General Peripherals Thread - Keyboards, mice, controllers, and anything else you can plug into your computer

[King Dead]

Well, we've got a trackball thread and we've got a headphones thread, but nothing to do with peripherals in general. So post recommendations, debate which mechanical keyboard switch is the best, or whatever.

I'll start: I'm in need of a new mouse. The Microsoft SideWinder X8 I bought way back when I built my first desktop crapped out on me years ago, so I've just been using a basic Logitech wireless mouse since then. But I can't click the scroll wheel in on it anymore, and the left mouse button is starting to mess up too. It'll register two clicks when I only click once, or it'll stop thinking I'm holding down the button when I'm clicking and dragging. Needless to say, it's time for a replacement.

I don't care if it's wireless or wired, and the only extra buttons I feel that I need are two thumb buttons. I do a decent amount of gaming, so being able to tweak settings would be alright. Any other features are fine, but not required. I'd like to spend no more than about $60 if possible.

What mice would you recommend?

 

[NOT Sword Fighter Super]

Trackball mice are coming back.

 

[Marco Fucko]

In terms of mice recommendations I'm a fan of Logitech's G305. Wireless, good sensor, small enough but not too small.

Anyone have a mech keyboard switch preference? I like linears personally, especially since they can be made to be quieter. I've never been a fan of the unnecessary noise produced by clicky switches like mx blues or buckling springs.

 

[Slav Power]

Personally, I use a Logitech G502 HERO I've got on sale. It's heavy, not really suited for competitive play, but it does a damn good job as a productivity mouse. Plenty of buttons, good macro capabilities via software, a scroll wheel to end all scroll wheels, a rather nice ergonomic shape, and RGB. Although I seem to be experiencing some double click issue on the right mouse button, and I remember having it on the left click also, but now the left click works fine. I'm really not sure what's the deal with that, but overall it's great if you're OK with using a heavy mice for desktop use. Of course, it will also be fine for casual gaming.

 

[He Who Points And Laughs]

For mice I like both Razer and Logitech, even though I rarely game. Both feel very comfortable in my hand with the old Razer DeathAdder being my favorite.

For keyboards, Razer keyboards are ok, but the buttons on their mechanical keyboards tend to pop out. Logitech & Corsair are both decent, but Daskeyboards are my favorite for both build quality and feel.

For headphones I'm happy with any of Senheisser's studio headphones. They don't add things like bass boost so you get very clear sound from the source, which is necessary when working with audio (DAWs etc),

With monitors I like UWS for workstation & general work. I like the screen real estate for terminals and multiple applications. I am not a fan of floating window managers (why have windows behind windows?) and use tiling window managers by default. Having that extra space on screen for more applications/terminals is really beneficial for a faster work methodology.

For speakers it depends on usage. For hard core audio work I need very flat speakers, but for general use I'm most happy with the Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra Speakers. Simple 2.1 speakers with amazing sound. I bought another set of these for a different workstation after I was so pleased with them on my main desktop.

Anyone have a mech keyboard switch preference? I like linears personally, especially since they can be made to be quieter. I've never been a fan of the unnecessary noise produced by clicky switches like mx blues or buckling springs.

Cherry MX brown. Quiet with a nice feel.

 

[Pissmaster]

Nobody on the fucking planet could make a decent trackpad except for Apple for such a long time, but now laptop trackpads are generally pretty good. Laptops should have just had trackball options until around the mid '10s when non-Apple trackpads finally became decent.

Though no trackpad beats a good mouse.

 

[XYZpdq]

I'm not sure how good an idea it is in current plague climate but I've had great success with cheap chinese gaming mice off ebay, like dig around and two bucks gets you normal l/r/scroll(click for 3), also forward/back on the thumb and a speed tracking control, and it lights up disco dancing party, they usually last about seven months to a year and a half of very heavy usage, eventually the scroll wheel cuts out (probably because I click it to open in new tab a lot) or the cord breaks internally.
I haven't bought a keyboard in like ten years. Job had a bunch they were giving away so I took home like a dozen. Just basic Dell default USB things, nothing amazing but good for free.

