What the jargon means

Every term on this page follows the same shape: what it is, then what to actually do about it. If you want more depth, the guides go further without getting harder to read.

Actuation force: How hard you press before a key registers, in grams.; Lighter (around 45g) is the common, comfortable default. No wrong answer.
DPI: How far the cursor moves when you move the mouse. Higher means faster.; Most people sit between 800 and 1600. You can change it anytime in software.
Hot-swap: Lets you change keyboard switches by hand, no soldering.; Nice if you think you'll tinker later. Skippable if you just want it to work.
Mouse skates: The little glide pads on the bottom of a mouse, also called feet.; Upgrading them makes an old mouse glide like new. Cheap, easy win.
Panel type: The screen technology in a monitor: IPS, VA, TN, or OLED.; IPS is the safe all-rounder for color and viewing angles. OLED is premium.
Polar pattern: The directions a microphone listens from.; Cardioid (picks up the front) is what you want for solo talking or streaming.
Polling rate: How often the mouse reports its position, measured in Hz.; 1000Hz is smooth and plenty for almost everyone. Higher numbers are a luxury.
Refresh rate: How many times per second the screen updates, in Hz.; 144Hz is the sweet spot for gaming. 60Hz is fine for everyday use.
Response time: How fast pixels change color. Lower means less motion blur.; Look for 1ms on gaming monitors. For desk work it barely matters.
Sensor: The eye on the bottom of the mouse that tracks movement.; Any modern flagship sensor is accurate. Don't overthink the model name.
Switch type: What's under each key and how it feels to press.; Linear is smooth and quiet-ish, tactile has a bump, clicky is loud. Pick by feel.
Weight: How heavy the mouse is, in grams.; Lighter (under ~70g) feels fast; heavier feels planted. Both are fine, it's preference.

Missing a word you ran into? The product pages explain terms inline too; look for the dotted underline with a small ?.