back to article Six of the best gaming keyboard and mouse combos

I would like to think my gaming skills make me invincible but if I ever do get pwned it’s always easiest to blame the hardware. In the case of the keyboards and mice I’m reviewing, it might be difficult to put forward a convincing argument that they are to blame, as they are all developed to make the very best of my gaming …

  1. Caff

    citóg

    Article mentioned left handers once, would be nice to know other than the one that offered no lefty support how the others fare compared to each other?

    1. Steve Crook

      Re: citóg

      Gave up using a mouse left handed about 25 ago when workstations with mice were rare, and I always had to change the system config to get them to work for lefties and was shouted at by righties when I left them that way...

      It took me about a week to get used to the idea, and I've never gone back, mainly because I found it more useful to be able to type with my left while using the mouse in my right....

      1. Paul Shirley

        Re: citóg

        I'm right handed but started using left handed keyboards >10 years ago to deal with mouse RSI. Having the number pad on the left moves the mouse closer to the centre line and that killed the RSI almost overnight. It surprises me so few gaming keyboards move the keypad out of the way of the mouse, apart from lowering fatigue&physical stress it must give some performance advantage as well.

        Given the shocking cost of normal left handed keyboards, when my small stock of spares all die that STRIKE7 (or some descendant with a detachable pad) will be very tempting.

        1. The_Idiot

          Re: citóg

          @Paul Shirley

          Not a gaming specialised product, though mine (and yes, I'm left handed) gets used for games as well as everything else - but for my own RSI, this was absolutely unbeatable:

          http://www.evoluent.com/

          They do left and right handed, wired and wireless - but the real difference is the hand position. It, for me at least, totally removed the stresses compounding RSI. I commend a viewing, and consideration for those it might serve, to the house :-).

      2. fruitoftheloon

        Re: citóg

        Steve,

        quite, one is mostly* ambidextrous, I gave up using right-handed rodents circa 20 years ago due to to RSI, have used wacom tablets ever since.

        The reaction from right-ies when I have the wacom pen in my left hand and a fountain pen in my right hand at the same time is truly a sight to behold...

        * can write backwards with my left hand but not forwards for some bizarre reason

    2. Dave Bell

      Re: citóg

      I'm right-handed, but an accident of history led me to mousing left-handed, and that's what I still do.

      (It was an obscure all-in-one computer that ejected 5.25 floppies from the right side, clashing with conventional mouse use.)

      1. Natalie Gritpants

        Re: citóg

        Another right handed left mouse one here. My dressage trainer made me switch the mouse to the left. Helped my riding and less back pain.

    3. Grifter

      Re: citóg

      I've been using a razer deathadder left-handed version for two years now, works really well (also a Linux user, and it works without flaw there using razercfg to set profiles)

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Hmmm

    I play FPSs with an cheap Logitech basic keyboard and a Microsoft mouse that's easily more than ten years old. They haven't impaired my play yet (although there may be a few iffy diseases brewing in the keyboard).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hmmm @Mahatma Coat

      "They haven't impaired my play yet ..."

      OK, but you didn't actually say whether you started out any good ;)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hmmm @Mahatma Coat

        OK, but you didn't actually say whether you started out any good ;)

        I started out great and have improved with practice :)

        I still play Quake III quite often (yes, I am that sad) and can complete all but the final level on maximum difficulty. To me this says that $100s spent on special keyboards and mice is possibly not a good return on investment.

    2. Captain Scarlet

      Re: Hmmm

      This doesn't surprise me, recently I got so fed up with keyboards missing key presses I went for a Mechanical one. Build quality on keyboards for me has gone downhill and even the ones at work I tend to replace every few months when they start requiring a hammer to register certain key presses.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hmmm

        Don't know what you do to keyboards, but I'd say that's the exception rather than the rule

        Mechanical parts are usually a point of failure in electronics

    3. borkbork

      Re: Hmmm

      I use an old microsoft intellimouse optical i bought for $80 more than 10 years ago. Still the nicest scroll wheel I've found, and I've grown too accustomed to the size and shape to contemplate a different mouse. Pity about the awkward positions of buttons 4 and 5.

      Keyboard was nicked from a Dell GX520, it's got media buttons and a volume knob, plus some internet buttons I don't use.

