Gamepad/Keyboard/Mouse

9bred4

Currently looking for each a mix of the above. PC is gaming only. Considering getting wired xbox 360 one for gamepad but dont know what to use for keyboard and mouse. My current one is crap. And are mouse mats needed these days? Budget is that I'm a student, so dont break the bank

Shiminay

Like all tools, you can spend a lot of money for great performance and you can find some bargains if you shop around.

I have a wired 360 style controller called an Afterglow that I got in Argos for half the price of a Microsoft one. It's officially licenced rather than being a cheapo Chinese eBay rip-off, so the quality is solid.

My Mouse and Keyboard are expensive so I may not be able to help you there. I have a Logitech G700 (€70ish) and a CM Storm Quickfire TK (€90ish). There've been a couple of threads about it already this year, I'm sure a quick search will dig them up. I got my girlfriend a Gigabyte gaming mouse for about €30 I think and she swears by it. Keyboards - it's generally accepted that mechanical keyboards are best, but they're not cheap. However, it's something you'll be using every day for the next 10 years (hopefully!) so in terms of the lifespan, it's not mental money. Mine comes in and out of work with me.

gizmo

I have a Filco Majestouch with Cherry Brown switches, not the cheapest but it's a joy to both work and game on. Mechanical switch-based keyboards are definitely the way to go and you can get ones for considerably cheaper than the Filco which should do the job just fine.

Mouse wise I use a Razer Deathadder both at home and in work. If it died I'd immediately get another one, best thing I can really say about it.

Mouse mat wise I use a SteelSeries QcK. It's cheap and cheerful and does the job quite nicely.

As Shiminay said, you definitely get what you pay for but there's still some reasonably priced gear to be had that'll last. Also don't forget to shop around as you can get some really good deals on gear when you know what you're looking for.

Shiminay

Yea, I forgot to add, I have a QcK Mousemat at home and one of the earlier Razer Goliathus in work. It's definitely worth having some sort of "for purpose" surface.

ScumLord

I've been doing without a mouse mat for years but recently got a logitech gaming one and it does make some difference.

I have an xbox controller but I hate it more and more each time I use it. Some games suit it but anything to do with shooting and the mouse trumps all other controllers.

Good versions of these devices can be expensive, although I don't think you lose out an awful lot with the budget stuff. I see high end keyboards and mice as the icing on the cake of a high end build. They're something that will follow you from build to build.

It's worth considering getting one or the other if budgets are tight. Get yourself a good quality mouse first then down the road get a good quality keyboard.

9bred4

ScumLord wrote: »

I've been doing without a mouse mat for years but recently got a logitech gaming one and it does make some difference.

I have an xbox controller but I hate it more and more each time I use it. Some games suit it but anything to do with shooting and the mouse trumps all other controllers.

Good versions of these devices can be expensive, although I don't think you lose out an awful lot with the budget stuff. I see high end keyboards and mice as the icing on the cake of a high end build. They're something that will follow you from build to build.

It's worth considering getting one or the other if budgets are tight. Get yourself a good quality mouse first then down the road get a good quality keyboard.

I cannot get to grips with using a mouse and keyboard for shooters though! Been playing with controllers on consoles since I was 4 and 15 years later it's hard to adapt!!

9bred4

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/mad-catz-rat5-gaming-mouse-for-pc-and-mac-white-5600dpi

How about this? Seeing as a mouse is more important

ScumLord

9bred4 wrote: »

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/mad-catz-rat5-gaming-mouse-for-pc-and-mac-white-5600dpi

How about this? Seeing as a mouse is more important

I wouldn't touch mad stuff. I've had two products break down on me, for the price their quality control is brutal.

I stick with logitech stuff, I've gaming mice from them that are a decade old.

Shiminay

Yera, that MadCatz stuff's build quality has plummeted in the last few years.

