Gaming Keyboards come with many added features that you’ll rarely find on normal keyboards, but do these features justify a higher price, and will they really make a difference when gaming?
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Does A Gaming Keyboard Make A Difference In Gaming?
Gaming keyboards do make a difference in gaming because they are more robust, faster, more ergonomic for long hours of gaming, more customizable and they have better key positions for your fingers than standard keyboards which makes playing games easier.
There are many features on gaming keyboards that not only make gaming easier but are essential if you want to have a good experience playing games on a PC.
One of these features is called N-Key Rollover, meaning each key is scanned independently so when you press numerous keys at once all keypress will be registered in-game exactly as they should.
Some standard keyboards cannot register more than three or four keypresses simultaneously and that can be an issue when playing some games.
What Makes A Gaming Keyboard Better Than A Basic Keyboard For Gaming?
There are many features that make playing games easier on a gaming keyboard, so let’s dive in a bit more and explore the main ones.
Mechanical Keys
Standard keyboards are membrane keyboards with a soft input that doesn’t treat each key as an individual.
This can lead to invalid key presses.
Good gaming keyboards usually feature mechanical keys which have a physical switch beneath each key making invalid key presses nothing to worry about.
Different types of mechanical keyboards come with a few different features so finding one that suits you will be a matter of trying a few different ones out.
Some types are quite noisy so when you press the keys they will click and provide feedback to your fingertips in the form of a bump which lets you know that the key has been activated.
Other types of mechanical keyboards are smooth, quiet and provide you with practically zero feedback to let you know you’ve pressed the key down enough for it to actuate and send a signal to the computer.
Then there are mechanical keyboards that fall somewhere in between and may provide feedback in the form of a bump but with no loud clicky noise.
Some gamers like a lot of noise and touch feedback from the keys while others like a quiet and soft experience and some like it somewhere in between.
It is switches beneath the keycaps that determine how the keys feel when pressed.
Clicky switches are the noisy ones, linear switches are the quiet and soft oft ones, and tactile switches are somewhere in between.
We will go more into detail about the different switch types later but finding the one that suits you will be a matter of trying them all out.
Related Article: Do Gaming Mouse Pads Improve Aim? (All You Need To Know)
Gaming Keyboards Are More Ergonomic
Hand and wrist fatigue is an issue for gamers playing long sessions.
Gaming keyboards are designed in different styles and layouts to accommodate a wide range of player comforts and styles.
Common button combinations for gaming are laid out so you won’t have to twist and contort your hand to carry out combinations of key presses.
Button positions on regular keyboards often make little sense for gaming and can even cause injury to your hands with prolonged use.
They Have A Faster Response Time
Quick-twitch games require every advantage and gaming keyboards have faster response times than standard ones.
The distance it takes for the key to activate may only be 1 mm shorter than a standard keyboard, providing you just milliseconds of a speed advantage over your opponent, but that can be enough to get you the kill.
Macro Keys
Gaming keyboards have more customization options, especially for setting up various commands by using “macro keys” to help keep game options and controls in a familiar, go-to key for quicker response time.
A macro key can be set to allow you to perform a specific sequence of key presses by only having to press that one macro key.
This gives a clear advantage over a standard keyboard when you can carry out complex key combinations with only a single keypress.
Media Keys
High-end gaming keyboards often come with a set of dedicated media buttons around the top right-hand side of the keyboard.
This is especially useful if you like to listen to music while you play but don’t fancy having to use your mouse to click through menus just to adjust the volume or change the track you’re listening to.
RGB Lighting Effects
Gaming keyboards often have lighting effects that help highlight the keys you need to get to quickly.
Some high-end keyboards will let you set a large range of different colors across the keys, allowing you to game in the dark while still seeing your specific key configuration.
Anti-Ghosting
Good gaming keyboards will also have anti-ghosting features.
Ghosting happens when you press multiple keys at the same time but your keyboard registers adjacent keys that you did not press.
This can obviously be very bad for gaming and you won’t want a keyboard that doesn’t protect against it.
Gaming Keyboards Don’t Move Around
Many standard keyboards are lightweight and not designed to keep still under the hand movements required to game.
A good gaming keyboard will grip your mat or desk’s surface and not move around as you play, which is a must if you want to build muscle memory and continue to improve.
N-KEY Rollover
When playing games, you’ll often be pressing many more keys simultaneously than you would when using a standard keyboard for everyday tasks.
N-Key rollover where N stands for the number of keys you can press at any one time ensures that all keys pressed will register.
This feature allows you to input multiple key presses at once, which may be required for some games.
Without this feature, a standard keyboard will have stricter limitations on how many keys you can press at the same time, making it difficult to play games that require you to carry out multiple tasks at the same time, such as casting spells while evading enemies.
Good gaming keyboards will allow you to press at least ten keys at once while some standard keyboards may only allow you to activate three keys at one time.
Choosing The Right Mechanical Keyboard Switch
When choosing a gaming keyboard, it’s very important to find the type of mechanical keyboard switch that you are comfortable using.
Switches are the mechanisms found beneath the keycaps on mechanical keyboards and different types of switches can feel quite different when pressed.
Some switches are super smooth and will register key presses with the slightest bit of pressure while others are very clicking, almost like the keys on a typewriter.
Let’s look at some of the most common switch types to see if you can identify one that might suit your play style.
Linear Switches (e.g. MX Reds, Black Speed, Razor Yellow)
Linear switches give practically no feedback and offer the smoothest experience when playing first-person shooters and other games that require lots of fast key presses.
