gaming Keyboard and Mouse or Gaming Controller for PC?

[Jon the VGNerd 887]

Sure we use the keyboard and mouse for typing and first-person shooters, but other ones like racing games and other gaming genres can be quite complicated to use unless you're very skilled with it whereas the gaming controller like the Xbox 360 controller that is much easier to use than with a PS3/PS4 controller that requires complex downloads which often don't work, and be able to tackle any gaming genres more than with the keyboard and mouse. What are your preferences for gaming  on the PC and why? 

Edited September 13, 2016 by Jon the Bronynerd

[Ethan Tran 950]

I'm a PC player mostly, but very fond of PlayStation (at least first 2gen's.. never had an xbox or ps3/4)

well.. I've completed a series of driving simulator games (like GT, etc) on my multimedia keyboard (right hand on Num Panel with 0-for accelerate, 4-brake, 6-handbrake, 7,9 etc and wasd - for navigation, q,e- clacson, rear view) guess i'm the one of keyboard-skilled player you mentioned)) for FPS, RPG and many others i'm using a gaming mouse of course)

 

now, why i'm not using the controller, you say..

i really like the controllers, whether it have an xbox padding or ps, both have their +&- ((=

but they don't like me i guess)) there was always something wrong with them (though i always bought the originals and from respective stores), ether joysticks moved with lag or sth wrong with buttons and other distracting stuff. so i just stopped buying them.

and when you playing PC games with a gamepad, you often have to press some button on keyboard.. well new games mostly don't have that problem, but old ones does.

 

so i just prefer keyboard+mouse to controller.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Ethan Tran

[stripper 252]

It depends on the game. Try playing a FG with a M&KB. It's painful. Pads are better and arcade sticks are everything you could ask for. If you change the genre to FPS, the trend goes the other way. Arcade sticks are not possible, pads are manageable, and M&KB is everything you could ask for

 

Aiming with a mouse is undeniably better than aiming with an analog stick on a pad. Mice can be faster and more accurate at the same time than an analog stick and they can only be decent at 1 or the other at a time. FPSs are often limited in speed so that they're simply playable on consoles if they're ported there too. Unreal Tournament 4 and Quake Champions won't be implementing any speed limits to make them more playable on consoles. They're PC exclusives and they're going to focus on the chaotic frenzies that can happen when aim is unrestricted. Even in an FPS with slower movement, Counter-Strike, aim is greatly demanded and analog sticks can't enable players to hit head shots as fast nor as accurately as mice can

 

Another advantage of M&KB is the customization. There are so many expensive mice and keyboards out there that companies sell which have high quality components. Pads don't have this luxury because they're less ubiquitous and the drawback is that the buyers of fancy mice and keyboards tend to have more money. That doesn't mean there aren't cheap options too. K&KB also tend to be more durable

[Rawzy 1,302]

There's always going to be an obvious answer to this question. I don't know why anybody would use a controller when you can just use a mouse and keyboard instead. 

[Snow 7,551]

There's always going to be an obvious answer to this question. I don't know why anybody would use a controller when you can just use a mouse and keyboard instead. 

the joystick is a god send for aviation games like warthunder, i dont have one tho XD

[Jon the VGNerd 887]

There's always going to be an obvious answer to this question. I don't know why anybody would use a controller when you can just use a mouse and keyboard instead. 

 

Except if you're playing racing games - or certain games with complicated keyboard mappings - for the PC, then the keyboard and mouse is at its greatest disadvantage, which is why the controller is an excellent way to go if you want to go for 1st. 

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

I have a XBox 360 controller, and a nice keyboard, and I use whichever is more suitable for the game.

It's actually very simple: 

1. Does it involve aiming? => Keyboard + mouse
2. Does it have a lot of buttons? => Keyboard + mouse
3. Does it look even remotely like Super Smash Brothers? => Controller
4. Anything else? => Controller

I just like how the controller feels in my hand. Sure, it hurts after a few hours, but I still like it.

Oh, and of course there are exceptions. Like Elite Dangerous. It's a space simulator, and it has a lot of special keys to press. So I use the controller for the steering and shooting, etc, and the keyboard for all the binds. It works, somehow.

 

Also Dark Souls. That's definitely a controller.

[El Duderino 879]

It really depends on the game. For example, lego games have terrible keyboard controls, so I use a controller for those.

But in general, I prefer to use a keyboard and mouse.

 

 

Except if you're playing racing games - or certain games with complicated keyboard mappings - for the PC, then the keyboard and mouse is at its greatest disadvantage, which is why the controller is an excellent way to go if you want to go for 1st. 

