I’m not nice at video games. At least, not on PC. I’ve no aptitude for utilizing a mouse and keyboard.
That’s proper—I play every little thing with a controller.
At least, I play all of my standard genres with a controller. And, up till about three years in the past, the association labored. A non-zero variety of PC avid gamers could also be shrieking silently (or loudly) about how unideal it’s to play sure video games with analog sticks, however I by no means had an issue.
Then my pal group determined to play PvP video games. On PC.
One day, I’m taking part in Sea of Thieves and drunkenly lurching off a ship into water (my character, not me), after which the subsequent, I’m attempting to line up headshots on a human opponent who most positively is aware of how to not get shot.
It didn’t take lengthy to appreciate I wanted loads of assist, and that help needed to come both from my mates or divine intervention, as a result of I actually didn’t appear able to serving to myself. So I did what everybody with wishful pondering does. I purchased stuff to repair my downside. Specifically, I purchased the weirdest, wildest, and arguably coolest gaming keypad out there.
Enter the Azeron Cyborg gaming keypad
Alaina Yee / Foundry
My downside with mouse and keyboard is the keyboard. For no matter purpose, utilizing the WASD keys for navigation nonetheless has but to click on in my mind. Add within the surrounding keys for triggering skills and the communication between my hand and my mind goes out a window.
Then again in April 2023, I stumbled upon this r/buildapc thread on Reddit. Among all of the improbable PC accent suggestions was one for the Azeron Cyborg. It regarded completely insane (and straight out of a Terminator film), however what caught my consideration was its precise thumbstick.
During the primary few weeks of on-line slaughter (mine, not my opponents), I had wistfully thought how having a left thumbstick for navigation however a mouse for aiming would mix the perfect of each my worlds. But the Razer Tartarus and comparable gaming keypads solely had d-pads, not full 360 analog sticks.
I took this new discovery as as signal, particularly once I regarded on the Azeron website and noticed a gently used mannequin going for $140 USD. (A new one costs about $200 USD.) Impulse purchases are uncommon for me, however this appear fated. Desperation to not all the time be the weak hyperlink on my group could have added incentive to purchase.
Twenty-five bucks in delivery and a handful of days later, my bundle safely accomplished the journey from Latvia and landed on the PCWorld workplace’s doorstep. And that’s once I discovered some arduous truths about myself.
A brand new downside emerges
Alaina Yee / Foundry
The Azeron Cyborg is available in two flavors: customary, which positions a set of buttons above your fingertips, and Compact, which locations these buttons on shorter posts. You may alter the thumbstick positioning on the usual mannequin—a characteristic I utterly underestimated once I bought my used Compact mannequin in sparkly galactic purple.
This keypad is dizzyingly programmable and adjustable. You get 29 mappable keys total, which incorporates the 5-way rocker swap and thumbstick. Key mapping is very simple—you simply obtain Azeron’s software program and begin assigning keys—and also you get two separate profiles which you could program. Key presses really feel good too, with satisfying clicky suggestions.
For the video games I performed (primarily Overwatch 2), I didn’t even use all 13 buttons inside my speedy attain. Part of this needed to do with match. Even weeks later, my pinky can’t faucet its close by keys simply. This is regardless of me shopping for the smaller of the keypad’s two sizes, and likewise fussing with the positions of every key tower. You can change the space and the spacing, however I by no means discovered the proper candy spot for my complete hand.
But I can’t blame match completely for my new wrestle, which is overcoming my very mounted muscle reminiscence on controller.
I’m my very own worst enemy, as standard
Alaina Yee / Foundry
During my early life, I performed platformers and action-adventure video games nearly to the exclusion of every little thing else—and it appears to indicate. A significant situation of mine in PvP video games is motion. I stroll in straight strains, because the worst (greatest) noobs do. But platformers, my favourite style, rewards that type of regular monitoring. That’s what I spent numerous hours optimizing for, whereas additionally missing publicity to genres (and sport modes) that reward the other.
So first downside: I don’t assume to strafe.
Second downside: The movement for strafing on an analog stick feels flawed to me.
Unfortunately, proudly owning an Azeron gaming keypad does nothing to resolve these first two points, because it has a thumbstick. In truth, I didn’t even work out the second till I pressured myself to attempt utilizing WASD in a low-stakes Overwatch match. You ought to have seen my face once I realized how easy strafing felt when tapping two distinctive keys, relatively than wiggling a stick backwards and forwards.
Third downside: I’m not used to utilizing fingers past my thumb and forefinger.
