Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is my third wireless keyboard/mouse combo (I have one from Dell and one from Logitech as well). I have highlighted some things that I particularly liked about it along with some of its drawbacks.
[Update: I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars because the keyboard amd mouse started having connectivity problems.]Pros
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- Decent Wireless Range
The effective wireless range for both the keyboard and mouse is about 15 ft. Beyond that, the response from the keyboard and mouse becomes sporadic. Still, it's a decent range and will suit the needs of most people.- Ergonomic Mouse
I love how the shape of the mouse allows me to "hug" it with my entire hand, and it fits very snugly and comfortably. Its ergonomic shape, coupled with the support I get from my wrist rest, really helps to alleviate strain on my wrist. As far as ergonomics is concerned, I'm surprised that I actually find myself liking it a fair bit more than my Logitech MX Revolution.- Ergonomic Keyboard
The slight curvature of the rows of keys for the QWERTY part of the keyboard helps to accommodate the natural position of your wrist. This is my first Microsoft "Natural" keyboard and I must say it has completely dispelled my skepticism of Microsoft's so-called "Natural" keyboard design. I find that it does work as claimed in helping to properly align your wrist so you can work more comfortably.- Ultra Quiet Keyboard
Wow... I'm very impressed by how quiet the keyboard is no matter how fast I type or how hard I press the keys; there's none of the familiar "clacking" sound that comes from typing on a normal keyboard.- Pleasant Tactile Response From The Keyboard
I also love how the keys on the keyboard have an almost laptop keyboard feel to it. The keys are firm, not jiggly, and they have a very pleasant tactile response.- Accurate Mouse Tracking
The tracking on the mouse is responsive and precise. Because it uses laser tracking, it works on pretty much any surface - light, dark, shiny, dull, smooth, rugged - you name it. It took on surfaces that my optical mice have trouble tracking - with no problems.- Mouse Customizability
All buttons can be completely customized. These include the left and right buttons, the wheel click, and the two buttons on the side traditionally set to forward and backward.Cons
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- Lagging Quirk
Periodically, there a slight lag in response from the keyboard for about a second or two, before it "catches up" with the typing - not terribly bothersome, but definitely noticeable.
- [Update: Every so often, the keyboard loses connectivity momentarily. At first, it was an occasional glitch, which was bearable, but as time went by it became more and more frequent, and now it's just plain unbearable.]
- [Update: The keyboard also seems to have developed the problem of repeating certain keystrokkes - justt likkke that. I find myself having to backspace to correct the glitch every few minutes - very annoying!]- Mouse Has Too Much Friction with Surfaces
There is more friction between the mouse and surfaces for my liking. I guess I'm spoiled by the way my Logitech mouse glides on most surfaces - thanks to the coating of Teflon on the bottom of its contact points. Having a mouse that glides effortlessly really makes for a much more pleasant mousing experience.- Lack of a "Click-to-Click" Wheel
This is a biggie for me - I am thoroughly used to a mouse wheel that gives you tactile feedback of a "notch"/click as you turn it, so I'm very disappointed to find out that the wheel of this mouse turns almost frictionlessly. It's a problem because most people have their mouse optimally set to scroll 3 lines at each click/notch (the default setting), so it requires some effort to precisely control the click-less/notch-less turning of the wheel for scrolling a page up or down to the desired position.- Mouse Customizability
The left and right tilting motion of the mouse is strictly reserved for left and right scrolling, and is thus not customizable. So far, I've found one particular application (Opera) the side-to-side scrolling doesn't work on.Conclusion
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What impressed me most about both the keyboard and mouse is how much they help in alleviating wrist strain to help me work more comfortably. I give it high marks for ergonomics, which is a pretty compelling incentive for me to switch to it from my Logitech keyboard/mouse combo. However, it has some quirks, and there are a couple of drawbacks to the mouse, the most significant of which is the lack of a "click-to-click" wheel - something I find very hard to get past. There you have it; the above are some considerations you might want to take into account before deciding whether the Microsoft Natural Keyboard/Mouse Combo is right for you.
[Update: I see at least a couple of reviewers have, like me, come back to downgrade their rating and update their reviews after they, too, started having connectivity problems with the keyboard/mouse. I was initially stoked about the ergonomics this package has to offer and was prepared to accept a couple of minor quirks. However, the glitches became more than just "noticeable"; they became unbearable as connectivity problems became more and more frequent. I'm switching back to my Logitech, which gives me rock solid reliability.]
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