Keyboard & Mouse

Input devices such as keyboards and mice are probably the least expensive components of your computer system, but this doesn't make it any less important to choose the ones that best suit your needs.

Keyboard

In general, a keyboard is a keyboard. I've used many different brands and types of keyboards over the years, and they all worked pretty much the same. The main thing is the 'feel' of the keyboard; it should feel comfortable for you to type and pressing a key should give an instant response; some keyboards feel spongy, or the keys are prone to stickiness. Usually, getting one of the well-known brand names is a safe bet; if you go for the bargain basement $20 model instead of the $50 model, you are asking for trouble.

You will notice that some keyboards are separated into two sections which are set at a different angle to allow your arms to rest in a more comfortable position while typing. Getting one of these is entirely a matter of personal preference; personally I don't like them because I have become too accustomed to the standard layout.

When perusing the large array of keyboards you will find at any computer supply store, you will also notice they often come with various other bells and whistles such as volume control and a slew of extra buttons to perform common tasks. I was never able to get in the habit of using these extra buttons, but if you think they might improve your productivity, by all means pick one up.

Mouse

The old mouse technology is the 'rolling ball' type of mouse. The rolling ball system is mechanical in nature; when you move the mouse against a surface, the ball rolls causing the small wheels against the ball to turn; the mouse translates this into a signal that is sent to your computer which then displays the results of the movement onscreen. The main problem with these old mice is that you have to clean them regularly since dirt accumulates in the ball mechanism causing problems with the way the mouse detects movement. The new standard is the optical mouse, which uses a laser to detect movement based on irregularities in the surface upon which the mouse rests. An optical mouse is much less hassle than a rolling ball mouse and allows better control and smoother movement. They are not expensive, so this should definitely be your choice.

Most mice these days come with three buttons and a scroll wheel; the scroll wheel is quite handy once you get used to it and will save you quite a bit of time, especially if like me you scroll up or down several thousand times a day. Some mice also come with extra buttons; I have a five-button mouse and the buttons can be configured to perform just about any task I want, but I never got in the habit of using more than just two of the buttons. If you like the idea of being able to perform repetitive tasks more easily (surfing back to a previous web page for example) you should get a mouse with some extra buttons.

Finally, the ergonomics of the mouse matter more than you might think; if you are holding the mouse for several hours a day you want it to feel comfortable in your hand. Try out various mice before you buy one to see which one feels the most comfortable to you.

Another optional feature of both mice and keyboards is the wireless mouse or keyboard. These peripherals can be convenient, especially if you like to lay back in comfortable positions while using your computer, or you can't stand the mess of wires that every desktop computer user has to cope with. There are a couple of problems however; for one thing the connection is much less reliable than that on a corded peripheral and you might find yourself having to reset the connection periodically if your mouse or keyboard becomes non-responsive. The other disadvantage is that it is much, much easier to misplace or lose a wireless mouse, and you don't want to be searching everywhere for you input devices whenever you want to use your computer (just think about your television remote and how often you misplace that).

There are various different ways a mouse or keyboard can connect to your computer. The oldest way was using the 9-pin connectors which attached to the serial port at the back of your computer. This technology is now long outdated; they aren't made anymore. After the 9-pin connection came PS2; you can tell whether your mouse or keyboard is PS2 if the connection is round. PS2 has now been rendered obsolete by USB (the narrow rectangular looking connection), although many mice currently being made support both standards. If you are building a new computer, you will want USB since it is by far the easiest way to connect your various peripherals.

As far as brand names go, the more popular the name the more likely it is that you will get the device working quickly and easily. It can sometimes be hard to find the right driver for your operating system for some of the cheaper and less well-known models.