游戏键盘非常受欢迎，这是有充分理由的。我们在Digital Citizen 中将(Digital Citizen)它们用于工作和娱乐(work and play)，因为它们捆绑了使键盘变得出色的所有东西。但是，游戏键盘在价格和质量(price and quality)方面各不相同，其中一些是每个人都应该避免的劣质产品。更令人困惑的是，制造商吹嘘人们不理解的高度技术性功能，或者对改善用户体验(user experience)没有有意义影响的功能。如果您想了解游戏键盘，以及想要购买好的键盘时最重要的事情，请阅读本指南：
1. 键盘上使用的开关：机械、薄膜和橡胶圆顶
游戏键盘可以使用薄膜按键、橡胶圆顶或机械开关。一个问题是制造商并不总是对他们提供的按键类型诚实，特别是在预算键盘上，并且在营销中使用令人困惑的术语。例如，Roccat将他们的某些按键称为薄膜(membranical)按键，而其他制造商则使用“半机械”一词。("semi-mechanical.")
键盘要么是机械的，要么不是。没有真正的“半机械”键盘。当您遇到此类术语时，制造商会告诉您他们销售的橡胶圆顶或薄膜键盘(rubber dome or membrane keyboard)复制了机械键盘的一些特征。通常(Often)，它们会复制机械键盘使用的键帽，以便您轻松更换它们，并且在按下它们时具有相似的感觉。
这种键盘通常在电路板上有一层橡胶(circuit board)层(rubbery layer)。按下一个键会压下薄膜，从而关闭底层电路并传输击键。在薄膜或橡胶圆顶键盘上打字时，您可以通过按键的“松软”感觉来识别它，或者与机械开关相比按键的难度。
薄膜(Membrane)和橡胶圆顶键盘比机械键盘便宜，并且更容易为整个键盘提供防泼溅性，因为它们使用了大量的(spill resistance)橡胶和塑料(rubber and plastic)，不像机械键盘倾向于使用金属板。这种类型的键盘无法像机械键盘那样提供快速的响应时间。(response time)此外，您需要更用力地按下它们的键才能注册它们，而且它们的耐用性较差。
机械键盘可以使用不同类型的开关：具有恒定电阻的线性开关（例如Cherry MX Red）、带有不听声碰撞的触觉开关（例如Cherry MX Brown）和带有咔嗒声的咔嗒声（例如Cherry MX Blue ）。
Clicky机械开关 ( Cherry MX Blue ) 非常适合玩游戏、在电脑上打字很多且不介意按键噪音较大的人。(louder noise)线性机械轴（Cherry MX Red）不提供触觉反馈，非常适合激烈、快节奏的游戏，但不太适合打字和高效工作。触觉机械开关（Cherry MX Brown) 是线性开关和点击开关之间的平衡，它们提供的音频反馈以及记录按键所需的力。因此，当您想要一款兼顾两全的机械键盘（游戏和生产力），以及比其他机械键盘更安静一点时，您应该选择触觉机械开关、Cherry MX Brown或类似的替代品。
如果您想了解机械开关的世界，我们强烈推荐机械开关比较指南(The Comparative Guide to Mechanical Switches)。
2. 键盘和按键安装材料：塑料、金属或PCB
虽然键盘中使用的按键类型会影响用户体验(user experience)，有时还会影响其耐用性，但键盘的耐用性会因制造它的材料而异。看看下面的图片，您可以看到一个用于创建机械键盘的自己动手工具包。您有一个后框架（通常由塑料制成），其作用类似于后盖，印刷电路板(circuit board)（PCB）与按键通信并将按键发送到计算机，安装实际开关/按键的背板，和一个顶盖。有时，背板与顶盖相同，或者不存在，开关直接安装在PCB上。
