Gaming mice/keyboards - Overkill for a general user of a PC?

[Ji-L87]

Thanks for both replies!
I've looked up a bit on both, it will be interesting to see what my feelings will be when the key tester arrives...whenever it arrives. Because I skimped on shipping.

[bobrocks95]

Well, I can already see two specific hurdles ahead of me when I'm looking at mechanical keyboards.
One, I want a full sized keyboard complete with numpad yet want it to be compact. Many are missing a lot of keys or are gaming behemoths with macro keys, volume controls and usb hubs.
Two, because of where I'm located I need a Nordic QWERTY layout, which limits my options a bit more.

Check out the WASD v2 barebones. Unless the Nordic QWERTY layout is extremely different, you could just order Nordic keycaps to put on the keyboard, assuming you can just use software to tell the computer it's Nordic. It's also got a few of the more obscure Cherry switches available as options.

[Ed Oscuro]

Check out the WASD v2 barebones.

Interesting. I've never really looked at their options other than the "Coding Horror" Atwood branded code keyboards: https://codekeyboards.com/

Should be roughly the same stuff, though it looks like the Code is cheaper here.

[bobrocks95]

Check out the WASD v2 barebones.

Interesting. I've never really looked at their options other than the "Coding Horror" Atwood branded code keyboards: https://codekeyboards.com/

Should be roughly the same stuff, though it looks like the Code is cheaper here.

I think the Code just adds backlighting? It would be nice if it had a barebones version with no keycaps as well- it's nice that their set is fully customizable, but they're still charging $50 for ABS keycaps. I bought some $25 PBT caps from Vortex and plan to get a v2 barebones later on to throw them on. Cheaper and better, just not as customized.

[tacoguy64]

From my experience, for general usage, just get what your most comfortable with.
Though the last two mice i had were gaming mouses.
Both of them were from logitech. The g700 gaming laser has been real comfortable for me to use, and it can do both wired and wireless.
The one before that was the g500 that i had for around 5 years before it went to crap.

[Ed Oscuro]

Check out the WASD v2 barebones.

Interesting. I've never really looked at their options other than the "Coding Horror" Atwood branded code keyboards: https://codekeyboards.com/

Should be roughly the same stuff, though it looks like the Code is cheaper here.

I think the Code just adds backlighting? It would be nice if it had a barebones version with no keycaps as well- it's nice that their set is fully customizable, but they're still charging $50 for ABS keycaps. I bought some $25 PBT caps from Vortex and plan to get a v2 barebones later on to throw them on. Cheaper and better, just not as customized.

Oh I see now, the barebones is $100. Yeah, that's a bit cheaper. I'll have another look at these, thanks! $100 for a keyboard is about my breaking point, I think - ideally they'd get these down to much less.

[bobrocks95]

I think the Code just adds backlighting? It would be nice if it had a barebones version with no keycaps as well- it's nice that their set is fully customizable, but they're still charging $50 for ABS keycaps. I bought some $25 PBT caps from Vortex and plan to get a v2 barebones later on to throw them on. Cheaper and better, just not as customized.

Oh I see now, the barebones is $100. Yeah, that's a bit cheaper. I'll have another look at these, thanks! $100 for a keyboard is about my breaking point, I think - ideally they'd get these down to much less.

These are the keycaps I got for reference: http://www.amazon.com/Vortex-White-Doub ... vortex+pbt

They were $8-10 cheaper on massdrop, that's where I got them from. They're the better plastic, PBT, and have doubleshot legends so the legends won't wear off over time. I have them on my switch tester right now and they have a very nice textured feeling that hopefully won't wear off too easily.

On the topic of getting cheaper- even if they do become more popular the sheer variety of switch types is going to be a big hindrance in cost-cutting I would think. There are around 3 popular brands and they each make 4 or so popular switch types and then some more niche ones as well. Since they have to be soldered in supporting all those different types likely causes issues on the economy of scale end of things.

[Ed Oscuro]

Oiling button switches is not feasible for my Razer with a seamless one-piece plastic body, which is too rigid to lift up in place, and any possible screw holes are hidden under the teflon feet. I've opened up the previous gen Lachesis by removing the feet, and they won't go back on as nicely. If I had absolutely no choice I'd do it and glue the feet back on, of course.

Anyhow, I took a few minutes' field trip to a local big box store with a Logitech store display.

The Daedalus G303 was very light, but I found that even the heavier mice were like what I was used to. I don't think that the lightness of the G303 would be a massive selling point for me. On the downside, the two side buttons of the G303 are in an inconvenient place. The other simple mice seemed just like this - too simple.

The G300s looks flexible with four extra top face buttons, but I'd probably prefer them on the sides. I've gotten used to having my fingers a bit spread around the mouse...keeps them apart, maybe too much for ergonomics, but I've not had a problem. On the plus side it keeps my fingers comfortably apart.

The G502 actually made the best impression of all the wired mice. It was a bit heavier, but might have had the removable weights in (I couldn't see much under the anti-theft plate). All the controls were nicely positioned - for a right-handed user. I was seriously considering going for it, but the thumb button protrudes enough that it'd irritate the inside of my second-to-last finger (which currently hits the back button). Also, with this mouse my left thumb wouldn't do anything. The extra top face buttons could be easily reached by anybody's usual mouse button clicking fingers, and this would help reduce reliance on side buttons, but once again I'm not sure the contours were quite as smooth as I would have liked.

For a right-handed user, I think the G502 would be about perfect. If they made a left-handed version that'd be closer to ideal, but they don't, so it's back to square one.

[desram]

My Experiences
Razer - little junky (miss the old Copperhead)
Steelseries - better junk, use their mice (Xai/Sensei), cherry black had problems with loose keycaps a lot
Leopold Keyboards (via elitekeyboards) - Cherry Blue: was great but had issues with the Mini USB connector causing drops
WASD - Cherry blue and green - Also good, but pricey

[cfx]

.

[Ed Oscuro]

I don't know if Ed's had the extra weights in it or not but I find it heavier than I was used to without them but I adapted to that quickly;

Yeah, I noticed it in the store, but it felt like something that would not be impossible to get used to.

My Razer, and many other mice I've used, have a surface with just a touch of rubbery texture to it, but any gunk that gets caught on it can be wiped off. The hard plastic sides are the same of course. Overall, the slightly textured grips are nicer than just a hard plastic surface which would always be slick, though whenever I use the mouse I'm touching both surfaces anyway.

Sorry to hear about the CTS D:

[cfx]

.

[neorichieb1971]

Stop sweating acid drops mate.

[Ed Oscuro]

I think the issue with the rubber surfaces is unique to me or some subset of people. It's something in my sweat or oil or whatever. I also can dissolve the paint off of mice and make the grips on Dualshock controllers turn shiny. I've tried sometimes wiping the rubber stuff off after use but it doesn't make any difference.

An old mouse I liked years ago was the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer, the version that's been rereleased a few times. That initial release of it was painted silver over a gray plastic. The areas of mine I gripped turned gray in a year or less as the paint came off, and I am careful with the stuff.

It's not just you Microsoft made a silly move painting that mouse.

@ richie: You sweat Carlsberg though