Gaming Keyboard Advise

[apeo]

My bro's birthday is coming up and I was thinking of getting him a gaming keyboard but a little lost as I've never used any myself.

 

Membrane vs Mechanical? Is mechanical really that good?

 

What makes it difficult is that I was hoping it would be in the range or £70-£80 but the really cool ones are well above that

 

Anyway just wondering what you guys were using and opinions.

[Rawns]

Can't go wrong with the Logitech G range. This one is within your price range and a solid gaming keyboard:

 

Logitech G510 Gaming Keyboard | Ebuyer.com

 

And if money were no object... Cyborg S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 Keyboard | Ebuyer.com

Edited September 20, 2012 by Rawns

[Valentine]

If he doesn't mind having a non back-lit mechanical keyboard there are some under the price you mentioned (Qpad mk-50 for example). If you want the snazzy back-lighting you are looking at £95+. I am using the Gigabyte Osmium myself which is around £100 but has all the snazzy bits plus a volume control which a lot of the mechanical ones don't have. The type of switches you want to get depends a lot on what games he plays too.

 

...and yes mechanical is that good.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Valentine

[featured_spectre]

I have an exprex cheetah keyboard...http://www.emprex.com/01_news_02.php?newsid=83

 

With the twistable bit which has the WASD functions, or mapable to any keys applicable, is awesome....plus the mouse is pretty decent. If you can't afford the top spec ones, I recommend these...

 

*EDIT*

 

Just checked...they're EOL but still very awesome

Edited September 20, 2012 by featured_spectre

[apeo]

Thanks for the input guys.

 

He plays mmorpg games mostly.

 

Are mechanical keyboards worth it?

[rich_tech]

I play mmorpgs here and was lucky enough to get a M$ Sidewinder X5 for a £10 at christmas in my local Currys, that being said I would pay £40 for one of these after having this one, my main thing is that its illuminated as I tend to have the light off in the room.

[apeo]

I've read that the Logitech and Sidewinder X5 was quite popular, I'm just um'ing and arr'ing about membrane or mechanical.

[p3dr0]

im using logitech G15 for last 3 years and i cant complain it is a bit chunky but i will never swap it for anything else

[SneakyBeaky]

I use the Logitech yuy95 backlit Perfectstroke keyboard.

[sonofsanta]

If he plays MMOs, he wants something with programmable macro keys e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Sidewinder-X4-Keyboard-Layout/dp/B0037KLSS8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_1 or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-920-002241-G110-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B002ZLQ82G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_3

 

And correct me if I'm wrong, but as lovely as mechanical keyboards are for typing, I always thought they were considered inferior to membrane for gaming due to the higher travel resulting in slower reflexes?

[LiamH]

I like the razor kit, its around that price range afaik

 

Razer™ Gaming Keyboards - Genre Specialized Keyboard Technology

 

I have a lycosa and it is very nice to use

 

If i was very rich i would buy this Optimus Maximus keyboard its meant to be a bit rubbish as a keyboard but each key is a mini screen. [/offtopic]

[apeo]

And correct me if I'm wrong, but as lovely as mechanical keyboards are for typing, I always thought they were considered inferior to membrane for gaming due to the higher travel resulting in slower reflexes?

 

This is what I'm so confused about, those that use mechanical swear its a better feel and its more responsive (potentially because membrane requires pushing the key all the way down and mechanical doesnt). That said if it really that good then sure all 'gaming' classed keyboards should be mechanical? or is it a cost thing? (where membrane is the value version with more features at the same price).

[Arthur]

Corsair Vengeance Gaming Keyboards?

 

Unlike most gaming keyboards, the Corsair's actually look quite nice.

[LiamH]

This is what I'm so confused about, those that use mechanical swear its a better feel and its more responsive (potentially because membrane requires pushing the key all the way down and mechanical doesnt). That said if it really that good then sure all 'gaming' classed keyboards should be mechanical? or is it a cost thing? (where membrane is the value version with more features at the same price).

 

I think its tactile feel and response time, plus most gaming keyboards come with "anti ghosting" which i think is an advantage with mechanical keyboards, because normal keyboards start ignoring keys pressed after the 3rd or 4th one is held down. Which is no good if your charging forward (w) while strafing (d) priming a grenade (g) and go to jump only for your keyboard to ignore the space bar being tapped.

 

They tend to last longer too, which is good given the abuse most gaming keyboards get with continuous use.

[bushby]

for myself i currently have a steelseries shift (free upgrade from my faulty z-board) but im looking now at getting the cyborg S.T.R.I.K.E 7 to go with its partner my R.A.T 7 (also being upgraded soon to the R.A.T.7 mmo

 

also im a big rpg gamer

Edited September 21, 2012 by bushby
addition

[DMcGuigan]

I'm looking at getting either the Cyborg V7.0 or the S.T.R.I.K.E 7 myself to match my R.A.T 5, heard good things about the V7, and it's only around £50 in the local PC World.

[Valentine]

If he plays MMOs, he wants something with programmable macro keys e.g. Microsoft Sidewinder X4 Keyboard (UK Layout): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-920-002241-G110-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B002ZLQ82G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_3

 

And correct me if I'm wrong, but as lovely as mechanical keyboards are for typing, I always thought they were considered inferior to membrane for gaming due to the higher travel resulting in slower reflexes?

For quite a few MMOs it is against the TOC to use programmed keys for anything more than initiating a single action. So while you can rebind individual actions to them you can't have actual macros. Warcraft in particular is one that says this, whether their anti-cheating program will be able to tell is a different matter.

 

Mechanical keys have much less travel than keys on a membrane keyboard as the actuation point is a long way before they bottom out, they also pop back up much faster. On the other hand some mechanical keyboards are very unforgiving for typing, black and red ones are non tactile so you get no feedback when the key actuates, you do get used to it though. For MMO playing you are probably better going for Brown or Blue (as long as you can stand the noise) keys.

 

Mechanical keyboards are one of those things that pretty much everyone that buys one says they are so good they would never go back to membrane. Whether this is because they really are that good or because they were stupid enough to spend £100+ on a keyboard is harder to work out .

[sonofsanta]

Mechanical keys have much less travel than keys on a membrane keyboard as the actuation point is a long way before they bottom out, they also pop back up much faster. On the other hand some mechanical keyboards are very unforgiving for typing, black and red ones are non tactile so you get no feedback when the key actuates, you do get used to it though. For MMO playing you are probably better going for Brown or Blue (as long as you can stand the noise) keys.

 

And now I know. Thanks!

[apeo]

Thanks for all the advise guys. I went for the G510 in the end, mainly because I was fed of looking around, seems to have good review, don't know if he will like the clicky noise of mechanical and this one has more features then he will know what to do with. Oh and it was on offer at Curry so I bought it from them.

 

Did occur to me that macros won't be needed but having an option to switch out keys for ones nearer would be useful like numeric keys 6-0.

 

Now can i justify blowing £100 on a Black Widow Ultimate on myself

[Valentine]

The Black Widow keyboards use blue switches which they are almost alone in supplying as "gaming" keyboards. They are lovely for typing and RTS games but aren't so great for games where you want to use keys for movement like FPS or MMO games.

 

Good description of switch types and other things mechanically related here.