to know so you can have them in mind when looking for your new gaming keyboard. These are terms you’re likely to come across while comparing the various gaming keyboards available.

 

Actuation Force

 

Actuation force is the amount of force required to engage the switch. A key that is hard to press has a high actuation force, while an easy-to-press key has a low actuation force.

 

Actuation Point

 

The actuation point is how far down a key has to travel before the keypress registers. Some keyboards require you to press a key all the way to the bottom, while some will pick up a keypress when you barely press down on the key.

 

Keycaps

 

Keycaps are the plastic top of the keys. They are the part of a key that you see, where all the letters, numbers, and symbols are printed.

 

Where To Buy Gaming Keyboards

 

Many locations that sell a large number of computer accessories, parts, or systems also sell gaming keyboards. While a lot of local electronics stores have closed down, many still maintain websites and offer quick and low-cost shipping. This doesn’t help if you want to test the feel of multiple keyboards, but they are good sources once you make the decision.

 

Some of the locations you may find a gaming keyboard at a physical store are:

 

• Best Buy
• Micro Center
• Target
• Walmart

 

Here are some of the places you can look for a gaming keyboard online:

 

• Amazon
• NewEgg
• Staples

 

Additionally, you can often purchase a keyboard directly from the manufacturers, such as the sites of Razer, Corsair, and SteelSeries. Most of the physical stores in your area also offer keyboards online. Many times there is a larger selection online, and some stores offer free shipping to the local store, where you can pick it up in just a few days.

 

Keyboard Accessories

 

While all the information above can help you find the perfect gaming keyboard, it says nothing about any accessories you may wish to add. If you are serious about gaming, you may want to consider picking up a few of these, as well. 

 

Wrist Rest

 

A wrist rest along the front edge of your keyboard can make long gaming sessions much more comfortable. They can keep you from holding your hands and wrists at an improper angle, helping prevent injuries.

 

Keycap Puller

 

A keycap puller is a small tool, usually made from a pair of stiff wire loops connected to a handle. The two wire loops slide around each side of a keycap, allowing you to pull evenly when removing. This even pressure is necessary to avoid damaging the keycap and the underlying switch.

 

Most gamers will need to give their keyboards a good clean now and then, and this includes the area between and underneath the keys. You don’t want your keyboard sticking or failing to register a keypress in the middle of intense action. A keycap puller is indispensable when it comes to deep cleaning your keyboard. It lets you access that area so you can clean lint, dust, or even the occasional spill so you can keep your keyboard sanitary and working properly.

 

A keycap puller is also an absolute necessity if you find yourself repairing your keyboard. If you are a heavy gamer you might very well break your keyboard at some point. You may damage a switch, or break a keypad. Both of those will be difficult to take care of without a keycap puller.

 

Custom Or Replacement Keycaps

 

While not an absolute necessity, Custom keycaps can be a fun way to make your keyboard unique to you. They come in a variety of colors and designs, including some that look like little animal paws and other unusual shapes. You can also use these to put color-coded keys in strategic locations, making it easier to find in a hurry in the middle of a game. 

 

Replacement keycaps are usually only needed if you break or wear out one or more of the existing keycaps on your keyboard. They allow you to fix one or two specific keys rather than replace the entire keyboard, which can save you a bundle of money.

 

Keep in mind, whether you are installing custom keycaps or just replacing the stock style caps, you need to make sure the keycaps you buy work for your keyboard. Different switch makers use a different design of stem to connect to the keycap, and not every keycap will work with every keyboard. There can also be differences in the angle or height of a keycap, so pay attention to that.

 

If possible, use a keycap puller when removing keycaps. This will help you avoid damaging any components on your keyboard.

 

Switches

 

You don’t often need additional keyboard switches, but if you rely on your keyboard a lot then having an extra one or two around can keep you from sitting everything out while you wait for a new one to arrive. Keyboard switches are durable, but they do wear out over time. In many keyboards, you can replace individual switches and save yourself the expense of replacing the entire keyboard. This is especially helpful to gamers, since they typically use a small subset of the keys far more than the rest of the keyboard. 

 

If you are buying switches for your keyboard, remember to get the same kind you currently have. While there is no reason you can’t put a linear switch on a keyboard full of clicky switches, you probably don’t want one key that feels completely different than the rest of the keyboard. 

 

Cleaning Supplies

 

Every keyboard gets dirty eventually. It picks up oil from your skin, dust and lint from the air, crumbs from snacks, and splatters from your drink. While you can swipe over it with a paper towel now and then, that isn’t going to do a good enough job. 

 

• Microfiber Cloth
• 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
• Canned Air
• Soft Nylon Brush
• Q-tips
• Vacuum Cleaner (optional)
• Ultrasonic Cleaner (optional)