Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard for Better Performance

Why Do You Need the Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard?

Until recently, there was a fear that a wireless keyboard would mean compromise for a speedy response in gaming. However, wireless keyboards have drastically improved over the years, and you can hardly tell the difference between the best wireless keyboard and a wired gaming keyboard.

Nowadays, wireless keyboards provide just as much responsiveness and speedy as wired keyboards. The most common concerns were terrible connectivity and dreadful battery lives, but manufacturers have managed to solve such issues, and they are almost non-existent.

Although they come at a higher price than the wired options, who wouldn’t want to enjoy gaming at a clean and uncluttered table? Without the cables cluttering your desk, you can achieve the minimalistic desktop appearance you have been looking for.

Moreover, the Bluetooth connectivity provides universal compatibility with all devices, including your phone and the gaming rig. The cordless operation also allows you to carry it and use it anywhere, whether it is on the couch or even on vacation.

So, here are the five best wireless keyboards you can buy.

What Do You Consider Before Buying the Best Gaming Keyboard?

1. Size

The size and weight of the best gaming keyboard also matter during purchasing. There are some terms you might come across when determining the size that works for you, including;

a). Full Size

This is a longer, uncut, and bigger keyboard that comes with every key for access to the additional action buttons. It also offers more room to spread out and a number pad. However, the full-sized keyboard is less portable and comes with a space-consuming body.

Considering the plenty of keys available and the comfort it offers, the above drawbacks are worth a compromise, especially if you’re looking for several command keys for MOBAs or RTS and if you will be typing for work purposes.

b). Tenkeyless (TKL)

The Tenkeyless keyboards feature a right-hand number pad to provide a tighter shape. As a result, it is a compact model at least 20% smaller than a full-sized model. This makes it easier to move and store, leaving more space to move your mouse.

A tenkeyless keyboard provides a full typing experience and is easy to carry around. It is a great option for people who don’t mind losing extra inputs or don’t work with data entry.

c). Compact

These keyboards are limited to the alphanumeric zone since they have ditched the F-keys and the number pad. However, they can still provide a comfortable typing experience, but it might be a struggle for people who often use the F commands. This is because you may need to use the function key (FN) and a number key to get the F-keys.

Fortunately, once you figure out how to use this compact keyboard, it becomes very easy to use. Apart from the extra steps required to get the shortcuts, it is the simplest keyboard to use.

d). Gaming Keypad

The gaming keypads are one-handed keyboards that eliminate the area of all characters on the right half side of the keyboard. They are most of the time designed for command efficiency with game inputs in reach of the left hand and dead keys gone.

The gaming keyboards offer more precision than other types of keyboards. However, you’re still going to require the daily keyboard because this type of keyboard is only meant to supplement the main keyboard and not replace it.

2. Connectivity

Wireless keyboards can either connect to your keyboard using a start wired USB connection or a USB dongle that looks like the micro-thumb drive. However, most of the models offer Bluetooth capabilities.

Although all the connection methods are great, we recommend the dongle for improved latency, quick setup, and less interference. However, USB dongles can only be attached to devices that come with USB ports which means you will need Bluetooth to connect the gaming system or phone.

Fortunately, Bluetooth will allow for universal support across all your devices but can be quite unstable, especially if there are other Bluetooth signals around the area. When you need to charge your keyboard, then you can use it as a regular wired model that has been attached to your PC.

3. Key Switch Types

Wireless keyboards may use three different types of switches to get feedback. They include;

• Tactile switch- These are mostly brown and give a small subdued clack and bump to confirm the registered keystrokes. They are the most common types because they provide the speed of the linear switches and feedback similar to that of the clicky switches.
• Clicky Switches- These come with a higher actuation pressure requirement to help reduce the typing errors when writing a signature loud click which acts as music to the typist’s ears but trouble to the coworkers and housemates, as well as a big bump for validation.
• Linear switches- These switches are great options for gaming only because they are quite smooth with reduced resistance, unlike the above two types. However, people may bottom out on the red keys because it doesn’t have a clear indication that you have actually triggered their actuation points. These linear keys will work great on all cylinders but may not be the best for typing because their zippiness may lead to many typos.

Although not mechanical, there are membrane keys that rely on a single mechanism that helps all the keys to register the presses. However, some people tend to find the membrane input a bit mushy, but it boasts a cheaper price and longer life than the mechanical keys because there are no multiple moving parts.

Cherry MX is another common type of mechanical key switches, and they include;

• Cherry MX Black- This linear switch provides more resistance.
• Cherry MX Blue- The Cherry MX Blue provides a greater amount of tactile feedback as well as an audible click.
• Cherry MX Brown-This type of switch gives a tactile bump to give an amount of force feedback that is noticeable.
• Cherry MX Red- The linear action gives a fast actuation with a little tactile feedback.
• Cherry MX Silver- Also known as the Cherry MX speed, the Cherry MX silver provides a linear action that has lower resistance and a shorter actuation height than the Cherry MX Red.

4. Keyboard Backlighting and Customization

Some features that would be unimportant on a regular keyboard would take new importance when adapting to gaming. For example, backlighting, for gamers, is not a way to illuminate keys in a dark room but also a way to make the game more enjoyable.

The newer technology on the backlight includes multiple lighting zones and adjustable colors. In addition, it comes with separate backlight areas for WASD and arrow keys that highlight the frequently used control keys.

