Considering just how much you need to touch your keyboard and mouse while using your computer, kit that feels cheap and nasty is definitely best avoided.

From a health and safety perspective, intensive typing can lead to the much-vaunted condition of RSI, which nobody wants, so quality keyboards have built-in dampening of the keys to absorb as much of the shock as possible and maximise your comfort.

Ergonomics are important in mouse design as well, so look for a mouse that feels natural in your hand if you're going to be using it for long periods of time.

Are there any extras that are worth having?

So-called 'multimedia' or 'internet' keyboards come with a wide range of extra keys and knobs, in addition to the standard alpha-numeric, cursor and number keypads.

These enable you to get to your homepage, check your email or scroll through web pages at the touch of the relevant button.

Those with more of a multimedia mindset often include specialist buttons and dials for playing, pausing and skipping music tracks or video clips, as well as altering the overall volume.

One of the nice things about most of these keyboards is that the extra buttons are normally programmable, so you can set them up for quick access to your most commonly-used applications.

What connection options do I have?

Most desktop PCs have PS2 style keyboard and mouse sockets, so this has long been the favoured connection standard.

However, more recent motherboards still allow the PC to operate if a keyboard is not sensed in the relevant PS2 port on start-up, giving you the option of using a USB keyboard and mouse instead.

USB keyboards are also particularly popular for laptops, which don't have a PS2 connector, enabling extra comfort when typing on a laptop PC at a desk.

The biggest choice nowadays in connection standard is whether to go for a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse.

Is it better to get a combined, wireless keyboard and mouse set?

There's a lot to be said for clearing as much cable clutter off your desk as possible, and it's here that wireless keyboards and mice come into their own.

However, if you're thinking of going wireless, it pays to go for a combined wireless desktop set, rather than an individual wireless keyboard and mouse, as this means you can use just one radio receiver for both devices.

RF (Radio Frequency) keyboards and mice are far preferable compared with infrared types, as these don't require 'line of sight' transmission, which can be blocked off by other paraphernalia on the desk.

What kind of battery life can I expect?

The batteries in wireless keyboards tend to last for at least six months to a year, even if you're using your PC for hours every day.

However, battery life in mice is a much more moveable feast and it's possible to drain wireless mouse batteries in just a couple of weeks.

Slightly more upmarket mouse or wireless desktop sets come complete with a docking charger for the mouse, so you can slot it into the cradle overnight, once a week or so, and recharge the internal batteries.