Normal Keyboards vs. Gaming Keyboards
Should you go for the best gaming keyboard you can find or is a normal one perfectly fine for ordinary use?
If most of your work — and play — involves using a keyboard in front of a computer screen, this is probably a question you’ve asked more than once. After all, a specialized tool is bound to work better than a standard one, right? Well, yes and no.
We’re not saying that a gaming keyboard is an optional peripheral. Certainly, hardcore gamers don’t see it that way. But if you’re a typical person that uses a desktop computer to write emails or update social media accounts, many gaming keyboard features will feel unnecessary for you.
Maybe you’re thinking of upgrading, anyway. So is purchasing the best gaming keyboard worth it? Check out the main differences between gaming and normal keyboards below.
Membrane vs. Mechanical: Gaming Keyboards Use Mechanical Switches
Two basic kinds of keyboards are distinguished based on how their individual keys work.
Membrane or rubber dome keyboards are closely related, with most standard designs out in the market featuring one or the other — or both, by having rubber domes inside each separate key sit over a membrane sheet. Basic office and desk keyboards fall under this classification. You can tell that a keyboard uses rubber domes or membrane sheets inside by the quiet typing it facilitates.
Gaming keyboards are supercharged versions of old school mechanical keyboards. If you’re old enough, you’ll remember how noisy and heavy these were!
However, mechanical key switches and metal springs inside also make for better response time — a difference of milliseconds can mean a lot to a gamer — more precise keypresses, and helpful physical feedback. Gamers can often further hone that feedback through keyboard customization and choose from three options: linear, tactile, or clicky.
There’s also something called N-Key Rollover (NKRO) that’s only possible to take beyond a certain limit with mechanical keyboards. Basically, with a gaming keyboard, you can press as many keys as you want at the same time, and all of them will register accurately.
Many membrane keyboards can only handle about six keys at once (6KRO). This isn’t a very useful feature for the average person, but for gamers, it can spell the difference between defeat and victory.
Programmable Keys Make Gaming Easier
While gaming keyboards don’t have the programmable key market cornered, their manufacturers certainly make programming and keybinding easier to perform on their products.
Many brands have proprietary software that allows you to customize sets of keystrokes and macros — a specific set of keypresses forming a command sequence that you can bind to a single function key — that can be saved in different profiles you can use for different games.
This is a useful feature for non-gamers, as well. You can create macros for copy-pasting, opening and closing windows, or complex in-application tasks.
Normal Keyboards Don’t Come With RGB Backlights
Proprietary software also allows you to customize what gaming keyboard backlights do. These are just colorful LEDs installed behind the keys, providing illuminating and decorative effect. Some keyboards feature a single color, while others have RGB backlights.
Gaming keyboards can be configured to have certain important keys backlit a different color from the rest. Some manufacturers also allow keyboard backlights to match the lighting in other peripherals they make, like gaming mice. You may even be able to program lighting patterns to show up upon reaching certain in-game milestones.
For non-gamers, this feature may be useful when working in a dark or dimly lit room.
Gaming Keyboards Are Designed for Comfort and Convenience
The best gaming keyboards come in a variety of colors that aren’t available for normal ones.
Have you ever seen a standard membrane keyboard with a vibrant colorway straight out of the box? Probably not. Because gaming keyboards are already built for customization, it makes sense for brands to push the idea further in the simplest way possible.
On top of a larger color selection, gaming keyboards are also usually more durable and stable. Rubber domes are usually rated to last about 5 million keystrokes, while the best key switches you can find are rated to last up to 50 million.
With a longer lifespan also comes more design concessions to make users more comfortable. This is because gamers often stay on their keyboard for much longer than the average person. Modular or detachable paddings, wrist rests and other ergonomic considerations aren’t uncommon.
On a Budget? You Might Want to Stick to Normal Keyboards
This might be the best case for normal keyboards; with so many options out there, you’re guaranteed to find one in your price range.
Of course, the best gaming keyboards are pricier than those you’d buy for office or light home use. The reason is the membrane vs. mechanical difference.
Ever wonder why membrane is the standard? It’s easy to mass-produce. In comparison, mechanical keyboards are not only more complicated but also target a much smaller market.
Resources— PC Gamer, Gaming Gear Zone, Tech User’s Guide
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