The market for gaming keyboards has been saturated in favor of mechanical wired keyboards for a long time. While most gamers tend to use wired keyboards, some deviate and instead use wireless ones.Â
So are wireless keyboards good for gaming? Yes, wireless keyboards are suitable for gaming or not depending entirely on your usage. However, most professional gamers prefer wired ones as they show a more excellent latency value when compared to their wireless counterpart.
That is only the case for professional multiplayer games. If you’re going to play single-player casual games, you may find out that wireless keyboards are a tad better than their other counterparts. Are you caught in the loop yet? Well, it’s time that we delved further into the matter.
Are Wireless Keyboards Good For Gaming?
If you want to understand whether wireless keyboards will be the perfect keyboards for the gaming solution you are seeking, you first need to understand the various factors that make any keyboard suitable.Â
Latency And Response Time
When we talk about latency, we refer to the time required for the action to be registered in your brain. In addition, the time taken for you to press your button and watch the action being executed is also included.Â
In a nutshell, latency represents the response time of the human brain. On the other hand, response time refers to the time taken for your input to be registered by the keyboard.
The greater the keyboard’s response time is, the worse its latency will be. This will result in lower gaming performance in intensive online multiplayer.Â
However, note that even if your keyboard has a meager latency rate, the human brain might not keep up with it. Interestingly, this is the very reason why top gaming keyboards brands like Razer, Logitech, and Crossair tend to get away with their false branding of having a 1ms.
So what is the latency of a wireless keyboard? Well, this is a disappointing point since most wireless keyboards have latency with a response time of 20 ms. Compared to the average response time of 5 ms of wired keyboards, wireless keyboards are not an excellent deal.Â
Typing Consistencies
Wireless keyboards might be far more advanced than wired ones when it comes to typing consistency. Typing consistency refers to how easy it is to type in a particular keyboard.
In a fast-paced game, you will be required to press multiple buttons on the keyboard constantly. If the keyboard can not register the pressing of various keys together, it might not be the ideal one for your use.
Typical wireless keyboards used for gaming tend to be mechanical keyboards. The greatest advantage of a mechanical keyboard is that you will not experience any issues with typing consistency. You can type as fast as you can without missing any keys. The keyboard will register the pressed keys appropriately. With mx keys, you would even get to recognize the key you are pressing in advance to your sight. Â
Do note that mechanical keyboards come with different types of mechanical switches like the titan switch and red switch. When buying the keyboard, you need to understand which one fulfills your preferences. Â
Hardcore And Casual Gaming
We have already mentioned this if you are going to play online multiplayer games, wireless keyboards will not give you the best user experience.Â
Going wireless as a gamer might make your peers feel jealous of your sleek minimalistic pc gaming setup. However, if you are a hardcore gamer, you should be more inclined toward the device’s features instead of its form.Â
Sacrifice the aesthetic and get a wired keyboard for more excellent performance in your gaming career. If you still decide to use a wireless keyboard for intense online gaming, you might hold a disadvantage over most other professional gamers.Â
On the other hand, casual gaming might be for wireless keyboards. Casual Single Player games don’t let you compete with other players where even a 1 ms delay in transmission can cause you to lose. Instead, wireless keyboards promote comfortability over every other thing. In addition, if they come with a complimentary gaming mouse, this could also prove to be a plus point.
After a long day at work, you might want to relax and play a light casual game with your Xbox one that won’t put too much pressure on your brain. With the wireless keyboards, you could get into a comfortable position, play for relaxation, and not win.
Pros Of Using Wireless Keyboard For Gaming Â
If you are going to use wireless keyboards for gaming, there are several advantages that you can enjoy. Let’s make haste and get into these advantages as listed below:Â
Portable
The very first advantage of wireless gaming keyboards is that they are incredibly portable. Many of them even come with a unique mechanism that allows you to fold down the keyboard and store it away.
Even the ones without the folding mechanism are highly portable, as far as keyboards are concerned. Since they have no cables or wires, you can take them anywhere with you without any complications.
