Everyday none gaming keyboards...for gaming

Relentless81 · 26 Jun 2019 at 08:00

Hi,

Does anyone use normal everyday office keyboards for gaming?

If so how do you find it? I wouldn't mind something thats small, you cant buy TKL Membrane keyboards but there are quite a few options of compact office keyboards so was wondering if anyone else likes me isnt bothered about mechanical and uses a quality membrane keyboard for gaming?

Thanks

ninezerofive · 26 Jun 2019 at 08:27

I have quite a few keyboards at home and to be honest I don't see much of a difference between ROG Claymore and Logitech K120, at least "performance wise". Mouse is a whole different story.

For keyboard just get the one that matches your desk or mouse or whatever.

Relentless81 · 26 Jun 2019 at 08:48

ninezerofive said:
I have quite a few keyboards at home and to be honest I don't see much of a difference between ROG Claymore and Logitech K120, at least "performance wise". Mouse is a whole different story.

For keyboard just get the one that matches your desk or mouse or whatever.

Thats good to know thanks, only thing is I want a white one with a back light which is proving difficult but I'll keep looking

jellybeard999 · 27 Jun 2019 at 09:23

As long as it's full height keys (ie not laptop style flat keys) it'll be fine.

olivier renault · 28 Jun 2019 at 09:39

The most important question for non-gamer gradre keyboards are if they have key-ghosting issues or not. The rest is relatively irrelevant. That's what 'gamer' keyboards are designed to do. Press key combinations, and you are pretty much guaranteed those combinations will work. While consumer keyboards might bother with that.

For me, it's mostly a question of build quality for me. When you mash those keys (espacially the spacebar), a flimsy laptop-style keyboard with flexing chassis and cheap scissors / membranes actuation might not fair too well.

So I go for stronk mechanical keyboards, I like the chunky CoolerMasters. But as far as 'performance', it's kinda moot, really, as long as they don't have key-ghosting issues (careful with Logitechs BTW, they used to produce their non-gaming and often expensive keyboards with key-ghosting issues, and IMO they did that deliberately).

And also, the form-factor. I go for TKL, so gaming keybaords are more consistent quality-wise.

Relentless81 · 28 Jun 2019 at 09:48

olivier renault said:
The most important question for non-gamer gradre keyboards are if they have key-ghosting issues or not. The rest is relatively irrelevant. That's what 'gamer' keyboards are designed to do. Press key combinations, and you are pretty much guaranteed those combinations will work. While consumer keyboards might bother with that.

For me, it's mostly a question of build quality for me. When you mash those keys (espacially the spacebar), a flimsy laptop-style keyboard with flexing chassis and cheap scissors / membranes actuation might not fair too well.

So I go for stronk mechanical keyboards, I like the chunky CoolerMasters. But as far as 'performance', it's kinda moot, really, as long as they don't have key-ghosting issues (careful with Logitechs BTW, they used to produce their non-gaming and often expensive keyboards with key-ghosting issues, and IMO they did that deliberately).

And also, the form-factor. I go for TKL, so gaming keybaords are more consistent quality-wise.

I get what your saying and have considered these points whilst looking but silence is priority for me and mechanical just dont cater for it, even the "silent" versions are no where near as silent as a membrane keyboard unless you've experience of a genuinely silent mechanical?

olivier renault · 28 Jun 2019 at 11:08

I don't think they exist

I've heard Romer-G keys are quieter.

As long as there are no report of key ghosting issues for a given keyboard, that'll be fine as a compromise.

Relentless81 · 28 Jun 2019 at 11:13

olivier renault said:
I don't think they exist

I've heard Romer-G keys are quieter.

As long as there are no report of key ghosting issues for a given keyboard, that'll be fine as a compromise.

Yeah I read the same. I have a G213 at the moment but its too big I need something smaller

jubei · 4 Jul 2019 at 20:27

Somehow we all managed to play quake and the like on none gamer keyboards... Yes you'll be fine lol.

Relentless81 · 5 Jul 2019 at 07:57

Came to the conclusion after lots of searching there is no such thing as a TKL Membrane keyboard or a "silent" mechanical switch

I think its a bit odd that you can get a membrane gaming keyboard like I have but no one has done a TKL version seems like a big gap in the market, searching reveals plenty of people raising the same question. Membrane gaming keyboards are for some reason, massive.

olivier renault · 5 Jul 2019 at 10:59

TKL are aimed at the gamer market almost exclusively. Maybe some 'lifestyle' devices, but these are relatively unsuitable for gaming (fragile, bad ergonomics).

The gamer market is either mechanical keyboards (noisy, expensive), or cheap membrane keyboards.

A membrane TKL would need to be cheap in order to make sense (i.e. compete with mechanicals by being cheaper), and for that, needs a big market for big production numbers.

ATM, there is no real market for cheap membrane TKL keyboards, it's super niche.

There is a growing interest though. IMO, if you are a gamer, a small keyboard (TKL, are smaller) makes more sense than a full-size keyboard.

So,... maybe we're ahead of the curve? TKLs are slowly getting more popular. Once they are very popular, someone will make a cheaper membrane TKL gamer keyboard, but not at the moment. Maybe Corsair, Steelseries, who are making decent cheap gamer keyboards that are not mechanical.

Relentless81 · 5 Jul 2019 at 12:49

olivier renault said:
TKL are aimed at the gamer market almost exclusively. Maybe some 'lifestyle' devices, but these are relatively unsuitable for gaming (fragile, bad ergonomics).

The gamer market is either mechanical keyboards (noisy, expensive), or cheap membrane keyboards.

A membrane TKL would need to be cheap in order to make sense (i.e. compete with mechanicals by being cheaper), and for that, needs a big market for big production numbers.

ATM, there is no real market for cheap membrane TKL keyboards, it's super niche.

There is a growing interest though. IMO, if you are a gamer, a small keyboard (TKL, are smaller) makes more sense than a full-size keyboard.

So,... maybe we're ahead of the curve? TKLs are slowly getting more popular. Once they are very popular, someone will make a cheaper membrane TKL gamer keyboard, but not at the moment. Maybe Corsair, Steelseries, who are making decent cheap gamer keyboards that are not mechanical.

A company called Npet did do a membrane TKL but it appears discontinued as I cant find it, was cheap as chips too but other than that I agree its very niche and might be a while before one of the big guns release one if ever