I wouldn't say either one has an advantage. It really depends on the person. You may be better with a controller, but I am normally terrible with a controller. I am good with a keyboard.

[Corgis 574]

For any FPS game a keyboard/mouse is hands down superior.  For racing games a controller is better, keyboards are painful to use for racing games.

[Guest]

I use a combination of both because some games play better on one and others on the other.

[Scrubbed user 3,417]

As mentioned previously, it depends on the game whether I use a controller or a keyboard and mouse. Although, I have tried FPSs with my Steam controller, and it works OK. Not as good as using my hand to aim rather than my thumb, but much more accurate than a thumbstick.

 

For racing games a controller is better, keyboards are painful to use for racing games.

 

My sim racing cockpit would like a word.

Edited September 14, 2016 by Vulon Bii

[Crypty Scribbles 5,386]

Meh, it's strongly depends of video game. How developer designed user interface.

For example most PC games optimized for keyboard and mouse, for sample gamepad for Starcraft is less effective.

Ports from consoles need gamepad, I bought one gamepad specially for Dark Souls series.

Some games are better not for keyboard nor gamepad, but joystik or wheel.

 

[Guest]

Keyboard and mouse. Though I have played with both enough, I prefer it simply because I use it more often and I'm more used to it I think.

[Zachary 5,521]

Keyboard and Mouse, No Contest!

 

One day I'll use a Gaming Controller.

[Guest]

 

 

My sim racing cockpit would like a word.

 

Agreed. The ultimate and definitive way to play racing games is with a wheel and pedal set. Further proof that there is not a "one controller to rule them all". 

[Kenshiro 13,493]

I generally prefer to play games with gamepad and Pinnacle Game Profiler is the best emulator for any kind of gamepads to work on PC 

 

Edited September 20, 2016 by Kenshiro

[Rikifive 24,225]

I ... prefer ...both ~ it just all depends on 'where?'.

 

There are games, that playing with gamepad would be a pain, if not impossible. - then of course kyboard&mouse would perform better.

Though if the game is fairly simple to play, then I enjoy playing it with a controller, just like back on NES/PS1/PS2.

 

Also, when the game offers local multiplayer (shared/split screen) then definitely controllers as keyboard poorly handles input, when many buttons are pressed at once. I'm pretty sure you all know, that for some mysterious reasons, keys are blocking each other. For example try to press and hold [W] and [D], then try to press [E]. [E] key will just not work, even there in the editor. So if the keyboard input can be blocked by holding just two keys, then imagine what happens if there are more players and more keys being held down. Constant issues with coming up with a nice and working setting.

 

If it's a platformer-type game, then I kinda prefer controller anyway.

[Celli 4,339]

It depends on the game. I can't play any FPS with a controller, it just doesn't work for me.

Another one, try playing any MMORPG with a controller. It ain't possible.

Racing games, platformers, fighting, yeah, controllers are the way to go.

[KirbyFluttershy 2,523]

It depends on what games I play. for FPS games, I normally use keyboard and mouse. For maple story, Keyboard & mouse, but mostly it's keyboard controls. For Final Fantasy XI, It's keyboard only. For Final Fantasy III and VIII (on steam), I normally use my PS2 controller to make the game controls easy enough. If there are games that aren't compatible with the controllers (like sonic adventure 2 on steam) that I have, I normally use wii classic controller adapter for PC USB (via joytokey).

[KatonRyu 1,033]

Controller all the way. I readily acknowledge mouse and keyboard is more accurate and more versatile, but I still prefer controllers simply because I'm far better with them. Part of the cause is that I'm a lefty who actually has the mouse on the left, meaning most of my keyboard is useless to me in gaming. The only genre I'd never play with a controller is RTS.

[EpicEnergy 23,224]

Normally I use keyboard and mouse for PC despite consoles being my primary gaming platform, but very occasionally I'll use a controller.

[Megas 27,787]

Depends on the game. Personally some games feel more appropriate for controllers(platformers, action games), while some are more suited for mouse/keyboard(Shooters, strategy, sim building games)

[Cash In 22,525]

It generally depends on the type of game. For some games, I need a controller and for some I need a keyboard and mouse. 

[Pentium100 2,205]

I pretty much always use keybard+mouse. The only time I prefer a controller is for fighting games. I also would want a joystick or yoke to play flight simulators.

While I had a console when I was a kid, I do not remember playing a lot on it, I played mre when I got my first PC and it was always keyboard+mouse, so I am really used to it. I would hate to have o play a first person game with a controller.

[Lord Chin Chin 1,211]

Keyboard and mouse always even when playing games like rocket league and COD just feels more natural idk why