As a typical controller consumer, all I ever use are two fingers per hand. On event I would herald my center fingers if I’ve to press each the bumper and the set off buttons on the identical time, however it’s uncommon. (A fancier controller just like the Xbox Elite has extra buttons and thus can require extra fingers, however I don’t use that sort.)
Fourth downside: The controls are distributed otherwise than on controller.
The Azeron Cyborg doesn’t change the what number of capabilities you carry out along with your left hand for a mouse and keyboard setup. It simply provides them in a unique type issue. And in comparison with controller, it’s in regards to the reverse of what I’m used to. On a controller, I’m utilizing my proper hand for an analog stick (digicam angle/melee), the 4 face buttons (which often map to weapon alternative, reload, leap, and crouch in a shooter), and a set of shoulder and set off buttons (skills). On mouse and keyboard, my proper hand will get left click on (major potential), proper click on (secondary potential or zoom), and the scroll wheel (weapon alternative/melee). At least, it does on a primary mouse, which is all I’ve at present.
Long story quick, I’ve loads of retraining to do and new muscle reminiscence to construct if I wish to get wherever in PvP.
How it shook out
Alaina Yee / Foundry
While the Azeron has not been in a position to cowl for abilities I by no means developed, I’m not upset. I knew it was most likely going to be a protracted shot. (I’ve been via this earlier than with images gear.) I believe it’s an excellent keypad, and I like how a lot you possibly can customise it. That consists of the way it seems, too. If you purchase new, you possibly can decide colour (so many enjoyable shades!), palm relaxation type, thumbstick type, and which hand it’s designed for (proper or left).
And the Cyborg has executed greater than offering perception into my long-standing lack of ability to adapt to mouse and keyboard. My gameplay with hitscan characters in Overwatch is best—I don’t miss as many pictures with Ana when taking part in assist, for instance. Don’t get me flawed, I nonetheless suck. But I can see glimpses of what life is like once you don’t utterly suck. It’s a pleasant counter to getting older and stiffer, which have dulled my reflexes and made precision thumbstick actions tougher. I as soon as dreamed of getting even half nearly as good as former colleagues on controller—they may go up towards PC gamers, a lot to the shock of builders throughout demos. But that’s past me now.
My solely actual criticism in regards to the Cyborg is that I purchased the flawed mannequin. The Compact model’s thumbstick isn’t adjustable, and for my slender hand it’s positioned somewhat too low to really feel comfy. Where the directional swap sits, that’s the place I would like the thumbstick to be. I get an ache in my hand after taking part in for about 90 minutes or extra. If Azeron (or a neighborhood member) have been to launch a 3D printer file for a housing that reversed the positions of the thumbstick and rocker swap, I believe I may sport for longer stretches.
Regardless, the Cyborg has made mouse and keyboard really feel much less like a sink or swim proposition. Maybe in the future I’ll get to primary WASD competency. But up to now, that day has but to come back. In the in the meantime, I’ve now bought floaties to maintain me from drowning.
Update (September 2025): I initially documented this expertise with the Azeron Cyborg Compact early within the journey, again in spring and summer time of 2023. In the 2 years since, I can say that I nonetheless am proud of the funding—and it actually has acted like floaties whereas studying to swim.
I outlined 4 issues I had whereas taking part in in video games like Overwatch: simply not strafing, disliking the feeling of strafing on an analog stick, use of extra fingers than on an Xbox or PlayStation controller, and adjusting to a unique format of buttons relative to a console controller. The first two points nonetheless stay, however I’ve since adjusted to the brand new mapping and my gameplay has improved somewhat. (I’m lastly now not ranked as Potato 5. Yay!)
I additionally talked about that I regretted not buying the mannequin with an adjustable place for thumbstick. I nonetheless really feel that method, however after Azeron launched a magnetic tenting stand for the controller, it helped ease a lot of the pressure on my thumb.
Azeron
Overall, the enhancements I’ve made in mechanical talent has gotten me extra curious and keen to provide WASD navigation one other go. (I simply picked up this Lemokey X0 gaming keypad at a deep low cost, on the recommendation of my colleague and resident mechanical gaming keyboard guru Michael Crider.) I’ve additionally begun exploring the thought of attempting a correct mouse mat and one other gaming mouse to see if it improves my intention. As somebody who has extraordinarily deep console gaming roots, I all the time assumed my motor abilities have been solely responsible for my weak mechanical abilities in PC video games. I didn’t understand a few of it’s based mostly in your gear and settings.
I really feel much less overwhelmed now in regards to the thought of creating the complete swap to keyboard & mouse gaming. While I don’t know if I’ll make the leap efficiently, the makes an attempt will probably be fairly entertaining, I’m positive. To different individuals, a minimum of.