What is the most important peripherals for gaming?

[Nuck Chorris]

What would you recommend?
Mouse vs Headset vs Keyboard

 

[manofchalk]

Headset then Mouse then Keyboard.
You don't need to spend much for a quality mouse, ~$50 for a Razer Deathadder and your set. Keyboard costs a fair bit to get a good one, though mechanical's are starting to become cheaper with the Coolermaster lineup. Headsets Im not too clued into, not an audiophile and have had no need to check up on the market for a fair while, but I know its the most important.

 

[ssddx]

absolutely no question....keyboard, mouse, then headset

a keyboard and mouse are your primary input devices. you want them to be comfortable, ergonomic, easy to use and built to last. the more you use the computer the more important it is to use high grade products. if you hop onto the computer for an hour each day or less then it is less important but still advised for the possible benefits.

there is a performance increase over cheap products. you will type faster, more accurately and mispell words less. you will be more accurate with the mouse and many better mice have additional function buttons. the most important factor though is ergonomics and comfort. cheap keyboards in particular ones with stiff spongey keys can accelerate symptoms of carpal tunnel compared with other products.

any speakers or headsets are not as important. while true you want clarity in a microphone and quality in speakers they do not affect your input performance or health in any way (well unless you blast the sound into your eardrums of course).

i would highly suggest a mechanical keyboard from wasd, das, deck, maxkeyboard, or ducky. personally i use a wasdkeyboard with cherry mx blues. if you dont know what keyswitch is best for you then read the mechanical keyboard guide on hardforums. in general black is best for games but bad for typing. blue is best for typing and good for games too. browns similar to blue except quieter (you lose the audible click).

i personally like my old version razer deathadder but the new versions drivers are crap. i would avoid any cyborg r.a.t. products. most other mice should be sufficient but do not believe that you need dpi in excess of about 3000 as you dont.

seperate high quality headphones and microphones are superior to all in one heatsets but not as convenient. if all you want is an easy to use solution with okay sound and okay quality then get a headset. if you want the best sound possible then get speakers or headphones and seperate microphone.

 

[jaguarskx]

Since I don't play MMO's I would go with mouse then the keyboard. The mouse is 1st because that is more or less how you look around and aim in the gaming world.

 

[Noah B]

Hands down Mouse Keyboard Headset.

The mouse is the primary interaction tool in most video games. It's how you look around, attack, interact, and much more. Mice are much more susceptible to glitches as well, making it even more important to get a good one. I have never had a keyboard glitch or badly malfunction in my many years of pc gaming. Also, although there are many buttons needed for MMO and MOBA games, mice have that covered. The Mad Catz R.A.T. MMO7 for example, has in total 90 programmable buttons, more than any game requires. You can play almost any game without even using a keyboard if you use the right mouse.

The keyboard is second because it's obviously more important than the headset, which is not entirely necessary, while not being as important as the mouse. It serves as the primary movement tool in most games, and is also the general way to use items and special abilities. Macro keys are also very useful, especially in MMO and MOBA games that rely on abilities and combos.

I placed the headset last because although it is always nice to listen to 7.1 surround sound headsets, they're not really necessary. I mean, it is useful to hear the game, to tell if there is an enemy behind you, to hear alerts, etc. but it isn't as vital as the other two peripherals.

In all, the mouse is the most important computer accessory in my opinion. Depending on how serious of a gamer you are, you will probably want to get a good mouse (maybe 40-70), and if you have some extra money, you should decide which of the other two to spend it on. Unless you're playing MMO or MOBA games, any working keyboard will suffice, and the pair of earbuds that came with your phone are perfectly fine as well. If you are playing multiplayer and communication is important however, you will want to spend the extra money to buy a headset. You shouldn't need to spend more than $60 unless you are an audiophile.