Some of the best gaming keyboards come with individual key backlighting that allows you to personalize the coloring of each key, one by one, so you can choose which one fits. It is often known as per-key RGB as opposed to zone-based RGB that assign colors to key areas and clusters.

Another customization feature is its swappable keycap since the mechanical switches are physically separate from the keycap, with some designs that can swap out and remove the keys’ tops. Others feature a differently colored plastic, molded sculpting, and texturing for better tactile control.

Understanding the Mechanical, Scissor, and Dome Switch Options

a) Mechanical Switches

Nowadays, most higher-end gaming keyboards use a mechanical switch that pairs every key to its spring-loaded switch. These are designed to give great audio and tactile feedback. Most of such switches use the “MX” mechanisms from a common company known as Cherry.

They are identified by color, including Cherry MX Black, Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Red, etc. Each of these switch options comes with a slightly different design that has been tweaked to give a specific sound and feel when typing.

The type of switch you should use is dependent on the type of games you’re hoping to play or whatever else you want to do with your computer. The Cherry MX black switches tend to have the highest activation force making them a great choice for games that you don’t need to worry about mistakenly hitting a certain key twice.

However, these switches can provide them a stiff feel, making them not a great option for games that need a nimbler response. You may prefer going for the hair-trigger Cherry MX red switches for such people, but if it is too extreme, you may compromise and go for Cherry MX brown switches.

Although both have the same actuation force, the Brown ones will add a tactile bump that aids with typing. Additionally, if you want a keyboard that can easily switch back and forth between traditional work tasks and hardcore gaming, then this is what you need to find.

It is crucial to note that cherry is not the only switch maker in the market today. There are some other decent makers like Kaihua that give some budget mechanical keyboards. In addition, Logitech’s Romer-G switches are available in some of their gaming keyboards. The company claims they come with a shorter travel distance and longer lifespan (up to 70 million keystrokes) than Cherry switches.

b) Razor Switches

Razer also has Orange (tactile and silent), Yellow (linear and silent), and Green (tactile and clicky) key switches. Additionally, the green tri-serpent company also has an optical “Opto-Mechanical” key switch that makes use of a light beam that detects a keypress instead of a standard metal contact point.

For lower-end gaming keyboards, you may also find boards that make use of the “rubber dome” switches that use little bubbles in a silicone membrane, where the material is the spring behind the switch. As a result, it may feel mushy and require a full press with every keystroke, which in turn slows down the speed at which the commands are entered.

c) Scissor Switches

A slight variation is on the scissor switch, which also turns the silicone membrane for spring back but comes with a slimmer profile. It also adds a stabilizing X-shaped mechanism below every key. Scissor switches are most of the time found on laptops but also a few low-profile gaming keyboards.

Evaluating Gaming Keyboard Software

Another area you need to understand when evaluating the best gaming keyboard is the software. Nowadays, almost all gaming keyboards are linked to an application that allows you to assign the functions to customize keyboard lighting, create game-specific profiles and get shortcut keys.

Corsair keyboards may use a utility known as Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE, formerly just CUE). iCUE features a simple interface and vast options to personalize your board. Corsair keyboards that support RGB allow you to use software to stack up effects with the option of previewing them.

On the other hand, some Logitech keyboards are compatible with the Logitech Gaming Software (LGS) and G Hub. G Hub provides a more digestible interface used for synchronizing and customization of lighting zones, assigning a second layer of functions to the keys, and setting up game profiles.

Razer keyboards will use an application known as Synapse for personalization. Synapse was one of the cleanest interfaces before G Hub was released. It is easy to learn and features options to create profiles, integrate the Razer keyboard with Philips Hue lights for a coordinated RGB experience, record and assign macro functions, and modify the lighting.

As much as the appearances of this software may vary, the functionality and the purpose are almost the same. Always check your best gaming keyboard software to ensure they suit your preferred genres, playing styles, and games. Competent software will help you make better use of your wireless keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Wireless Gaming Keyboards

1. Are wireless keyboards any good for gaming?

Yes. Although wireless gaming keyboards used to be less responsive with some noticeable delay, they have quite improved over the years, making them very reliable even for competitive gamers. However, the wired keyboards tend to be better, but they may also crowd your counter space. Therefore, the best wireless gaming keyboard is a great choice if you want to get rid of the wires and access the keyboard from a long range.

2. Which is better, Bluetooth or wireless keyboard?

Bluetooth is preferred by many because it is more compatible with more devices since you can use the peripherals with devices that lack USB-A ports. However, since USB-C has continued to grow, owning a wireless RF keyboard and mouse has become more complicated. Therefore, if you would like to use the keyboard easily, a Bluetooth model will work best.

3. Do wireless keyboards use Bluetooth?

Bluetooth keyboards have increased in popularity since 2011 when the popularity of portable devices also increases. They are compatible with all the top operating systems like iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Most wireless keyboards come with Bluetooth abilities, but some don’t. Be sure to check the description of the best gaming keyboard you’re planning to buy.

4. Is 2.4 GHz better than Bluetooth?

2.4 GHz is considered to be better when compared to Bluetooth wireless audio. Although the technology is quite similar to that of Bluetooth, it comes with a proprietary radio frequency. Both technologies produce high-quality and low latency audio as well as better battery life.