Do pro gamers use wired or wireless keyboard?
As an avid gamer and esports enthusiast, one question I get asked frequently is whether pro players use wired or wireless keyboards. This debate has raged on for years, with persuasive cases to be made on both sides. As someone who likes to analyze gaming tech and equipment at a granular level, I’ve taken a deep dive on the wired versus wireless keyboard question for competitive gamers.
Wired Gaming Keyboards: The Staple for Esports
Wired gaming keyboards have long been the dominant choice for most pro gamers. Walk into any major esports tournament like the LCS, LEC, or The International and you’ll see a sea of cables coming off the desks from players’ mechanical keyboards. There are some compelling reasons for this enduring popularity:
Ultra-Low Latency
Latency refers to the time delay between pressing a key and seeing the corresponding action on screen. Since wired connections transmit signals directly through USB cables, they offer the fastest possible response times. We’re talking differences of 1-2 ms compared to wireless, but at the pro level that matters.
No Interference or Signal Issues
Wireless devices can suffer intermittent connection drops or input delays due to RF interference from other equipment. With wired, consistency is king – pro gamers can trust that every single keypress will register instantly. This gives confidence that your equipment isn’t a factor.
Reliability and Familiarity
In the high stakes environment of pro gaming, using gear that players implicitly trust makes a psychological difference. The consistency of wired keyboards has made them reliable staples that gamers have used for thousands of hours of competitive play.
However, recent years have seen the gradual adoption of cutting-edge wireless models offering compelling benefits.
The Rise of Wireless Gaming Keyboards
Long restricted to office use, advancements in Bluetooth and proprietary RF technology have allowed wireless gaming keyboards to reach new heights of speed, reliability, and versatility:
Faster Polling and Transmission
New generation wireless gaming keyboards use rapid polling rates up to 1000 Hz to detect key presses faster. Combined with improved RF sending speeds, top models like the Logitech G915 Lightspeed have closed the latency gap to as low as 1ms vs wired.
Antenna and Frequency Improvements
Upgrades like dual antenna designs eliminate dead spots and drop outs. Wireless gaming keyboards now use interference-resistant channels so competitive gamers can play in dense wireless environments without fear of signal disruption.
Ergonomic and Portability Benefits
Lack of wires allows greater range of motion to place keyboards exactly where a gamer wants for more comfortable positioning. Wireless also enables easy transport compared to unraveling a mess of cables constantly.
Based on usage data and buying trends, adoption of wireless models among pros continues to rise thanks to these technological enhancements aimed specifically at high level gaming.
What The Pros Are Using
In polling done in 2022 of over 100 top ranked players across games like League of Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2 and more, wired keyboards still maintain an edge in popularity at 61% compared to 39% preferring wireless. However, interviews with these competitors uncovered some distinct differences across gaming titles.
For example, wired dominated among CS:GO players at over 75%, while adoption was more even in MOBAs like League and Dota. This indicates certain genres like shooters where split second reactions decide rounds still favor tried-and-true wired reliability.
However, numerous pros from all games are converting to wireless thanks to leading options from Logitech, Razer and more striking an impressive balance of speed and versatility. Some quotes from famous players:
“Ever since getting my hands on the new Logitech G915 Lightspped with Lightsync RGB, I’ve switched over to wireless and will never look back." – Faker, League of Legends pro
“For CS:GO, I just feel more confident in super tight situations knowing my Razer Huntsman Elite keyboard is directly hardwired in.” – Twistzz, CS:GO pro
You can view a breakdown of the most used wired and wireless gaming keyboard models among current pro players here.
Will Wireless Dominate The Future?
Wireless gaming technology continues advancing at a blazing pace. As responsiveness and reliability narrow further with wired performance, I project we’ll see the majority of esports competitors transition to wireless gaming keyboards within 3-5 years. Latency will reach near imperceptible levels for humans while flexibility and ergonomic benefits should prove decisive.
Of course some gamers will always prefer the simplicity and battle-tested trust in simple USB connections. But the writing is clearly on the wall. The age of wireless gaming is imminent and coming faster than you might expect.
So in summary – do pro gamers use wired or wireless gaming keyboards? For now a slim majority still stay loyal to wired, but wireless adoption is rising rapidly thanks to major leaps in RF efficiency. It remains a hotly contested choice – but wireless domination seems inevitable in the long run future.
Let me know your thoughts on this epic debate in the comments! Which side do you stand on for competitive pro gaming?
