What Is Keyboard Ghosting and Rollover?

Ghosting is when you press several keys at once and one doesn't register, or a key you didn't press shows up. Rollover is the number of keys a keyboard can register simultaneously. Both matter most when gaming.

What ghosting does

On a keyboard with limited rollover, pressing too many keys at once causes dropped inputs. In a game, that means a movement or ability key fails just when you need it. The faster and more key-heavy the game, the more it matters.

Rollover explained

• 2-key rollover: only two keys at once, common on cheap boards
• 6-key rollover: enough for most gaming
• N-key rollover: every key registers independently

What to buy

For gaming, look for at least 6-key rollover, and ideally N-key rollover. For typing and office work, ghosting rarely matters, so any modern keyboard is fine.

If you game seriously, check the rollover spec before buying. N-key rollover is the safe choice and is now standard on most mechanical gaming keyboards.