Adjustable actuation keyboards, which allow gamers to customize the sensitivity of their key presses, have surged in popularity, especially among competitive players. However, a new feature on some of these keyboards has sparked controversy in the gaming community, with Valve stepping in to address the issue.
The feature in question, known as “Snap Tap,” is available on Razer and Wooting keyboards, and it has caught the attention of Valve for potentially giving players an unfair advantage in Counter-Strike 2. Snap Tap works by detecting simultaneous inputs on two keys and only activating the one that was pressed last. Thanks to the high polling rates of modern gaming keyboards, this timing difference is measured in milliseconds.
When combined with adjustable actuation, Snap Tap enables players to perform incredibly fast movements, such as strafing back and forth in a split second. This can be particularly useful in online shooters, where quick and unpredictable movements make it difficult for opponents to aim accurately.
However, Valve isn’t convinced that Snap Tap is fair play. According to a community note mentioned by The Verge, Valve views this feature as a form of cheating because it allows players to perform multiple in-game actions with just a single key press, similar to what you can do with macros, which are typically banned in competitive gaming. Valve argues that Snap Tap achieves the same outcome, but via hardware instead of software.
Adjustable actuation keyboards have always had the ability to bind multiple actions to different pressure levels on a single key, but Snap Tap pushes the boundaries by enabling rapid movement with just two key presses. This has led to heated debates among gamers, with some embracing the feature for the competitive edge it offers, while others consider it an unfair advantage. As this technology evolves, it’s likely that other keyboard makers will introduce similar features, and more games may follow Valve’s lead in banning them.
For those using adjustable actuation keyboards like Razer’s Huntsman series or Wooting’s models with “SOCD” support in Counter-Strike 2, it’s advisable to turn off Snap Tap or SOCD in your settings to stay within the rules.