Are Premium Gaming Peripherals Worth Your Money?

[Twoboxer]

Talking MMOs only:

The Ideazon Fang has 35 programmable/macroable keys grouped around 6 qwe-asd keys (also macroable) and the ergonomic design to be used with either hand. Cheap. Excellent. Best used with a small, non-gaming keyboard for any remaining typing.

That arrangement gives many more macros without a shift key than the G19 and its macro-key competitors. More important, they are clustered close to your wasd keys, not at the edges of the keyboard.

What is needed is a device with a thumb pad or wasd keys that turns and moves a toon as well as a mouse does for PvP melee combat.

 

[Manos]

Ill be readin this article when i have time but I just wanted to say: Fool whoever thinks that those make you a better gamer. When you buy any of those is just for convinience of the gamer. If you wanna be a better gamer with all the practice each on of us has had so far then.. just change sports dude seriously. A better mouse wont aim for you nor a better keyboard crouch when you forget to do so. And a headset is ALL about convinience. I think we missed the point of good peripherals here..

 

[jayhsyn]

I have an Alienware TactX headset with razer deathadder mouse and standard MS keyboard, I Love my Alienware headset it sounds great and has an extendable mic for when i want to talk. My mouse is very accurate and i love it, as far as keyboard i don't care any plain basic keyboard functions good for me.

 

[h0llow]

[citation][nom]liquidsnake718[/nom]Ive been looking at the G19 for some time now, ever since it came out, but I am not sure if I should just go for the Sidewinder x6 or the G15 which is still good and at a reasonable 80-100dollars where Im from....Should I get it or wait for my next build..... x6? g15?[/citation]
To be quite honest. i dont see a reason for the g19. it uses a power adapter. and it has a color display. why would anyone want to surf/watch a movie while playing games. thats just me though. i have the g15 for 2yrs+ now and have been very pleased. if your into the whole gadget thing then the g19 would be cool to have but i just don't see the price justification into it. so hands down, you shouldn't be disappointed with the g15 at all. feels nice.

 

[Guest]

The mic was a bad analysis. I have a more current logitech desk mic and it works far better with gain and is much more directional than old mics. Hate wearing a headset.

 

[torbee]

I'm a GRAW2 clan player, usually finishing in the top tier in games. I use a G9 laser mouse and a cheap $5 keyboard so that's worked fine for me (backed by a $2K homemade rig though...). I am looking for a keyboard with programable keys because I've noticed top players can do moves that can only be done well with pre programmed keys, such as slide and shoot. But the G19 has far too many bells and whistles I don't need and a price I don't care to pay. Any ideas out there for a gaming keyboard with programable keys? thanks..

 

[Guest]

The Belkin N52 I find superior to the N52te, there is no N51.
Logitech trackball marble mouse 4 button, no mousepad Trackballs rule, and with the belkin I do not even need a keyboard for gaming, it gets in the way.

 

[Guest]

Just so you guys know, the mice at least can be tested objectively. Esports Reality has already covered mice a few years back at
http://esreality.hexus.net/?a=post&id=1265679
and http://esreality.hexus.net/?a=longpost&id=1300293&page=5 [updated for release of Razer Deathadder, world's best mouse]

 

[wsupduck]

I have a $35 Plantronics headset I picked up at Best Buy and it works perfect for me, no one has any problems with my mic and the audio but that may just be me (First Headset)

 

[jamezrp]

Torbee, if you're a lan gamer, I don't know what would be the best for travel. If not, I always recommend the Microsoft SideWinder X6. It's got 12 6 reprogrammable keys on the left side, which can have 2 functions, and the entire numpad is programmable with two functions each as well. The G13 isn't a full keyboard, but it's strong and is fully programmable. The G17 is also a cheaper logitech keyboard, like the G15 but without the screen and the ton of bells and whistles.

 

[Conrad925]

@Torbee: I have been using the Logitech G11 for the last couple years. It's proven to be a durable performer, is backlit, has 18x3 macro keys, 2 USB ports, and multi-media keys. A good value peripheral, imho.

