Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard for Business. Wireless , Comfortable, Ergonomic Keyboard with Split Design and Palm Rest. Separate Number Pad Included

Let me start by saying I type A LOT. I'm a computer programmer by profession so with that I use just about every key on the keyboard. I was on the fence of buying this keyboard for a LONG time. My biggest hesitation were the mixture of extremely positive or extremely negative reviews. I can't stand finding products that have such polarizing takes. I tried a number of stores and no one had one on display...recently I happened into a Microcenter and they happened to have one in a box on the shelf...I had to peek. So I opened it up, put my hands on it, and ultimately decided I NEEDED to try this keyboard. I ended up buying from Amazon simply because Microcenter didn't have the unit without the mouse. So, onto my review... I use this plugged up to an Apple Macbook Pro. Yeah, it seems wrong I know, but nobody in the Apple universe seems to believe in ergonomic. My wrists started hurting years ago typing on the flat keyboards and I made the switch and I will never go back. I currently own 4 ergonomic keyboards and this one is so far, my favorite, and not by a small margin. So you'll have an idea of what my other keyboards are for comparison sake, here they are: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 - great wired keyboard with some minor annoyances Microsoft Wireless Comfort 5000 - another great keyboard, wireless, but a little hard feeling and squishy key feel Adesso Tru-Form Pro 308 - Love the idea, not great build quality, buggy USB - flakes out on ocassion Now that I've been typing on the Sculpt Ergonomic for well over a month now, I must say I absolutely love the feel of the keyboard. It is INCREDIBLY comfortable to type on. The key response is very fast, and the feel is just excellent. I type with fantastic accuracy and speed with this particular keyboard. Everything from writing emails, technical documents and programming, the keyboard is just excellent. Now, let me get into some of the details that people will find useful in making the decision for themselves.... Pros: - Key sizing and spacing are perfect for me (I'm a 6' guy with regular sized hands) - I love the tactile click of the chiclet style keys - very reminiscent of typing on an Apple keyboard - The wrist pad is very comfortable - The magnetically attached riser for the front is perfect for me - helps keep my hands at a good angle and height for typing - I love the magnetic battery / receiver cover - TINY USB receiver - I love how small it is (could be a problem if you forget where you put it though!) - Love the separate number pad - allows you to move your mouse closer to the keyboard - nice ergo feature - As mentioned, very responsive - Works perfectly with my Macbook Pro - I toyed with remapping the Windows key and the Alt key but it really doesn't take long to get used to them being switched - Love the split spacebar. So easy to hit with either thumb with a simple tap (not the same can be said on the Natural 4000) - Love the look and size of this thing - it's small, elegant and cool looking, IMO - COMFORTABLE!!! Absolutely no pain using this thing 9+ hours each day. Cons - these are not deal breakers to me...as a matter of fact, I love this keyboard so much I'm thinking about buying another one for my other computers to replace the Natural 4000 - The FN switch key - REALLY Microsoft?! C'mon - just give us a FN key like all other keyboards on the planet. I hate the switch key, but fortunately I never use it - would I use those keys more if not for the switch? Probably. But because of that annoyance I find that I'll just adjust the volume in the OS via the software or I'll learn the keystroke for doing a search, etc. So basically I leave mine set to the F-key setting and not the special keys and I just roll with them...irritating to be sure - F-keys are not grouped as with most other keyboards - being a programmer I use the function keys quite a bit, so it's taken a bit of relearning the feel of where the keys are. - Top row of F-keys and others are not the same style of key. They don't have that same "travel" feel that the rest of the keys on the keyboard have. It's annoying that they didn't use the same type of switches, but whatever. - Layout of the Delete, Insert, Page Up, Page Down, etc. - these are a brand new layout and for someone who's used to the standard groupings on keyboards from the past 20 years, this has definitely taken some getting used to. I still find that I'll hit the delete key when I'm reaching for something completely unrelated. I'm still not 100% good with these keys but I'm getting better. I use Home and End quite a bit and those have taken some getting used to. - Wish there was a backlit option for the keys To wrap this up...Honestly it should probably be a four star for the review, but I didn't want anyone to look at my review and think I'm on the fence with this thing. I LOVE THIS KEYBOARD. It's comfortable, it's fast, and I can use it with both my Windows and Apple computers. Of all the keyboards I've used in my life, and that's quite a few, this one is my favorite. Is it going to be for everyone, probably not because some of the cons above might actually be deal breakers for some, but for me, those tradeoffs are small in the pain relief and the enjoyment I get out of typing on this keyboard. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. If they were to address the list of cons above, they'd have something beyond special. So really, this is probably a 4.5 star review for me, but I plan on buying another one soon!