      Mouse mat could end up a family heirloom, has to be at least 20 years old now. Probably what I should replace first, although I doubt changing any of my equipment would improve my gaming in the slightest.

    4. Roby

      Re: Hmmm

      I've always used a standard black Logitech keyboard with no frills. It might not be mechanical but the keys feel nice and firm and you always know if you've pressed them (not like some laptop or thin keyboards) and it is built to last. Had my current one for nearly ten years and it probably cost me under £5. I am curious about mechanical keyboards, and might eventually invest.

      In terms of mice I find many gaming ones are just trying too hard. They're too heavy or too bulky or not particularly ergonomic. So long as it has a few extra buttons and scroll wheel and is fairly accurate, then it does the job. All of the gaming mice posted here look monstrous. I wonder if they're more about parting fools with their money in a similar vein to sports cars, rather than about actual usability.

  3. Tony Paulazzo

    Not an advert, but your selections are ridiculously overpriced. Review this one...

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-USB-illuminated-LED-PC-Gaming-Keyboard-and-Mouse-Set-With-Iron-Weights-/141162993204?pt=UK_Computing_Keyboard_Mouse_Bundles&hash=item20ddf85634

    £30 with clicky clacky keys that can be replaced with white ones to highlight those you want, 5 mouse buttons, DPI of 600/1200/1800/2500, smooth and responsive... Happily been gaming with it for over a year (I'm not the seller - but I think I might have got it from this guy tho).

    Although, having said that, I did like the Mad Catz stuff but the price made me want to cry.

    1. lurker

      That's not a mechanical keyboard. Cherry keycaps or GTFO.

      Also no mention of N-Key rollover or similar.

      You're right that the prices are silly, however. Still, these keyboards are aimed at people who don't know any better and are impressed by LCDs and the like. Keyboards from companies like Ducky, Filco are better but less flashy and a little less pricey (though still expensive).

      1. stucs201

        re: That's not a mechanical keyboard. Cherry keycaps or GTFO.

        Buckling springs also count...

        (possibly not most people's first choice for games though)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I have a Razor mouse. It's the perfect shape for me. Unfortunately the middle click only works 50% of the time and the crappy control panel thing now seems to require that I create a Razor account in order to change the mouse settings.

    I have a Steel Series mechanical board. It is very comfortable to type on. Unfortunately it has a known defect that means you type "like this" and get "liiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkeeeeeee ttttttthhhhhhhiiiiss". Their RMA process seemed to be simply to ignore my emails.

    I have a Mad Catz (ex Saitek) joystick. The hardware is awesome. Unfortunately the drivers haven't been updated since 1862 and I have had to uninstall my USB3 controller for it work.

    I have a Steel Series mouse mat. It's huge. Unfortunately you have to use it upside down otherwise the logo on the mat rubs off and gums the mouse up.

    Gamer brands are 90% marketing and 10% quality, avoid them if you possibly can. You'll you'll do just as well with an IBM model M and an intellimouse 3.0....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "The crappy control panel thing now seems to require that I create a Razor account in order to change the mouse settings"

      Whatever odious **** in marketing or sales dictated this sort of blatantly contrived and self-serving requirement ought to be shot.

      Seriously, what an obnoxiously weaselish attempt to passive-aggressively force their paying customers into handing over their personal details by holding their paid-for hardware to ransom.

      I remember hearing about this a few years ago. Are there still companies out there doing this? (Suspecting that the answer is sadly going to be "yes, lots".)

      1. Trixr

        Yup, I'm still running mine on an older driver version. I signed up with bullsh*t details, but found that the new driver was pants at any time, with the amount of calling home that it did.

        So I won't be buying a Razor again. I don't find the tracking that good on the admittedly non-optimal surface I have, and the middle button is way too stiff. Also, since I have small lady hands, it's too big to be comfortable.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The STRIKE7 key action is horrible spongy rubber-membrane naffness. Not acceptable on a KB that price. I chucked mine and replaced with a Ducky Shine 3 which (gratuitously naff (optional)) lighting effects aside) is an excellent, compact mechanical keyboard. Clickety-click.

  6. Shady

    I would really like a decent gaming mouse and keyboard

    But I don't want my home-office to look like the bedroom of a spotty teenager.

