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Gaming keyboard for regular use

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takwu Page Icon Posted 2017-02-20 2:48 AM
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Do you guys use a regular keyboard or a gaming keyboard on your PC? I mean, unless you game on your PC, you would think you don't want to spend extra for a gaming keyboard right?

Well I had been looking for a "good" keyboard for regular use, and I was really disappointed at the regular keyboards available on the current market. For some reason they just don't feel right. All the low profile, mushy, quiet keys just don't feel the same as good old clicky full height ones. I also don't understand all these alternate key layouts or "comfort" curvatures on some of the higher end keyboards.

Why do desktop keyboards have to be wireless? Aren't they stationary on my desktop? The batteries do last a long time, but that just makes it more of a surprise when it does run out of power. Just because the mouse is better wireless doesn't mean the keyboard has to be wireless too, even when they're sold as a combo. Plus almost all wireless keyboards do not have any indicators for the CAPS/NUM/SCRL locks.

I do have a few quality wired keyboards from years back, but they're either too bulky and/or just not very stylish next to the rest of the newer stuff I have on my desk. The only major manufacturer who still makes regular keyboards that has the quality I'm looking for is Lenovo, but those keyboards are also very outdated in terms of design.

After months of searching and testing, I was about to give up and accept that I can't have a keyboard I like. Then I started looking into gaming keyboards.

Well I don't like the idea of spending twice the money of a regular keyboard for a gaming keyboard that do the same function for me. And I'm not a big fan of those noisy mechanical switches and a keyboard so heavy I can't easily move it out of the way when I need the desk for other stuff.

But then again the gaming community seems to have other preferences that match mine - responsive keys, standard layout and shape, and style that goes with current tech. I also discovered that, below the usual mechanical switch gaming keyboards, there is a market of lower end gaming keyboards that aren't noisy nor heavy, and cost less.

I ended up getting a Logitech G105 keyboard when it went on sale. It turns out to be everything I asked for. No non-sense layouts or cheap feeling keys, yet a bit stylish and reasonably affordable.

What do you think? Am I crazy or does anyone share my problem? Anyway I'll attach a picture of my desk with this new addition.



(G105.jpg)



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Attachments G105.jpg (87KB - 1 downloads)
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stingraze Page Icon Posted 2017-02-20 9:16 PM
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I use gaming keyboard for programming use actually with my Dell Inspiron 5000 series with Core i7.
The keyboard I use is Sidewinder X4 Monster Hunter Edition. (not that I play that game or much other games).

The cool factor is that you can change the red keyboard LED's brightness, and there are macro keys you can setup.
It cost about $39.80 or so I think, but now on amazon.co.jp, it's like $82.00 used... crazy, I must say.

I use Sublime Text for programming PHP, Perl and some Python scripts.

Edited by stingraze 2017-02-20 9:17 PM
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takwu Page Icon Posted 2017-02-21 3:05 AM
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nice one stingraze

I didn't know MS even made gaming keyboards. I just remember the Sidewinder gamepads - I still have one somewhere

Your X4 seems surprisingly similar to my new keyboard! Mine has 2 levels of blue LED backlighting (high, low, or off) and there are 6 macro keys to the left side too
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stingraze Page Icon Posted 2017-02-21 6:56 AM
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Yes, I was looking for a rather budget gaming keyboard, and they had a Microsoft one (Sidewinder X4) at a near by electronics store called K's Denki.

Yeah, I have a Sidewinder Precision 2 Joystick which I use to play FlightGear (Flight Simulation Software) once in a while on my desktop. I bought it for about $3.00 at a place called Hard Off.



Edited by stingraze 2017-02-21 7:09 AM
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thcrw739 Page Icon Posted 2017-02-25 6:04 PM
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I've had the g105 keyboard and the g300s mouse for about 8 months or so, i like them and and i can get it to match the LEDs on my alienware alpha which i use as a 75% regular/25% gaming...has been fine. I don't remember the cost but it wasn't much more with the generic gaming keyboards with the changing led lights.
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takwu Page Icon Posted 2017-02-26 7:59 AM
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Ah same keyboard

I didn't get a gaming mouse tho, as I still like it wireless, and not overstyled. Plus I don't play games on PC so don't need any advanced features.

