Do expensive PC gaming peripherals really give you an advantage?

One of the best parts about PC gaming is the customisation available to the player, including the wide selection of peripherals available to hardcore gamers.

But despite the marketing material advocating increased DPI, anti-ghosting switches, and enhanced features, everyday gamers may wonder about the advantages of using gaming peripherals apart from a subjective increase in comfort.

MyGaming caught up with Ryan “Elusive” van Wyk, a professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player from Bravado Gaming.

Bravado Gaming is South Africa’s biggest MGO, dominating the competitive CS: GO scene and winning numerous titles across all eSports titles.

We asked van Wyk about whether gaming peripherals can affect your gameplay, and if you need good hardware to become a professional gamer.

Keyboard

We asked van Wyk about the difference between mechanical and membrane (normal) gaming keyboards, and whether they make a difference in competitive gaming.

“It comes down to personal preference,” said van Wyk. “With mechanical, you can feel the responsiveness in the keys far more than with a membrane keyboard.”

“Mechanical keyboards also last longer than conventional membrane keyboards, meaning they are more reliable.”

Gaming Mouse

van Wyk highly recommends investing in a decent gaming mouse if you intend on taking gaming seriously:

“The majority of gaming mice have roughly the same specs in them, so it comes down to personal preference in terms of the shape of the mouse and the brand,” he said.

“A high quality mouse will provide you with a more accurate feel for the game, and once again, will be more reliable than a cheap mouse.”

Headset

A gaming headset allows you to accurately hear the direction of in-game sounds and communicate effective and clearly with teammates.

“Certain games require sound more than others, said van Wyk. “As with the mouse and keyboard, if your intentions are to take gaming seriously, investing into a high quality headset is essential.”

High-end peripherals

van Wyk ranks a gaming mouse as the most important peripherals, followed by a good headset, and then a mechanical keyboard.

It is important to note that gamers’ opinions may differ on the importance of certain peripherals based on personal preference and what type of games they play.

“Popular gaming peripheral brands are Razer, SteelSeries, Zowie and Corsair,” said van Wyk. “Any of these companies will be able to provide you with high-quality gaming peripherals with roughly the same specs, so it comes down to personal preference in terms of shape, feel and brand.”

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