当您购买价格低于 50美元的(USD)预算键盘(budget keyboard)时，按键或开关很可能直接安装在包含键盘所有电子设备的印刷电路板(circuit board)( PCB ) 上。(PCB)这是键盘制造商最便宜的选择，也是最不耐用的选择。这种键盘容易受到撞击和冲击。想象一个沮丧的游戏玩家反复敲击他（或她）的键盘。键盘是否具有可承受 5000 万次按键的耐用机械开关并不重要。如果开关直接安装在印刷电路板(circuit board)( PCB ) 上，则电路板(circuit board)被击中的时候寿命会减少，键盘用不了多久。当公司制造廉价键盘时，他们不会告诉用户何时将开关直接安装在PCB上。您可以通过尝试弯曲键盘来判断是否是这种情况。如果键盘容易弯曲，而且不防泼水，那么很可能是键盘没有背板，按键直接安装在PCB上。
薄膜(Membrane)和橡胶圆顶键盘通常是防泼溅的，因为按键安装在塑料板上。塑料背板(Plastic backplate)安装用于不同的游戏键盘。主要缺点是它的坚固性略低于金属。但是，它比金属便宜很多，比直接PCB 安装(PCB mounting)更耐用。此外，对于RGB 照明键盘，塑料具有比(RGB-lit)金属和 PCB(metal and PCB)更均匀地分散背光的优势。
当您购买价格实惠的游戏键盘(gaming keyboard)时，请确保它具有塑料背板，并且按键没有直接连接到PCB上。仅此选择就会增加键盘的耐用性。
金属(Metal)背板提供高耐用性、刚性和坚实的手感，但也使键盘更重，并且不防泼溅。如果您希望键盘具有最佳的耐用性，则应选择具有耐用机械开关和金属背板(metal backplate)的键盘。
您可能会认为所有昂贵的游戏键盘都使用金属背板(metal backplate)，但您错了。例如，即使是 70美元(USD)或以上的键盘，高端品牌也使用塑料背板。注意这个细节并仔细阅读您要购买的键盘的规格。
在某些键盘上，金属背板(metal backplate)与顶部框架相同。对于高级游戏键盘尤其如此。为了增加耐用性并改善键盘的外观，制造商将机械开关直接粘贴在顶部框架上，作为传统的背板。顶部框架可以由铝、镁或钢制成(magnesium or steel)，具体取决于键盘。
3.背光：RGB与单色背光(one-color backlight)
背光(Backlighting)可帮助用户在黑暗和光线不足的环境中打字。拥有它很有用，因此您在使用键盘时始终保持高效。此外，游戏玩家和其他用户通过个性化使用背光作为一种视觉表达形式。谈到游戏键盘，您有一个重要的背光选择：您可以为键盘使用一种均匀发光的颜色，还是想要RGB照明？
不幸的是，RGB照明大大增加了键盘的成本。让我们以一个很棒的键盘为例：CORSAIR K68。当您购买带有简单的红色背光灯时，它的价格约为 74 美元。如果您购买相同的带有RGB灯效的键盘，价格约为 113 美元。那是 52% 以上。价格差异(price difference)是否值得投资，这取决于每个用户，他们的需求，预算和偏好。
无论您为键盘选择哪种类型的背光，都应考虑以下几点：
- 便宜(Cheaper)的键盘往往光线不均匀，尤其是RGB键盘。您注意到并非所有按键都以相同的强度点亮。如果您想要高质量的照明，您可能无法在价格低于 50美元(USD)的预算键盘上找到它。
- RGB 照明(RGB lighting)在区域（三到六个照明区域，取决于键盘）或每个按键中实现。为了更好地理解照明区域的概念，请查看下面的键盘。您会看到键按颜色分组。每种颜色代表一个照明区域。您可以对此类键盘进行个性化设置，以使用RGB 光谱(RGB spectrum)中的任何颜色，但您不能对每个键执行此操作，只能对每个区域执行此操作。如果您想要最好和最个性化的RGB 照明(RGB lighting)，您应该选择每个按键都有独立照明的键盘，这会增加您的成本。
4. 防重影和 N 键翻转(Rollover)( NKRO )
N 键翻转和防重影(rollover and anti-ghosting)是有时在游戏键盘营销中被滥用的技术术语，用户也无法理解。要全面了解它们以及它们对键盘的重要性，请阅读：NKRO(NKRO technology)键盘技术是什么？