Incredibly Convenient
Convenience is the most important reason people prefer to buy wireless keyboards over other variants. Even though we have already mentioned it, wireless keyboards don’t decrease your comfort while gaming. If anything, it prompts ease.Â
Moreover, since the keyboard can be connected to the device via Bluetooth, there is no need to worry about any cables getting in your way or making your computer look unorganized.Â
Furthermore, you can also use these keyboards with multiple computers. All you need to do is disconnect from the previous desktop and connect to a new one. No cables are involved in this. If it comes with a wireless mouse combo, your wireless keyboard is definitely superior to any other wired keyboard.
Aesthetics
It is an undeniable fact that wireless keyboards are incredibly cool and most of them are highly sleek and do not cover too much of your desk storage.Â
If you want, you could even have fun with the keyboard by changing the keys to a different color. Furthermore, there is a special wireless mechanical keyboard with MX keys that allow the user to hear different clicking sounds on pressing each key.Â
This different sound coding helps the gamer identify the other key types they are pressing. As a result, the gamer will not need to keep a consistent look on their keyboard to check whether they are pressing the right keys or not.Â
Cons Of Using Wireless Keyboards For Gaming
While there are several advantages to using wireless keyboards, the cons of this device type can not be avoided. Some of these disadvantages that the user might face when using a wireless keyboard for gaming have been compiled below. These are as follows:Â
Latency
Having low latency is the worst advantage that any keyboard could have. Unfortunately, wireless keyboards disappoint us with this. We have already mentioned everything you would be required to know about latency so that we won’t repeat the same things.Â
Do make a self-note that different keyboards have different latency ratings. While wireless keyboards cannot cross the boundary between them and their wired counterpart, if you are going to play casual games, they will provide pretty decent performance.
Problems With Connection
Most wireless keyboards make use of Bluetooth wireless technology connections to connect to the PC gaming setup. However, even a slight interference could cause the keyboard to stop working for a second.Â
This is a disastrous case when you will be gaming. If the Bluetooth keyboard could not execute a specific key you pressed during the interference; you might fall behind your opponent by a significant amount even if this interference was only for less than a second.Â
Battery Limitations
Another major turn-off with wireless keyboards is that the batteries they run on can get drained incredibly quickly. If you use a wireless keyboard, you will need to worry about the battery life draining constantly.Â
Additionally, if you are going to activate RGB lighting for the keyboard keys, your battery will drain at more than double the rate when compared to your keyboard in an idle state. That is why many wireless keyboards often come with an auxiliary wire nowadays.
Are Wireless Keyboards Reliable?
If it was in the past when wireless keyboards were only just made, they weren’t exactly reliable. The connection was lost each second, countless arrow keys were not executed, and even its design was impractical. They didn’t even have any mechanical keyboards with the switch or MX keys.
To the people from that decade, wireless keyboards might have been a scam. The current capabilities of the Bluetooth keyboard might seem like Sci-Fi. However, engineers have taken great lengths to make wireless gaming keyboards as real as possible.
Well, there are certain aspects where wireless keyboards might still not be perfect. However, if we are going to consider the overall advantages of keyboards- they are more useful than any other keyboard variant.
Furthermore, most wireless gaming keyboards come together with a complimentary gaming mouse combo. Therefore, wireless keyboards are as reliable as any other decent keyboards, if not more.    Â
Tips To Reduce The Input Lag For Wireless Gaming Keyboard
We have already mentioned how important latency is when thinking of gaming. While wireless gaming keyboards cannot meet the desired latency for intensive gaming, you could still follow some tips to decrease the input lag for wireless keyboards.
Make sure that the Bluetooth receiver is higher than 3MBPS. If the keyboard’s Bluetooth receiver doesn’t meet this, you can decide to buy one from third-party sellers or even amazon. They don’t cost a lot.
Make sure the final reaction rate for the keyboard doesn’t exceed 40 ms. This is a must for gaming performances. Any lower than even single-player games will not be satisfactory.Â
You could opt to use a rechargeable keyboard or one that runs on solar-powered batteries. This way, you won’t need to worry about running out of battery quickly. Even if the battery runs away, it can charge itself and support your gaming. Furthermore, you could also look for ones with a complimentary mouse.
Always put your keyboard in general mode and keep RGB light off if you can. This will allow the keyboard to be active for an extended period.
Also, use a special key switch like cherry MX switches or titan switches so that you won’t have any issues with the arrow keys while gaming with your Bluetooth keyboard and mouse combo.
