Did you spend so much time and money on your gaming PC or laptop configuring it with the best specs and settings? Did you get an Internet connection package with lightning speed? That’s totally awesome! Now, you can enjoy your games without any lag.

But wait! That’s not all that matters in flawless gameplay. Are you comfortable sitting on that chair for hours? Does your mouse have the extra buttons for a complex combo? Can your keyboard handle the intense gaming energy you have? Having the right gaming peripherals is like having the right wheels for your racing car. Can you imagine Lightning McQueen having Tow Mater’s wheels?

To help you out in choosing the right gaming peripherals, here’s a guide.

Monitor

Choosing a monitor is probably the most important peripheral you have to consider especially to console players. Here’s why:

• You may want to use a console gaming monitor. You’d ask, why choose a monitor if you have a 50-inch TV? If you look closer, playing using a gaming monitor will make you realize that you’ve been missing a lot of details and the actual feel of the game when you’re playing on the regular TV. However, a gaming monitor is likely to fall short of the high-quality picture specifications of a 4K gaming TV.
• Gaming monitors offer better color saturation that is more effective on games. Ordinary TVs have a different color reproduction because they are built mainly for watching movies.
• Many different types of gaming monitors are available on the market. Don’t choose one simply because it’s the biggest size. Resolution is more important. Monitors with low resolution will show pixelated display. The ones with high resolution show sharp and crisp videos and images.
• For PC users, you have to consider the graphics card installed on the PC to determine which resolution will work best, whether you need G-Sync or FreeSync. G-Sync technology is for NVIDIA graphics card, whereas FreeSync is for AMD graphics card.
• You may want to build a video wall for gaming. This is using multiple screens to form one large screen, making images larger and more visible for an awesome in-depth gaming experience.
• The right monitor will not result in screen tearing and gaming performance won’t be sacrificed. Games run smoother and more realistically compared when a regular 60 Hz monitor is used.

Keyboard

The keyboard is probably the most abused of the gaming peripherals. We see a lot of gamers banging their keyboard as if the shots are better when the keyboard is hit harder. This is why it’s essential to get a durable keyboard that fits your preference and style. The games depend on the keyboard’s responsiveness – it could save your life, in the game, that is. So don’t even think of getting a cheap one just because it could do.

There are two types of keyboards.

• Membrane keyboard – These are lightweight and affordable. Rubber domes are used under the keys, which can get damaged and be unresponsive. This is good enough for casual gamers, but if you’re an enthusiast, membrane keyboards may need to be replaced every couple of months.
• Mechanical keyboard – These are for hardcore gamers. Physical switches called Cherry MX switches are used under the keys, not rubber domes. They have a different feel and responsiveness is impressive.

Whether you are using a keyboard for typing or for gaming, the touch and the comfort that the keyboard offers should not be taken for granted. Having a mechanical keyboard could both be satisfying and comfortable for gaming enthusiasts.

Mouse

The mouse also receives a lot of action aside from the keyboard. They’re the ones being thrown around when a gamer loses a match, usually due to the incompetence of the mouse. Like most gaming peripherals, the mouse can make or break your success in a game. Look for the mouse that will make you feel comfortable; the grip should be perfect. If you’re a lefty, there’s a mouse for you, too.

There are two ways of holding a mouse.

• The claw grip – The buttons are pushed using only the fingertips, and people who are comfortable with the claw grip should use a smaller mouse.
• The palm grip – The palm rests on the top of the mouse. Gamers who are comfortable with the palm grip needs a bigger mouse.

To find the best gaming mouse for you, you need to consider the games you play. Do you usually play FPS, RPG, or RTS games? For FPS, or first-person shooters, the right mouse for you are the ones that have quality switches and wide DPI options. FPS-targeted mice have better precision and are lighter for twitch responsiveness. If you enjoy strategy games more, an RPG or MMO mouse is the one for you. It has many programmable buttons for your commands and spells and a DPI that suits your playing style.

There are other gaming peripherals that you may spoil yourself with, like a gaming chair, a gaming mouse pad, and a gaming headset. All of these are specially made for gaming because the manufacturers know that gamers can be very serious and passionate about their games, so everything should work well with each other. The ones listed above are the most important for you to spend a little extra on. After all, you’ve already spent so much on the games, console and your PC already, so what is a few dollars more, right?