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Keyboard and mouse buyers guide

The efforts of Nintendo and its Wii console notwithstanding, the most effective way to interact with an information-dense electronic device - a computer - is still via keyboard and mouse.

Yet most package computer deals focus on the power of the computer, on the bonus software, on the ability to play Blu-ray discs or connect wirelessly to the internet. The keyboard and mouse is usually just an afterthought.

And why not? After all, a keyboard is just a keyboard, right? As long as you have all of the standard 104 keys, you can do anything you need to do with a computer. And as long as the mouse has two buttons and maybe a scroll wheel, using said computer shouldn't be a problem.

Well perhaps, but by investing in a third-party keyboard and mouse combo, it's possible to get a lot more out of the experience of interacting with a computer.

There are three main benefits to using a third-party keyboard and mouse. Functionality, connectivity and ergonomics.

Functionality

Basic keyboards have keys of a standard size and a standard weight, but that's about it. Most now offer limited multimedia keys that control CD playback via play/pause buttons, or might let you launch the default web browser.

More expensive keyboards offer many more additional controls. There are dedicated buttons for web search, for email, and you'll be surprised how useful a calculator button turns out to be!

What's more, these keyboards also offer customisable keys which can be linked to your favourite programs.

Advanced mice offer extra functionality too. Instead of just two buttons and scroll wheel, they offer additional buttons, usually linked to web-browsing functions by default, such as a dedicated Back key.

The scroll wheel may not just move up and down, but also tilt side to side for horizontal scrolling of spreadsheets or other large documents.

And the most expensive mice allow the user to change sensitivity on the fly, depending on whether you want to do desktop work, fine photo-touching, or play games. These mice often have LED displays on them so you can tell which sensitivity level is selected.

Connectivity

The basic keyboard and mouse combo connects to a computer via an old-fashioned serial port called PS/2. The benefit of PS/2 is that it's hard-coded into the computer's most basic memory, which means the keyboard and mouse is guaranteed to work from boot-up.

The downside is you can't unplug and replug the mouse or keyboard without restarting the computer. Pretty irritating if you're juggling cameras, printers and other bits and pieces.

Most keyboards and mice shipped with a new computer are now USB, connecting via wires. Again, good for flexibility, but the wires can get in the way.

The better third-party peripherals now offer wireless connectivity. Some use a 2.4GHz radio transmitter, and the more expensive units use Bluetooth.

If your notebook or desktop computer is Bluetooth-enabled (most notebooks are these days), you can connect a mouse and keyboard without using any of the USB ports. If you don't have Bluetooth inside the machine, these peripherals ship with tiny Bluetooth transmitters which plug into a USB port, but are usually slimline and unobtrusive.

Basic wireless devices have AA batteries which usually last many months. More advanced units have lithium-ion rechargeables, and recharge using included cradles. You just have to remember to "holster" your mouse at the end of each computing session!

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In this article

• Keyboard and mouse buyers guide
• The right keyboard and mouse for you

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