Put Your Gaming Weapons to Work: How Peripherals Impact Your Win Rate

Aside from the gameplay, one factor why we love watching streamers or gamers, in general, is to see what their setup looks like. Often, we find ourselves hypnotized by their glowing keyboards, their over-the-top mouses, and the rest of their gaming peripherals. 

We cannot deny our interest in gaming peripherals. Take for example Tfue’s video on Youtube showing his gaming setup, it now has 32 million views!

 

Tfue’s Gaming Setup

© Tfue – YouTube

 

Part of our human nature is to imitate what we see, especially the things we adore. So, when we see our idols use these gaming accessories, we tend to want to use the same, thinking they will help us be the pro gamer we dream of being. We tend to believe that using expensive, popular gaming equipment will give us an edge over our competitors.

But as fancy as they look, how do these gaming accessories help us in winning? What benefits do they offer aside from aesthetics? Let’s dive into how gaming peripherals impact our win rate and how we can maximize their functions.

 

Looking Beyond the Hype: Are Gaming Peripherals Worth the Money?

If you are reading this article, chances are you are thinking if it’s worth investing in better gaming peripherals, if not, you might have already splurged on some new hardware and seeking validation for your purchase. 

Well, there is no simple way to determine whether it was a worthwhile investment – but it depends. As the saying goes, to each, their own. We believe that it will boil down to how often, and how you maximize the function of each piece of gaming equipment. 

Let’s say, you bought a top-of-the-line gaming mouse, which offers a very high DPI and additional ergonomic buttons, but you only use it to play Candy Crush. Certainly, you cannot maximize the functions of the mouse which you paid for.

On the other hand, you may be playing your favorite first-person shooter game with that same mouse, and instead of aiming better, you find it uncomfortable to use. In this case, it could be down to the size/weight combination of your mouse and mousepad surface to help you feel more in-tuned with your gameplay, else joysticks, controllers, or gamepads might be more suitable for your playstyle.

But, most of the time, gaming peripherals help players win – that is if they are used right. More than that, it is a matter of using these pieces of equipment if they feel reliable and comfortable. 

Plus, their appearance helps one to be motivated and be more confident overall. There really is a reason why there is hype for gaming equipment. 

That being said, it is important to know how these gaming peripherals help us win. We should know what functions and benefits they offer, and how we can use them in playing our favorite esports.

 

How Gaming Peripherals Help You Perform Better

Gaming peripherals are input-output devices that assist players to interact with video games. It is safe to say that these items are not just accessories – without them, our characters cannot function.

We have seen the evolution of gaming peripherals, with newer and more modern designs being available in the market every year. Sometimes, it can be confusing to choose what functions we should look for that will improve our gameplay.

Here is a quick guide on what you should look for in a piece of gaming equipment, and how it will make us perform better in playing.

 

Mouse

One of the most intricate and improved gaming peripherals is the mouse. Others may even say that it’s outrageous not to use a gaming mouse if you are playing esports. As small as it is, the mouse is the most important weapon you have, especially when playing first-person shooter games. 

You can indeed play without using a mouse for other games, but can you imagine how hard and awkward it would feel? The mouse is the precision input for movement – without which it’s hard to switch directions, scroll through different weapons, shoot, and most importantly, aim.

A good gaming mouse is one with a high DPI (dots per inch) and CPI (counts per inch) level. Both of these determine the mouse’s sensitivity. The higher these levels are, the quicker will the game respond to your movement.

Another important thing is the mousepad you use. You’d be surprised but mousepads make a massive difference with gameplay because of the quality and consistency of friction between mouse and pad. 

Different surface types can be the Achilles Heel or the Strap of Mjolnir for gamers. A hard mousepad, without any cushioning material, will feel uncomfortable especially with long hours of use, and will affect your gameplay. 

Soft mousepads are preferable, but make sure they are stitched and made durable.

 

Keyboards

Aside from the joy of having a disco ball on your gaming table, using a good gaming keyboard is key if you want to win fast-paced games like your favorite racing and FPS games. 

One thing that these keyboards offer is ergonomics which allows you to play comfortably for hours. Plus, the keys are strategically designed to fit where your fingers would naturally reach. 

Moreover, the responsiveness of the keys is of most importance as well. Mechanical key switches, like the Cherry MX switches, offer variations that will suit your character. You can visit our article to help you choose which Cherry MX switch to pick.

 

Monitors

You may think that monitors matter only because they make the gameplay more enjoyable by having a higher resolution, but this is also the reason why they make you better at playing. 

While that is true, a higher resolution and screen size will enable you to see even the smallest details clearly – like an enemy far away or hiding in a tree near you.

Gaming monitors also offer a higher refresh rate and response time which makes the gameplay smoother and makes it easier to track moving objects or enemies. 

With that being said, everything that appears on the screen when you play games is important, and being able to see them clearly is totally an advantage.

 

Controllers

Whether you are playing on your consoles or PC, a controller is always a good option besides the keyboard and mouse tandem. 

There is a lot of variety of gamepads out in the market, but they have one thing in common – they are designed to be compact and fit your hands comfortably. Moreso, they are engineered to hold all the essential buttons to play your favorite games. 

Oher controllers are designed specifically to match the games you play. For instance, there are PC Racing Wheels for those who are fans of driving simulators and racing games in general. 

 

Takeaway

Gaming peripherals are not marketed solely so that their manufacturers can get your money. With a proper understanding of how they function and what their features are, these items will greatly impact your win rate. 

That being said, we are not telling you to spend a huge amount of money on this hardware. As long as you do your research, there are budget-friendly gaming peripherals that offer great features and will improve your overall gameplay.