    1. Dave K

      Re: I would really like a decent gaming mouse and keyboard

      Allow me to recommend the Ducky Shine range of keyboards. They're not cheap, but mine looks simple, black and restrained. Turn it on and you get wonderful backlighting, mechanical keys (Cherry MX brown in mine), programmable macros etc. Turn it off, and it goes back to being a simple and clean-looking keyboard.

      1. silent_count

        Re: I would really like a decent gaming mouse and keyboard

        +1 for the ducky keyboards.

        Rock solid keyboards which are pleasant to type on. I could happily live without the back-lighting but whatever - it's easy enough to switch off.

  7. dogged

    Logitech products last forever

    Maybe in your reality. I had a succession of Logitech gaming mice, the right-click died on all of them. Now using a Mad Catz MMO7, even though I don't play MMOs (the extra buttons are still useful) which has lasted much better and is almost big enough for my hand.

    None of the others even get close.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I'm not a gamer but my mice travel a lot, and I have as yet to find a better mouse than the Logitech Anywhere MX (other than it's predecessor which is still in use by someone else in one of our offices).

      When you pick it up it tells you if you have enough battery, and it even works on glass tables.

  8. jason 7

    Always wary of buying expensive keyboards.

    I am not a nail biter and have rather hard fingernails so the keycaps tend to wear out very quickly. Especially the illuminated ones as they are usually coated over clear plastic. Looks very shabby then.

    Amazingly, cheap keyboards just never seem to wear out like the expensive ones do.

    1. Khaptain Silver badge

      Re: Always wary of buying expensive keyboards.

      >Amazingly, cheap keyboards just never seem to wear out like the expensive ones do.

      Makes for great business...the expensive ones have higher profit margins.

      1. jason 7

        Re: Always wary of buying expensive keyboards.

        However, the downside to that business model is ...once bitten, twice shy.

        Ahhh another £5 keyboard it is then.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Always wary of buying expensive keyboards.

      I am not a nail biter and have rather hard fingernails so the keycaps tend to wear out very quickly

      Sounds like you know the solution already :)

  9. Tom_

    One True Mouse

    Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 2

    The silver one, wired, with two large thumb buttons on the side.

    1. Steve Foster

      Re: One True Mouse

      The Intellimouse Explorer 2 is indeed (in my view) an excellent mouse, and I have several in use. But they do have one key flaw - the USB connector wiring cable is rather weak, and liable to break with anything more than very light desktop use.

      I did pick up a batch directly from the Microsoft Store a couple of years ago, but I'm down to the last few.

      My main PC has the bluetooth variant, which avoids the cabling flaw (along with the matching MS keyboard), but that has also been discontinued (indeed, decent bluetooth keyboard/mouse combos seem incredibly rare). And mine is getting rather worn (the battery covers are held on with sellotape & blutack), and I'm dreading the day they finally pack up completely.

  10. MikeyD85

    K70 + RAT 5

    Is my current setup. It's awesome. The K70 is a wonderful keyboard which meets my needs very well. I've had it a few months so far and it's still running fine. I love my RAT 5 mouse too. It's just so comfortable to hold once I had adjusted it to the right length.

    1. Hellcat

      Re: K70 + RAT 5

      Moved from an ancient Razer Diamondback to a RAT 5 a few months ago. I thought I was happy with my mouse until I used the RAT. It looks weird, but once adjusted fits my fairly smallish hands perfectly.

      Next on the list is a new keyboard to replace my long-suffering Microsoft multi-media board. I was thinking a K70, so seeing a +1 for it here is comforting.

    2. goldcd

      Oh I love my K70

      Lovely keyboard - but a thing of beauty.

      I 'game' - but don't want some neon monstrosity. Matte black K70, Cherry reds, lights off - perfect.

      My mouse is a Rat9. I *like* it, but ridiculously short battery life (daily swap), is a more than a little annoying. Next time, one with a tail.

      1. dogged

        Re: Oh I love my K70

        I want something with a discreet backlight, otherwise I'd use the same Das Keyboard (Cherry Red switches) I favour at work.

        Why a backlight? So I can type/game/whatever without having the room lights on and disturbing my family if time runs away with me.

        Would you recommend the K70 or should I (as planned) go ahead with a Ducky Channel model, again with the Red switches?

        (I have a RAT9 at work - totally agree regarding battery life).

