What Is N-Key Rollover on Keyboards?
In recent years, N-Key Rollover has become a major keyboard feature, especially in the gaming community. This article explains the function and benefits of N-Key Rollover.
Modified at: 2025.7.14Posted at: 2024.5.2
N-Key Rollover: "A Function That Correctly Recognizes Multiple Simultaneous Key Presses"
PC keyboards allow you to press multiple keys at the same time. However, whether the keyboard can correctly recognize all the keys pressed simultaneously depends on the keyboard itself. Sometimes, when multiple keys are pressed at once, not all are recognized, or the wrong key is registered.
N-Key Rollover solves this problem.
Keyboards equipped with N-Key Rollover have the ability to correctly recognize multiple keys pressed at the same time and accurately process all inputs.
The "N" in N-Key Rollover represents a variable, as used in mathematics, and the number of keys that can be processed simultaneously varies depending on the keyboard.
For example, the Majestouch N-key rollover by Diatec allows all 108 keys to be pressed simultaneously with a PS/2 connection, but with a USB connection, simultaneous key presses are limited to 6 keys.
Advantages of Choosing "N-Key Rollover"
Highly Valued for Gaming
N-Key Rollover has gained attention in the gaming scene. In recent FPS games and similar genres, faster and more accurate key input has become crucial for gameplay and victory, so keyboards with N-Key Rollover, which can reliably register multiple commands, are increasingly being chosen.
With N-Key Rollover, for example, you can operate menus while changing your viewpoint. Conversely, without N-Key Rollover, menu operations may be delayed or may not register at all.
Benefits for Everyday Use
You might think that there are few benefits to using a keyboard with N-Key Rollover for regular work or typing, since typing usually involves pressing keys in sequence rather than simultaneously.
However, even for everyday use, being able to prevent missed inputs when entering multiple keys rapidly is an advantage. Especially for fast typists, using a keyboard with N-Key Rollover ensures that "inputs are registered even at high speeds," allowing you to type faster and more accurately, making typing more comfortable.