Wireless vs. Wired Keyboard – Which One Is Better For Gaming?
If we compare wireless keyboards with wired ones, there are several factors that wireless will be able to notch up over wired ones and several where they are merely epic failures.Â
- Lag Latency: Latency is where gaming matters the most. This is also the part where the wireless keyboards lose the score. Wired keyboards have an average latency of 5 ms and can go even lower than that. On the other hand, wireless keyboards have a latency of 20 ms.Â
- Comfort: Wired keyboards can never be as comfortable to use as wireless ones. You do not have to worry about any cable or adequately taking care of the wires with a wireless keyboard. What’s more most Bluetooth keyboards are designed with ergonomic keyboard technology that is super comfortable to hold. That is why the winner of this round is none other than wireless keyboards.
- Price: Â Wireless keyboards are pricey- this is a fact. If you can get wired keyboards within 10 USD, you will need to spend an average of 30 USD for wireless ones. On the other hand, the price should be reasonable enough for the extra facilities you will enjoy. Wired keyboards do not even come with many features. Also understand that despite the high pricing, the more expensive ones will provide you with the best experience. Cheaper ones tend to be far worse off in latency and other factors. In addition, if you are going to go for a mechanical gaming keyboard with a special switch or membrane keyboards like the Razer turret or Razer Blackwidow v3 pro, they are going to cost you even more.
Final Verdict: So, when compared to wired keyboards, are wireless keyboards good for gaming? Well, that depends on the type of game you are playing. We recommend that you buy a wireless keyboard if you want to enjoy effortless casual gaming. Wired keyboards are only for pro gamers who use more than 24 GHz of screen refresh rate.
What Reasons Could Cause A Wireless Gaming Keyboard To Stop Working?
There are several reasons that could cause your wireless keyboard to stop working. We have compiled a list of these unforeseen events below:
- Connection failure or interference within Bluetooth keyboard.
- Internal broken circuitry.
- Battery out of electricity.
- Not compatible with your computer.
- Jammed Keys.
- Dirt and dust accumulate within the keyboard or mouse combo.
- Physical damage.
- Problems with the joints of the switch. Â
People May Also Ask
Q) Do pro gamers use wireless keyboards?
There aren’t many that use wireless keyboards for gaming when it comes to pro gamers. Of course, there are still exceptions. About 90 percent of pro gamers who stream online games use wired keyboards, while the rest prefer wireless ones.Â
Q) How does input lag affect wireless keyboards when gaming?
Input lag issues are significant when you are going to play online games. The thing about wireless keyboards is that they use Bluetooth connections to connect to the PC gaming setup. However, even a slight interference in the connection can cause input lags. This could bring disastrous results in split-second gaming decisions, while you can still cover this partially with mx keys mini.Â
Q) How long is the battery life of a wireless keyboard?
The battery life of a wireless laptop depends on the model and brand. This is because different laptops have different internal circuit designs. Therefore, their energy conversion efficiency will also differ. An additional factor might be the quality of the battery used in the keyboard.Â
Q) Are wireless keyboards unsafe?
Wireless keyboards are generally safe to use. However, as with any wireless device, there are some potential security concerns that users should be aware of.
One concern is that wireless keyboards can be susceptible to eavesdropping or interception by third parties. This is because wireless signals can be intercepted by someone within range of the keyboard, which could potentially allow them to capture sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal information.
To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to use a keyboard that utilizes strong encryption and authentication protocols, such as Bluetooth LE (low energy) or Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Additionally, it is important to ensure that your wireless keyboard is up-to-date with the latest firmware and security patches and to only use it on secure networks.
Another potential concern is that wireless keyboards may be vulnerable to hacking or malware attacks. This is because the wireless connection between the keyboard and the computer can be exploited by hackers to gain access to the computer or to install malicious software.
To protect against this risk, it is important to keep your computer’s operating system and security software up-to-date and to only use trusted and reputable wireless keyboards. Additionally, it is a good idea to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks or unsecured wireless connections when using your wireless keyboard and to only use it on trusted and secure networks.
Final Words
With that, you should be more than aware of the honest answer behind the question, “are wireless keyboards good for gaming or not?” Even if they aren’t, you might have your preference. Trust your preference and try out using a wireless keyboard for the best wireless gaming experience. You won’t regret it later on.