  11. Pinscher

    I call shenanigans

    I'm a daily reader of registers, but today was the day that my knowledge was great enough to sniff out shenanigans.

    Page two, "Logitech...lasts forever". Hardly. the writers is either trying to flog Logitech input devices or doesn't actually use them to have a valid opinion.

    Myself, I've bought Logitech due to their forward thought in their products, but I've been incredibly disappointed in the quality and longevity. I'm on my second G15 keyboard, the first lost all of its paint off of the main keys in 2 months and the second one, though the paint is decent, can't alt tab more than once and only half of the keys light up on the keyboard.

    I'm also a not so proud owner of a G500 mouse. It's nice, being cordless and wired but it can't hold any profile memory beyond the 6 months point, and the software suite often bugs out and requires restarting to get my additional buttons to remember what they were told to do. even deleting the additional profiles and leaving only default doesn't prove fruitful. This is well documented on forums and Logitech does nothing to address product short comings. Even though the software has auto update, there are never any updates to solve the issues.

    I've had two mx500 mice, both of them had failures to the main buttons after 2 years of use.

    I've had multiple Logitech joysticks including their neat wireless one which would never calibrate with any sort of accuracy and always pulled to the left. The increments were HUGE so you could never aim accurately.

    The best mouse I've ever owned was the two button roller ball from Microsoft and then the two button roller ball with scrolling wheel. I used that thing for over 6 years before being suckered into Logitech shinny additional buttons and side ways scrolling, oh and that no longer registers as anything as well.

    My thoughts on Logitech are: they make mid level peripherals, spotty software that doesn't support the peripherals capabilities, better than the straight from china junk, if you actually use the item it will just brake down, stay away from it.

    Apparently I gave Logitech the benefit of the doubt, over 5 times, but honestly your hundreds of dollars are better spent elsewhere.

    1. Allan 1

      Re: I call shenanigans

      Indeed. I had multiple Logitech gaming mice over the years and one gaming keyboard.

      All the mice failed in exactly the same way, an internal break in the USB cable, probably because they are shipped with the cable folded up so tightly in the packaging that the cable's already damaged before you get to even use it. Assumably to make the packaging smaller.

      The keyboard, just stopped responding one day. I swapped to Roccat products and not had any issues since.

    2. War President

      Re: I call shenanigans

      I've heard not-so-good comments about a lot of Logitech gear in the last few years. My older Logitech gear is still in good condition and works like new, but I notice the newer gear has finish (wear) problems and the newer trackballs use no-name switches as opposed to Omron. In 10+ years, I've had 1 switch fail and no other problems. The two trackballs I bought in the last year both are exhibiting excessive wear of the finish, but no hardware issues, yet. I wouldn't touch their software with a 10 meter virtual pole, it's utter $#!^. That said, I will continue to buy the Marble Mouse (the symmetrical trackball). For me, it is far superior to any mouse, it fits my hand well, it's always in position, it doesn't cause wrist/arm fatigue, and you can swap it left/right handed based on the user. Its one failing is the lack of a (non-virtual) middle button and no scroll wheel. Both of which can be emulated with AutoHotKey (with varying degrees of success, depending on the game/software being used).

    3. Tony Paulazzo

      Re: I call shenanigans

      Page two, "Logitech...lasts forever". Hardly...

      I had an excellent Logitech mouse and after about two years the right button died. I phoned Logitech UK up - luckily I still had the receipt from PC World proving it was less than three years old. So I emailed a copy of to them, and they sent me a brand new mouse.

      Logitech (even here in the UK) hold to a three year warranty, and have great customer service.

    4. Tom 38

      Re: I call shenanigans

      I had a Logitech G7 that lasted me 3 years before the batteries started failing, followed by a G5 that lasted 4 years, but when I came to replace that I found they no longer make an equivalent mouse - they all have ridiculous grips, where is the classic "large logitech" shape of the mx518, G5/7?

      Instead I went with the G400, which seems the current closest. It's cheap and nasty and breaks with any moderate amount of abuse. I've been through three of them in a year and a half (two warranty replacements). At least it is cheap, £25 or so.

  12. Anonymous Blowhard

    Cherry Keys

    Interesting to see that many of these keyboards are using Cherry mechanical keys.

