Wireless keyboard vs wired keyboard

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a wireless keyboard and a wired one? Keep reading because here we are going to give you an answer once and for all.

Although the reality was different in the past, the tables have changed. Now we can buy a wireless mouse or keyboard knowing that they are surely the same or better alternatives than traditional devices.

However, today we will not talk about wireless technology, in general, but we will focus more specifically on keyboards. Spoiler alert: Today, we already have quality wireless mechanical keyboards, so it all ends with what you are looking for from the keyboard.

Index of contents

Story up to the wireless keyboard

Keyboards as we know them today have been in our society for much longer than you can imagine.

Typewriter

We could go back to the XIX century where the first typewriters with QWERTY format began to be commercialized . Later, in the middle of the 20th century, personal computers (Personal Computers, PC) began to be created and keyboards were adapted to have this same format. This was how QWERTY was implanted in the subconscious of most people, although it is true that there are other known distributions such as DVORAK or AZERTY.

We did not see revolutions beyond these until a few decades later with membrane and wireless keyboards . In the late 1990s , wireless technologies for users were already experimented with , but it would not be until the early 2000s that they would gain fame and relevance.

• The earliest devices were connected by infrared signals and were relatively slow and dependent on room conditions, then Bluetooth technology opened up a range of possibilities that allowed for greater versatility to connect. In addition, every few years the standard is updated offering even more features to users.Finally, today, many devices operate with 2.4GHz radio frequencies , connections that exclusively serve to link two devices. In this way we achieve the highest transfer speeds without sacrificing integrity or security.

The wireless revolution

Wireless technology took years to come to fruition, but when it did, it led to super-useful devices. In the field of keyboards, the first wireless peripherals were created in the early 2000s , although they were only viewed as utility-centric devices.

Flexible membrane wireless keyboard

Membrane technology was soon developed and we got lightweight and useful keyboards for any situation. Also, two-in-one hybrid devices were born, that is, keyboards + trackpad . And the last of this breed could be seen in keyboards made entirely of membrane, wireless devices that, in turn, are flexible and deformable. However, the gaming world would follow a very different path.

Despite being the much more versatile and useful membrane, the speed, feel and precision of mechanical keyboards always remained above all. Because of this, the best peripherals have sought to maintain cables for best results.

Interference, data loss, worse precision and more weight. These have been some of the main complaints for which top gaming peripherals have remained one level above many years. In addition, we must add the cost of investing in new technologies, so the prices have always been and are higher in wireless versions.

However, for some years, we have seen how the gaming industry has been slowly rotating towards this wireless paradigm. Once we have reached the technological ceiling in terms of precision and costs (for now) , what we had left was to increase efficiency. Thanks to this, the wireless market has gradually grown and now many of the top devices are, in fact, wireless.

What wireless technologies do we have?

Today, we are left with two of the three keyboard types we have previously mentioned. On the one hand, we have the Bluetooth wireless keyboards and on the other the "dedicated" keyboards (let's call them that for the moment). Each one has its own specific role and is rarely played except for those wireless keyboards designed to work in any situation.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology

On the one hand, we have Bluetooth wireless keyboards, which stand out for being able to connect to numerous compatible devices. We can connect via Bluetooth to computers, consoles, laptops and even some mobile devices.

The Bluetooth connection works using a radio frequency standard in the ISM band of 2.4GHz. The problem with this method is that the connection is not designed to be agile, so it does not achieve high transfer rates.

It is for this reason that wireless keyboards should never be used with the Bluetooth configuration for video games. We will have latency, slower responses, and other technology issues.

"Dedicated" radio frequency

The other technology we commonly use is dedicated 2.4GHz radio frequencies, a technology similar to Bluetooth but focused exclusively on efficient and fast data transfer. It is often signaled with the Wi-Fi icon , although it has no direct relationship and requires an antenna (usually a USB) to function.

Wireless keyboard USB antenna

These devices turned the gaming market around by offering 1000Hz refresh rates (identical to wired devices) and, recently, incredible accuracy on almost any surface. With these two technologies, the foundation stone of wireless technology was built and little by little it has been built on it.

For example, companies like Logitech have developed efficient devices that, without sacrificing precision, get long-lasting batteries in their devices. On the other hand, SteelSeries has implemented a dual sensor system to allow more natural flickers.

Hybrids

Hybrid devices are a bit tricky, since they do n't really mix the two technologies. What we have seen are wireless mice and keyboards capable of using both ways to connect. In this way, they could use an ultra-fast connection through the antenna or a more useful one with the Bluetooth connection.

These versions are very common in devices destined to be an all-in-one, those who want to offer everything and be useful at all times and places.

The Wireless Keyboard Tour

Certainly, on the wireless keyboard we do not have much to tell. The logical evolution of common keyboards followed (QWERTY → mechanical → membrane → wireless → wireless top). Only when wireless technology had matured enough was it implemented by changing the methods of data transfer. After all, the difference between a wired and wireless device does not lie in its structure, but in how it sends data to the computer.

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In this article we are going to recommend a pair of good quality wireless keyboards. As we have already mentioned several times, Bluetooth is not focused on offering top quality but usefulness, so the recommendations will be exclusively for gaming peripherals.

Of course, the wireless ranges of companies are often designed for a public not so focused on competitiveness and always ensure that they are as portable as possible.

Logitech G613

Logitech G613 Gaming Keyboard

We recently made an article about the best keyboards you can buy in 2019 and the Logitech G613 has been one of the few chosen. It is a complete and wireless keyboard very suitable for gaming and for day-to-day tasks.

It falls within the section of hybrid devices, since it is capable of connecting via Bluetooth and via antenna. It has the peculiarity that you can maintain both connections simultaneously and switch between them with a single button.

Its battery is really durable, but it has the flaw that it is not a battery as such, but rather a pair of batteries. On the other hand, it lacks backlight and we cannot obtain it with a distribution of keys in Spanish.

Except for these small flaws, the wireless keyboard more than meets what we ask for and, in addition, it has a complete format, so we will have all the keys and more that we expect from any keyboard.

Corsair K63 Wireless

Corsair K63 Wireless Gaming Keyboard

On the other hand, the Corsair K63 Wireless is the quintessential wireless and mechanical keyboard of the American brand. It also had its leading role in the previously mentioned article and stands out over the Logitech for having a TKL (TenKeyLess) format , that is, without a numeric keyboard.

It is a good keyboard with hybrid use option and this time we do have an internal battery that lasts approximately 15 hours. The keys are backlit and we will have some extra buttons to control special modes and some multimedia sections.

Some of the most important flaws we have is that the lighting is not real RGB and that we can only do it with red switches. For gaming it is a good decision, but for writing they can become regular choices.

Final thoughts on the wireless keyboard

Wireless keyboards are a paradigm to which we will gradually advance (hopefully) , although it is something that we are not yet very used to. The top models of peripherals are still on wired models and wireless technology still means an extra price.

In addition, many famous brands have not yet dared to make the leap such as SteelSeries , Razer or msi , which is why some smaller companies have made a name for themselves. Some keyboards of famous brands such as VelociFire or MajesTouch have thrown themselves into the pool of wireless keyboards, however, they are difficult to get and even more so with Spanish distribution.

We recommend reading the best keyboards on the market

The wireless mouse market has already flourished and we have a huge number of models from different brands, so we are in suspense to see what comes for keyboards. In recent events we have seen interesting new technologies, but when will a wireless device to mount them arrive?

Do you have a wireless keyboard? Which wired keyboard would you like to have a wireless version? Tell us your ideas below.

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