 

[Slav Power]

Nobody on the fucking planet could make a decent trackpad except for Apple for such a long time, but now laptop trackpads are generally pretty good. Laptops should have just had trackball options until around the mid '10s when non-Apple trackpads finally became decent.

Though no trackpad beats a good mouse.

I think all laptops should have a TrackPoint, like the ThinkPad. It is the perfect compromise between a trackpad and a mouse. You don't need to swing your finger around the place to move the cursor across the screen, and you can use it while wearing gloves. And it feels really natural to use it, at least on older ThinkPads, where the design made sense.

 

[Pissmaster]

Sometimes my keyboard's lights just don't come on and I have to slap CUE.exe around to get it to work.

I even had to reinstall it recently because it just wasn't working. Fix your shit Corsair.

Also my old-ass Razer mouse's Mouse3 button is starting to fail. Razer gets a lot of shit that they deserve, but my Orochi mouse was pretty good. Way more expensive than a mouse should ever be, but I guess I paid up and got something that ended up lasting me ages. (it's also getting kind of gross looking, the places where I rest my hand and my fingers are all worn down and shiny now)

 

[byuu]

Don't throw your mouse away just because a button failed.
A new switch costs a few cents and isn't hard to solder in.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

Don't throw your mouse away just because a button failed.
A new switch costs a few cents and isn't hard to solder in.

Sometimes it's years of crud and dust that have slowly built up around something on the inside after being dropped in there by the mouse wheel. The wheel doesn't pick up nearly as much shit as a mouse ball, but it picks up some.

 

[AmpleApricots]

I'd never want more than a simple mouse and a simple keyboard. This LED stuff is gay. I used to have a razer somethingsomething and it fell apart in two years. Now I have some cheap logitech mouse from something like ten years ago or so. Full box of them. Don't care, they just work and don't break, I'm still on the first one. Of course you should take them apart and clean them sometimes.

I used to have a Model M Terminal keyboard for the longest time but it was really loud although quite robust and I liked the additional row of F-keys. (it goes up to F24) Then eventually I upgraded my PC enough to a model where the PS/2 port was skeletal enough and my workarounds for it's slightly odd protocol didn't help anymore and it stopped working properly and would've needed something in between like a microcontroller. Because I wanted more desk real estate I switched over to a Cherry G84-4100 which is a so called "75%" keyboard because of it's layout and lack of numpad. Some people hate the cherry ML switches and some people hate the layout but I don't know, after getting used to it I really liked it and I like the small size. Sadly I have been using it for a long time and the keycaps are really shiny and worn down now and nobody makes replacement ones, the keyboard is absolutely fine otherwise. Could just buy a new one I suppose but it feels kinda wasteful. I'd love to have an MX version of this keyboard because there's tons of spare parts but I couldn't justify the price to myself yet and many of them do gay shit like bluetooth and such.

 

[Stock Image Photographer]

There's a company that's producing modern versions of the Model M keyboards. I haven't used one, and they're pretty expensive for a keyboard, but if you want to check it out head here: https://www.pckeyboard.com/

 

[Pissmaster]

Don't throw your mouse away just because a button failed.
A new switch costs a few cents and isn't hard to solder in.

I figure I'll probably do that, I hoard old tech because there's always a use for it sooner or later. Not to mention, it really is the best mouse I've ever used, so I'm veeeeeeeeeeeery reluctant to ever get rid of it.

There's a company that's producing modern versions of the Model M keyboards. I haven't used one, and they're pretty expensive for a keyboard, but if you want to check it out head here: https://www.pckeyboard.com/

That's actually cheaper than a lot of RGB mechanical keyboards today

 

[DeadwastePrime]

what is it with lgbt lighting gamering keyboards/mice/monitors/headsets/pc parts/etc

 

[⠠⠠⠅⠑⠋⠋⠁⠇⠎ ⠠⠠⠊⠎ ⠠⠠⠁ ⠠⠠⠋⠁⠛]

There's a company that's producing modern versions of the Model M keyboards. I haven't used one, and they're pretty expensive for a keyboard, but if you want to check it out head here: https://www.pckeyboard.com/

They're good.

