Although every year many computer gamers complacently think that their hardware accessories are more than adequate, technology marches on and superior peripherals are emerging that would make their lives easier or provide crucial features they lack. Many gamers regularly shell out lots of money for new graphics boards, but are relative skinflints when it comes to such basic necessities such as better keyboards, mice or headphones. This article identifies in a nontechnical way my personal preferences about some of the very best new gaming accessories out there, without regard to price. The selections are certainly not inexpensive, but in my mind they represent the best products available. While the descriptions here are relatively short, in each case I have evaluated numerous other offerings in each competitive category to reach these conclusions. Without doubt, because of insatiable gamer demand for top performance, much more innovation is likely to appear and mature in the future—including 3D monitors and solid-state hard drives—but in the meantime, opportunity beckons.

Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard

MSRP $199.99

As has occurred in the past, Logitech has set the new standard in terms of a truly premier keyboard. Building on its earlier G13 and G15 keyboards, the company has released the G19 (pictured above), with a truly stunning full-color GamePanel LCD, custom color backlighting on the keyboard, two high-speed powered USB ports, programmable keys for macros, intelligent cable design, and instant media access and control. For me, this contains everything I could ever want in a keyboard.

By far the most impressive feature is the color LCD screen, with a vivid 320×240 display showing game statistics (while supported titles are running), facilitating video playback and performing many other customizable tasks. The range of applets available has been expanding since the keyboard’s initial release. Given that I often play games full-screen under time pressure, it’s nice to see a selectable clock there. And if my frame rate is slowing down, I can immediately see what is happening to each of my CPUs powered by my quad-core chipset.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, the keyboard is extremely functional and attractive, and it’s nice to be able to set the backlit keyboard color to whatever I choose rather than have to live with a single predetermined choice (I just happen to be partial to grape). Everything is very well laid out and easy to access. You can adjust the angle of the LCD screen as well as control what is displayed. The resistance on the keys when you press them seems just right, even for someone as heavy-handed as myself.

The G19 keyboard’s other features are incredibly useful. Because I have a lot of peripherals plugged into my PC, I have a persistent need for extra USB ports, particularly powered ones. Most keyboards that come with USB ports either have only one or have unpowered ports, so it is indeed a pleasure to find a keyboard with two powered connections available. With all these devices, the cable management under the keyboard keeps everything orderly. The 12 programmable G-keys (with three macros possible per key) help improve my gaming performance. You can even press up to five keys at once to expand the range of action possibilities. The volume control roll bar is another really handy addition.

Cooler Master Storm Sentinel Advance Gaming Mouse

MSRP $69.99

Normally, when it comes to the highest quality mice, gamers have recently grown accustomed to thinking of Razer or Logitech. However, there is a long-named new competitor on the block: the Cooler Master Storm Sentinel Advance gaming mouse. As the first professional-grade mouse from Taiwanese company CM Storm, this product is the result of two years of research and has all the latest features.

This mouse utilizes a 5600 DPI Storm Tactical Sensor with twin lasers, doppler-effect processing and real-time tracking technology. The 64 KB Sentinel-X internal memory safeguards all your settings regardless of where you take it. For example, if you carry the mouse with you on a trip and connect it to other computers, your settings will remain the same without any software tweaking. I have been relying on this mouse exclusively for months (yes, my testing takes place during a long period), and I haven’t uncovered any issues in terms of sensitivity, precision or overall game performance.

In terms of control, the Sentinel Advance allows really extensive user adjustment of mouse functions. Unlike many mice I have tried, with this mouse you don’t have to fear accidentally pressing one of the side buttons during frenzied action, with unexpected results. You can edit sensitivity ranges, rapid fire modes, macros and scripts through a graphical user interface that appears to be quite intuitive, and you can save your choices to five different profiles in the mouse’s internal memory. You can also swiftly switch among different modes without interrupting play. And the patented StormGuard security system helps to protect your gear from being stolen.

This decidedly right-handed mouse has elegant curves and is really easy to grip. The Octoshade LED technology lets you modify LED colors and light effects, with the potential for your mouse to radiate two different colors at once. Moreover, a special OLED screen allows you to display any custom black-and-white logo you wish to provide further unique identification of your mouse. The Sentinel Advance also features a modular weight system to fine-tune the total mouse weight. While the feel of any mouse in your hand is a highly personal experience, this one feels just right to me and looks really fantastic.

Sennheiser PC 350 Gaming Headset

MSRP: $229.95

With gamers being more mobile than ever these days, many are caring more about quality headsets than speakers. Rather than evaluating headsets according to signal-to-noise ratios, impedance, distortion, frequency response range, sensitivity, or ability to emulate 7.1-speaker sound, my preference is for those that produce the richest stereo sound and feel the most comfortable. After comparing numerous brands, the Sennheiser PC 350 gaming headset has emerged as the best for gamers.

The PC 350′s closed circumaural earcups, contrasting with the common open-air headphone speaker design, minimize sound leakage and isolate you from intense LAN environments, shutting out chatter and fan noise from opposing gaming teams. Thus the PC 350 is specially tailored for competitive gaming environments and typically shines in rooms full of people and networked computers. The sealed earcups allow the listener to truly concentrate on sounds and from which direction they are coming. I find that using this headset puts me in a world of my own, insulated from any disturbance around me.

The PC 350 has a microphone specifically designed for use in multiplayer gaming. This microphone is noise-canceling and so allows you to focus on your speech without distraction. The microphone does not rest too close or too far from your face, and it’s sturdy enough that it seems unlikely to break off. A volume control lets you mute the microphone if desired, and if you do not need a microphone it does not detach, but it does easily swivel out of the way. Although I am not a heavy microphone user, it’s convenient to have such a nice one available at my disposal.

The PC 350’s sound is superb; I found myself able to clearly hear noises not discernible before. The headset is quite comfortable for long playing sessions, with large earcups. Unlike many headphones with fragile construction, this headset is quite durable, having survived rough testing (with twisting and placement on different sized heads) for months. If something goes wrong, the earpads are even replaceable. Also, in contrast to many headphones requiring the use of USB connections (which are often scarce), the PC 350 links up to your computer using standard dual 3.5 mm jacks. The cable length is a generous 9.8 feet. The only omission I could discover was the lack of a carrying case for travel, although the headset is collapsible for easy transport.