总而言之：N键翻转意味着您的键盘正确注册了多少同时按键，而防重影意味着您的键盘不会注册您没有进行的按键。没有防重影就不能进行 N 键翻转(You cannot have N-key rollover without anti-ghosting)，因为键盘会注册假按键，并且不会正确注册同时按键。所有游戏键盘都具有防重影功能，(ALL gaming keyboards have anti-ghosting,)当制造商吹嘘此功能时，您不应该留下深刻印象，因为它是现代键盘的基本标准。如果您遇到没有防重影的键盘，您不应该购买它。
必须了解 N 键翻转：键盘正确注册(keyboard register)了多少次同时按键？这个数字因键盘而异，有时甚至对于一些昂贵的键盘来说也低得惊人。如果你想确保你有一个很好的打字体验(typing experience)，你必须问自己你用多少根手指来打字？如果您是流利的计算机用户(computer user)，您可能会使用 6 到 10 根手指来打字。
因此，您需要一个至少具有 6KRO 或 6 键翻转的键盘。如果您想确保记录所有同时按键，即使您使用所有十个手指，您也应该购买提供 10KRO 或 10 键翻转的键盘。
但是，一些机械键盘提供NKRO 或 Full N-key rollover(NKRO or Full N-key rollover)，这意味着，如果您一次按下所有按键，所有按键都会被正确记录。这种情况是不可能的，除非您构建一个用于打字的机器人，例如Ghost in the Shell 中(Ghost in the Shell)的机器人。
要记住的另一个方面是，某些键盘（例如HyperX Alloy FPS ）允许您在NKRO和 6KRO 之间切换，因为某些旧应用程序和 BIOS 固件(apps and BIOS firmware)不适用于具有NKRO的键盘。🙂
5.腕托让生活更舒适。你应该用一个！
使用腕托(wrist rest)可为您的手和手腕在使用键盘时提供更自然的坐姿。它减少了手腕的压力，使整个体验更加舒适。当您需要长时间打字或在计算机上玩很多游戏时尤其如此。并非所有键盘都带有腕托(wrist rest)，此类配件也可以单独购买。
购买键盘时，我们更喜欢选择带有腕托的键盘。但是，使用的材料及其质量差异很大，具体取决于您购买的键盘的价格及其制造商。大多数时候，腕托由塑料制成，但也由橡胶制成，有时由柔软舒适的人造皮革制成。
6.多媒体键(Multimedia keys)、多媒体快捷键、宏键
高级游戏键盘的一项有用功能是多媒体键。许多高端键盘提供控制音量的滚轮，以及控制(sound volume)音乐播放(music play)、打开和关闭照明或游戏模式的专用按钮。在测试了许多不同价位的键盘之后，我们喜欢使用多媒体按键，并且希望它们出现在我们的日常键盘上。您可能也需要它们，因为它们使生活更轻松、更有成效。
至少，您应该购买带有多媒体快捷键的键盘，其中包括按两个键而不是一个键（如Fn+F1）来执行相同的操作。
宏(Macro)键不再是游戏键盘世界的流行趋势。那是因为很少有人使用它们。但是，它们在某些情况下很有用，因为您可以设置一个宏键(macro key)来执行几个特定的操作，只需按一下键。游戏玩家和专业用户都可以从使用宏键(macro key)中受益。
7. USB 线(USB cable)：编织线还是普通线？
我们用于将游戏键盘连接到计算机的USB电缆可以是编织的或非编织的（由塑料制成）。较便宜(Cheaper)的键盘很少提供编织电缆，而昂贵的键盘通常都有编织电缆，但并非总是如此。编织和普通塑料USB(USB)电缆之间的区别在于外观和耐用性。编织的 USB(Braided USB)电缆通常不太灵活，也不太可能撕裂或损坏，因为它们内置了额外的保护。USB电缆可以使用不同的材料编织，从棉到尼龙，具有不同的耐用性、柔韧性和制造成本.
两种类型的电缆之间没有性能差异(performance difference)，任何键盘都可以与这两种类型的电缆配合使用。如果您没有宠物（或蹒跚学步的孩子）来咀嚼您的电缆，并且您不经常移动键盘，那么塑料电缆是一个不错的选择。
8. 通过软件或键盘快捷键(software or keyboard shortcuts)进行个性化?
