Over the past decade, there has been a fad for gaming devices in the computer peripheral environment. Most keyboard, mouse and headset makers started producing dedicated gaming lines. Aggressive design and incredible performance characteristics - let's see if gaming rigs really differ from your average office peripheral. Let's find out which features are truly noteworthy and which are pure marketing.
Architecture and Design
Gaming devices often have a "predatory" look that attracts attention. Almost all models are backlit - even budget models now feature RGB LEDs.
Razer's Gaming Kit
For mice, pay attention to the number of buttons: some models have up to 20 buttons, which is convenient in some strategy and MMORPGs, but interferes with shooting and other active games.
The casing of a gaming mouse is usually made of matte plastic, and the sides are usually soft. Therefore, it does not slip in the hand and is comfortable to the touch. Sometimes manufacturers put special weights or plates in the kit that can be removed or added to change the weight to the optimum weight. If the lightest possible device is required, then a lightweight design model in the form of a honeycomb can be used.
Read the review of the Gwolves SK-L Green mouse
Gamer's keyboards come in classic and island versions: the buttons are rectangular and close to each other. There are also compact models without a numeric keypad, and sometimes even just a 60-key mainframe. Such a solution frees up a lot of space for the mouse on the desktop.
Read the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 compact keyboard review
Backlighting in budget models is usually fixed. In Advanced, flexible settings are available, up to assigning a different color to each key. Using the software, you can also color-notify various game events: for example, the keyboard turns red when a character's health is low.
As for the headset, in the gaming sense, this is usually a headset with a built-in microphone. The latter is useful for communicating with teammates in online battles. The difference from traditional headphones is the aggressive design and sound characteristics, which we discuss below.
Ergonomics
If you're sitting in front of a computer for a few days, then the controls should be comfortable - that's the main selection criterion. It is best to try the mouse on the palm of your hand before you buy it, and then try the keyboard on your head.
Gaming mice come in many styles: symmetrical and asymmetrical, classic designs, and sharp-edged. The location of additional keys can be on the side and top. There are no technical specifications here, so choose according to your own taste.
If the "tail" is disturbed, then focus on the wireless models - all their shortcomings, such as poor response, are a thing of the past. Gaming mice only use radio channels, not Bluetooth - which minimizes signal loss and lag. Even professional gamers use modern wireless options. They have two drawbacks: they are more expensive and require charging.
As mentioned above, gaming keyboards often have a classic design. Ergonomic options are only found in office models: for example, when the keys are separated by an arc and at an angle.
Gaming models sometimes have palm rests and programmable keys. Wireless keyboards aren't as popular: Unlike mice, wireless keyboards don't limit mobility in any way, but they come at an incomparably high price.
Headphones designed for gamers feature an enveloping design - the earpads completely cover the ears and isolate them from external noise.
Some manufacturers do in-ear type - no pressure head, better isolation. But the microphone must be purchased separately.
Wireless options are also available for gaming headsets. To minimize delays, radio channels are also used.
feature
In a competitive environment, manufacturers tend to use a variety of tricks. In gaming mice, for example, the maximum sensor resolution (dpi) is increasing every year. The top-of-the-line 2021 model has 25,600 dpi, despite the fact that 2000-4000 dpi is more than enough for even the most active games. In comparison, conventional mice have a resolution of 800-1200 dpi. Read more in Professional Materials.
For dynamic action games, the sensor polling rate is more important. For an office mouse, it's around 125-250 Hz, often without even an indication. In gaming devices, 1000 Hz is considered the optimal value: this means that the cursor position data is updated 1000 times in a second.
The second parameter worth mentioning is the sensor type. Gaming mice use optical LEDs. It has more precise positioning than laser sensors. The advantage of the latter is that it works on glossy and transparent surfaces that reflect light and consumes less power. Hence, the laser is used for compact wireless mice for laptops.
The keyboard is divided into membrane type and mechanical type. The former is for budget models and is better suited for office or multimedia PCs. Read more about keyboard type differences here.
The perks of gaming keyboards are mechanical switches. Unlike membrane switches, each key here has an individual switch, and closing can happen not only when fully pressed, but also in the middle of a keystroke or even at the beginning. Also, mechanics have higher resources: typically 5-100 million keystrokes are claimed, while membrane keyboards max out at 10 million.
There are three types of switches. Red (red) triggers at the start of the round and doesn't require much effort to press - they're a gamer's favorite. Blue is better for typing: they have long strokes and a tactile response to a click. Brown - A popular choice. Perfect for office work and gaming. This is only a conditional classification, in fact, there are many types of switches. Read more about them here.
Gaming headsets typically have 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. For the most part, this is a software emulation - in fact, there are two transmitters that create artificial decay and sound jumps. So in the game, you can hear which side the enemy is approaching from and gain an advantage. The downside of gaming headsets is often cited as mediocre sound when listening to music or watching movies. The power in the low frequencies is lowered, and the mids and highs are turned up - but this allows you to hear enemy footsteps well.
Premium models use 7.1 Real and eight transmitters that emit different sound signals. The sound localization of this scheme will be better.
Are gaming peripherals suitable for everyday tasks?
Often, it's not just playing, but working on your home computer - something that's become especially important during the pandemic. It all depends on the specific task and there can be no single answer.
Backlit wireless gaming mice can drain your battery quickly - needing to constantly charge the battery is annoying for some people, and a lot of extra buttons just get in your way. The ergonomics of office models are generally better suited for day-to-day work, but that's a moot point.
Gaming keyboards with red switches can be uncomfortable when typing large amounts of text. Often it is more convenient for someone to use the membrane model. For example, the author of the article is more comfortable typing at the office with the simple Logitech K120 than at home with the gaming Logitech G213 Prodigy, which costs four times as much.
Gaming headsets may not appeal to music and movie lovers. Let's go back to personal experience. My Logitech G533 headset performed well in shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone. But watching multi-channel movies in 7.1 mode is uncomfortable - the sound becomes like a barrel. You'll have to switch to 2.0, but even in that case, other headphones sound subjectively better. Plus, wireless earbuds require frequent charging. It's not good if she sits upright during a Zoom work meeting.
The peripherals market is highly competitive as there are dozens of companies making gaming equipment. The main suppliers are Logitech and Razer. These companies have been around for decades, and they are known for good quality, proven software, and technical support. But all of these factors affect the price of the device.
Smaller manufacturers are close behind: Denmark's SteelSeries, legendary budget mouse maker A4Tech, Kingston's HyperX division, tech giant ASUS, as well as Corsair, ZET GAMING, Roccat, MSI, and more. Other things being equal, they are usually slightly cheaper (not always). But there may be questions (again, not always) about software, workmanship and conformity to declared characteristics.
Read a comparison of A4Tech, DEXP, ZET GAMING, SteelSeries, Logitech and HyperX gaming mice
There is no generic device. When choosing computer peripherals, use the time you spend on certain tasks as a guide. If your PC is 90% gaming and the rest for work, it makes more sense to opt for a dedicated gaming keyboard, mouse, and headset. If the time distribution is 50/50, then you should be looking for a multifunction device better suited for printing text and entertainment. Most gaming devices are suitable for both work and play. But not the other way around - office equipment doesn't do well in games.