As a computer programmer suffering from mild carpel tunnel effect (aching around wrists and splitting pain close to the tip of ulna bone), I have been using the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 since 2006 (It also goes without saying that you should have a decent chair with lumbar support + arm support...plus a desk with proper height etc). While I appreciate the split layout from the Natural Keyboard 4000, one thing I find quite inconvenient is the frequent hand travel from the keyboard to my mouse (I am right handed). As a programmer, I rarely use the number pad, and this extra wasted space requires me to move my hand back and forth for a good minimum of 6" per one way trip. Obviously, over the years, I have mastered the keyboard shortcuts to save time; however, I still use mouse a lot, especially if you come to appreciate the multi gestures feature in your mouse (i.e. Apple Magic Mouse, Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse etc). Upon receiving the Sculpt keyboard-only package, I noticed that the battery chamber cover along with the batteries already popped out, roaming freely within the plastic package. Knowing that the cover is magnetic, it would be a challenge to hold everything in place during shipping. But it is not a big deal, aside from minor scuff marks on the battery cover resulted from sliding or squeezing against batteries during shipping, it is still fully functional. This keyboard takes two AAA batteries. Since I just received this product, I do not know how long the battery life will last. Also, note that there is no power switch button with this keyboard, so it is unclear how you can power down the keyboard to save batteries (aside from the obvious popping out batteries) The keyboard setup with OS X Mavericks is a breeze. You simply plug in the USB dongle into the available USB port, and OS X will ask you to verify the keys to the right and left of the "Shift" key, and to confirm that it is US North American version of keyboard, you are good to go! At the time of writing this review, I am currently typing on this Sculpt keyboard along with Apple's Magic Mouse. The setup works perfect, as I can finish typing, and very quickly move my hand over to the mouse if necessary. In terms of learning curve, I would say that the Esc key at the upper left corner may take a little bit to get used to. Often times, I accidentally pressed "," (comma) key right below to Esc key. I also have similar muscle memory issues with Backspace and Delete keys, since they are so close together, but it is really just a tiny issue to adapt. Aside from the aforementioned issues, I'd say if you have used Natural Keyboard, you shouldn't have any trouble reaching the same typing speed as before. Someone already mentioned that the keys are chiclet style, but perhaps, because I am already quite used to the same style on Macbook Pro, I find the tactile feel is just as good, if not better, than Natural Keyboard 4000. The added bonus is that I now type a whole lot quieter than before. There are two areas that I wish Microsoft can improve further with Sculpt, both of which are not related to the typing experience itself. First, the device does use up one available USB port. It would have been quite nice if the keyboard is Bluetooth based. I do not quite agree with the official response from Microsoft stating that Bluetooth based keyboard suffers from unsatisfactory response delays. At least from my experience, Apple's Bluetooth keyboard seems to have no issues at all. Second. the slot for storing the USB dongle is hidden inside the battery chamber. It means that if you happen to put away the keyboard completely, you must take out the separate magnetic support (if you use it), open up the battery chamber with your nail, and then insert the dongle for storage. It would have been nicer if the storage slot is in plain view, so that we can easily shut off the keyboard by inserting the dongle inside the keyboard. I will update if I have more to report. Overall, it is a good keyboard, especially for those that do not use number pad. Note: I haven't reviewed number pad, as I don't use it. Update (Oct 27 2013): In Natural Keyboard 4000, the wrist rest is leather based, and has nice cushion feel to it. Under Sculpt keyboard, the cushion feel is also quite good, but the fabric is no longer leather based, as it is more foam-based. Thus, if you arm gets ashy on a dry day, it can leave much undesired ashy marks on the wrist rest fabric. It is also quite hard to clean. Still, functionality-wise, I find it very comfortable to type on still.

