Gear
Finding a gaming mouse that fits your hand
Shape and button reach deserve attention before the largest number on the specification sheet.
Photo: CAPTAIN MEDUSA · CC BY-SA 4.027 GUIDES
Gear
Mice, keyboards, headsets and controllers.
Gear
DPI and in-game sensitivity are different settings
Separate the mouse setting from the game multiplier before copying somebody else’s sensitivity.
Gear
When mouse polling rate makes a difference
A higher report rate shortens one interval, but the whole game still has to process and display the input.
Gear
What matters in a gaming mouse sensor
Tracking consistency, surface behaviour and lift-off matter more than the largest DPI figure on the box.
Photo: Anil Öztas · CC BY 4.0
Gear
Mouse feet and mousepad surfaces
The glide comes from the feet and the surface together, so changing either can alter the feel.
Gear
Choosing between wired and wireless mice
Compare connection modes, charging and cable behaviour instead of treating wired or wireless as a quality label.
Photo: Jacek Halicki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Full-size, TKL or compact gaming keyboard?
Choose the keys you need first, then use the remaining desk space to judge the size.
Gear
Choosing keyboard switches by feel and sound
Switch feel and keyboard sound are related, but they are not the same thing.
Gear
Checking keycap compatibility before buying
Check the whole layout, including the awkward keys, before buying a replacement keycap set.
Gear
Why the spacebar sounds different
A long key has extra moving parts, so a noisy spacebar does not necessarily mean its switch is faulty.
Gear
Reducing keyboard noise at a shared desk
Identify whether the noise comes from the switch, the key impact or the desk before changing parts.
Gear
Connections and battery life on wireless keyboards
A wireless keyboard may offer several modes, each with different pairing, charging and wake behaviour.
Gear
Checking gaming-headset comfort
Ear cushions, headband pressure and the shape of your ears all affect how a headset feels.
Photo: Hama GmbH & Co KG · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Open-back or closed-back headphones for gaming?
The room and the people in it often decide this choice before any discussion of soundstage.
Gear
Getting clearer speech from a headset microphone
Fix placement and input selection before adding layers of voice processing.
Gear
USB and 3.5 mm headset connections
The connector determines where conversion happens and which compatibility questions to ask.
Gear
Balancing game sound and voice chat
Make speech intelligible by reducing competing sound, rather than continually increasing the master volume.
Gear
Choosing a controller you can hold comfortably
A comfortable controller lets you reach its controls without repeatedly changing your grip.
Photo: Mylesclark96 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Understanding controller dead zones
An inner dead zone filters small stick movement near centre; it does not change every part of aiming.
Gear
What to check when a controller drifts
First establish whether unwanted movement follows the controller, the game or an input profile.
Gear
Remapping buttons without losing track of controls
Remap a difficult action deliberately, and keep a way back to the default layout.
Gear
Connecting a controller to a gaming PC
Separate connection, game recognition and advanced feature support when setting up a controller on PC.
Gear
Arcade stick, leverless controller or gamepad?
The best control style is the one whose movement and button arrangement you can learn comfortably.
Photo: Carioca · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gear
Planning a first racing-wheel setup
Check mounting, pedals and platform support before deciding how much force feedback you want.
Photo: Antoineets · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Planning controls around different access needs
Build the control arrangement around the player’s available movements and chosen games.
Photo: InclusiveGameLab · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Cleaning gaming peripherals without soaking them
Disconnect the device, identify the surface and keep liquid out of openings.
Gear
Checking second-hand gaming gear
Ask for a demonstration of the exact item, including the small accessories that make it work.