Gaming Peripheral Guide

If you’ve spent hours configuring up the perfect gaming PC or gaming laptop, or even just chosen one of our expertly pre-built gaming PCs then you should also pay close attention to the peripherals that you attach to it.

Though you might not have thought about it before, choosing the right keyboard, mouse, mouse mat and headset are all vitally important in terms of long-term comfort, robustness and overall performance.

While the Playstation and Xbox have dominated over the last few years, the resurgence of PC gaming has put the attention back on the traditional keyboard and mouse. Indeed, if you’re a lapsed gamer you’ll know that in many games the keyboard/mouse combination just can’t be beaten. When it comes to first person shooters the mouse offers unrivalled precision, while many mice feature extra buttons that can be customised with shortcuts for in-game activities or tasks.

Sure, you could settle for budget peripherals, but that would be like buying a Ferrari and fitting it with budget tyres – you’d only be short changing yourself and spoiling the fun! So take the time to choose your peripherals carefully to ensure you make the most of your marvellous gaming system.

Gaming Mice

Much like a gaming keyboard, a proper gaming mouse will bring you a competitive advantage in games. That said, a good mouse isn’t just for the prolonged fragging sessions – it can make your computer easier and more comfortable to use even if you’re just using office documents and web browsing.

A gaming mouse first and foremost though should look the part, matching the style of your system, your gaming monitor and your keyboard, with sleek looks and perhaps embellishments such as LED lighting.

A gaming mouse will also offer enhanced ergonomics and many will be optimised for right or left handers to give gamers the close control they crave. Some gaming mice also feature an array of extra buttons that are designed to fall easily under the thumb. In a shooter, this could help bring your favourite weapon to bear that bit quicker, or via programmable macro keys that let you cast complex spells in a flash in an MMO or MOBA. Alternatively, you could execute a macro in Excel saving you time on repetitive tasks.

When it comes to sensor technology you have two choices – optical or laser. Both types are actually optical-based and use a CMOS sensor to take pictures of the surface below thousands of times a second to measure movement. However, optical mice use a LED light to illuminate what’s underneath them, while laser mice use an infrared laser diode. An advantage of laser mice is that they can track on transparent surfaces. And while both are great for gaming, laser mice are the most accurate thanks to their ability to resolve greater resolution as represented by the DPI figure.

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch and is an indication of how sensitive your mouse will be to smaller movements. Higher DPI is useful if you’re running a high resolution monitor, such as an ultra-wide model or a 4K one, as it means you don’t have to move your mouse as much to get it to move smoothly across the whole screen.

However, don’t get distracted by buying the highest DPI mouse on the market or whether it’s optical or laser. Too high a DPI can actually be a problem as it can make the mouse too reactive to tiny movements making it hard to control. This is why many gaming mice come with software that enables you to adjust the DPI setting on the fly, during the game. For example, if you’re zooming in on a target in a shooter, you might want to lower the DPI to keep your aim steady, and then ramp it up again when you’re running around.

The final choice will be between using a wired or wireless mouse. Gamers only ever used to go for the former, but technology has moved on so that the difference in performance is imperceptible for most gamers. You just need to weigh up the convenience of wireless via the need to remember to charge the batteries.

Gaming Headsets

Another essential addition for a serious gamer will be the headset. A gamer will want to focus on the sound, primarily to know where their enemy is coming from, so most will want to go with a headset over using speakers. A headset is a pair of headphones with a microphone attached, which is necessary for voice chat and is important in team-based online games. And if you want to make the most of the immersive atmosphere of the latest virtual reality games then a good headset is a must.

Headsets are also pretty useful for great sounding Skype calls, though if you turn on the video you may look a little silly.

You’ll also want your headset to offer sound quality that’s as good as you can get for your budget, with a great balance of bass, mids and high frequencies. This is not just important for games, but will also pay dividends if you enjoy playing music or watching movies.

But comfort is also vitally important, as you’ll likely be wearing them for extended gaming sessions. You’ll want large pads, and good noise cancellation, to keep out the effect of hearing your mum / wife / daughter / gaming competitors in a LAN party.

And in keeping with the mouse and keyboard some offer LED backlights, which look great when gaming in the dark.

More luxury headphones will offer features such as Dolby Headphone technology, which provides a surprisingly convincing virtual surround sound effect. This adds a greater sense of space to the sound, removing the locked-in effect that having speaker drivers so close to the ear can sometimes give.

You also want to decide how your headset will connect to your computer. Some will offer a simple USB connection that bypasses the on-board sound card, with the soundcard contained in the headset, while others will feature 3.5mm analogue connectors. If you have high-quality audio on your machine that’s the way you want to go, otherwise USB will be fine. It’s also worth considering a wireless headset so you don’t have any more wires tangled around your desk when gaming.