有两种类型的用户：想要即插即用键盘的人，他们可以立即使用，但他们不想配置，以及需要个性化和高级调整的人。对于RGB游戏键盘，事情变得复杂起来，因为RGB照明失去了很多吸引力和实用性(appeal and usefulness)，没有先进的软件来控制它并将其与各种用例集成。制造商使用三种方法：
- 他们提供价格实惠的键盘（通常低于 50 美元），无需软件。其中一些键盘根本无法个性化，而另一些则以有限的方式通过您需要按下的键盘快捷键进行。对于此类键盘，您应该阅读用户手册以了解如何对其进行个性化设置。
- 一些制造商提供用于个性化的基本软件，仅涵盖基本功能，如键盘的响应性、宏键的录制或按键的点亮方式。
- 一些制造商，尤其是那些在RGB 照明(RGB lighting)方面投入巨资的制造商，提供先进的软件，客户可以使用这些软件来个性化他们的键盘，并将它们集成到RGB 照明(RGB lighting)生态系统中，其中包括各种配件：键盘、鼠标、耳机、鼠标垫、冷却系统、主板、显卡、显示器等。一些软件生态系统令人印象深刻，因为它们还与游戏集成，并通过RGB 照明(RGB-lit)配件提供身临其境的游戏体验。(gaming experience)
游戏配件的高级软件生态系统的一个缺点是它们将用户锁定为只能使用一家公司的配件。例如，Corsair的iCUE 软件(iCUE software)运行良好，而且很有用，但前提是您不断购买Corsair的游戏配件：鼠标、键盘、耳机、鼠标垫等。华硕(ASUS)、罗技(Logitech)、雷蛇(Razer)、Roccat或 Steelseries等其他品牌也是如此。
9. 配件及其他功能
配件对于使用键盘来说既不重要，也不能告诉您键盘的构造是否良好。但是，它们通常用于增加用户的价值感知(value perception)，有时它们可能很有用。购买价格实惠的键盘时，您很少会得到配件。但是，也有一些例外，例如Trust GXT 865 Asta，它在背面捆绑了一个键帽拉拔器(keycap puller)，以及一个用于改进电缆管理(cable management)的系统。
当您在游戏键盘上花费超过 50美元(USD)时，配件的频率就会增加。例如，HyperX Alloy FPS提供了我们在其(HyperX Alloy FPS)价格范围内(price range)见过的最慷慨的捆绑包之一：一个手提包(carry bag)、一个键帽拉拔器(keycap puller)、备用游戏键帽和用于使用键盘为智能手机充电的USB 通道(USB passthrough)。使用键盘获得如此多的配件是很少见的。
其他键盘，例如Razer Blackwidow Elite，也可能提供音频直通，用于将您的耳机直接连接到键盘。
我们对您的建议是避免将捆绑的配件作为购买游戏键盘的标准。我们之前讨论的其他方面更为重要。但是，当您必须在两个或三个具有相似构建质量(build quality)、功能和软件的键盘之间进行选择时，配件的过剩是值得考虑的。
你想从你的键盘上得到什么？
现在您了解了我们对游戏键盘为何如此出色的看法，以及购买游戏键盘时应考虑的一切。我们希望您喜欢阅读这篇文章。基于数月的测试、数周的研究和比较(research and comparison)，我们投入了大量工作。在关闭之前，请告诉我们您对游戏键盘的需求。购买键盘时最重要的标准是什么？在下面发表评论(Comment)，让我们讨论。
The ultimate guide to gaming keyboards: what makes a keyboard great?
Gaming keybоards are highly popular and for good reason. We use them at Digital Citizen both for work and play because they bundle everything that makes a keyboard great. However, gaming keyboards vary in terms of price and quality, and some of them are inferior products that everyone should avoid. To make things even more confusing, manufacturers brag about highly technical features that people do not understand, or about features that have no meaningful impact in improving the user experience. If you want to understand gaming keyboards, and what matters when you want to buy a good keyboard, read this guide:
1. The switches used on the keyboard: mechanical vs. membrane vs. rubber domes
Gaming keyboards can use membrane keys, rubber domes, or mechanical switches. One problem is that manufacturers are not always honest about the type of keys that they offer, especially on budget keyboards, and use confusing terms in their marketing. For example, Roccat calls some of their keys as being membranical, while other manufacturers use the term "semi-mechanical."
A keyboard is either mechanical, or it is not. There is no real "semi-mechanical" keyboard. When you come across such terms, manufacturers tell you that they sell a rubber dome or membrane keyboard that copies a few of the characteristics of mechanical keyboards. Often, they copy the keycaps used by mechanical keyboards, so that you can change them with ease, and they have a similar feel when pressing them.