I don't know how or why anyone would put themselves at so major a disadvantage with FPS by using a peasant's tool. There is no way you can beat a mouse and keyboard with a controller when you're playing on PC, you will be slaughtered every time unless your opponent only has one hand. The longer you spend putting off making the switch, the harder it gets. I remember nearly 20 years ago when Mouse Aiming still wasn't the standard and we used keys. It was as bad as console controllers (maybe even worse cause you couldn't adjust the sensitivity). When one of my regular Quake LAN group made the switch to Mouse+Keyboard, he battered us into oblivion for a week until we all started to catch up after making the switch.

gizmo

9bred4 wrote: »

I cannot get to grips with using a mouse and keyboard for shooters though! Been playing with controllers on consoles since I was 4 and 15 years later it's hard to adapt!!

Try and start with some slower paced games to get used to it. Once you're more comfortable with it, move onto the faster paced, more competitive games. I've had a few friends make the transition over the last while and the thing that hindered them the most was trying to jump straight into the likes of CoD and BF3 and getting absolutely beaten around the place while they tried to adjust.

Don't worry though, you'll get the hang of it sooner than you think

Skerries

the Ballista Shogun Bros MK-1 is supposed be a great high end mouse but at a mid price point

I have one of those Steel Series mouse mats but I had to put it on top of an older thicker one as they are very thin and I like my comfort

ShadowHearth

Gamepad wise xbox 360 controller is cheap and cheerful solution. On top of that a lot of games use it as default, so its just plug and play.
There is only one mouse in the market. It's Deathadder or nothing!!! Best mouse ever, and I owned more expensive ones too.

Keyboard - no idea. I am still using old dell keyboard lol.

nesf

Ignore the Razer fanboys, years ago the Deathadder may have been a good choice but in recent times Razer being on the box has added 20-30 quid to the price without any justification other than it being black with a green trim. :P

gizmo

nesf wrote: »

Ignore the Razer fanboys, years ago the Deathadder may have been a good choice but in recent times Razer being on the box has added 20-30 quid to the price without any justification other than it being black with a green trim. :P

Pfft, sounds like a Logitech fanboy to me.

All joking aside, I paid £38.59 for my Deathadder Respawn back in 2011 and then £42.31 for my Deathadder Black in 2012 from Scan and Amazon respectively. They now seem to be going for £61.40/£62.53 for the Green 2013 edition.

nesf

gizmo wrote: »

Pfft, sounds like a Logitech fanboy to me.

All joking aside, I paid £38.59 for my Deathadder Respawn back in 2011 and then £42.31 for my Deathadder Black in 2012 from Scan and Amazon respectively. They now seem to be going for £61.40/£62.53 for the Green 2013 edition.

Logitech!!!! Wash that mouth out.

martineatworld

nesf wrote: »

Logitech!!!! Wash that mouth out.

Can I ask what you'd recommend so? Not being smart, genuinely interested as I'm in the market for a mouse around 40 quid. A friend recommended a sharkoon drakonia, if anyone else has an opinion on it?

Kiith

I've the Logitech G700 for my mouse, which is brilliant. Also picked up the Cosair K30 when i bought it, as it was cheap enough and very solid.

nesf

martineatworld wrote: »

Can I ask what you'd recommend so? Not being smart, genuinely interested as I'm in the market for a mouse around 40 quid. A friend recommended a sharkoon drakonia, if anyone else has an opinion on it?

I wouldn't have much experience on mice around that price range in recent years. I've heard good things about the Gigabyte and Shogun Bros stuff mentioned by others here though.

I'm using a Roccat Kone Pure these days. It's a nice mouse but quite a bit more than 40 quid. I don't rate any of the Logitech mice I've used recently very highly, though I still have fond memories of the Logitech MX-518 optical mouse from many years ago that the G series evolved from and somehow made worse.

abbir

I like the look of the Logitech G500 or G502 and I've read good things about the Mad Catz R.A.T. 9 but I've never tried them since there are no left-handed models. I've been using a Razer Deathadder for a number of years now. Still works great. I chose it as it was the only made for left-handed mouse I could find but I've been very happy with it. Before that I was using ambidextrous mouses and they weren't as good. I think the newer Deathadders have different sensors and a higher DPI than my one.

