September 2015 – Gaming PC Keyboard, Mice and Monitor Suggestions
If you are looking for some of the best gaming pc keyboards, mice or monitors, then you’re at the right place. This article is written to coincide with the September 2015 $600, $1000 and $1500 builds of the month, where the hardware for the gaming pc itself is suggested, however there are no peripherals included (gaming mice, keyboards & monitors). This article should be used as a basic guide for some of the top rated peripherals, which are separated into three separate budget categories of higher end, mid-range and basic peripheral sections. Each month I will update the following peripheral sections if anything needs changing or if there have been any new & notable additions to any of the categories.
This is not a comprehensive list or meant to always be the best of the best for any particular use, but these are some of the best and new peripheral suggestions separated in their respective “higher end”, “mid-range” & “basic” (keyboard, mouse or monitor) categories for gaming pc builds. Always keep in mind that as gamers, we play unique games and have a unique playing style, so take that into consideration when investing in your gaming arsenal.
Jump to –
- Higher End Gaming PC Peripherals
- Mid-Range PC Peripherals
- Basic PC Peripherals
- Gaming PC Operating System Options
Higher End Gaming PC Peripherals – September 2015
The “higher end” peripherals are meant to showcase some of the more popular higher end / gaming specific peripheral hardware that one might consider to have the top of the line gaming peripherals. Keep in mind, these are not the most expensive gaming hardware peripherals one can buy, but a collection of the higher quality / more popular hardware for gamers. If you play specific types of games (MMO’S vs high FPS) then you might want to look into specific gaming hardware geared for those games, either way the list below should still be relevant.
The keyboard included again is the Razer BlackWidow Chroma Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, with fully programmable keys and 5 additional gaming keys with on the fly macro recording. mechanical keys with distinct tactile feel and fast response and more [learn more at razerzone.com]; this is definitely one of the best overall gaming keyboards for most gaming styles and in addition you can customize it to appeal to your taste through customized chroma backlighting. Also, to read a full review of this keyboard, visit bit-tech.net.
The included mouse again is the infamous Logitech G502 Proteus Core, which is probably the best all around gaming mouse – a very comfortable all around gaming mouse with 11 large programmable buttons and easily one of the best mice out there, and is a great mouse for playing any time of PC game. [learn more at gaming.logitech.com]. This mouse is a definite choice for any variety of gaming / gamers.
There are two monitors included below and each depends on what gaming resolution you might prefer. The first is a newer monitor this month and is probably one of the the monitors that most higher end gamers should consider at 2560X1440 monitors with a higher end gaming pc build (such as the $1500 September 2015 build), the BenQ XL2730Z 27″ gaming monitor. You can also read the full details on this monitor at gaming.benq.com.
The second monitor is the Acer XB280HK bprz, a large monitor providing smooth gameplay in a 28-inch 4K resolution display. I’ve included this monitor since the $1500 is more then capable or playing gaming at 4K Ultra HD resolutions, which includes the newer GTX 980 Ti graphics card. To learn more about the AcerXB280HK bprz monitor, please visit us.acer.com.
| Hardware Link | Price | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Razer BlackWidow Chroma Mechanical Gaming Keyboard | $162.75 |  |
| Mouse (Best all around gaming mouse) | Logitech G502 Proteus Core Tunable Gaming Mouse with Fully Customizable Surface, Weight and Balance Tuning (910-004074) | $58.00 |  |
| Monitor (2560×1440) OR (3840×2160) / 4K Gaming | BenQ XL2730Z 27″ Screen LED-Lit Monitor (2K Gaming) OR 4K Below
Acer XB280HK bprz 28-inch Display Ultra HD 4K2K NVIDIA G-SYNC (3840 x 2160) Widescreen Monitor (4K Gaming) |
$515.41 (BenQ XL2730Z)
$680.88 (Aver XB280HK) |
|
Mid-Range PC Peripherals – September 2015
The mid-range category is perfect for those that want to have great gaming peripherals, but not necessarily the most expensive. The Mid Range peripherals are most likely geared more towards the $1500 and $600 build type users, such as those in the September 2015 gaming pc builds of the month.
We have a newly included keyboard this month for the mid range spot, going with the Corsair Strafe Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard. A great looking mechanical keyboard with cherry mx key switches, dynamic backlighting, endless programming with the ability to reassign any key or set up for extreme macros and more. Learn and read more at corsair.com.