Such keyboards usually have a rubbery layer placed atop a circuit board. Pressing a key depresses the membrane, which closes the underlying circuit and transmits the keystroke. When typing on a membrane or rubber dome keyboard, you can recognize it by how "squishy" the keys feel, or how hard you have to press the keys compared to mechanical switches.
Membrane and rubber dome keyboards are cheaper than their mechanical counterparts, and it is easier to provide spill resistance for the whole keyboard because they use lots of rubber and plastic, unlike mechanical keyboards which tend to use metal plates. This type of keyboards cannot provide a fast response time as mechanical keyboards do. Also, you need to press their keys harder to register them, and they are less durable.
Mechanical keyboards can use different types of switches: linear with constant resistance (e.g. Cherry MX Red), tactile with a non-audible bump (e.g. Cherry MX Brown) and clicky (e.g. Cherry MX Blue), with an audible click.
Clicky mechanical switches (Cherry MX Blue) are perfect for people who play games, and also type a lot on their computers, and do not mind the louder noise of the keys. Linear mechanical switches (Cherry MX Red) do not provide tactile feedback and are perfect for intense, fast-paced gaming, but less ideal for typing and productive work. The tactile mechanical switches (Cherry MX Brown) are a balance between linear and clicky switches in terms of the audio feedback they provide, and the force needed to register key presses. Therefore, when you want a mechanical keyboard that is good in both worlds (gaming and productivity), as well as a bit more silent than other mechanical keyboards, you should choose tactile mechanical switches, Cherry MX Brown or similar alternatives.
If you want an introduction to the world of mechanical switches, we highly recommend The Comparative Guide to Mechanical Switches.
2. The materials used for the keyboard and the mounting of the keys: plastic, metal, or PCB
While the type of keys used in a keyboard affects the user experience, and sometimes its endurance, the durability of the keyboard varies based on the materials used to make it. Take a look at the picture below, where you see a do-it-yourself kit for creating a mechanical keyboard. You have a back frame (usually made of plastic) that acts like a back cover, the printed circuit board (PCB) that communicates with the keys and sends your keypresses to the computer, a backplate on which the actual switches/keys are mounted, and a top cover. Sometimes, the backplate is the same as the top cover, or it does not exist, and the switches are mounted directly to the PCB.
When you buy a budget keyboard that costs less than 50 USD, it is likely that the keys or switches are mounted directly on the printed circuit board (PCB) that contains all the electronics of the keyboard. This is the cheapest option for keyboard manufacturers, and also the least durable. Such keyboards are vulnerable to hits and shocks. Imagine a frustrated gamer repeatedly hitting his (or her) keyboard. It does not matter if the keyboard has durable mechanical switches that last 50 million keypresses. If the switches are mounted directly on the printed circuit board (PCB), the circuit board's lifetime is going to decrease when it is hit, and the keyboard is not going to last long. When companies manufacture cheap keyboards, they do not tell users when they mount the switches directly on the PCB. You can tell if this is the case by trying to bend the keyboard. If the keyboard bends easily, and it is not spill-proof, then it is likely that the keyboard doesn't have a backplate, and the keys are mounted directly on the PCB.
Membrane and rubber dome keyboards are often spill-proof because the keys are mounted on a plastic plate. Plastic backplate mounting is used on different gaming keyboards. The main downside is that it is slightly less robust than metal. However, it is a lot cheaper than metal and more durable than direct PCB mounting. Also, for RGB-lit keyboards, plastic has the advantage of helping disperse backlighting more evenly than metal and PCB.
When you buy an affordable gaming keyboard, make sure that it has a plastic backplate, and that the keys are not attached directly to the PCB. This choice alone is going to increase the durability of your keyboard.
Metal backplates provide high durability, rigidity, and a solid feel, but also make keyboards heavier, and not spill resistant. If you want the best possible durability from your keyboard, you should choose one that has durable mechanical switches, as well as a metal backplate.
You may assume that all expensive gaming keyboards use a metal backplate, but you would be wrong. For example, premium brands use plastic backplates even for keyboards that cost 70 USD or more. Pay attention to this detail and carefully read the specifications of the keyboard that you want to buy.