ScumLord

martineatworld wrote: »

Can I ask what you'd recommend so?

Logitech. :pac:

Most mice in this price range would be pretty decent, just look for features you'd like and find some reviews. I wouldn't go buying any brand new models or brands. A well established model that's on its third or more revision should have had any kinks worked out and be pretty reliable.

CastorTroy

Thanks for the mousemat recommendation. I sit back on my sofa using a wireless keyboard and mouse with the cushion beside me as the mousemat. Getting a new sofa so figured will get an actual mousemat as well to use on it.

ShadowHearth

nesf wrote: »

Ignore the Razer fanboys, years ago the Deathadder may have been a good choice but in recent times Razer being on the box has added 20-30 quid to the price without any justification other than it being black with a green trim. :P

Feck off!

By no means I would be a Razor fanboy, I only like Deathadder and nothing else from Razor line. It's just way to overpriced. Deathadder did got expensive lately, I agree, but it's still a fantastic mouse!

nesf

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Feck off!

By no means I would be a Razor fanboy, I only like Deathadder and nothing else from Razor line. It's just way to overpriced. Deathadder did got expensive lately, I agree, but it's still a fantastic mouse!

Yeah, the current stuff would be good quality, just knock £20-£30 off the RRP to bring it in line. Right now they're selling you a good £40 mouse for £60 with none of the features you'd expect at a £60 price point.

ShadowHearth

nesf wrote: »

Yeah, the current stuff would be good quality, just knock £20-£30 off the RRP to bring it in line. Right now they're selling you a good £40 mouse for £60 with none of the features you'd expect at a £60 price point.

Well, I don't know what features you would want on it. It's perfection out of box. Has enough buttons and it does perfect what it should. I had more expensive one with changeable weights and stupid dpi, led colour change and all that jazz. It was **** at doing one simple thing though - being a mouse.
Even so, they are expensive now, but if my Deathadder bricks up, I will get another one. So far my one is over 3 years old and it is going strong.

nesf

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Well, I don't know what features you would want on it. It's perfection out of box. Has enough buttons and it does perfect what it should. I had more expensive one with changeable weights and stupid dpi, led colour change and all that jazz. It was **** at doing one simple thing though - being a mouse.
Even so, they are expensive now, but if my Deathadder bricks up, I will get another one. So far my one is over 3 years old and it is going strong.

It's more that if you want a mouse that just has the basics and does them well you don't need to spend £60. Or even close to that.

dreamers75

On my last Mx 518....Bought a few of them on ebay few years ago and this one nearly dead. Perfect mouse for me.

KB dammmit cant remember and its not written on it, has 4 marks like a claw on it. Was mispriced in PC World so picked it up.

ShadowHearth

nesf wrote: »

It's more that if you want a mouse that just has the basics and does them well you don't need to spend £60. Or even close to that.

But what you want out of your mouse, then just being an actual good mouse? A lot of **** or high dpi is not needed or gimmick, that just makes your ePenis bigger, but means feck all in real life.
Even if it's 60£ mouse, it does everything that needs to. Yes, you can get cheaper ones, but I won't gamble anymore as everytime I try to get cheap one, it goes in to my "man drawer" and I end up buying new mouse again. I better pay that 60£ and know that I am getting perfection it self!