    They look a bit pricey though, however there is a benefit to using quality components and I can testify to the longevity of the Cherry keys; my 16 year old son is a keen FPS player and his weapon of choice is an ancient Cherry keyboard that is older than he is (my wife stopped using it about five years ago because it is beige and it took up too much desk space, she's had two keyboards since then).

  13. Irongut

    "Logitech products last forever... I want to be sure I’m not going to have to replace my mouse for the next five years, I find Logitech is a safe bet."

    Unfortunately I find the opposite. If I want the right mouse button to die within 2 years then Logitech is the brand of choice. Not that I can find a decent alternative who make mice that don't look like the demented offspring of a Geiger Alien and a T-1000 so I'm usually stuck with them.

  14. Chas

    No love for Mac gamers

    I'll lay money that none of the above have support for the Fruity One (stop sniggering!). Whilst only an occasional gamer, I'd love a decent keyboard/mouse combo that I could use. My son gave me his old CM Storm Inferno mouse (he knackered one of the buttons) which beats the pants off of a Magic Mouse for gaming but it's infuriating not to be able to makes use of those lovely extra buttons.

    As for keyboards, don't get me going on Apple's keyboard, which is gorgeous to type on and use for my "normal" activities but is about as much use as Anne Frank's drum kit when it comes to mashing WASD. Playing Half Life 2: Deathmatch with my son is an exercise in futility. The bugger keeps sneaking up on me and shooting me in the back. I mean, what way is that to treat your old man?

    =:~)

    1. Grifter

      Re: No love for Mac gamers

      While not a mac user, I am a Linux user, so equally unable to program keyboards that require win soft, but I can recommend a keyboard called "Xtrfy XG1-R LED" (rebranded skydigital korean board), the macro keys are entirely programmed with the keyboard itself, not software, which means they'll work fine for both Linux and Mac. Also it doesn't have any win-logo keys, which floats my boat. Been using mine for like half a year now, works really well, love typing on it (love red switches).

    2. AstroNutter
      Coffee/keyboard

      Re: No love for Mac gamers

      I have a Logitech G19 (not the S version) and it does support the Mac. I also have a Logitech wireless mouse (can't remember the model number) which has 7 buttons which I use with my Macbook Pro all the time.

      Looking at the review, I feel that it was very lacking, I don't remember it mentioning the programmable keys, or the powered 2 port USB hub built into the back of the keyboard.

      1. Chas

        Re: No love for Mac gamers

        Ooh, ooh! I see a G19S in my future! Just checked and it has Mac support.

        Just don't tell 'er indoors—she'd give me serious verbals for dropping £150-odd on a frickin' keyboard.

        =:~)

  15. Wokstation

    Not enough buttons!

    Had a Razer Naga, the buttons became unreliable - a click became 10, and holding the button down was read as mashing it.

    Replaced it with a Logitech g600.

    Keyboard-wise I use a basic cheap keyboard, but have a pad for my left hand so I hardly have to touch the main keyboard. Originally a Nostromo, now a Logitech G13 - the little LCD is invaluable for it's temperature readouts. Shame LCDStudio was discontinued.

    I hadn't intended to go all Logi, it just turned out that way.

  16. Tom 38

    The best gaming keyboard I've ever used

    The best gaming keyboard I've ever used is a 1985 IBM model M with a UK key layout. It has indestructible keys that consistently respond to the same amount of pressure, it has no windows key that you can accidentally click.

    I'm thinking of giving it this upgrade to make it officially a gaming keyboard...

    1. Christine Hedley Silver badge

      Re: The best gaming keyboard I've ever used

      Same here. I won't be parted from my tenkeyless Model M, even though it's of the rather beige persuasion. Well I've given it some nice red keycaps for its function keys to spice it up a bit in memory of the BBC Micro.

      No, it doesn't have loads of extra keys (in fact it has loads fewer), backlighting, LCD display, programmable key sequences, n-key rollover or any of the other stuff that gives me a certain degree of gear acquisition syndrome where the fancier new keyboards are concerned, but it feels wonderful to use and it's practically indestructible. It's also very loud, which may or may not be a good thing depending on one's personal tastes: I like it being loud and fortunately my gf doesn't object to the clattering...

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Some of those mice may be responsive, but frankly, they look ridiculous.