On some keyboards, the metal backplate is the same as the top frame. This is especially true for premium gaming keyboards. To increase the durability, as well as improve the look of the keyboard, manufacturers stick the mechanical switches directly on the top frame, which acts as a traditional backplate. The top frame can be made of aluminum, magnesium or steel, depending on the keyboard.
3. Backlighting: RGB vs. one-color backlight
Backlighting helps users type in the dark and in low-lit environments. It is useful to have it, so that you are always productive when you use your keyboard. Also, gamers and other users use backlighting as a form of visual expression, through personalization. When it comes to gaming keyboards, you have an important choice to make about backlighting: are you OK to use one evenly lit color for the keyboard, or do you want RGB lighting?
Unfortunately, RGB lighting increases the cost of the keyboard by a lot. Let's take a great keyboard as an example: CORSAIR K68. When you buy it with a simple red backlight, it costs about $74. If you buy the same keyboard with RGB lighting, it costs about $113. That's 52% more. Whether the price difference is worth the investment, that is up to each user, their needs, budget, and preferences.
No matter what type of backlight you choose for your keyboard, you should take into consideration the following:
- Cheaper keyboards tend to have uneven lighting, especially RGB keyboards. You notice that not all the keys are lit with the same intensity. If you want high-quality lighting, you may not find it on budget keyboards that cost less than 50 USD.
- RGB lighting is implemented in zones (three to six lighting zones, depending on the keyboard) or for each key. To better understand the concept of lighting zones, look at the keyboard below. You see that the keys are grouped by color. Each color represents a lighting zone. You can personalize such keyboards to use any color in the RGB spectrum, but you can't do that for each key, only for each zone. If you want the best and the most personalizable RGB lighting, you should pick keyboards where each key has independent lighting, and that is going to increase your cost.
4. Anti-ghosting and N-Key Rollover (NKRO)
N-key rollover and anti-ghosting are technical terms that are sometimes misused in the marketing of gaming keyboards and are also not understood by users. To fully understand them, and their importance for keyboards, read: What is the NKRO technology for keyboards?
To summarize: N-key rollover means how many simultaneous keypresses your keyboard correctly registers, and anti-ghosting means that your keyboard does not register keypresses that you do not make. You cannot have N-key rollover without anti-ghosting, because the keyboard would register fake keypresses, and it won't correctly register simultaneous key presses. ALL gaming keyboards have anti-ghosting, and when manufacturers brag about this feature, you should not be impressed, because it is a basic standard for modern keyboards. If you ever encounter a keyboard without anti-ghosting, you should not buy it.
It is essential to understand the N-key rollover: how many simultaneous keypresses does the keyboard register correctly? This number varies from keyboard to keyboard, and sometimes, it is surprisingly low even for some expensive keyboards. If you want to make sure that you have a great typing experience you must ask yourself how many fingers do you use for typing? If you are a fluent computer user, it is likely that you use somewhere between 6 and 10 fingers to type.
Therefore, you need a keyboard that has at least 6KRO or 6-key rollover. If you want to make sure that all your simultaneous keypresses are recorded, even when you use all ten fingers, you should buy a keyboard that offers 10KRO or 10-key rollover.
However, some mechanical keyboards offer NKRO or Full N-key rollover, meaning that, if you press all their keys at once, all keypresses are correctly recorded. This situation is impossible unless you build a robot for typing, like those from Ghost in the Shell.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that some keyboards like the HyperX Alloy FPS allow you to switch between NKRO and 6KRO because some old apps and BIOS firmware do not work well with keyboards that have NKRO. 🙂
5. The wrist rest makes life more comfortable. You should use one!
Using a wrist rest provides a more natural angle for your hands and wrists to sit on while using the keyboard. It reduces the strain on your wrists and makes the whole experience more comfortable. This is especially true when you need to type for long hours or when you play a lot on your computer. Not all keyboards come with a wrist rest, and such accessories can also be purchased separately.
When buying a keyboard, we prefer choosing one that has a wrist rest. However, the materials used and their quality varies greatly, depending on the price of the keyboard that you buy, and its manufacturer. Most times, wrist rests are made of plastic, but also from rubber, and sometimes from artificial leather, which is soft and comfortable.
