Versatile keyboard?

[Alphyn]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a versatile keyboard that can be used for gaming, but also be used for work?

The new Corsair range of keyboards and mice look damn nice, but I'm not sure if I could spend that much.

Any suggestions?

[EvanJackPenn]

I recently ordered a Microsoft X4 keyboard, primarily for gaming but I do have lots of schoolwork to do with it. I haven't used it yet as I have yet to build my new desktop PC, so I'm using a laptop. But specs wise, it looks good for general usage too - no OTT lights, small, 1 row of macro keys. And I got it for £26!

Add it to your list of considerations

[pakendsuw]

i have one of those wireless Logitech set with both keyboard and mouse and they are wonderful

[ristac]

Using a Logitech G11 and very happy with it.

[Pob255]

Personally speaking gamer keyboards are a bit "meh" I've got a G11 atm, and the only features I use are the volume control and backlit keys.

A mouse is more important to me.

[ristac]

Personally speaking gamer keyboards are a bit "meh" I've got a G11 atm, and the only features I use are the volume control and backlit keys.

A mouse is more important to me.

Well I am not a game player, I just liked the look and feel of the G11 for the price I paid which was a bargain at the time via HotukDeals

[vinnyT]

Got a G11 also, love it. Have all my most used sw mapped to the macros, don't have to use the start menu any more, and have far less icons on my desktop now. If you can find one cheap, go for it.

[Hicks12]

i think most "gaming" keyboards are overpriced after jumping into mechanical keyboards earlier this year, a brief list of keyboards i have owned:

Microsoft Sidewinder x6
Logitech g15
Logitech g510
Logitech random low cheapy one
Microsoft ergonomic 2000 or something (pretty good for the ergonomic but not much else )
Microsoft basic keyboard
HP old random one
My mates g15 (had to use over a lan.... one of my old ones died haha)
Mates cyborg v3 or what ever (the cheapy one, again borrowed at a lan)
And a few random wireless ones


After all of them, i find they are crap in comparison to a mechanical keyboard... i have the Filco Majestouch tactile (i.e it uses a cherry mx brown switch)
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_search.asp?SG=10021

Expensive and it took me over a month to justify it (lots of research!) and in the end when i got it, i did think a bit.... Oh its NOT that good waste of money. However after a day that changed, i got used to the keys (still am slightly, im no 10 finger touch typer im a few fingers loL!) but the response is 100% flawless and the tactile bump halfway through means i dont need to bottom out the keys all the time and so less strain on hands/fingers, all rubber dome keyboards feel cheap and nasty to me i can hardly use them.... it does make my dell laptop feel a bit worse now but atleast my desktop is awesome to type on .

The keyboards should last like 10+ years easy, atleast 5x the life of a dome keyboard and you dont get the same wear as you do on domes, domes will require you to eventually press harder and harder to get it to register where as the mech switches wont.

I recommend looking through this :http://www.overclock.net/keyboards/4...ard-guide.html
so much information on that guide and is incredibly useful! Keys are a personal taste, very personal so its really your choice however as you have said you want it for work and gaming i would personally recommend the mx brown based keyboards as it essentially is the middle of the road switch in terms of being a gaming switch (ala mx black) and the typing switch (aka mx blue).

Mx browns have a small "bump" halfway through when they activate, some say its not enough and some say its enough. I used to say it could be alot more noticeable but im now swaying to its just right, enough to notice but not enough to distract or reduce typing.

Mx blacks basically have no response when pressed, no bump or click and require a bit more force to press, good for gaming apparently as you dont need bumps and that.... I wouldnt buy mx blacks as to me as i may aswell buy a dome keyboard if i want to bottom out all the time (obviously they still feel better than domes).

Mx blues are great for typing as they have a slightly stronger tactile response than browns and also have an audible "click" when activated, this can annoy many people though . I was going to go for the mx blues (i was in a similar position, alot of uni work and gaming hehe) but its hard to double tap on them due to their design (widely known... hence not often recommended for gaming if you require double tap, for me sc2 does and some others.).

Now i must add, browns are quieter than blues but they can still be LOUD (not compared to ibm buckle springs or blues though) this is if you actually bottom out the keys (i.e press the key right down to the bottom of the keyboard plate) however if you learn to touch type then you will find they get alot quieter and as mx browns are one of the lighter switches (easier to press, love it and still never pressed a key when i didnt want to) its easier to hit the activation point with little effort, im still trying to touch type but the difference between bottoming out and just hitting the activation point only is night and day in sound and feel.

Now as far as i know the corsair use the cherry red switches, a few people love them but ive never tried them as plymouth has no where to try keyboards . Its more of a gaming switch but its well documented on that link i mentioned earlier, best thing to do is research and research some more.

Keyboard company are excellent so if you do have some question you can find the answer for then just throw them an email as well they have been going for like almost 100 years and always done keyboards .

Quick bit about the razer keyboards, not many people like razers quality in their products or their quality control (its not great...) however their blackwidow keyboards are no where near the best but i guess at £65 they are a good stepping stone to try, however the normal blackwidow uses mxblues (hence why i didnt get it in the end, i was gunna gamble with it!) but their new blackwidow stealth uses mx browns (ignore all their marketing its BS, its a normal cherry switch thats it... all their comparisons are against other switches lol) but its not out on normal retailers yet (only on razers site so depends when you buy as it may be worth a look).

Another quick feature to note is KRO which is key roll over, most keyboards have a limited KRO which for example lets say 3 (there is a minimum they need, kro ignores function keys like enter shift etc). Right, take a random keyboard and try to press asdf, if it has 3KRO it will do asd and ignore the fourth key pressed, can be required in some situations (nice to know if you have the feature, all filcos have NKRO which means ALL keys can be pressed at once). USB has a limitation of 6KRO i think, which is why PS/2 is better as it supports NKRO, its also better on the cpu as it only requires the cpu when you press it where as usb your cpu will always be polling it checking to see if a key is pressed (cpus are awesomely strong now but its still a small difference, if you have the option on your mobo why waste a usb port . Although not all mech keyboards support ps/2, again Filco keyboards all come with a PS/2 adapter )

Hope this helped you a bit! And sorry for my spelling/punctuation its not my strong point haha