By Melvin Chux
It doesn’t matter if it’s a PC or a console, we all use two major input devices; a controller or a keyboard & mouse combo. We’d like to shed light on the pros of each input method; the advantage of one is the disadvantage of the other.
The Pros of Gamepads
Comfortable for long gaming sessions
Keyboard gamers can tell tales of cramped backs and fingers. This isn’t unusual considering your fingers are in a “claw form,” making repeated movements. Controller users possess certain advantages in this field.
They don’t need to be in an upright position since the design of a gamepad is focused on ergonomics & portability. It will be quite difficult to recline on a couch and use a keyboard and mouse. Where will you place the mouse? It needs a smooth even surface to track your movements accurately.
You’d appreciate the extra comfort using a controller brings when you game for 2+ hours at a stretch. If you’re considering getting into professional gaming, be prepared for gaming sessions much longer.
Aim Assist
We’ve come to the good stuff. Aim assist has caused many arguments since its inception; but what is it? As you might have guessed from the name, it’s a controller-exclusive feature that helps you center the crosshairs on a target, The reason for this feature is simple; aiming with a mouse is easier than moving an analog stick. You simply point at the target.
Seeing this advantage, something had to be done to even the playing field. Aim assist isn’t magic though, your crosshairs have to be near the target to some extent for it to “snap on”. But different games use different mechanics which is where the conflict arises. Some games assist players a little bit more than others.
The Pros of Keyboard and Mouse
Aiming Is More Precise
Controller players may have aim-assist to nudge them towards victory, but what you have is the fastest pointing device in your hands. We all know how a mouse works, you move the device along a surface and the pointer moves with it. No pointing device does it better, which is why the concept hasn’t changed after many decades.
While the mouse is a precise pointing tool, being good with it doesn’t happen overnight, The “god tier level” aim you see pro-players exhibit comes from months and even years of training. It’s all in the” hand-to-eye” coordination.
Best For Customization
Your ability to customize your control can be a deciding factor in many games. This is one thing you can’t take away from a keyboard; it’s potential for customization. No one can fault the controller for not winning this round, it has around 20 keys; the winner was already decided. “How does customization help?” you might ask.
Look at a game like Apex Legends for instance; If you were using a controller and wanted to use a particular type of grenade, you’d have to hold the assigned key and use the analog to select it. A keyboard player has around 100 keys at their disposal, each grenade type can simply have a designated slot. All it takes is a click.
Conclusion
Besides the noticeable structural differences between consoles and PCs, nothing has caused more arguments than these two control methods. While they both have their advantages, any control method can prove to be beneficial. Figure out what works best for you and work on your skills with that.