So will start with this: What actually makes them "gaming" keyboards?
Generally the overpriced sales tag and pritty pritty lights...
"key rollover and anti ghosting technology"
How many fingers ya got?
10?
OK, 8 and two thumbs... but that's 10 digits in total, yeh?
That's how many keys rollover you need and was only neccesary back in the Dark Ages when it's said that keyboards could only process one keypress at any given time.
The whole thing about something jumping out at you, making you flap-out and hit the wrong key, so going full-retard and dying instead of drawing your weapon and vanquishing the little blighter... That's what gaming is about!!
You do not need anti-ghosting. You just need to learn the keys better, or accept that you made a mistake and reload your savegame...
You only hit the wrong key because they are spaced so tightly together and are often forced to rush.
You only hit the wrong key because you bought a board that doesn't suit your hand. Kinda like getting cramp from a mouse.
How do 16.7 millions colours help me game more effectively?
They don't.
Twenty or so, fair enough. Maybe as many as 80 or 100.
I use 3 different colours.
Green is for most tasks, Red is for gaming in pure darkness, Dark Blue is for certain points when it's just easier to see.
All three colours were chosen based on what was easiest on my eyes at various light levels, under various circumstances. No other reason.
Also, I can adjust the brightness. Job done.
Macro keys - what do you actually use them for?
Day-to-day, I use a number of them in various apps. I have them assigned to various macros, depending on which app is open/focussed at any given time.
I thought I'd only use a few in certain games, but there too I do actually make more use than expected. A few are designed around repetitive tasks like swapping kit layouts, emptying inventories, selling loads of items, etc. I've even moved onto a couple of custom scripts for a particular flight-sim and can go through a whole 20-minute start-up procedure at the touch of a button, if I so choose.
Once upon a time I'd used all 12 macro keys and was still wanting more!
Not only because the whole idea of having to program them in each game puts me off, but seem to be placed in very inconvenient places which force you to abandon your left movement hand to reach.
Location... down to the individual, I guess. My keys are down the left side, although most of my macros are about combining a sequence of oft-used commands into one press and not normally something I'd use in the middle of tense combat. The only time I do use them in combat is RTS type games, where I can just tap the key and watch instead of trying to press several numbers in rapid succession before the enemy hits me with whatever combo their AI has automatically queued up.
Programming in complicated stuff takes a bit of time, but you usually only have to do it the once and even then, it's easy to edit.
My naga molten mouse on the other hand, have found invaluable in all of the above because it eliminates the need to take my fingers away from WASD, to reach the 1-9 numbers - it also allows for simple key binding in any game that allows it because they double as the number/numpad keys rather than an extra button I need to customize.
Strangely enough I also favour a Mouse Of Many Buttons. A Logitech G700S, in my case. If I don't have all seven extra keys bound to additional commands, I'm likely playing either a basic FPS or something like Elite, for which I have a CH HOTAS setup full of many more buttons anyway.
I want a keyboard I can use with my eyes closed so it demonstrates I can happily play fast paced games without having to worry where keys are.
My G19 is like this for me, which is what drove me to it over others.
The extra features are all added bonusses, but the basic fit to my hands was a primary deciding factor, as it should be for every HID.
Another nice feature was it had premade profiles for games where they automatically assigned a coinvinient keybinding layout for you, without having to change a single setting.
Fail for me, I'm afraid, as I like my functions consistent across genre and usually not where the majority would place them. Reload and Use are always the mouse for example, rather than E and R as per most presets.
On the G19 I typically use all three profiles, most of the 12 macro keys, media keys, keypad, backlights and the LCD display on a daily basis. I don't even mind the domed keys, as they're quieter than mechanicals (I game up to 4am) and I'm as fast with those as with Cherry switches.
The main point of Gaming peripherals is not about making your gaming better. It's about making your gaming *how* you want it. If a certain shape of mouse is more comfortable, or if having clicky clicky keys feels better under your fingers, this is what's available.
Think of it as a motorcycle - Adding a taller screen, wider seat, throttle wrist rest and backrest won't make your bike go any faster or use less fuel... but you'll probably enjoy it a heck of a lot more!
Dunno what the car equivalent is... pop-up headlights, leather steering wheel sleeve and those massagey beaded seat covers, perhaps, but the idea is the same!
Logitech: have a new mechanical switch, fine. but they have NEVER had this product in stock in the UK. ever. what is the point if you can only buy it via logitech?
If I could buy it from OCUK, I would!
I understand there's some kind of 'thing' going on there though, so won't say any more...
However, aside from the 700S which I won anyway, I've not seen anthing special come out of Logitech lately either.
