Guide to Buying a Gaming Keyboard

A keyboard is a keyboard is a keyboard, right? Not so much. Yes, all keyboards track your keystrokes, but even for general users, not just gamers, there’s a whole range of types to choose from. There’s heaps of features, key types, connectivity types, layouts, shapes and more to consider, and the price range is as wide and varied as your options. So, we thought we’d help you pick your next gaming keyboard by drilling down into the details to make life a little easier.

Wired vs. Wireless Gaming Keyboard

Wired gaming keyboards generally connect to your PC via USB, so you’re obviously limited to how much you can move around and the distance you can sit from your machine by the length of the keyboard cable. Additionally, it occupies an extra USB port, so if you have lots of peripherals, you’ll likely need to purchase additional ports.

Lots of serious gamers always opt for wired gaming keyboards. Why? Because:

• There’s no need for batteries – better for your bank balance and the environment
• Less expensive than wireless models
• Very little setup required – quick and easy to plug-and-play
• No lag – way better for fast-paced games where speed, timing, and precision is key
• No interference – Wired keyboards don’t suffer from or cause signal interference with other wireless devices

Wireless gaming keyboards tend to cost more than wired models with Bluetooth or RF connectivity. Operating on 2.4 GHz frequencies, RF keyboards have a much longer battery life than Bluetooth models, but are more prone to interference from other RF devices. Both types of wireless keyboard can result in lag or missing keystrokes, which is problematic, particularly when playing games that require speed and precision. Bluetooth keyboards are a good choice if you don’t want to take up another USB port, but they do have a short battery life. RF keyboards require an RF connector to be plugged into a USB port and give longer battery life, but are more prone to cause and suffer from interference from routers, mobile phones, and other wireless devices in the vicinity.

Virtual Keyboards

Virtual keyboards look cool and they offer a “futuristic” feel, but they have serious limitations with the current technology available. They use wireless projectors to produce a virtual laser keyboard on a flat surface. To track your movements or keystrokes, these keyboards use optics, which sounds fabulous – and does have the potential to be. Unfortunately, they aren’t particularly easy to use and it takes time to get comfortable with them. There’s usually a fair amount of inaccuracy, too, which is incredibly frustrating. To improve your experience, you can purchase a high-end model which does damage to your bank balance, and you’ll find there’s still an annoying amount of inaccuracies and missed keystrokes, which definitely isn’t ideal for gaming.

Ergonomic Keyboards

Ergonomic keyboards come in all shapes and sizes and they’re designed to help you maintain a body-healthy position and posture as you work or play for short term comfort and long term health. The idea is that your hands remain in a neutral position with straight wrists and arms bent at 90 degrees, reducing the risk of musculo-skeletal strain and lowering the possibility of developing conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Some have split keyboards while others feature wrist rests and have a steep slope. However, many experts call into question the validity of ergonomic keyboards and state that, in actuality, the adoption of body-healthy posture and correct placement and organization of the desk and the right chair is far more useful to achieving a healthy gaming position than a so-called ergonomic keyboard.

Mini Keyboards

Mini keyboards have their place – they can be handy when you need the convenience of a real keyboard – like when you’re trying to type something lengthy on a tablet and the virtual keyboard just isn’t cutting it. They’re easy to carry as they take up hardly any space and they’re light, too. While this is great for when you’re on the move, it’s not ideal for gaming. There just isn’t enough space – everything’s so small and compact – that you end up inadvertently hitting the wrong buttons, and the cramped proportions definitely don’t make for comfortable use for long gaming sessions.