G13 Gameboard vs. N52TE

[Sarris]

Hey guys, sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, I tried searching for both topics and I know I have seem them talked about here on various "how can I tank better" threads but my search pulled up nothing.

Anyway, for you guys that use one of these could you tell me if I can setup the thumb switch for movement in WoW? And does it work well?

If you have used both, which one would you recommend? I know they have a price difference but I am more interested in software, quality, and ease of use.

Thanks a lot.

[icha]

I've used both of them and I must say that I like the G13 a lot better, especially for using the thumb switch for movement. The n52 was really bulky I thought and didn't fit my hand very well at all. The thumb switch was also positioned in a strange angle which made it harder to navigate.

I haven't been using the G13 for very long but I'm very pleased with it so far. I think the biggest difference between them is the ergonomic design.

It is definately possible to use that kind of movement with both devices, but my advice would be, if you can, try them out before you buy and find out which one suites your hand better.

[Sarris]

Thanks for the info. I am hoping Best Buy or Fry's will have some out for me to check, but I hear its hard to find a N52TE nowadays.

[squats]

i use a G-13 game board right now.. but there are a few issues i find with it.. ill make a detailed post with my issues in a little bit, let me set it up

okay

Normal keybinding setup


this is how i set up my keybindings as a tank, on a normal keyboard.

i put heroic strike at 6 and devistate at 2 so i can easily use them, and still use revenge, shield slam, and taunt, when i need to and not have to stop useing HS.

however, because there are only 3-5 keys withing comfortable striking distance from WSAD, you cannot do this and preserve the keybindings that i like to use.

The G-31 setup

there just arnt enough keys for me to use the G-13 as a tank. however, because you only use like.. 6 keys as an arms warrior, its great.

but to answere your question.. G-13 is better

[Kazeyonoma]

wrong place indeed.


Off to the Tech Forums you go!

Moved.

[Spattznatt]

I think the G13 is much nicer. To each his own but I much prefer the layout and all the extra buttons. Haven't tried the software that came with either as I'm on a Mac using Controller Mate.

[MasterDave]

i
however, because there are only 3-5 keys withing comfortable striking distance from WSAD, you cannot do this and preserve the keybindings that i like to use.

make the effort to use the thumbstick as your movement. You will realize a world of difference in your gameplay, I promise.

It's as much of a difference to me as a keyboard turner is to a mouse turner.

I've found it way way way way better to move with my thumb and keep 12 skills around where my hand likes to sit instead. I've never understood the people who string their skills down the number line on the keyboard in general, it seems like it'd be difficult to get back to "home" when you have to knock off an "oshit" skill that's hanging out at 9 or 0.

G13, all the way. I've had an N52, I've had a Saitek Cyborg, neither are as good as the Logitech. It may have taken them a while to jump on the bandwagon, but I'll be damnned if they don't make a fine product whenever they get off their asses to make it.

[Hit Me]

make the effort to use the thumbstick as your movement. You will realize a world of difference in your gameplay, I promise.

It's as much of a difference to me as a keyboard turner is to a mouse turner.

I've found it way way way way better to move with my thumb and keep 12 skills around where my hand likes to sit instead. I've never understood the people who string their skills down the number line on the keyboard in general, it seems like it'd be difficult to get back to "home" when you have to knock off an "oshit" skill that's hanging out at 9 or 0.

G13, all the way. I've had an N52, I've had a Saitek Cyborg, neither are as good as the Logitech. It may have taken them a while to jump on the bandwagon, but I'll be damnned if they don't make a fine product whenever they get off their asses to make it.

^ This.

Once you get used to mouse turning and using the direction pad for strafing and moving forward and backwards, you begin to understand the full potential of the peripheral.

I, personally, have only used the N52te. I love the thing. After a couple weeks, you'll never understand how you were ever able to play the game without it. My only gripe is that I'd like to have more keys. The G13 seems to remedy that, so I will probably try it out eventually.

[Thaak]

I use the n52te myself, and if you're having trouble with not having enough keys, trying binding shift, control, or alt to one of your mouse buttons(provided you have a free button) and you effectively double/triple/quadruple your bindings on the n52te. Point of caution, i found when binding with shift, if i'm holding shift while trying to move forward or backward it scrolls my primary action bar. I also agree with one of the previous posters that using the thumbstick/pad for movement helps, however if you're dead set against that and want to use o3,o7,o8,o9, then rebind the thumbpad to other things for increased functionallity.

I know this is the tech forum and not an addon forum, however i find you can obtain the most effectiveness from this type of item with an actionbar addon. I use Dominos.

[Oblivion]

The scrolling of action bars is a key binding within WoW itself, I think it's called paging, if you just unbind the keys for that(which I believe is shift+up/down), you won't have that problem anymore.

[Zartanchi]

I tried the N52 for a week, my major complaint was the joystick. It was very stiff and moving backwards was a real chore. I gave up on it, saw the g13 and said what the hell and am now giving that a try. The joystick is much more forgiving making moving backwards much easier and moving in general. The extra button by the joystick is nice too, although I'm not sure what to bind to it. I'm glad people are giving examples of what they're binding to what, but basically 1-12 on my bars is that and I go fom there, setting up the pattern in bartender in an attempt to mirror it. It's still very new, going to give it a week and see if I can get used to it and if not back to the Merc.

One question on it for those that use the g13. On the N52 you could program a button that you would hold down to access the 2nd set of keys and when you let it up you reverted back to the main keyset. On the g13 I can't figure out if you can do that, I can get to the 2nd set but it stays there and doesn't revert back.

[Thaak]

Something I forgot to mention about the n52te, and i assume the same would apply to the logitec one though i haven't used it, is your individual experience will differ based on your size. I'm a fairly tall man, 6'4" and i have large hands. On the n52te my thumbs naturally rests where the thumbpad is and my fingers from pinky to pointer rest on o7, o3, o4, o5. If you have smaller hands you fingers are going to rest in different places, so one product may feel better than the other, or at the very least you will need to develp your own system for bindings. Just something I though I'd bring up and say at the very least try to find each of the products you are considering in a store and try to put your hands on it.

[Zartanchi]

Something I forgot to mention about the n52te, and i assume the same would apply to the logitec one though i haven't used it, is your individual experience will differ based on your size. I'm a fairly tall man, 6'4" and i have large hands. On the n52te my thumbs naturally rests where the thumbpad is and my fingers from pinky to pointer rest on o7, o3, o4, o5. If you have smaller hands you fingers are going to rest in different places, so one product may feel better than the other, or at the very least you will need to develp your own system for bindings. Just something I though I'd bring up and say at the very least try to find each of the products you are considering in a store and try to put your hands on it.

This is an excellant thought as I have the issue on the g13 of it being too big for my hands, I can't comfortably reach all the buttons. the n52 was more comfortable for that, but the thumb button was not friendly for this user. If I could combine the thumb with the g13 maybe this would finally work. Back to the Merc.

[Bodasafa]

Ive been looking at both these products for a long time and still undecided on which to get.

Are there any comparable options to these 2 out now since this thread was created?

[Toushiro]

G13 has to many buttons and way to uncomfortable for my hand, I prefer and highly recommend the N52TE.

[Bodasafa]

Sounds like I need to go to a store that has these on display and feel them out.