Best Gaming Keyboard & Mouse

[Cheex]

My cheap ass keyboard went to hell...using another one temporarily now.

I need to find some cash now (which I don't have) to get a new one. I was thinking though that , as a gamer, I should just splurge and get the good stuff now, and not think about it again later.

I really like the Ideazon Merc Stealth. I used to be awed by the G15 but, I think I like the Merc Stealth a lot better now.

1) How good is it and would you recommend me spending that much on a keyboard?
2) Is it worth it?
3) What is the difference between the Merc and the Merc Stealth (aside from price)?

Also the Ideazon Reaper Edge mouse looks great...might as well match it up.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions are all welcome.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I use a UNICOMP IBM / Lexmark Model M clone to game. I am currently using this model, which has USB support. These things are very durable and built in the USA (at least mine was). It does not have LCD screens or macro buttons, though

 

[Drift3r]

I use the Ideazon Fang for most FPS, MMO's and any other game that I can get to work with it. It pretty much works with any game though. If you really want to be a FPS master then try a trackball mouse and master it instead.

 

[Cutthroat]

I have a Merc Stealth, and I really like it, but...

The keyboard is really long, I find my hands kinda far apart when I use the gamepad.

The 'DEL' key is shared with the 1 on the numpad, you can either have numlock on and use the keyboard or have numlock off to use the DEL key, really annoying actually.

The profiles that come with it or are available for download are pretty much useless I've found. The keys are usually already mapped that way.

For some reason my PC will not POST if I reset my CMOS and have this keyboard plugged in, I have to use an old PS/2 keyboard and set up the USB controllers in the BIOS a certain way to get the PC to POST with this keyboard plugged in.

The backlit keys are kinda neat, but I don't use it personally so it doesn't matter.

It sounds like I'm ragging on it quite a bit here, but I actually do like the keyboard, and I found the gamepad useful. But next time I will probably get a normal Logitech media keyboard or something like that and a Ideazon game pad by itself, I think that would be better.

As for a mouse, I've owned a lot, and my Logitech G7 is by far the best ever.

 

[KaOTiK]

For keyboard, I own a G15 and like it overall. Though I find the LCD on it to be mostly useless overall. I do like all the macros though. If you are a macro person then id recommend it.
As for mouse, i've went through a lot of them to find one that was just right. I ended up with the Razer Deathadder. Best mouse i've ever used so far. Extremely light in weight, settings for how sensitve you want it and if you want it to be faster in the X or Y axis and it goes really have on the sensitivy as well as the dpi. I find it very comfortable and the scroll wheel has a good feel to it if you know what i mean? lol I definitely recommend it without any hesitation.

 

[BradAtWork]

Keyboard - http://www.dansdata.com/images/clicky/ballboard1024.jpg

Mouse - G5.

 

[Canai]

I've got the Saitek Eclipse II, which is great, as I play from a couch and the keyboard takes quite a beating, falling to the floor pretty often. I also like the knoby things on the corners, which lets me lean it up against something and not have it go sliding off.

My mouse is a Habu, which I really love, but it's a piece of shit I'm on my third one now.

 

[Pia]

Razer Lachesis has been good for me. But it's individual ergonomics, you should really try to get to handle individual mice at the store or through a friend. I tried Diamondback, Habu and Copperhead before Lachesis, all had something that did not fit me right, but I saw what features, what kind of buttons, scroll wheel, etc. I liked. Based on visual impression and specs Lachesis seemed to combine those good features, and when I bought one, that turned out to be true.

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: BradAtWork
Keyboard - http://www.dansdata.com/images/clicky/ballboard1024.jpg

Mouse - G5.

:thumbsup:

 

[TheVrolok]

People and their IBM Model M's. Honestly, if you're short on cash, do you think you really need the "edge" you'll get from a "gaming keyboard" ?

 

[Oyeve]

I use an enermax Aurora and Kensington trackball pro. I dont use "gaming" KBs or mice. The Enermax is very heavy, stays put, and my trackball is very precise for FPSes. Great combo, dont need no fancy lcds and multimedia buttons, just sturdiness.

 

[QuantumPion]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
I use a UNICOMP IBM / Lexmark Model M clone to game. I am currently using this model, which has USB support. These things are very durable and built in the USA (at least mine was). It does not have LCD screens or macro buttons, though

Do you find clicky keyboards to be good for gaming, or is their key press and noise annoying?

 

[chizow]

I use an older G15 (blue LED, 18 Gkeys) and its decent. The keys are starting to get a bit loose and enamel on some of the keys and bezel have worn off from use. The Gkeys vary in usefulness from game to game but most of the time I'm too lazy to create macros and they're really too far off to the side for anything important. The feel is ok, although I've used better and honestly prefer the soft-touch of laptop keyboards. The best feature is probably the backlights, which do help a bit as I prefer to game in the dark. I've also tried the Nostromo N52 and simply can't get used to it (main problem is not enough keys).

