If you have already gambled on the PC for a longer period of time, you will certainly insist on the input device you trust. In other words: ...
If you have already gambled on the PC for a longer period of time, you will certainly insist on the input device you trust. In other words: mouse & keyboard. This makes much more precise aiming possible. But now you're in a quandary with all your colleagues playing at the console. Luckily you are a fox and reading this article.
Money makes the world go round
Regardless of which console you end up going with, it's going to cost your wallet quite a bit. Then there is the online service and the games. Peripherals are what we're really talking about here. The kind intended to simulate a mouse and keyboard on the console. And well, unfortunately, they aren't given for free either.
PS4
The mouse and keyboard have been working for a while on the PS4. However, you can't just plug your regular Gear into the console. You have two choices. On the one hand, there is the "Tactical Assault Commander Pro" from HORI, which was developed exclusively for PS4. You connect the keypad to the console and the mouse to the keypad via USB. Any mouse will work. If you don't like the keyboard layout, you can also connect the Tac Pro to the PC and assign the keys there as it suits you. The pad has space for up to three key profiles. The conventional controller is completely eliminated with this method because the Tac Pro simulates a controller.
Another option is the XIM Apex Adapter. Unlike the TAC Pro, the Apex is just an interface and not an input device. This means that you can use your mouse and keyboard from the PC. The controller must also be connected to the adapter, because, unlike the HORI Tac Pro, no controller is simulated here. You have to create the key layout yourself. You don't leave the store much cheaper than with the competition. Both variants cost at least € 140.
XBOXONE
A very interesting development is emerging on the XBOX ONE. You can also use the XIM Apex Adapter on this platform, but in the future, the mouse and keyboard will be activated as normal for games on the XBOX. Microsoft is currently working on cooperation with Razer. But you will probably be able to use your own input devices. Razer already has hardware that looks similar to the Tac Pro, but only works for the PC.
Canadian developer Digital Extremes was the first to announce that their game Warframe will support mouse and keyboard.
For you as a user, this is of course pure gold. On the one hand, you save a lot of money on the adapter, and on the other hand, you still have an advantage over the controller players. Ultimately, however, it is up to the developers to enable this feature. For example, Treyarch might not want you to sweat every lobby with the pixel-perfect aim in Black Ops 4.
Conclusion
The benefits of the mouse and keyboard are obvious. You have better aiming and can text or type in the in-game chat at lightning speed compared to the controller. The universal added value cannot be denied.
For many people, and probably for you as well if you are reading this article, the input device is a matter of faith, one that is the subject of heated debates with the opposition. We want to be fair and have even found disadvantages when using it on the console. First, there is the cost. At €140, you'll have to be the family's favorite, so your hopes for gifts aren't dashed at the next opportunity. Another issue is compatibility. With the options we have mentioned, you cannot avoid a time-consuming setup of the devices. However, unlocking the mouse and keyboard on the XBOX would solve this problem.