Linears are often a favorite among action gamers because they actuate faster, offer very little resistance, and make speedy key combinations easier.
They also make it feel as though you are typing on cotton wool.
Although more difficult to get used to, linear switches are often recommended for gaming because they activate without feedback and are very quick and easy to press.
However, they are very sensitive and can sometimes activate when just resting your hand on the keyboard.
Tactile Switches (e.g. MX Brown, Razor Orange, Clears)
These types of switches are tactile, audible and the best compromise if you will be using your keyboard for both gaming and typing.
They are similar to clicky keys in that they have the same bump when the key is activated but without the loud clicking noise.
Tactile switches are soft to press, good for speed, and probably the most popular kind of tactile, non-clicky key.
Many gamers prefer them because you have the tactile bump when pressed but don’t make a loud clicky sound that can be too loud when streaming or recording gameplay.
Clicky Switches (e.g. Cherry MX Blue, Razor Green)
Clicky switches, like those on a typewriter, give off a bump and make a distinctive clicky sound when the key is pressed.
Some gamers like the extra feedback that these keys offer and find the sound and feel of clicky switches to be quite satisfying to use.
However, these types of switches are quite noisy so if you are streaming or recording your gameplay, the noise levels may be too much.
Optical Switches (e.g. Razer Opto-Mechanical)
Optical switches are a newer type of switch but similar to mechanical switches in that each key is independent and has its own mechanical movement.
The difference is that the keystrokes are activated by an optical sensor instead of electrical contact and this can offer some advantages for gaming including better speed and a longer life span for your keyboard.
By now you might have an idea of the type of switch you’d like to use but don’t buy a keyboard before you’ve had a chance to try out as many different ones as you can.
What’s most important is that you choose the keyboard that feels the most natural for you to play on.
Do Faster Keyboard Switches Make A Difference In Gaming?
Gaming keyboards generally have faster switches than standard keyboards, meaning the keys do not have to be pushed down as much in order for them to register keystrokes.
Faster switches might make a very slight improvement on how fast you are, but it doesn’t mean that they are going to make you faster than your opponent.
And when comparing some gaming keyboard switches to standard keyboard switches the difference in actuation distance is often only 1/2 of an mm to 1 mm.
And actuation time (the time when a signal is sent to the computer) is usually only separated by mere milliseconds.
That’s not very much of a difference and if your opponent is much more spatially aware than you and has way quicker reactions, faster switches are probably not going to be enough to level the playing field.
What’s most important is that you choose a switch that feels natural for you to use.
Try out lots of keyboards before you buy anything and go with the one that feels right for you.
Having a faster switch that doesn’t feel right is not going to help your overall game.
Does A Gaming Keyboard Make A Difference In FPS Games?
For a casual gamer, it might not, for professional and dedicated gamers, the keyboard matters.
A gaming keyboard will also improve a casual gamer’s ability as they become accustomed to it.
FPS and fighting games are the games that require the most precision, lightning-fast reflexes, and quickest response times.
For those familiar with gaming keyboards, there’s no going back to the non-mechanical variety, unless they want to send an email.
Mechanical keys are spring-loaded, have an audible click, and respond faster than their membrane counterparts.
A PC Gamer will understand the necessity of hearing and feeling the keypress and how it contributes to the flow of the game.
For casual gamers, it won’t make much of a difference early on, but as they learn to play, a gaming keyboard will improve and accommodate their skills better than any standard one.
Different Types Of Gaming Keyboards
Gaming keyboards are highly customizable, and there are a ton of designs to choose from, unlike standard keyboards.
Let’s take a look at some popular ones:
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB
This split keyboard is tailor-made for ergonomic comfort and a customizable play style.
It also has 10 macro keys and user storage for up to 9 profiles.
Corsair K70 RGB TKL
A mid-size keyboard with profile and macro keys, fast actuation points, and hyperpolling (theoretically cuts down input lag).
HyperX Alloy Origins 60
This is a 60% keyboard designed for mini-keyboard gamers.
This is a small sample of the large spread between gaming keyboards as far as aesthetics, ergonomic designs, features, lighting, and size.
It’s an example of the wide array of options for gaming keyboards that you won’t typically find in standard keyboards.
Do Simple Gaming Keyboards Make A Difference?
You might be surprised to find that the answer is yes, at least for pro gamers.
Amateur gamers may lick their lips over a giant, 16 million colors, foldable keyboard with poppits on the back and retractable fidget spinners, but pro-gamers prefer to keep it simple.
Complexity breeds error.
The more keys there are and the fancier the rig, the possibility of making mistakes increases as well.
You’ll notice that most professional gamers that compete keep it simple, with well-designed gaming keyboards that do everything they need them to.
Ergonomically designed gaming keyboards free up mouse space as well.
You don’t want to slap the side of your giant keyboard every time you slide the mouse over, so extra real estate falls in the positive column.
What Are The Advantages Of Smaller Gaming Keyboards?
Smaller keyboards help to narrow the game down to quick access and familiarity.
Larger, complex gaming keyboards require more reach, have more keys than they’re probably worth, and smaller keyboards can effectively consolidate some features into a more user-friendly configuration.
Professional gamers are often on the move.
They don’t just play at home and no matter how complex it is, a large gaming keyboard is cumbersome and difficult to transport.
Smaller keyboards simply make more sense.
For heavy and professional gamers, there’s no doubt that gaming keyboards come with distinct advantages, and so long as that remains the case, gaming keyboards will remain popular in PC gaming circles.
No gaming rig will complete without a gaming keyboard
There are far too many advantages over standard keyboards as far as expediency, response, comfort, and durability are concerned.
