Gaming keyboards have a series of features that normal keyboards generally lack, and among them we have the anti-ghosting technology that we often see expressed with the English term “N-Key Rollover”. This technology, as we will explain below, can have several levels of efficiency and is expressed by a variable before the “Key Rollover”, since all manufacturers are not able to implement it in the same way. way. Either way, we’ll start from the beginning, that is, by explaining what ghosting is, which as you will already assume from the name of this technology is something we will want. always avoid.
What are ghost images and why do they happen?
When we talk about keyboards, the ghost This is a phenomenon that occurs when you press more keys at the same time than the keyboard can handle. For example, on a keyboard without anti-ghosting technology when you press three keys simultaneously, the keyboard “locks” and several times the computer beeps to let us know.
Ghosting or ghosting is defined as a problem in which certain combinations of three or more keys may result in the recording of an additional key, although most keyboard manufacturers use the term to refer to failure to record the keys. keystrokes., and so we should call it blocker and not actually ghost.
To simplify the internal circuitry of a keyboard, the keys are connected to a grid called a matrix. The keyboard controller applies current to each column of the matrix in turn and checks which rows are emitting current; this indicates which grid intersections in the column are closed switches (which have been pushed), and ghosting occurs when current flows in the opposite direction around the array and causes a row to output current while she should not.
However, as we said, manufacturers attribute the term ghost to the key lock, but we have explained what the ghost actually is because it is related; blocking is a way to prevent ghosting when the controller is programmed to detect keystroke combinations that can cause ghosting and to ignore any keystrokes that might be the result of a ghosting. Crashing is a simple and common way to fix ghosting, but it leads to bypass / ignore keystrokes which is very inconvenient for games.
Explained as a summary, ghosting is actually an effect which due to the layout of the keyboard matrix, keys that have not been pressed are registered; for its part, the blocking This is a remedy so that ghost images do not occur but, in reality, it is called ghost images because its effect is that the keyboard cannot detect simultaneous keystrokes (which in its turn). trick is a cure for ghosting).
How does anti-ghosting technology work?
Anti-ghosting technology is based on a matrix switch design that prevents jams on certain key combinations. It doesn’t remove the lock except in some cases and it’s actually a marketing hype in a lot of them, but the quality of this matrix optimization means we’ll be able to press a lot of keys simultaneously without crashing.
To explain the level or ability of the matrix to withstand simultaneous strikes, we have the term “Key hover“. For example, a keypad with 10-key rollover anti-ghosting technology means that it will support up to 10 keys simultaneously before the lock level is reached, while a 5-key rollover keypad will only support. than pressing 5 keys at the same time. time before we get there. We can also see these abbreviated terms like 10KRO or 5KRO in the case of these two examples that we have put.
Of course, we also have gaming keyboards with more advanced matrices that achieve the so-called Rollover N-Key, abbreviated by NKRO. This term refers to keyboards whose matrix is not ghosted or blocked in any way and which, therefore, allows you to press as many keys simultaneously as you want, recording them all in the same one. the order in which they were inserted. Obviously, this is precisely the most desirable thing in a gaming keyboard as it will allow us to hold as many keys as we need at all times without jamming.
How to check for ghosting on your keyboard
When using a keyboard to play games, you obviously don’t want it to be ghosted (keylogger you haven’t pressed) or get stuck when you press various key combinations. Imagine you’re in a first-person shooter-type game and moving diagonally (W + D keys for example) while you sprint (SHIFT key) and want to jump (space key). If your keyboard does not have anti-ghosting technology, a crash will occur when pressing the fourth key and as a result your character will not jump.
Usually, you can find out if your keyboard has anti-ghosting technology and to what extent by looking at the packaging, instruction manual or manufacturer’s website, but you can also check yourself if your keyboard suffers from ghosting or blocking in a very simple way. You just need to go to this web page and start pressing the keys on your keyboard simultaneously to check if they are registered or not.
For example, here you can see an example we took ourselves where we press the key combination we mentioned in the example above, but obviously you can press as many keys as you want to check it yourself.
If in this test you see that there are keystrokes that are not recorded, you can count the keystrokes that appear in green (although it is true that pressing only the left SHIFT key also appears in green at right) to find out to what extent your keyboard has anti-technology. If your keyboard is Full N-Key Rollover, which is the most normal thing in a gaming keyboard, you should be able to press as many keys as you want (or you can, rather) and there shouldn’t be crash at any time.
