Gaming Mouse & Keyboard, & Gamepad

[NeonSamurai]

As the topic says, I'm looking at getting a gaming mouse, gaming keyboard, and a gamepad. Since most of this stuff isn't cheap I'm looking for any feedback (experiences, thoughts, opinions) from you guys that own (or used) one (or more) of them. <edit> I have since made up my mind :D

Gaming Mice
I have decided to get the
Logitech G5 (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/mice/devices/359&cl=ca,en)
Good price, good features, and top notch reviews are why I chose it.

Gaming Keyboards
After considering peoples opinions here and reading multiple reviews I have decided to get the
Logitech G11 Keyboard (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/285&cl=ca,en)
Lots of macro keys, good macro software, keys light up, and its top notch reviews are why I chose it.


Gamepads
After looking at tons of professional and user reviews for all the pc gamepads available where I am, I've decided to eliminate all of them and go with the
Xbox 360 Controler for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=091&active_tab=overview)
Its a purpose built console gamepad, not a pretender. Microsoft spent far more research then either Logitech or Saitek possibly could. It also has generally far better reviews.


I would like to thank all of you who offered your opinions and helped me decide :)

[VipertheSniper]

I've got the P990 Gamepad and I have to say I'm fairly satisfied with it... I have to say though, I would've bought the Logitech Dual Action Gamepad, if it wasn't for it's lack of buttons (only use it for N64 emulation).

[Reece]

If you play Silent Hunter then I recommend the Logitech G15 gaming keyboard, lights up the key letters etc, so you can play in the dark!!:up:

[NeonSamurai]

I looked at the G15 and for a much higher price (20-30$) it is almost the same to the G11 minus the LCD screen and the G11 has 3x the macro keys.

As for the lights debate, to be honest I've gamed in the dark for years now with out a light up keyboard, so i can feel my way around the keyboard in near total darkness (my keyboard is also close to the monitor so it often lights it up unless the game is ultra dark). Because of this I'm not sure having the keys light up will make up for the lack of anti ghosting of the G keyboards, as I do play a lot of games that can require many key presses at once and having them jam or 'ghost' is a real pain.

I wish though one could do both (light and anti ghosting), but from what I've read its not fully possible. The light up razer keyboards, for example, all feature anti ghosting only on the w a s d keys, which is near useless. Their high end tarantula board with full anti ghosting doesn't light up, but they offer a 20$ (us) lamp that attaches to the board to light the keys. The warboard on the other hand is functionally the same as razer's tarantula (same number and layout of macro keys, full anti ghosting, etc) for about half the price. I could get a low intensity LED light to do the same thing if i need.

Otherwise though what do you think of the keyboard? do you use the macro buttons much? Is it holding up


@Viper
Thanks for the info :) though why would have you gone for the logitech in the end? the one you have has a better rating on newegg then the logitech model. They also both have the same number of buttons (just arranged a bit different), though I can see why you may favor the layout of the P990 as its closer to the setup of the old N64 controler.

[Reece]

Otherwise though what do you think of the keyboard? do you use the macro buttons much? Is it holding upI use the macro's so far only for SH3 & 4, the keyboard is very good, I like the LCD display, run an applet called SirReal and displays up/download speed, memory usage, cpu activity, Time & date, stopwatch feature, speaker volume & network traffic, many other downloadable applets.:yep:

[AVGWarhawk]

Logitech mouse for games are great IMO. I forget the model but it is a great gamer mouse.

My keyboard is the Saitek II with background key lighting. Nice board and has a good feel. I can change the background lighting to blue or red. Red is great if you have the lights low for the submarine games.

No gamepad.