    As for playing games with a keyboard - why would anyone do that?

    Two alternatives for FPSs that are infinitely more responsive and don't leave you with arthritic claws at the ends of your arms; (1) USB/Wii adaptor and a nunchuk analogue stick in the left hand. (2) PS1/2 adaptor and an ASCIIWare Grip pad in the left hand. Very surprised there's no direct USB version of either of these. Even if you run out of buttons, you can still reach over and jab a keyboard key without taking your thumb off the directional control.

    1. Paul Shirley

      Over here in PC land we get to use both hands independently for different things. Its' not 'play on keyboard' but kbd+mouse or kbd+flightstick etc. What's rarely usable is kbd+console controller, even on badly ported console games because the damn things require 2 hands and|or have pathetic degrees of freedom and|or low responsiveness and|or piss poor accuracy.

      And badly ported console games are best just avoided even with a suitable controller available.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Yes, and if you read the post, I'm suggesting a single hand-held directional device in the left hand; this still leaves you free to use a mouse in the right hand as a targetting device for FPS games. It can also give you analogue directional control rather than the contorted digital input of your typical WASD settings. Perhaps you could address the actual suggestion rather than your own straw man.

        1. Hellcat

          For warthunder my left hand is doing at the same time...

          ....throttle control and roll, possibly at same time as rudder while adjusting flaps and dropping bombs or launching rockets. Taking the whole of the left hand up with a joystick wouldn't be an effieient use of a high-accuracy limb.

          It's not so much the use of the WASD keys being crucial, but the ease of using all the keys surrounding them.

          1. This post has been deleted by its author

  18. Taomyn
    Pint

    I would have put the Logitech G710+ instead of the G19s

    I've had two G19 keyboards, the first original non-S is still going for me on my workhorse PC at home, it was replaced by a G19 (for my gaming PC) when I needed a new keyboard.

    However the G19s lasted about two months before going "white screen" on me. Got Amazon to refund the cost and went for the G710+ instead. Not missing the screen which in the end was more of a gimmic, but the lack of a stupid power-brick, all-mechanical keys and sheer built-like-a-tank of the G710+ was worth it. Now have a second for my work PC - yes I have more money than sense sometimes ;-)

  19. Duffy Moon

    Yikes! Look at those prices!

    I assume no one is feeling the effects of the recession any more?

    I bought a Das Professional (used), for £40. Great for typing as well as gaming with brown Cherry MX switches (I did splash out on the green WASD keys though!)

  20. Tsung

    Indeed the prices..

    A decent enough mouse for gaming.. Try looking up Redragon on amazon. Decent mice, fraction of the price, still got the frilly bits (color customization, switchable dpi, profiles and programmable Marco's). I have the Lava-wolf mouse a mere £13, and it performs brilliantly.

    As for keyboards, yeah Cherry Switches really is great. However I hear great things about the I-Rocks K10 keyboard currently £22 from Amazon. So for £35 mouse + keyboard combo for gaming on a budget.

  21. Tachikoma

    Can we have a "X of the best..." for all in ones, lapboards, wireless keyboard/mice frankenthingies for HTPC's/Steam Machines/etc for us non-FPS players to use for the odd game of Guild Wars 2 on the sofa?

    I have a Logitech K400 for this purpose, but the trackpad is terrible, want something I can shove under the sofa when not in use with no wires for the kids to trip over.

  22. Sureo

    What a job

    Playing games to review computer hardware - where can I apply?

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Logitech G5.

    I got an oldie G5. Survived 5 years of Diablo 2, I had it for another 5 years, still going strong. And I'd like a model M keyboard, but I got a wireless one, that becomes a HUGE remote control to play blu-rays, so I'm not changing that.

    1. Christine Hedley Silver badge

      Re: Logitech G5.

      I loved my G5, until it developed a problem where it was continuously disconnecting and resetting. Turns out it's a fairly common problem with the cabling, and I'm too cack-handed to try replacing it. Finding a mouse that doesn't break down in some way early into its life seems to be quite a challenge.

      You should get a Model M. Who needs wireless when you can get a cable extender? :D

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Keyboards

    I had a Roccat keyboard for years and loved it. But then I needed a keyboard with two alphabets on the keys and acquired a cheap Dell keyboard for about £10.

