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Posted by Chris on 20th January, 2010

Gaming Keyboard Buying Guide

Gaming KeyboardHere’s a list of all of the gaming keyboards out there (at least the ones that I can think of at the moment). The list is intended to give a breakdown of the most important features you’d expect to find on a gaming keyboard and highlight which keyboards do (or don’t) have those features.

Now you can compare one with the other to get a rough idea of which is the best gaming keyboard.

The columns are as follows:

  • Name – well duh, what’s the keyboard called?
  • Backlit – no it doesn’t have any, yes it does have but in one colour, or multi means you have some choice over the colour
  • Macro Keys – does it have a dedicated set of programmable keys?
  • Windows Lock – can you lock the Windows key to prevent yourself from accidentally dropping out of the game and back to the desktop? Sometimes called a ‘gaming mode’.
  • USB – how many additional USB sockets does the keyboard provide?
  • Audio I/O – are there any audio pass-through sockets for headsets and/or microphones?
  • Multimedia Controls – does the keyboard give you any form of control over your media player?
  • Price – check the price of the keyboard at Amazon (US or UK) to get a decent idea of how much you need to spend and how much you can save on the recommended retail price
Name Backlit Macro
Keys
Windows
Lock
USB Audio
I/O
Multimedia
Controls
Price
Alienware Tactx Multi Yes Yes No No No
Logitech G11 Yes Yes Yes 2 x 1.1 No Yes
Logitech G110 Multi Yes Yes 1 x 2.0 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Logitech G15 Yes Yes Yes 2 x 1.1 No Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Logitech G19 Multi Yes Yes 2 x 2.0 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Microsoft Reclusa Yes Yes No 2 x 1.1 No Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Microsoft Sidewinder X4 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
OCZ Elixir No Yes Yes No No Yes
OCZ Elixir II No No No No No No
OCZ Illuminati Multi Yes No No No Yes
OCZ Sabre Yes Yes No No No No
Razer Arctosa Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Razer Lycosa Yes Yes Yes 1 x 2.0 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Razer Lycosa Mirror Edition Yes Yes Yes 1 x 2.0 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Razer Tarantula No Yes Yes 2 x 1.1 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Roccat Arvo Yes Yes Yes No No No Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Roccat Valo Yes Yes Yes 1 x 1.1 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Saitek Cyborg Multi Yes Yes 1 x 1.1 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Steelseries 7G No No No 2 x 1.1 Yes Yes Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com
Steelseries/Ideazon Merc No Yes No No No Yes
Steelseries/Ideazon Merc Stealth Multi Yes No 2 x 2.0 Yes Yes
Steelseries/Ideazon Zboard No Yes No 2 x 1.1 No No
Wolfking Timberwolf No No No 2 x 1.1 No No Buy from Amazon.co.uk Buy from Amazon.com

Think I’ve missed a gaming keyboard? Want to recommend the best gaming keyboard? Then please leave a comment!

Related posts:

  1. OCZ Elixir Keyboard Breaks Cover
  2. Gaming Mouse Buying Guide
  3. Choosing The Best Gaming Keyboard
  4. Logitech Gaming Keyboard Buyer Guide
  5. Saitek Cyborg Keyboard – Razer And Logitech In For A Kicking

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4 Responses to “Gaming Keyboard Buying Guide”

  1. Shannon says:

    You could include the Alienware TactX gaming keyboard here.

  2. Chris says:

    That’s done. I also added the Steelseries Zboard, Merc and Merc Stealth, Microsoft Reclusa and the OCZ Elixir and Illuminati.

  3. Ivo says:

    Does anyone knows which keyboard is it displayed on that picture? the one with the white backlit keys and blue backlit spaces? Thanks

  4. Chris says:

    It’s been bugging me for a while and I still haven’t figured it out. Anyone else?

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