This might be considered a bit offtopic, but I had to share : Datamancer.net -- Custom Keyboards
and my favourite : Datamancer.net -- Industrial Keyboard.

I bought the MX518 mouse something like 2 years ago, and since then I haven't used any other mouse with the same degree of enjoyment. The buttons are natural, including the side ones...and I abuse them for keybindings ^^.

I've noticed a couple of posters using the trackball mouses. Do you guys need to take the ball out frequently to clean it? I know when i used one a couple years ago I had to frequently clean the metal knob things the ball rests on, as they seemed to accumulate lots of dirt and dust after a couple hours of playing. I haven't used one since I got the MX518 so I'm not aware if they've changed they design to be cleaner or not.

as for a keyboard, I play on a laptop so the keyboard is nothing special really.

When I used a Logitech optical trackball, I didn't have any cleaning issues with it at all. Was really a great mouse, too, I only got rid of it when the left-click button stopped responding.

Every week or so, but it takes around 10 seconds to do, so no big for me.

I wound up buying a Sidewinder last night. First impression is that it's just on the border of being too big (I have relatively short fingers), but the feel of it is very nice. The vertical side buttons are much more natural to me than the front/back arrangement, it glides nicely and fits comfortably in my hand (note that if you're used to a mouse above elbow positioning it'll be less comfortable - it works best with mouse below elbow to keep the wrist straight so the palm lies comfortably on the mouse, rather than bending around the large back hump). Seems like a keeper so far.

Why do people use trackballs? I see you guys saying you like them but why?

Is the MX1000 really that much larger than other mice that it makes a difference? I'm in a similar boat as you, and find that just about any mouse makes my knuckles cry for mercy after an hour or two. I've yet to try the vertical mouse that was linked at the beginning of the thread, but I'm worried that it simply wouldn't be large enough to accomodate me. Thanks for the tip on the saitek keyboard, need a new one (cheap ergonomic MS with HUGE keys has been good to me, but is dying) and that looks about right.

Has anyone tried the new N52te? It would be great to hear how it competes with the old one? Is it worse/better? I can imagine the d-pad on the new one is harder to control with its flat circle instead of the old "+" design. Perhaps it just takes a little practice or the touch of a screwdriver (scratch a "+" to point your thumb in the right direction). The looks definately seem to favor the new one, although I hope you can turn off the blue light or at least tone it down.



Let me hear your opinions if you've tried the new N52te!

Any recommendation for Mac-hardware gamers? Im running on a Powerbook G4 with the 1-year old Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, a basic Logitech USB mouse, and a Jabra bluetooth headset I used to pair with my Blackberry but its now breaking and in a week or so, will be dead (its coming apart, literally). I'm in the #3 raiding alliance guild on my server having recently cleared SSC with downing Lady Vashj, and we raid 4-5 nights a week. Im looking for:

* new keyboard for Mac
* new gaming mouse my Powerbook will recognize
* audio/mic that my Mac will recognize

But not too big bucks (the cs50 at $175+ is out of my price range for a headset, for example).

Any suggestions for us Mac folks?

Don't have really time to read all the thread but here's a few tips I know that help with common hardware,

The biggest being - don't use WASD, use ESDF. - gives you extra buttons to the left, which you can reach just as easy.
Drawbacks are that ESDF aren't aligned as straight and you need to get used to it.

Flat keyboards like Logitech UltraX Flat are way better than "the old models". What it seems like in pics Belkin n52 has high buttons, which sucks.

Mice can have a load of binds and should have a load of buttons as well. I wouldn't care about DPI/Hz at all after 1600-2000/500Hz or laser. I got a "teflon pad" under it and the mouse slides so well that I find it hard to keep in place.


I use Copperhead now but had mx500, too bad the razer's thumb buttons suck a bit (and the other side is unusable).

ESDF is more of an FPS binding - it does add keys on the left, but it makes it harder to metabind things (ctrl-key, alt-key, shift-key are less comfortable from ESDF than from WASD, requiring a wider pinky-ring split, which is typically not comfortable).

I wish i could; I tried to start a new thread and dont have permissions to, so I asked my question within the most logical thread i could. My question is still unanswered tho.... any hardware addoon advice for Mac gamers for keyboard, mice, and audio?

Thanks in advance.

I find that ESDF is just fine, and the extra buttons are invaluable. I have an n52 collecting dust because it works so well. All my movement are bound to ESDF, but I also have functions bound to Shift+ESDF. So, for example, shift+E does a cheapshot. Shift+F does vanish.
I'm using an IBM Model M (well, Unicomp, but it's the same design.) I will likely never need a new keyboard, the expected life of these things is well over 20 years. And they're much more comfortable to type on than anything else. I've tried the G15, but the squishy keys are very bad. If you want macro functionality I'd use AutoHotkey.