    I can type faster on it than on the Roccat. I know this is about gaming but, just saying, excitingly designed keyboards are not always the best for everything.

  25. wowfood

    I'm still happy with my g15 and microsoft sidewinder mouse.

    I've been tempted on more than one occasion to splash out and try a razer orbweaver / naga combo. But I suppose these things vary with the kind of game you play.

  26. Yugguy

    Atari FTW

    Meh.

    Nothing beats frantically wazzing that atari joystick from side to side trying to beat Daley Thompson's Decathlon.

  27. Metrognome

    Marketing fail

    Who on earth chose "Urovoros" as a brand name?

    That is more demented than all the Mitsubishi Pajeros combined.

    Uro is more or less known to everyone (Greek for urine), - voros (Greek for devourer), ie the one that feeds on...

    1. klaxhu

      Re: Marketing fail

      it has to do with how the retards from rzr name their mice (after venomous snakes)

      i think they will soon run out of names ...

    2. Simon Harris
      Meh

      Re: Marketing fail... err, translation fail

      It comes from ουρά rather than ούρα - so it's the tail eating serpent of many ancient mythologies rather than the piss drinker you are suggesting.

      1. Metrognome

        Re: Marketing fail... err, translation fail

        I learned something today. Have an upvote :-)

  28. klaxhu

    Most of the pro-gamers don't use any of the above unless otherwise told by their sponsors ...

    I use a ducky shine 3 TKL and a G9x, but there are so many much better mech and non mech keyb out there, I am surprised only the mainstream stuff was included in this review ...

    One thing I would say, the KATZ mouse is one of the most ergonomic things I have ever laid my hand on and I like it. quite the opposite with the high price low value products from Razr - i have had most of their mice and they all suck: either the click is bad, or scroll, or wear rapidly and don't even get me started on ergonomics and accuracy.

    Test a keyboard and mouse before you buy if you can, ...that is the best way of finding out what suits you.

  29. Twilight Turtle

    I've always struggled...

    ...to justify spending £60+ on a high-end mouse or keyboard from a big-name brand, purely because every single one I've ever bought has either been DOA or broken within a few weeks.

    Corsair Vengeance K60- Worked fine if plugged in after the system had been booted, didn't work in the BIOS, didn't work if it was left plugged in. Bit of a pain when you have FDE, having to plug in an old Logitech every time you want to start the damn thing up.

    Roccat Kone[+]- Great for about 3 weeks, then intermittently lost all of its settings and reverted back to the annoying "pulse" light mode every time I restarted. Managed to fix it by keeping a backup of all my settings and copy them over every time it broke, which was about once a week, for no discernible reason. Sensor then started playing up, RMA'd. The one they sent as a replacement snapped its scroll wheel pin after about a month of use. The replacement they sent for that one had a scroll wheel that didn't work at all.

    Bought a cheap Perixx keyboard and mouse instead. The mouse in particular is more comfortable, better weighted, feels more precise and better built. Also cost about £20.

  30. pyite

    IBM Model M + Razer Naga

    My first keyboard was the original IBM PC, so nothing feels as natural as the good old Model M. This keyboard gives me the fastest typing speed, and it has adjustable keycaps. For example I replaced the WASD keys with arrows to help my kids figure out how to move around.

    The prices on Model M's are getting a lot higher too, so it may even be a good fit for this list. They are quite annoyingly loud, though, which can cause trouble on Mumble -- not to mention whoever is sitting next to you.

    The Razer Naga is the classic multi-button gaming mouse, 12 thumb buttons so you never have to reach for the top row of your keyboard or scroll through 10 items to switch weapons. Just make sure you never own one out of warranty, they are fragile!

  31. LINCARD1000

    Just bought one of those Das Keyboard 4 Pro jobbies the other day (Cherry MX brown). Eye-wateringly expensive but the thing reeks quality. Feels really nice to actually type on which is good for the writing hobby but have yet to game on it much though so have yet to form an opinion of it as a gaming keyboard.

    Not a mouse user, I use a Kensington trackball (left handed) instead... when I've been to LANs people look at my setup and have difficulty believing you can game with such a thing. Works quite well though and as it doesn't move around the desk you don't need much real-estate.

