Computer Gaming Equipment

      Greetings, gaming earthlings! I come in peace from the Cursors And Crosshair Planet. Jokes aside, welcome back to Cursors And Crosshairs for yet another instalment of gaming commentaries and tips! In this blog post, apart from the most essential computer monitors, CPUs or laptops which I believe most of you have already own, I will be introducing and basic computer gaming equipment which will give your computer gaming experience a boost and even allow you to gain the upper hand over your gaming opponents.
 

Gaming Mouse

 

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      Many gamers find themselves starting out with an ordinary optical mouse which they bought at a cheap price. In fact, I recall myself using a low-cost optical mouse which was bundled as a free gift along with the laptop I bought. The said optical mouse stuck with me through countless gaming sessions and constant usage before its internal components broke down and thus, rendering itself useless. However, I was not convinced in spending more than the average by purchasing a gaming mouse. I stubbornly proceed to wear out a couple of cheap optical mouses before taking the leap of faith in purchasing my very first gaming mouse last year. My verdict? Invest in a decent gaming mouse, especially if you are looking forward to join the competitive gaming community. 

• Why use a gaming mouse?

1. Durability: A gaming mouse has a higher durability compared to regular mouses. Gaming mouses are specifically designed to withstand wear and tear (e.g.: excessive clicking and hitting) which stems from gaming sessions.
   
   
2. Sensitivity: Gaming mouses come equipped with Dots Per Inch (DPI) button which enables the user to switch between various levels of mouse sensitivity on the go. The higher the DPI setting is, the more sensitive the mouse is to the user’s movements.
   
   
3. Customization: Gaming mouses has more buttons than an ordinary mouse does. A basic gaming mouse usually comes with six buttons rather than the usual three buttons. The users can customize two of the additional buttons’ uses through the respective gaming mouse drivers; the third additional button being the DPI button which enables the user to switch the mouse’s sensitivity on the go, as mentioned previously.
   
   
4. Ergonomics: Gaming mouses comes in various shapes and sizes which are catered to individuals with varying hand sizes and distinctive grip styles – the palm grip and the claw grip. Moreover, gaming mouses is also available in various heights and weights. Ultimately, instead of having similar built compared to the ordinary mouse, specific builds of gaming mouses offer its users a comfortable usage pertaining to their personal needs and preferences and thus, allowing the user to use the said mouse for a longer time and ultimately prevent harmful effects stemming from uncomfortable hand positions and repetitive mouse usage.
   
 

Gaming Mouse Pad

 

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     A gaming mouse pad, as insignificant as it may seem, provides a reliable surface for your mouse in order for you to have full and enhanced control over your mouse. Moreover, the optimized surface of gaming mouse pads allow the mouse sensor to better detect your movements. These features of gaming mouse pads adds a boost to your gaming sessions, especially if you are engaging in an action-packed gaming session or a round of competitive gaming where every move counts.

• Tips for choosing a suitable gaming mouse pad:

• Texture: Gaming mouse pads currently present themselves in two major categories – hard mouse pads and soft mouse pads. Hard mouse pads, commonly made from hard resin or plastic, lessens the friction against the mouse and the pad itself, thus allowing gamers to easily glide their mouse for quick movements during game play. Hard mouse pads also reduces the risk of wrist injury in gamers by taking the strain off the users’ wrists from mouse movement.
  
        Soft mouse pads, commonly made from fiber or cloth, is slightly thicker than hard mouse pads. Some gamers prefer utilizing softer and thicker mouse pads in order to eliminate the feeling of surface unevenness on surfaces that they are gaming on. Furthermore, soft mouse pads allow gamers to perform extremely precise movements during game play, which is harder to achieve on a hard mouse pad.
  
        Ultimately, regardless of a gamer’s preferences of mouse pad types, it is important to ensure that the gaming mouse pads come equipped with rubberized or non-slip bottom to prevent the mishaps such as a falling or slipping mouse pad during gaming sessions.
  
  
• Size: The size of gaming mouse pad mainly depends on the individual’s preferences. That being said, a larger than average gaming mouse pad is recommended for gamers who require the use of sweeping arm movements in their games or gamers who use a lower DPI setting on their mouse as they require larger movements to get their cursors from one point to another. On the contrary, gamers who use a high DPI setting may not need a large mouse pad due to the setting’s ability to move cursors from one point to another without large movements.

 

Gaming Keyboard 

 

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      The difference of gaming keyboards with regular keyboards is that gaming keyboards are designed and optimized specifically for gaming purposes, thus catering better to a gamer’s needs during game play. Moreover, almost every gaming keyboards are equipped with additional switches and keys to be programmed by the user for specific commands.

• Why use a gaming keyboard?

1. Additional Keys: Most gaming keyboards include extra keys which can be programmed by the user through the respective gaming keyboard drivers. This can benefit gamers by allowing them to assign specific in-game commands to the extra set of keys.
2. Macro Functions: Macro functions enable the gamer to program keys which allows the said key to perform a sequence of assigned actions with only one click. This can be useful in aiding gamers by enabling them to activate a move or ability in-game without pressing multiple keys.
3. Gaming Mode: In Gaming Mode, the keyboard temporarily locks the Windows button function during gaming sessions to prevent the game from exiting to the desktop or Start page if the user accidentally presses the Window key.
4. Backlight: Some gaming keyboards provide its users with back-lighted keys which allows the individual to use the keyboard in the dark without hindrance. Why is this feature important? Let’s face the truth – most of our gaming sessions extend late into the night. Moreover, some gamers find it more exhilarating to conduct their gaming sessions in the dark.

Gaming Headphones

 

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      It is common for gamers to initially start with cheap headphone or even earphones early in their gaming life. It is advisable for gamers to invest in a gaming headphone in order to protect their ears throughout long hours of game play. I personally went through years of game play with earphones before my father purchased a proper, high quality headphone at gadget shop sales which improved my gaming experiences by a mile. 

      These headphones are configured to deliver the optimized sound quality to gamers, thus allowing the user to fully immerse themselves in the game. Moreover, a good gaming headphone with its equipped microphone allows the user to communicate effectively with their ally(s) in-game and vice-versa, which will definitely enhance their gaming performances.

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      These are the most basic gaming equipment for an enjoyable gaming experience. However, you can definitely look into other gaming equipments which are not mentioned here such as speakers, joysticks and many more. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next post: Digital Distribution Platforms for Computer Games!