Skerries

here are some of the solutions to couch gaming out there
http://kotaku.com/an-elegant-keyboard-solution-for-couch-based-pc-gaming-1589246630

ShadowHearth

Skerries wrote: »

here are some of the solutions to couch gaming out there
http://kotaku.com/an-elegant-keyboard-solution-for-couch-based-pc-gaming-1589246630

Price: 5 billion dollars!!!!

nesf

ShadowHearth wrote: »

But what you want out of your mouse, then just being an actual good mouse? A lot of **** or high dpi is not needed or gimmick, that just makes your ePenis bigger, but means feck all in real life.
Even if it's 60£ mouse, it does everything that needs to. Yes, you can get cheaper ones, but I won't gamble anymore as everytime I try to get cheap one, it goes in to my "man drawer" and I end up buying new mouse again. I better pay that 60£ and know that I am getting perfection it self!

Are you still trying to argue that you're not a Razer fanboy??

Dcully

MX 518 still,ive tried everything else and for me atleast nothing comes close.
KB is a cyborg V7, not bog standard not amazing either but it looks well with tonnes of lighting options.

ShadowHearth

nesf wrote: »

Are you still trying to argue that you're not a Razer fanboy??

I am deathadder fanboy, not Razor lol. I actually had other razer mouse before and it was ****.
D

nesf

ShadowHearth wrote: »

I am deathadder fanboy, not Razor lol. I actually had other razer mouse before and it was ****.
D

Pfft, you're just splitting hairs.

ShadowHearth

nesf wrote: »

Pfft, you're just splitting hairs.

And you can't just admit that deathadder is awesome.

nesf

ShadowHearth wrote: »

And you can't just admit that deathadder is awesome.

I just refuse to drink the Kool-Aid.

Kiith

Anyone ever had any issues using multiple joypads on the pc? Was going to pickup Fifa 15 this week, and use two joypads (same type) but i've never had two joypads connected before. Shouldn't cause any problems, right?

Shiminay

I don't believe it's a problem, was thinking about doing the exact same thing myself for the exact same reason

I'm tempted by one of the new XBone controllers, they're a nice improvement on the 360 one, but I dunno if I wanna drop that much cash on something that'll only get very occasional use

Kiith

Yeah, i saw those myself and was tempted. They are very nice, but i don't fancy spending €50+ on it. Think i'll just pickup one of the Afterglow ones you recommended on the 1st page. I might actually need two, as the joypad i have needs some tinkering to get working with certain games. I need to run a 3rd party program just for Dark Souls to recognise it.

Do the XOne joypads require anything to run, or are they just plug and play?

Shiminay

Kiith wrote: »

Yeah, i saw those myself and was tempted. They are very nice, but i don't fancy spending €50+ on it. Think i'll just pickup one of the Afterglow ones you recommended on the 1st page. I might actually need two, as the joypad i have needs some tinkering to get working with certain games. I need to run a 3rd party program just for Dark Souls to recognise it.

Do the XOne joypads require anything to run, or are they just plug and play?

I was asking a friend who was daft enough to buy an XBone (he's a fighting games guy, so we can forgive him) and he says that once you're plugged in with the micro USB charging cable, Windows 8.1 should just pick it up, but the drivers are available for it on Win 7 (Quick Google will find it for you I'm sure).

There's a fully wired SKU of the controller coming in the next few months I believe, so I'd probably wait till then anyway, but when you can get 2 of those Afterglow's for the price of one XBone controller, it's difficult to justify

Kiith

God damn it...have to buy two pads if i want to do this now, as my Xeox just won't work with Fifa. Spent the last 3 hours trying to do it, and nothing works. Ugh, stupid 3rd party ****ty pads

abbir

Shiminay wrote: »

There's a fully wired SKU of the controller coming in the next few months I believe, so I'd probably wait till then anyway, but when you can get 2 of those Afterglow's for the price of one XBone controller, it's difficult to justify

The wired SKU is just a regular XBone controller with an included micro USB cable. There's no need to wait.

Shiminay

Oh nice one, I didn't realise that was the case. I thought they might be rolling out a smaller one without the battery pack like they did with the 360.