The Corsair Vengeance M65 mouse would be ideal for FPS gamers, since it is built for precision and comfort. It has eight programmable buttons and one specifically for sniper mode – which simply slows down the dpi of the mouse in order to aim more precisely. Even though this mouse matches the cost of the high-end one above, it’s still a a great choice for a different type of gamer and you can also adjust the weight and dpi on the fly. To learn more about the Corsair Vengeance M65 please visit Cosair.com.
The mid range monitor this month again is the LG Electronics 24GM77 24 inch monitor. This monitor is even cheaper this month and is really a fantastic gaming monitor for those gaming at 1920×1080 with super fast response times and refresh rates; highly recommended. This monitor has some of the best motion blur reduction. This LG monitor has Dynamic Action Sync, which reduces input lag by up to half.
| Hardware Link | Price | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Corsair STRAFE Cherry MX Red Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (CH-9000088-NA) | $109.99 |  |
| Mouse | Corsair Gaming M65 RGB FPS PC Gaming Laser Mouse, White (CH-9000071-NA) (Best for FPS gamers) | $59.99 |  |
| Monitor (1920×1080) | LG Electronics Gaming 24GM77 24-Inch Screen LED-Lit Monitor | $286.31 |  |
Basic PC Peripherals – September 2015
The “basic” peripherals are meant to showcase some of the more popular peripherals that are generally more affordable. Just because these are labelled “basic” doesn’t mean they are cheap or not good, but instead cheaper alternatives.
I’ve switched the keyboard this month to the Turtle Beach Impact 100 Gaming Keyboard, which is a great choice for any style or budget oriented gamer. Read the tomsguide review of the Turtle Beach Impact 100 Keyboard for some more insight into this board. This board is feels alike to a mechanical keyboard and at an affordable price. This keyboard is coined as a membrane keyboard (a keyboard whose keys are not separate moving parts working through sending an electrical charge through two layers of rubber), though this keyboard makes each stroke feel purposeful and mechanical.
The budget gaming mouse has switched this month to a Turtle Beach Grip 300. It’d a tad more pricy then last months pick, but it does come with a slew of features for a budget gaming pc mouse. It has a very comfortable design, two big thumb buttons and a few DPI settings – not too bad for a budget gaming mouse.
The monitor you see below is actually really good even though it is categorized into the budget category – the BenQ RL2455HM 24-inch with 1920×1080 resolution and quick 1ms response times [Learn more at gaming.benq.com]. This monitor is 24 inches and priced quite well considering its specifications. I have included this monitor for another month is it really is well worth its cost, especially considering it has went down even further to $187.93.
| Hardware Link | Price | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | Turtle Beach Impact 100 Gaming Keyboard for PC and Mac (TBS-4800-01) | $49.95 |  |
| Mouse | Turtle Beach Grip 300 5-Button Optical Gaming Mouse with Avago 3500 Sensor and Omron Switches for PC | $35.95 |  |
| Monitor (1920×1080) | BenQ Gaming Monitor RL2455HM (24-Inch LED) | $173.05 |  |
Operating System Options
*New You can now upgrade to Windows 10
If you don’t already have an operating system for your new gaming pc build, then you’re going to have to either invest in purchasing a standard OS such as Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 with the option of upgrading to Windows 10. Otherwise, there are some free alternatives that you could consider. These are not in any particular order and are completely up to you which you choose.
The following are some operating systems you can consider installing upon putting your Gaming PC build together. The first two will cost you and are either Windows 7 or 8.1 – I have no opinions here so I’ll leave the purchase of these up to the discretion of yourself, but do keep in mind that either way you do have the option of upgrading to Windows 10 now. I have also included two other operating systems that are both currently free. Ubuntu is a Linux based operating system. The last OS is SteamOS, which is also a Linux OS being developed by Valve Corporation and is being made to be used for a Steam Machine game console.
| OS Link | Price | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 8.1 | Windows 8.1 System Builder OEM DVD 64-Bit | $97.50 |  |
| Windows 7 | Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit, System Builder OEM DVD 1 Pack (New Packaging) | $89.98 |  |
| Windows 10 Upgrade | Upgrade to Windows 10 | Free with Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 |  |
| Ubuntu | Ubuntu – Desktop | Free |  |
| SteamOS | SteamOS Beta “Build your own Steam Machine” | Free |  |