For mouse I use a G9 that I got from Amazon for like $45. I've used cordless for a very long time and was reluctant to go back to corded, but I love this mouse. The layout and finger orientation looks odd but its easily the most comfortable mouse I've ever placed my hand on. The feet are super smooth and even though they list it as the same material as the MX Revolution, the G9 just glides so much better. You can program it via software and change things like button settings, DPI, reports per second, LED color with a special version of SetPoint. Anyways, I tried to use the MX Revolution a few days ago and I couldn't stand it after using the G9. Really hoping they come out with an updated cordless version, and hopefully with a thumb toggle stick!

 

[angry hampster]

Gaming keyboards are a gimmick. Get the cheapest logitech USB keyboard you can find. I got one for $10 that's got some media buttons and such. THe action is really smooth and fast, and certainly not noisy.


For a mouse, get a Logitech G5 (the blue, 7-button variant).

 

[Anubis]

i use a logitech G7 and a BenQ wireless keyboard the BQ KB is really nice has those 1/2 press keys the cross between Laptop type keys and full KB keys

 

[Tim]

Logitech G15. (second edition)
Logitech G7.

I've used several other keyboards and mouse combo's to get to this point, and it seems like a good fit for my style. (IBM keyboard, logitech simple keyboard, saitek eclipse 1 & 2, razer tarantela, razer lechesis, death adder, g5, and cheap logitech optical)

To the person above saying the LCD is useless...
I use it along with Rivatuner to display my CPU and GPU clocks, temps, fan duty cycles, and RAM usage. There are a few other programs out there that have G15 support.
The LCD is not usless

 

[shingletingle]

Originally posted by: KaOTiK
For keyboard, I own a G15 and like it overall. Though I find the LCD on it to be mostly useless overall. I do like all the macros though. If you are a macro person then id recommend it.
As for mouse, i've went through a lot of them to find one that was just right. I ended up with the Razer Deathadder. Best mouse i've ever used so far. Extremely light in weight, settings for how sensitve you want it and if you want it to be faster in the X or Y axis and it goes really have on the sensitivy as well as the dpi. I find it very comfortable and the scroll wheel has a good feel to it if you know what i mean? lol I definitely recommend it without any hesitation.

This is the same combination I use. I agree that the G15 LCD is mostly useless.
I don't even install the drivers for the DeathAdder.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: angry hampster
Gaming keyboards are a gimmick.

They're definitely not a gimmick if you actually bother to program the keys. There's simply things you can do with a programmable keyboard in 1 keystroke that you cannot do with a normal one short of writing your own scripts. They're effective enough to have caused concerns about cheating in some games by simply using programmed keyboard macros, the latest fuss was in AoC, in Beta discussion at least.

The LCD can be useful too, like monitoring system performance (temps, CPU, memory utilization etc). Some games have additional support for in-game info. Personally I use 2nd monitor for this type of info and the LCD isn't visible because of my pull out kb tray so it doesn't help me much.

 

[ivan2]

second on the Model M clicky. Got mine new on ebay for 20 bucks shipped a couple years ago. YMMV but I won't pay more than 40 shipped for them new though..

 

[CP5670]

I have a G15 (blue version). The most important thing for me is that it works better than ordinary keyboards with multiple keypresses, which is vital in certain games. I typically don't use the LCD or extra keys, but the keys have occasionally been very handy in a few old games that don't let you remap anything (Grim Fandango for example). Their arrangement allows you to use them like sets of arrow keys.

I'm still using an MX518 for my mouse, along with the uberoptions driver addon. There are better ones available now but they all seem to lack enough buttons.

I use an older G15 (blue LED, 18 Gkeys) and its decent. The keys are starting to get a bit loose and enamel on some of the keys and bezel have worn off from use.

They changed the paint material at some point and only the original batch has this problem. You can ask them for an RMA due to it and they will usually let you keep your existing one as well. Mine started to show this within a month of buying it while the replacement has had no issues, although the old one still works perfectly well otherwise so I use it on another system.

 

[videogames101]

Logitech G15 (older blue model) + Logitech G7 = FPS Heaven

 

[potato28]

Razer Diamondback 3g or DeathAdder for the mouse. I really liked my Model M, but it has problems when I use it in gaming so I'm forced to use the S&J Logitech keyboard that I bought for $10 from a local PC shop. Works good, but I really like the Microsoft Wired Keyboard.

 

[zagood]

I use the MS Natural Ergo 4000 keyboard, mostly because of the amount of office-type work I need to do. If I had a choice and the cash I'd get the SteelSeries 7G.

I've tried a bunch of different mice, and ended up with the original G5, which I replaced with the new G5 and stuck with. Razer mice are uncomfortable for me, I get pain in my pinky finger for some reason. The Microsoft Sidewinder is okay but I hate the way the thumb side is set up. Haven't tried the G9 yet.

-z

 

[Boztech]

ms ergo 4000 + mx518 + qck steelpad

another great (and cheaper!) combination is the ms comfort curve 2000 + ms intellimouse 3.0

 

[conlan]

Box #1:
Razer Tarantula
Logitech G5

Box#2:
Logitech G15 (rev.1)
Logitech MX-518

Box#3:
Logitech USB (el cheapo)
Logitech MX-510

The difference between the keyboards is marginal. I like the Razers key action the best of the three, but both the Tarantula and G15 are too damn big.

The G5, and both MXs fit my hand better than the smaller Razer mice which are too small for me to use well.