You want the PC122 option for maximum retro sci fi appeal.
https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/PC122

 

[AmpleApricots]

I wanted to order some replacement keycaps for my actual IBM 122 key I mentioned above but then I googled around and on some forums people complained there were quality problems, especially for the price. Of course, that info is a few years old by now.

 

[Pissmaster]

what is it with lgbt lighting gamering keyboards/mice/monitors/headsets/pc parts/etc

1. LinusTechTips
2. There's fuck all else going on in the PC accessory space
3. Other gimmicks from 10 years ago like those Logitech keyboards with screens never took off

I had one of these about 10 years ago. NOTHING useful supports that screen, and I only ever really used it for a clock and to see what song was playing at any time. Some games (Civ 4 IIRC) did at least acknowledge it, but I never found out what it's actually supposed to do.

But it was a pretty comfortable keyboard and I used it until too many keycaps broke off. I still have it in storage, and it still electronically works, so I'd definitely use it again if I could get replacement keys. I kept an eye on eBay for a while for spill damage ones but they just weren't coming up for the few months I had a saved search on there so I gave up

 

[King Dead]

Thanks for the recommendations. I went with a G502 wired mouse in the end, and I'm really liking it. I did occasionally hit the DPI up/down buttons by accident, but I'm getting used to it and not hitting them as much. Really comfortable in my hand, though I had to add a couple weights to it because it felt kind of light by default. Honestly, I'm mostly just glad to have a working left mouse button again.

1. LinusTechTips
2. There's fuck all else going on in the PC accessory space
3. Other gimmicks from 10 years ago like those Logitech keyboards with screens never took off

View attachment 1201700

I had one of these about 10 years ago. NOTHING useful supports that screen, and I only ever really used it for a clock and to see what song was playing at any time. Some games (Civ 4 IIRC) did at least acknowledge it, but I never found out what it's actually supposed to do.

But it was a pretty comfortable keyboard and I used it until too many keycaps broke off. I still have it in storage, and it still electronically works, so I'd definitely use it again if I could get replacement keys. I kept an eye on eBay for a while for spill damage ones but they just weren't coming up for the few months I had a saved search on there so I gave up

Man, I hadn't thought about that keyboard in ages until I saw that picture. I don't recall ever wanting one, but I can see why it never caught on. Why bother writing a bit of code to support a single keyboard with some display function, especially if other manufacturers came out with their own proprietary displays? At least the rainbow LED keyboards don't have to do anything special that the manufacturer's own software can't handle.

 

[Pissmaster]

Man, I hadn't thought about that keyboard in ages until I saw that picture. I don't recall ever wanting one, but I can see why it never caught on. Why bother writing a bit of code to support a single keyboard with some display function, especially if other manufacturers came out with their own proprietary displays? At least the rainbow LED keyboards don't have to do anything special that the manufacturer's own software can't handle.

Come to think of it, I guess the idea stemmed from how Dreamcast games had the VMU, so you had this little pixelated second display that could show stuff from the game, but I don't think a single game ever used it effectively while it was in the controller. Like, they had to shoehorn in minigames like the Chao thing in Sonic Adventure to give it a purpose, and any game where they showed, like, HP or ammo on there was completely superfluous. There's a good reason no modern controllers or keyboards have any sort of built-in screen.

The only, and I mean ONLY useful thing in a game that could use the keyboard screen would be a pinball game, where the screen works like the LCD on the backboard, and even then, it'd be less convenient than just having a floating one off to the side like in Pinball FX3. Other than that, I guess some Metal Gear Solid-style puzzles where the LCD screen shows the answer to a puzzle, like how in MGS you call the codec "on the back of the box" (on a screenshot, on the back of the game's jewel case) or how you can confuse one boss by swapping around your controller inputs. But those are good puzzles because they include out-of-game stuff you wouldn't think to do otherwise, and that kinda highlights just how useless the keyboard screen really is.

Though it was nice having a backlit clock just right on the keyboard and I'd be down for a little digital indiglo-like one on a modern keyboard, because why not.

Actually, that'd be sick to have on my RGB keyboard's numberpad, like if a number glowed a certain color for hours and another for minutes, and if it were like 12:12 it'd blink between the two colors. I wonder if there's one you can get that works with CUE.