How Different Gaming Accessories Can Affect Your Gaming Performance
Depending on the game you’re playing and the hardware, the accessories you use can make all the difference. It’s not just your skill you can improve to enhance your performance, but also the equipment itself.
Controllers
Most games on PC will allow for some sort of controller support. Of course, consoles will all utilize controllers, but PCs have started to do the same as games are becoming more cross-platform. This means players on PlayStation can play with those on Xbox or PC with certain games.
You need to have the best controller you can, that means getting grips that feel comfortable, and controllers which have extra buttons or triggers that you need.
Headphones
Headphones are key for gamers, as the highest quality ones allow users to pinpoint exactly where sound is coming from within their game. If you’re playing a shooter, and you hear a shot, you may just be able to not only point out the direction of it, but also how far it is. Gamers who have a high-quality headset have the advantage over those that don’t.
You should buy a headset that is optimised for gaming, as those that aren’t may not be able to pinpoint sounds out. Optimized headphones will be used by gamers in tournaments all the time, so you should watch some e-sport events to find out what they’re using, to get yourself started.
Joysticks
Joysticks can be used to alter a controller, gaming pad or arcade machine in order to change the way you play games. This could be in speed you move it around, how sensitive it reacts to you, or the feeling in which you grip it.
Even tiny changes can help turn you from feeling like an amateur player, to a professional one overnight. One of the main issues a good joystick can help with, is assisting with controller dead zone issues. Dead zone can also be referred to as stick drift, and is about the area where no input registers even when moving. It could also be the case that the joystick input is moving itself on screen, even without you touching it.
Joysticks may look different depending on the country they come from. Primarily, you have American, Japanese, or Korean manufacturers and brands. What’s more, there are also alternatives to joysticks, such as gaming with buttons, which are simpler in design and practice. Again, they will look different depending on the country of origin and manufacturer.
If you’re looking to improve your skill at games and don’t know where to start, then altering your joystick or buttons is a great place to start. You can pick up a few different models, which will be made of different materials and shapes, to find what works for you. You want something that feels natural to use, that doesn’t ache your hand, and is overall comfortable.
PC Accessories
PC accessories incorporate a wide range of different pieces of equipment that can help enhance your gaming experience and your performance. For example, it may be the case that you have the skill or the capabilities to improve, but your computer is always freezing or lagging when playing your game.
There could be a few different reasons for this. It could be that you’re experiencing frame rate issues, which come from your computer failing to keep up with the game graphically. That would mean you need to improve your graphics card. Updating to the newer models will allow your PC to run games smoother, as there is less pressure on your graphics card to manage the game.
The mouse and keyboard you use, for more PC specific non-controller games, is also important to think about. There is a big difference in how a conventional keyboard and a gaming keyboard feels on your fingers to use. It’s all about button placement and pressure, it needs to be comfortable to use as well as react to your pressing as soon as, that means it not having to be pressed down as much.
The mouse you use is similar, but it’s more to do with the shape. You want it to fit in your hand effortlessly, almost ergonomically. You can also get a mouse with extra buttons and functions on them that can be mapped to your game to improve the functionality of your performance. This allows you to not use your keyboard as much, giving more focus on the key buttons you need.
Chairs
The chair you sit in to play is also important. If you’re sat in a chair that is uncomfortable, noisy, or has any other issues, then it’s likely to affect your gaming. This could be because you are having to constantly readjust your chair, or yourself on the chair, or it could be that you’re so uncomfortable you can’t focus.
Gaming chairs exist primarily to allow gamers to be comfortable when playing, without even thinking about it. There are a range of different models available, from those that focus on headrest, to back curvature.