6. Multimedia keys, multimedia shortcuts, and macro keys
One useful feature of premium gaming keyboards is multimedia keys. Many high-end keyboards offer a wheel to control the sound volume, and dedicated buttons to control music play, to turn the lighting or the gaming mode on and off. After testing many keyboards, at different price-points, we love using multimedia keys, and we want them on our daily keyboard. You may want them too, as they make life easier and more productive.
At the very least, you should buy a keyboard with multimedia shortcuts, which involve pressing two keys instead of one (like Fn+F1) to perform the same actions.
Macro keys are no longer a popular trend in the world of gaming keyboards. That is because few people use them. However, they can be useful in some situations as you can set a macro key to perform several specific actions, with just one keypress. Both gamers and professional users can benefit from using macro keys.
7. The USB cable: braided or regular?
The USB cables that we use to connect gaming keyboards to our computers can be braided or non-braided (made of plastic). Cheaper keyboards rarely offer a braided cable, while expensive keyboards generally have one, though not always. The differences between braided and regular plastic USB cables are about looks and durability. Braided USB cables are generally less flexible, and less likely to tear or get damaged, because of the extra protection they have built in. USB cables can be braided using different materials, from cotton to nylon, with different durability, flexibility, and manufacturing costs.
There is no performance difference between the two types of cables, and any keyboard works just fine with both types of cables. If you do not have a pet (or a toddler) to chew on your cables, and you do not move your keyboard a lot, plastic cables are a good choice.
8. Personalization through software or keyboard shortcuts?
There are two types of users: people who want a plug-and-play keyboard that they can use straight away, and which they do not want to configure, and people who desire personalization, and advanced tweaking. When it comes to RGB gaming keyboards, things get complicated, because RGB lighting loses a lot of its appeal and usefulness without advanced software to control it and integrate it with all kinds of use cases. Manufacturers use three approaches:
- They offer affordable keyboards (usually under $50) with no software. Some of these keyboards are not personalizable at all, while others are, in a limited fashion, through keyboard shortcuts that you need to press. For such keyboards, you should read the user manual to know how to personalize them.
- Some manufacturers offer basic software for personalization that covers only basic features like the responsiveness of the keyboard, the recording of macro keys, or how the keys are lit.
- Some manufacturers, especially those that are heavily invested into RGB lighting, offer advanced software that their customers can use to personalize their keyboards and integrate them into RGB lighting ecosystems that include all kinds of accessories: keyboards, mice, headsets, mouse pads, cooling systems, motherboards, video cards, monitors, and so on. Some software ecosystems are impressive because they are also integrated with games, and offer an immersive gaming experience through RGB-lit accessories.
One downside of advanced software ecosystems for gaming accessories is the fact that they lock users into using accessories from only one company. For example, Corsair's iCUE software works beautifully, and it is useful, but only if you keep buying Corsair's gaming accessories: mice, keyboards, headsets, mouse pads, and so on. The same goes for other brands like ASUS, Logitech, Razer, Roccat, or Steelseries.
9. Accessories and other features
Accessories are neither critical to using a keyboard, nor do they tell you whether a keyboard is well constructed or not. However, they are often used to increase the value perception for users, and sometimes, they can be useful. When buying an affordable keyboard, you seldom get accessories with it. However, there are some exceptions like Trust GXT 865 Asta, which bundles a keycap puller on its back, as well as a system for improved cable management.
When you spend more than 50 USD on a gaming keyboard, accessories increase in frequency. For example, HyperX Alloy FPS offers one of the most generous bundles we've seen in its price range: a carry bag, one keycap puller, spare gaming keycaps, and USB passthrough for charging your smartphone using the keyboard. Getting so many accessories with your keyboard is rare.
Other keyboards, like the Razer Blackwidow Elite, may also offer audio passthrough, for connecting your headset straight to the keyboard.
Our advice to you is to avoid using the bundled accessories as a criterion for buying a gaming keyboard. The other aspects we discussed earlier are much more important. However, when you have to pick between two or three keyboards with similar build quality, features, and software, the surplus of accessories is worth taking into consideration.
What do you want from your keyboard?
Now you know our perspective about what makes a gaming keyboard great, and everything you should take into consideration when buying one. We hope that you enjoyed reading this article. We've put much work into it, based on many months of testing, and weeks of research and comparison. Before closing, tell us what you want from a gaming keyboard. What are your most important criteria when buying a keyboard? Comment below and let's discuss.
