Need help buying a gaming keyboard

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zqa20

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
582
0
10,990
Hey guys :). Just got back into Pc gaming and I've been playing a lot of FPS games. I've noticed that on my 10 year old keyboard that sometimes after pressing a lot of keys it doesn't register an input and i have to press it for a second or 3rd time to get it to register. ( After doing some research I think this has something to do with key rollover or something :p )

So I'm looking for a mechanical GAMING keyboard.

in terms of space my current keyboard is 49cm (L) by 21cm (W) So i'll be looking for around that size.

In terms of price I don't want to go over the £100 mark by much. I'm not looking into any fancy I just want a keyboard that will fulfill my gaming needs without the issues i'm currently facing

I'd also like the board to be from a reputable brand.

Suggest away guys :D.

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
azaran
1) It shouldn't give you any added latency. That said, it is basically a USB hub and is creating one more hop in the chain for the mouse to push it's input in to the computer, so it may add something in the area of nanoseconds but the likely hood of you noticing is pretty slim. The only way to tell for sure is to try it. As for the synapse software, it shouldn't be an issue as it's just a port.

2) I'd be interested to see why there's a difference between USB 3 and USB 2. According to the Logitech website, one port is for the keyboard, the second is for the passthrough. If the second port is solely for the passthrough, ie it's providing the route for data and power, it makes no sense for USB 3 to make a difference. However if the...
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Z

zqa20

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
582
0
10,990


It's a little out my range, £165 for a keyboard feels a little much. Do razer have any cheaper mechanical keyboard? It would be well with my razer mouse + pad

 
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feelinfroggy777

feelinfroggy777

Glorious
Dec 13, 2016
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Sorry, I did not know it was so high there. It is only $90 here.
 
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azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
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Do you have a preference on type of mechanical switches you want? Razer and Logitech have their own in house switches but you can usually find a comparison to Cherry switches, which are the industry standard.
Any needed bells and whistles ex. RGB, USB Passthrough, media controls, etc?

For the price range you're looking at, best bet without any of the above info, I'd say look at the Corsair Straff
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0127NHKAK/?tag=pcp0f-21&th=1

*Edit Also take a look at some from Cooler Master. Both of these should come in under £100
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/tGL7YJ/cooler-master-keyboard-sgk6020kkcm1us
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/gVwqqs/cooler-master-keyboard-sgk6030kkcm1us

Logitech has their G413 series available as well for £100. The Romer G keys feel kind of in between a membrane switch and a Cherry Brown switch. At least in my opinion.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-G413-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard-Romer-G-USB-Pass-Through/dp/B06XQ323B3/ref=sr_1_8?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1506043475&sr=1-8&refinements=p_36%3A6000-10000&th=1
 
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Z

zqa20

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Jan 12, 2014
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RGB: maybe depending on the price
USB pass though: not exactly sure what that is. I assume it's for plugging my mouse into (razer naga chroma)? If so I don't need the USB pass through
Mechanical switch preference: Not really. As explained i have a 10 year old keyboard so i don't have much experience with modern boards. I just read most "top end" fps gamers use mechanical boards.

Thanks for all the suggestions the first one looks promising.

Would you be able to suggest a razer keyboard? Only reason being is that i have one of their mouses lol.
 
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Z

zqa20

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
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The Logitech G413 is the keyboard i was leaning towards before posting on the forum. Seems to have great reviews.
A lot of the praise came from what you get from the price and it seems it's quite a bit cheaper in the US compared to the UK (£99)

 
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azaran

azaran

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Feb 17, 2010
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RGB is nice if you want colors, but in general backlit keyboards can be nice. I use a backlit keyboard solely because I have dumb lighting in the room with my computer and it was easier than wiring new lighting fixtures. It's actually getting hard to find gaming mechanical keyboards without it these days, so you may get there by default.

USB passthrough is when they have a USB port on the keyboard. Kinda nice but not really a huge deal for most people.

If you have a computer store nearby, I'd highly recommend going in and trying the keys. Each kind of switch has a different characteristic and you may prefer one over the other. In general you'll find 3 kinds of keys in keyboards, and usually they'll use the type of key as a selling point so it's not hard to find.

Clicky
Think old school keyboards you can hear from down the hall. These tend to need a bit more force to pretty down than non clicky keys. You'll be able to feel and hear when you've actuated the key and it's registered. Typists love them, gamers tend to be love or hate. These can get noisy.
Cherry - Blue
Razer - Green

Tactile
These don't make an audible click (tho all mechanical make some clacking noise from bottoming out). They do have a slight bump you feel when you've actuated the switch.
Cherry - Brown
Razer - Orange
Logitech - Romer G

Linear
These have no clicking or bump to let you know when the switch has been actuated. The quietest of the bunch. They take the same force as the Tactile.
Cherry - Red

Cherry also has a version call Speed, which is basically a Red but has a shorter actuation point (1.2mm vs 2mm)

Here's a good page on it all
http://www.pcgamer.com/best-mechanical-switches-for-gaming/

As for Razer, it looks like Amazon Uk has a few from outside vendors for the Razer BlackWidow 2014. I'd look up reviews of that particular model tho to make sure it's not prone to the issues Razer was having around that time with their quality control.
 
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azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
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I was tempted to pick up the G413 when I was looking for a keyboard. It's a Romer-G switch, so it's pretty easy to get used to from a membrane keyboard like what you have now. One of the things I liked was that it was a simple keyboard. Not a ton of macro keys or huge bulky design. I'd have liked a dedicated volume nob, but thats a personal preference. Keep in mind there are two versions of it. Black w/ red backlights and silver w/ white backlights.

I'd say go in to a store and play with one if you can and see if you like the feeling a mechanical switch before you drop £100 on it.
 
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Z

zqa20

Honorable
Jan 12, 2014
582
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10,990


I think the g413 should fulfill all the needs I have. As I've used this keyboard for 10+ years now i fully expect to have to get used to a new "feel" while pressing in keys with whatever keyboard i buy.

Just a question a few questions on the board itself.

1) with the pass though will i be able to plug my razer naga chroma into it without it losing any speed/features. Also will it be able to connect to the razer synapse software while plugged into my keyboard

2) From what I've read it looks as if the keyboard requires 2 usb 2.0 slots or 1 3.0 to work properly. what happens if i just use 1 2.0 slot?
 
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azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
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26,960
1) It shouldn't give you any added latency. That said, it is basically a USB hub and is creating one more hop in the chain for the mouse to push it's input in to the computer, so it may add something in the area of nanoseconds but the likely hood of you noticing is pretty slim. The only way to tell for sure is to try it. As for the synapse software, it shouldn't be an issue as it's just a port.

2) I'd be interested to see why there's a difference between USB 3 and USB 2. According to the Logitech website, one port is for the keyboard, the second is for the passthrough. If the second port is solely for the passthrough, ie it's providing the route for data and power, it makes no sense for USB 3 to make a difference. However if the second port is only transmitting power for the passthrough, and the data for both the keyboard and passthrough is provided by the main USB 2 cable, then that would make sense since USB 3 provides 950 mA vs. 500mA of USB 2.

So long winded story short, if you just use one 2.0 slot then you may not get the data or power needed to run the passthrough but the keyboard should be fine.
 
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