 

[meywd]

@ED i am a clicker and at the top of the meters always, i am always in the top 5 if not the top 1, does it mean i am a way too good clicker to use macro keys, or macro keys will still help me, cause i am really thinking of getting g15 or g19

 

[nayega]

I'm not going to lie: buying expensive 'gaming' peripherals was a huge waste of my money as far as gaming goes. The only thing that justifies all my purchases was the quality and aesthetics, not function.

Fun fact: I was a "clicker" in WoW. Was one of the top players on my server in battlegrounds.

 

[maxpain12]

Personally I would describe the author of this article to have similar traits as I. At the end of the day I think premium peripherals are a waste of money. For example My G5 mouse with all the customizations still does not beat the standard optical mouse in Team Fortress for one simple reason. When I play Team Fortress I rely on the lack of precision on the standard mouse to dampen slight misplacements of my hand. The lack of precision also results in the opportunity to make sudden moves and still get to the general area of the target without overshooting/undershooting. In the Logitech G5 if I make sudden moves, unless I am lucky to position my hand dead on which is hard in the heat of the action I am out of luck. The software and in mouse controls did not help much. My G15 keyboard was replaced by a $7 Logitech keyboard to make more scarce real estate available on my desk. Over the Fancy light and display on my G15 can be summoned up to be aesthetics mostly. Your better off diverting funds to step up to a better GPU, Motherboard, Sound System and RAM.

 

[fausto]

[citation][nom]maxpain12[/nom]Personally I would describe the author of this article to have similar traits as I. At the end of the day I think premium peripherals are a waste of money. For example My G5 mouse with all the customizations still does not beat the standard optical mouse in Team Fortress for one simple reason. When I play Team Fortress I rely on the lack of precision on the standard mouse to dampen slight misplacements of my hand. The lack of precision also results in the opportunity to make sudden moves and still get to the general area of the target without overshooting/undershooting. In the Logitech G5 if I make sudden moves, unless I am lucky to position my hand dead on which is hard in the heat of the action I am out of luck. The software and in mouse controls did not help much. My G15 keyboard was replaced by a $7 Logitech keyboard to make more scarce real estate available on my desk. Over the Fancy light and display on my G15 can be summoned up to be aesthetics mostly. Your better off diverting funds to step up to a better GPU, Motherboard, Sound System and RAM.[/citation]


i'm sorry but i disagree with that g5 review. You have to know how to maximize the capabilities of your g5. if it is too sensitive then bring sensitivity down. i find my g5 to be indispensable. Some people run them at max dpi and then adjust in game. Others limit the mouse inside the logitec setpoint software to whatever dpi they like. you can slow a g5 down to ball mice response. Precision is what i paid for, i want the mouse to pickup all movements no matter what. Back in the LED and Ball mouse days i used to get killed because the mouse didn't keep up with my motions.

 

[maxpain12]

i'm sorry but i disagree with that g5 review. You have to know how to maximize the capabilities of your g5. if it is too sensitive then bring sensitivity down. i find my g5 to be indispensable. Some people run them at max dpi and then adjust in game. Others limit the mouse inside the logitec setpoint software to whatever dpi they like. you can slow a g5 down to ball mice response. Precision is what i paid for, i want the mouse to pickup all movements no matter what. Back in the LED and Ball mouse days i used to get killed because the mouse didn't keep up with my motions.

What you said makes sense. However for me it seems the other way around which is disappointing. I guess it boils down to personal preference in the end so we can't quantify the experience in general terms. "One man's heaven is another man's hell" is how I would put it.

 

[fausto]

[citation][nom]maxpain12[/nom]What you said makes sense. However for me it seems the other way around which is disappointing. I guess it boils down to personal preference in the end so we can't quantify the experience in general terms. "One man's heaven is another man's hell" is how I would put it.[/citation]

if you are not using a laser mouse of any kind you are at a disadvantage. When i went from LED to LASER all of a sudden frustration turned to ass kicking in Battlefield 2142. You can say you don't like g5 but saying LED better than laser is a whole other issue. but to each his own.

 

[stewysb119]

I am surprised that you left the Steelseries Merc Stealth Keyboard off the list. My gen one G15 died and cannot be replaced so I went to the Merc Stealth. It is an awesome keyboard that is highly programmable. The software is not as nice as the G15, but it's fully programmable and comes with tons of games preloaded. I mostly play MMO's, but it has worked well for those times I occasionally play FPS's.