[Arclight]

IMHO for gaming mouse ROCCAT Kone is an excellent choice. :yeah:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj2/EZatHome/P4220088.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj2/EZatHome/P4220091.jpg

Site: http://www.roccat.org/Products/Products/ROCCAT-Kone/

Software is the best. All buttons cutomizable, even DPI switch buttons.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj2/EZatHome/Untitled-2.jpg

[NeonSamurai]

Cool good to know Reece, though I wouldn't get the LCD model as it's 36$ (G15) over the G11 for only an LCD screen and 12 fewer macro keys. I have no use for an lcd screen, i run a laptop with a full size monitor, so I can display what ever I want on the laptop (stats, webpages, manuals, whatever) while playing on the mainscreen. One further question I have is, do you find 6 macro keys to be enough in general?

Yep I like logitech mice in general AVG and have owned several since they came on the market. I looked at their 3 current corded gaming mice before settling on the G5 as the main one im interested in from them. The MX518 is older, doesn have weights, and is only 8$ less, and I hate the G9 design (too stubby, uncomfortable, the heel of my palm drags behind it, bad layout).

I looked at the Saitek keyboards, I ended up ruling out the eclipse II as its just a back lit keyboard with out macro keys or anti ghosting (and only 6 dollars less then the G11). The cyborg keyboard also got rulled out as it is going for 110$ (plus shipping) which is too much, and its mostly just a bunch of glitz.

I notice however that most of you are going for lighting, which is interesting to me, as I would generaly rate anti ghosting as being more important. Perhaps its the different games we play, as I tend to play sims as much as I do fps, rts, strat, sport, etc games. So not having the keyboard lock out more then 3 keys pressed at once would be nice. Like moving diagonaly while holding down the sprint key, then pressing the jump key and not jumping. I have learned to adapt to that, but I think it would be nice not to think about it. I looked at the lycossa which is a fairly nice keyboard other then some things i hate about it (like this mess (http://www.ocia.net/reviews/lycosamirror/page3.shtml) with the pass through cabling which I neither want nor need), and other design features, its also more expensive then the g11 by 6$.


The kone looks like a nice mouse (its features though are mostly common to all of the mice I selected). Unfortunately there isn't a vendor in my area with it.


As a side note, I have to say I absolutely hate www.newegg.ca. On the surface their prices look realy good, but when you go to order they slap you with huge handling and shipping fees (like 30$ for a 70$ keyboard) which brings the price right back up to (and often over) what futureshop and bestbuy sell for. :mad: and that is before taxes.

Anyhow I removed the ms mouse from the contenders. Decided it wouldn't do.

[bert8for3]

Mice: I got the G5 last year, love it. Has a nice heft if you like that by adding weights, or go light without. Great on-the-fly adjustability, although I don't use half of it.

[NeonSamurai]

Thanks bert8for3 :DL

Anyhow I think the question remaining is mainly the keyboard (and to a lesser extent the game pad). At this point I'm almost certain to get the G5 mouse, and starting to lean towards the G11 keyboard. I used the newegg user reviews by adding together the 4-5 star vote %s and these are the results. In mice the G5 is a wopping 90%, The Copperhead scored 81%, and the high end Lachesis scored 65%. For keyboards they didn't have the warboard, but the G11 scored 91%. For gamepads, saitek scored 72% while logitech scored 57%. These trends are not absolute as some of the pools were small. Most were in the 200-500 range, the saitek however had only 36 reviews so it could be way off.

Anyhow I'm going to do some more research on gamepads and the 2 keyboards :)

[FIREWALL]

I've had a Saitek Eclipse II for 3yrs + without a problem. :woot:

[NeonSamurai]

Ok I have decided, see above. Final selection is.....

Logitech G5 Mouse
Logitech G11 Keyboard
Microsoft Xbox 360 Controler for Windows

In the end the biggest annoyance was the Gamepad. The selection is pretty bad and most of them on the market are not overly well rated, or very expensive. All the game pads from Logitech and Saitek had square analog stick openings which is poor design, and a lot of them are made very cheap and don't tend to last very long. So I decided the heck with it, ill pay a little extra and go with a corded MS xbox 360 controler for pc.


Again thanks to all who participated, now I just need to come up with the 200$+ canadian its gonna cost (technicaly I have it but I'm not going to rush out right now until my financial situation is a bit better).