The Nostromo n52 is actually Mac compatible. Belkin has released drivers for OS9 up to 10.5 including intel machines, of course. I'm currently using one on my Mac Pro. Additionally, I use aLX7 Cordless Optical Mouse, and a Premium Notebook Headset .

I've found having a Macintosh specific keyboard/mouse isn't always important. Their basic functions always work, and if you aren't getting something fancy like a g15 that's all you'd really need. I've only tested this with wired devices, though.

Amazon is estimating my n52te to arrive in March, there's either a huge line or Belkin pushed it back again, or Amazon just has no idea.

I ended up getting a G15 keyboard for christmas, and I'm now in love with it.

For all of those with one, what type of things do you have macroed to the G keys, and/or how do you have them setup in relation to Wow.. For now I just have each one emulating a keystroke, Ctrl+1,2,3 etc. I haven't delved much into the actual macro making where you can put in time delays just yet.

I'm not sure how useful this is, but I recently got the new Microsoft Sidewinder and it's goddamn huge. It feels a lot larger than the logitech mouse I was using before. Aside from the size, the mouse itself feels extremely nice, a very high quality feeling all around. It has the usual customizable weight and mouse feet and so on and that + a real mousepad has made a huge difference in how it feels to game.

I don't believe this has been mentioned before, but since several people have been drooling over the customizable keyboard linked at the beginning of the thread but questioning it's continued viability, I recently noticed this on sale at thinkgeek: ThinkGeek :: DX1 Input System. It seems fairly cheap and likely to continue to exist.

I have exactly the same setup.

I love the Logitech G15, although it's not really tailored for MMO gaming in terms of how the keys are mapped on the keyboard and I feel there's far too much space to cover when I'm trying to get to my abilities quickly (I'm an avid PvPer, to make matters worse). I often feel like I don't have enough keys to use, and since I'm also a big fan of strafing, I seem to have 2 keys less than everybody else for spells and abilities which I feel is a huge flaw of standard keyboards for MMO gaming. I really like the look of the Nostromo but I think it would be a pretty rough transition. Probably ultimately worth it, though, from the sounds and looks of things.

As for the Logitech G7 - well, where to begin. Bought this 9 months ago, started out fantastic. The tracking on it is great and it's comfortable to use. Although, after about 2-3 months, the right button lost just about all response and now I have to really put pressure down if I want to hold the right button. Naturally, it's killing my fingers and it needs to be changed. I'm not sure if it's a recurring problem with the G7 or just one crappy product. Also, the part of the mouse where my palm sits has been fading and it's looking a bit discoloured. And whatever the mouse has been coated with to keep it smooth and shiny, has been peeling and chipping away. Also, the battery life on the thing is absolutely terrible (it's wireless). It seems I'm constantly getting alerts for my batteries being low and I just feel like I'm always changing the damn things.

I love the G15, hate the G7, but I'd never rely on a standard keyboard again for MMO gaming. I think it's about time to look into more specialist gaming equipment as this just isn't cutting it any more.

I also have a Logitech G7 however for the most part I think it's a great mouse. I have noticed the issue with the battery as the things have aged though, it seems like im only getting maybe 4-5 hours out of each charge which isn't ideal really. The coating on mine is also becoming faded, I assume because the acidity of my sweat is taking it's toll but it does leave the palm of my hand with a distinctive smell.

It's really the last point that's got me looking around for a replacement.

I'm an avid mx518 user but have, for a few months, been using the Sidewinder mouse. And I really, really don't like it. It's like trying to adapt my hand to fit a square and it doesn't work out. I have fairly big hands and long fingers, this might have something to do with it.

I'm also very annoyed at the fact that the mouse has no less then 5 buttons that cannot be remapped or used for anything sensible, at all (the macro record button (what the hell is up with that shit anyway), the three sensitivity buttons and the button on the back that doesn't work at all for me).

If there was some sort of hacked driver around that would allow me to remap these 5 buttons to things I could actually use, the utter lack of comfort this thing has might have been worth it. As-is though, it really does seem like a poor choice for mmo gaming. Makes more sense for FPS I guess.

I'll probably be picking up a new 518 the next time I'm around a computershop.

I really like the weight of the G7 and think the ease of 'hot-swapping' the batteries are just great however I have almost the exact same problem with the right mouse button (allbeit it's not as bad as you seem to be making out here). I think it's mainly due to overuse of that button rather than the mouse being especially crappy as honestly it's the button I hold down constantly whilst moving and click to attack with.

Good mouse, but I'm really looking for another and there don't seem to be any good wireless alternatives (I like the freedom of wireless mice).