I got a Logitech M310 XL in black. I really like the simplicity and full size comfort. Fortunately there are still some mice that make perfect sense for everyday use, unlike the keyboards. Also, the matt black texture matches very well with the gaming keyboard - at least the keys. So I am happy with this match up even if it's more of a mix and match
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2017-02-27 8:35 AM
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I'm a big advocate of people using what is comfortable. I used to run on a switched keyboard; pretty much up until 2015 in fact. I'm now using a short stroke membrane keyboard with slightly smaller than normal key sizes. It does the job fine although I miss some of the premium features from a more expensive device. When you need a keyboard that can input >3 simultaneous key presses you suddenly realise you have a problem.

I will say though that in an office environment, switched keyboards are extremely annoying; typewriter annoying. They are distractingly loud and if you have someone in an open plan space who is a heavy handed typist... it gets a bit too much.

I agree on wireless. Apart from for media centre use in the living room, I personally see no justification for them. They're environmentally poor, expensive, suffer from interference and although there are some newer gaming wireless technologies, generally suffer with latency and lower key concurrency than wired keyboards.
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thcrw739 Page Icon Posted 2017-02-28 7:41 PM
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takwu - 2017-02-25 11:59 PM

Ah same keyboard

I didn't get a gaming mouse tho, as I still like it wireless, and not overstyled. Plus I don't play games on PC so don't need any advanced features.

I got a Logitech M310 XL in black. I really like the simplicity and full size comfort. Fortunately there are still some mice that make perfect sense for everyday use, unlike the keyboards. Also, the matt black texture matches very well with the gaming keyboard - at least the keys. So I am happy with this match up even if it's more of a mix and match


I prefer wired because of latency issues.... same as I hook up the ethernet cable when convenient...I dont like the mice with the side buttons at all, i always hit them by mistake & size is an issue as well...so this one was a good choice, however a little bigger would have been perfect...

Edited by thcrw739 2017-02-28 7:42 PM
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stingraze Page Icon Posted 2017-03-01 6:50 AM
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I prefer wired mouse too because of the wireless signals kind of "annoy" me to some extent. I bought a Razer Mamba Tournament Edition for work, but it almost broke my Macbook Pro so I returned it.

After that, I'm using Elecom's $16 or so wired laser mouse and for mobile mouse I use a $10 Logicool wireless mouse which is small. I find a small wired mouse hard to find nowadays...

Edited by stingraze 2017-03-01 7:38 AM
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thcrw739 Page Icon Posted 2017-03-01 2:53 PM
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I find a small wired mouse hard to find nowadays...


Must be regional because I have a hard time finding large mice, or perhaps our size references are different
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takwu Page Icon Posted 2017-03-01 5:55 PM
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Yea I see what stingraze is saying... Similar to keyboards, almost all higher end mice are wireless - unless you get a gaming mouse.

I do actually like wireless for the mouse so that's not a problem for me.

Usually regular wired mice are the low end basic ones, and size is medium to large. There used to be some travel wired mice, often with a retractable wire. But large companies like Logitech and Microsoft only make them with wireless now.
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stingraze Page Icon Posted 2017-03-01 7:55 PM
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thcrw739 - 2017-03-01 11:53 PM

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I find a small wired mouse hard to find nowadays...


Must be regional because I have a hard time finding large mice, or perhaps our size references are different


My definition of a small mouse is about this size.

(about 2.5x height of a SDHC card)

Edited by stingraze 2017-03-01 7:56 PM




(mouse.jpg)



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takwu Page Icon Posted 2017-03-05 10:56 PM
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stingraze,
I found this Verbatim mouse - they have other models too.

http://www.verbatim.com/prod/mice/mice-travel/mini-travel-mice-comm...




(98113_with_Laptop.jpg)



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Attachments 98113_with_Laptop.jpg (7KB - 1 downloads)
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HPCGeorge Page Icon Posted 2017-03-06 1:24 AM
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That mouse was not big stingraze . When it comes to mouse i dont really have a brand name but i want a mouse that have built in weights that i can add and remove for that perfect balance. Dont like mech keyboards so im acctually using a MS keyboard right now. Picked it up cheap at a Dep store nearby where i live . Mouse is the most important for gaming i think. Play alot of CS
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stingraze Page Icon Posted 2017-03-06 12:34 PM
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HPCGeorge - 2017-03-06 10:24 AM

That mouse was not big stingraze . When it comes to mouse i dont really have a brand name but i want a mouse that have built in weights that i can add and remove for that perfect balance. Dont like mech keyboards so im acctually using a MS keyboard right now. Picked it up cheap at a Dep store nearby where i live . Mouse is the most important for gaming i think. Play alot of CS

Nice! CS as in Counter Strike? Cool. I used to play America's Army a lot back in the 2000's and early 2010's.

I just bought another cheap $12.10 mouse by elecom the other day, it's laser and has good response.
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