    Sadly my terrible gaming performance is more due to my laughable skills than the equipment I use. Suspect this is actually the case in the majority of instances amongst gamers :-)

  32. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    Functionality remains poor

    This article just reminds me how lacking we are in choices for gaming goodness.

    Okay, so this was an article about keyboards and rodents, fine. Nonetheless, the functionality we are given to choose from is still the same : one peripheral to manage aiming (the mouse), and one to manage everything else (movement, weapon choices, spell/techniques/etc).

    Fine, I agree, we only have two hands. This is where I long for an updated version of the Microsoft Strategic Commander (review still online here). To those of you who ask what this can be used for, I have one example to give you : any FPS shooter.

    What is the major complaint for all FPS gamers ? After an hour of gaming, the middle finger (used for pressing the Q to advance) is simply begging to stop. Of course, since all FPS shooters today punish the camper, everybody is used to moving all the time, so pressing Q to advance is a continuous job. In addition, doing anything else practically requires you to stop advancing because you lift your finger off Q in order to mash something else - even if you use another finger to do it.

    Replace all this button mashing with the Strategic Commander and you can play four hours straight without killing your fingers anymore. When basic movement is mapped to a mouse-like support, you're just pushing the movable part of the Commander forward to move instead of mashing down on a key - and that is much less effort. Plus, the programmable keys allow you to keep moving while you use the corresponding functions - thus diminishing the window of opportunity that enemies use so readily.

    Obviously, I'm not saying that it turns you into a gaming god - but it lets you play longer and more relaxed, and that has to count.

    I can't believe that such a positive peripheral has been so unnoticed by the gaming community.

    I'm going to buy a new one soon - there's a key on mine that got a bit iffy around mid-2013.

    Yes, I bought it in 2001.

    THAT's quality.

    1. Roby

      Re: Functionality remains poor

      I play a lot of FPS games, but I don't think I've ever pressed Q to advance. I'm not even sure what that means. Must be from a game I haven't played, but doesn't sound like something vital to FPS games. But I don't even press Q with my middle finger. That would be awkward. Do you also press E with your middle finger?

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    To expensive just for a keyboard and mouse...

    Funny all these gaming keyboards are expensive. What about the cheaper options, like Zalman, that do a really good job, at less then half the price?

  34. AchimR

    Logitech...

    ...does break, not every item yet (for me at least), but especially mice die. In my case it was always the left mouse button which died first.

    Dragging an item across the screen became utter warfare, clicking one item once ended up in it being clicked several times somehow, or not at all... Usually then I know, time for a new mouse, yet somehow I always end up with Logitech again. Over time I went from two MX518 to the G7, which in the long term wasn't that great as the battery didn't last as long as hoped, so switched back to wired, using the G9 for around 4-5 years now, same mouse, no issues with it yet (now that I said it, I'll come home to it non-functional now ;) ).

    Around the same time I got the G9 I replaced my G15 rev 1 with the G19, not because it was broken (still working fine and used as keyboard on other computers), but simply as I wanted something new :)

    What in my opinion is missing in the article a bit are supporting peripherals, such as the G13 and G35 for the Logitech setup, as it works well together also with the current software provided. I have the headset, and it broke within the warranty period (left ear part had no sound anymore) and the G35 was replaced instantly by Logitech, which I now have over three years without any hardware issues itself, but the covering around the earparts (whatever it's actually called) and the top foamy bit is breaking apart now.

    The software used to be crap, separate software for keyboard+mouse and headset, now all peripherals use one, didn't have an issue with it yet losing any of my customizations, fortunately.

    All in all I like the Logitech stuff, but may look more at the Mad Catz items, I must've missed the memo that Mad Catz is what Saitek was (loved the old Saitek Cyborg stuff)

  35. naive

    Gaming gear is worth the extra coin

    The MSI gaming laptop i bought introduced me to a world that i assumed lost after the demise of the classic IBM keyboards.

    The RAZR deathadder mouse and steelseries keyboard give a great feeling and precision so much absent in cheap office computer equipment from the usual manufacturers.

    Since most companies are saving on these peripherals, high end gaming keyboard and mouse are the most useful BYOD people could bring in.

    1. Tom 38
      WTF?

      Re: Gaming gear is worth the extra coin

      Classic IBM keyboards do not "demise". Ever. At worst, the keys go a little yellow.

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