OS X: Gaming keyboard... For Mac

[Arkious]

Im looking for a new keyboard to replace my apple wireless keyboard. This is a great keyboard but where it fails is occasionally if you press too many keys at once you can end up where one key seems to get locked in (not physically) so you do something daft like continue to run forward or spin round in circles for example.

so ive been looking at a few different wired keyboards that have a mac layout. I quite like the scissor/chiclet keys on the apple keyboards so the one that took my fancy they most was the Razer DeathStalker, but its a shame that of all the keyboards they make, that one is not made in a mac layout (bit daft really).

now from a non gaming keyboard point of view, another one that looked great was the Moshi Luna, obviously not designed for gaming but still a nice keyboard. Now i would prefer a compact keyboard without a number pad, but not really a priority.

Has anyone got any preference? or could tell me what they are using, how they find it and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know

thanks

[beerijuana]

I use a Razer Nostromo:



Discontinued, superseded by the Razer Orbweaver (I want):



...in combination with the Apple wireless keyboard (for entering text), which as you said "is a great keyboard".

For a mouse I use:



...Which, aside from left-click, gives me another 5 programmable "clicks" to the 20+ or so on the Nostromo. (I've used a version of the Kensington Expert Mouse trackball going back to the old two button ADB version in the '90s, I don't like the standard-style mouse, or trackpads, never have.)

The combination above is far more accurate as well as ergonomic, ...for me anyway.

I play FPS games like Borderlands 1 & 2, Left 4 Dead, Portal, Bioshock...

[labars]

I would recommend any mechanical keyboard that works with mac (which is most of them). Personally I use a Filco Majestouch 2.

One good option if you want a keyboard specifically with Mac in mind would be the Das Keyboard, as they have a Mac version of their keyboard: http://www.daskeyboard.com/

The Razer Black Widow keyboard also has Mac versions available: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-keyb...ackwidow-2013/

[Arkious]

I've seen those ergonomic keyboard/ mouse gaming pads, they look awesome but I don't think it's for me unfortunately.

As for that daskeyboard, that is insain! A true Jedi you must be to use this keyboard. Hahaha but I can understand what they mean as I don't really look at the keyboard when I'm typing but I guess it's just handy to have.

But I think so far the hands down winner seems to be the blackwidow, it's just a shame the deathstalker wasn't mac layout as that would have been my 'buy it nowwwwwww!' Choice.

Thanks for your feedback guys. Anyone else with any mac gaming keyboards? I'm just worried about this mechanical keyboard feeling having had a chiclet keyboard for nearly 3 year on a mac and 2 year on a laptop prior to that

[mslide]

Originally Posted by Arkious

I'm just worried about this mechanical keyboard feeling having had a chiclet keyboard for nearly 3 year on a mac and 2 year on a laptop prior to that

Definitely mechanical all the way. It's simply better and offers better ergonomics. As for a specific keyboard, I wouldn't get caught up in "gaming" keyboards. I don't find the extra 'gaming' features useful. The extra buttons aren't really very useful because you usually have to move your hand to hit those keys (I'd rather have the extra buttons on the mouse so I can hit them without moving a hand). Fancy lighting? Whatever. LED screens? Useless because you aren't ever looking at them while playing. I also really don't like having a number pad on a keyboard because it means I have to move my right hand further when going from keyboard to mouse.

I would just pick whatever keyboard that has the right layout and feel for you.

Personally, I use a Kinesis Advantage but it's not the type of thing you buy just for gaming as it's a very expensive keyboard. You buy it for its ergonomics. It has mechanical switches and I find them much better than chiclet keys (and I used chicklet keyboards for years as well). Again, not that I'd ever buy it just for gaming but it turns out to be the best keyboard for gaming I've ever used due to its overall ergonomics and with the control/alt/command/etc keys being on the thumbs.