Enhance Your Gaming with Vista-Friendly Peripherals - Part 1
KEYBOARDS AND MICEEssentially, any Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse will work with Vista. Still, models bearing certification provide added functionality. Certified keyboards and mice offer OS-specific enhancements that take advantage of Vista's more advanced navigation and media features, dynamic searches and Flip 3D application switching. But, compatibility and Vista enhancements are only part of the equation. Some gamers prefer input devices that offer a balance between general purpose computing and gaming, while others favor game-centric peripherals and are willing to give up some desktop enhancements to gain dedicated functionality. Plus, other considerations include wired vs. wireless and combos vs. separate components. We've considered a wide berth of keyboards and mice here, examining the cream of the crop for general use and gaming, as well as several keyboard enhancements (command pads). All are Vista-certified or compatible with the new OS. It's your job to weigh the pros and cons, and make the choice that best meets your needs.
WIRELESS KEYBOARD AND MOUSE COMBOSSeveral wireless keyboard-and-mouse combinations are available. However, not all are created equal. Here are three of the best for those preferring the simplicity and uniformity of the combo approach. As a word of caution, stay away from low-end duos, regardless of manufacturer, as they lack the features and performance gamers demand. Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser | Average Retail Price: $75 / £64 Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser If you're looking for a solid, reasonably priced, state-of-the-art, wireless combo for general computing duties, it's hard to best Logitech's Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser. This certified keyboard takes advantage of Vista's advanced navigation and media capabilities, includes a built-in LCD for display of time, date and battery status, offers programmable hot-keys, features One-Touch Internet calling keys, and provides the usual compliment of media buttons. It even sports an anti-microbial finish. Meanwhile, the high-resolution laser mouse incorporates precise navigation, application switching, horizontal and vertical scrolling, a touch-sensitive search and zoom slider and battery-status indicator. At well under $100 / £75, the MX 3200 is a steal on a feature-to-cost basis. Plus, it doesn't suffer from the component failures and "Bluetooth Blues" experienced by its compatriots, the diNovo Media Desktop and Cordless Desktop MX 5000. For gamers on a budget, this is a compelling combo.
Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave | Average Retail Price: $90 / £64 Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Logitech's newest wireless duo is the Cordless Desktop Wave. What sets it apart from its brethren is a unique, contoured, wave-shaped design. Its uniform-size keys not only adhere to a curved profile, but they’re contoured in a wave-like form to cradle your fingers in a more natural, ergonomically correct position while maintaining a traditional layout. So, there's no prolonged learning curve, just the curvature of the keyboard itself. Also included in the design are a cushioned, contoured palm rest, large, one-touch controls for key Vista features (Flip 3D, Zoom, Photo Gallery and Gadgets), one-touch controls for volume and media playback, a dedicated Media Center or Front Row button (yep, it's Mac compatible, too) and programmable F-keys. A comfy, ambidextrous, high-performance, five-button laser mouse rounds out the package. Plus, extended battery life provides up to 15 months of use for the keyboard and six for the mouse with a single pair of AA batteries each. A great ergonomic combo, the responsiveness of both devices is excellent. Key action is smooth and precise on the keyboard, while the ambidextrous mouse offers a comfortable grip for most right- and left-handed gamers.
Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 | Average Retail Price: $135 / £85 Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 Another ergonomic offering, this time from Microsoft, the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 features a thin, curved keyboard and ambidextrous mouse that gamers will either love or hate (it's a more radical departure from the norm). This wireless duo functions at up to 30 feet from your PC thanks to 2.4 GHz Bluetooth connectivity with keyboard features that include a Windows and Media Center Start button, quiet-touch keys, a Navigation Pad (for Media Center use), a Windows Live Call button, multimedia controls and "Favorites" hot keys. The high-definition laser mouse offers four-way scrolling and an Instant Viewer (to quickly find the window you want). Nevertheless, even though it’s fully Vista compatible, the Desktop 7000 probably won't appeal to most gamers unless it's being used with a Media Center PC. Both of the Logitech combos above offer a more standardized key layout and better mouse designs.
Related StuffTags |
 
 
See if your PC can handle the latest games:
 
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
News: 