 

[wanderlustx2]

[citation][nom]masterasia[/nom]A cool system should have cool accessories and peripherals. I'm all about aesthetics, so if I have a Microsoft Sidewinder setup, Razer DeathAdder/Lycosa setup, and a Logitech G5/G15. Overall, I like my Sidewinder setup the best.I have other various keyboards laying around too. I have a few mechanical keyboards like the ABS M1 and the Steelseries 7G. I just like collecting cool sh!t. I have various Razer, Coolermaster, Gigabyte, OCZ, Microsoft, and Logitech mouse laying around as well.[/citation]

Ahhhh to have money and/or no responsibility... I'll take either.

 

[nbk_redspy]

Two things:

1) Want keyboard macro's without the cost? AutoHotKey. AutoHotkey. You can do just about anything you want with this beast. Even allows you to easily define macros that are only for one application.

2) Not a fan of keyboards that assume WASD is what is used for movement. ESDF makes much more sense since you have extra usable keys. (Looking at you Saitek)

 

[kufan64]

Mice and keyboards are nearly impossible to "review" in the traditional sense. You can compare features and prices and your own personal opinions and observations; but when it comes down to it, mice and keyboards have WAY more to do with your personal opinion than anything else.

If it feels better, you'll perform better. A $100 gaming mouse that is loaded with features might make you play like crap compared to a $10 mouse if it doesn't feel right in your hand. The same goes for keyboards as well.

 

[casperinmd]

I will have to say that the most important piece of gear is the headset. I do a lot of MMO's and often at night spend several hours at the computer, I have tried many headsets taht sound amazing, BUT...they all sit on my ear and they hurt after an hour.

Either you all have small ears that fit inside the outer cushions, or strong ears or just don't use them that long.

I am now ready to test out the Sennhieser mentioned here b/c they specifically state it will cover OVER even the larger ears. I think my ears are normal in size, but maybe not.

A good mouse and keyboard don't matter to me if I can't tolerate the damn headside crushing my ears.

All that said, I am an ergo keyboard guy and use a MS one, and my house is a G5 which I love...just wish I had two thumb buttons.

 

[fausto]

[citation][nom]casperinmd[/nom]I will have to say that the most important piece of gear is the headset. I do a lot of MMO's and often at night spend several hours at the computer, I have tried many headsets taht sound amazing, BUT...they all sit on my ear and they hurt after an hour.Either you all have small ears that fit inside the outer cushions, or strong ears or just don't use them that long.I am now ready to test out the Sennhieser mentioned here b/c they specifically state it will cover OVER even the larger ears. I think my ears are normal in size, but maybe not.A good mouse and keyboard don't matter to me if I can't tolerate the damn headside crushing my ears.All that said, I am an ergo keyboard guy and use a MS one, and my house is a G5 which I love...just wish I had two thumb buttons.[/citation]



i recommend the logitech g5 usb headset, can be found on sale right now for under 30 bucks on websites like logicbuy.com

 

[Guest]

The Cyborg Command Unit actually doesn't just light up in red - It has the three modes as mentioned in the review however (mine at least) it does turn red, blue, or green to show which mode your in.

 

[AnomalousX]

Go with Logitech G13 instead, you won't be sorry.
Saitek got bought out by madkatz, if your not familiar with them, they are one of those outfits that buy a popular brand name sell a whole bunch of junk ( command unit ) through them, wreck the reputation and move on.
They are in their moving on phase, the saitek server has cheap bandwidth and poor technical support.
The command unit has many problems, useing latch option in the game profile manage will bleed over onto other states. the adjustable thumb pad is poorly secured and will shift constantly while gaming, the missaligned keys to simulate ASDW are unneccassary and confuseing, the keys themselves are stiff to press and cheap, user support is horrible and after about a year of use it loses responseiveness and makes phantom commands.
If it weren't $60 I would recommend it for people who want to buy one cheap, but this controller is not cheap, and it's not manufactured well. Do yourself a favor, save an extra $30 from somewhere and get a G13 from Logitech.