Kiith

I'll probably pickup the XBone controller today, as i'll probably end up buying the XBone anyway once the Halo collection comes out. Getting Fifa on the pc now isn't quite as cheap as i'd planned (though the game did only cost me €31)

dreamers75

Multiple Pads work fine on PC, used have issues in XP but Windows 7/8 seems to have fixed them.

Used to have 2 x Ps3 and 2 Ps2 controllers all in at the same time.

Dumped the PS3s and now use 2 Xbox and 2 PS2 works as a USB controller.

CastorTroy

Any difference between One and 360 controllers? I have a 360 controller and I assume they'll work on the same games the One controllers work on

Sarky

I preferred the 360 controller. Felt like there was more grip to it, especially on the analogue sticks.

Kiith

I bought the XBone pad yesterday, and it's a good pad. I probably prefer the 360 one, but it may just be that i'm more used to it. Either way, have both now, so at least i don't have to worry about configuring games with x360ce anymore.

Suryavarman

I'm in the market for a new keyboard and have a budget of €80. Although I would be able to go a bit more if there was something really good to be had.

Anyone got some recommendations?

TheDoc

Suryavarman wrote: »

I'm in the market for a new keyboard and have a budget of €80. Although I would be able to go a bit more if there was something really good to be had.

Anyone got some recommendations?

CM Storm user here. Tenkeyless version.

After using Logitech G series membrane keyboards for years branched out to try a mechanical keyboard and can safely say I'll never go back.

Paid €60 from scan.co.uk at the time, and they get rave reviews from users and reviewers alike. Noticed that the board I have doesn't seem available anymore and the prices are much higher now.

Razer do a popular brand of mechanical keyboard, but it's on the expensive side, and they arn't regarded as a great keyboard and have durability issues.

Logitechs entry to the mechanical keyboard market has been pretty good, I think its the 700 series or something, is very popular and a few friends have it and think its great.

I'd say the first choice you need to make is if you want to go mechanical (if not already) or stick with membrane.

If you go mechanical, then you need to start looking into the switches. This is basically the switch that sits behind the key. Different colours are different performance. Some are light, some strong, some loud, some silenced. Everyone will swear by different things, personally think its one of those things you'll get used to as the years go by and you'll get a preference.

I currently use red switches. They are good and responsive, but are pretty loud and "clacky"

If you are sticking/choosing with membrane, in reality simply doesn't matter what keyboard you buy. It's a universal standard, and really all your paying for is designs/looks. I wouldn't pay more then €20 for a membrane keyboard.

Skerries

TheDoc wrote: »

I wouldn't pay more then €20 for a membrane keyboard.

agreed but I do find one with backlit keys is very handy for night gaming

Suryavarman

TheDoc wrote: »

CM Storm user here. Tenkeyless version.

After using Logitech G series membrane keyboards for years branched out to try a mechanical keyboard and can safely say I'll never go back.

Paid €60 from scan.co.uk at the time, and they get rave reviews from users and reviewers alike. Noticed that the board I have doesn't seem available anymore and the prices are much higher now.

Razer do a popular brand of mechanical keyboard, but it's on the expensive side, and they arn't regarded as a great keyboard and have durability issues.

Logitechs entry to the mechanical keyboard market has been pretty good, I think its the 700 series or something, is very popular and a few friends have it and think its great.

I'd say the first choice you need to make is if you want to go mechanical (if not already) or stick with membrane.

If you go mechanical, then you need to start looking into the switches. This is basically the switch that sits behind the key. Different colours are different performance. Some are light, some strong, some loud, some silenced. Everyone will swear by different things, personally think its one of those things you'll get used to as the years go by and you'll get a preference.

I currently use red switches. They are good and responsive, but are pretty loud and "clacky"

If you are sticking/choosing with membrane, in reality simply doesn't matter what keyboard you buy. It's a universal standard, and really all your paying for is designs/looks. I wouldn't pay more then €20 for a membrane keyboard.

Wow. Thanks for the informative reply.

I was thinking about going mechanical but I was worried that they might be a bit too loud.