I am a software engineer, so I'm on the keyboard all day, every day. I touch type, including special characters, and am reasonably fast. I'm pretty picky about my keyboards. I have a new favorite keyboard. First of all, be aware this keyboard has a Quirk, that lots of folks seem to have run into: The wireless works fine, as long as: - The receiver dongle is not more than two or three feet away from the keyboard AND - The receiver is in a direct unobstructed line of sight with the keyboard. I have one at work and one at home, and for both I bought a USB hub which I keep on my desktop nearish the keyboard. Once I did this I've had no further issues. The one I have at work I've been using continuously and heavily since ~June 2017. Once I worked out the above two things, I had no further issues, for going on four months now. But if you violate either of the above two factors, the keyboard will work fine - mostly. But occasionally you'll encounter the keyboard going 'dead' - completely unresponsive - for a few seconds up to five minutes or so. Then it comes back, as if nothing ever happened. This had me looking for all sorts of system and network issues ... Occasionally the keyboard will drop key events, such as 'key-Delete-down' or 'key-Delete-up', or whatever. It's inconsistent. When it starts, this will happen randomly, often enough to totally disrupt your work, for an hour or so. Then it will stop happening, and be fine for 1 to 10 days. Then it will happen again. Basically I narrowed it down to a weak wireless connection between the dongle and the keyboard itself. Whenever the dongle was further away, or the battery getting old, or there was a lot of wireless traffic in my area of the building, I might see issues. Changing the battery will make you think that fixed it, but it didn't. The problem will return. (Once I figured out and fixed the above two factors, I put the old/original battery back in the keyboard as an experiment. The keyboard worked fine, and is still working fine on that battery.) After six months of happy use, I bought one for my home system as well. It worked fine - for a couple months - then I started to see the above issues. I'd put the dongle in a USB port on the back of my computer, which put it about three feet from the keyboard in a direct line. But the computer case, parts of my desk et cetera were physically between the two. I installed the dongle in a USB hub on top of my desk, about 1.5 feet from the keyboard, with nothing in between the dongle and keyboard, and all the issues disappeared, and have not returned. So now this is my new favorite keyboard. Overall it feels great and is at least as comfortable as my previous favorites (see below). The keys are short throw, fast, and quiet, like a good laptop keyboard, but a little noisier. It's definitely quieter than any other non-laptop keyboard I've ever used. It's significantly narrower than any other keyboard I've used, a little wider than a standard keyboard with no number pad. I like this aa lot, as it lets me put my trackball comfortably close for the first time ever. That's definitely a plus. The arrow keys are in an inverted 'T' layout on the lower right, close enough that I quickly learned to use them efficiently without having to stop and look for them. I do occasionally hit the Left-arrow key when I go for the right Control key (which I use a lot). But that's probably my lack of precision. The PageUp/PageDown etc keys are definitely in a new and unique arrangement. I wasn't sure I liked it at first, and worried that their proximity might mess up my use of the Enter, backslash, and Backspace keys, but that didn't happen. The Delete key is large, is two rows tall, and is just to the right of the Enter and Backspace keys. I figured I never use those keys, so I didn't really care. To my surprise, once I got comfortable with the keyboard, I found I -was- starting to use those keys. The layout is actually great, and I use them constantly now where I never did on previous keyboards. As others have pointed out, the function keys are somewhat mushy buttons, definitely not the same mechanics as the other keys, with minimal tactile feedback. I rarely use them - EXCEPT for the Esc key. If you are a heavy UNIX/Linux vi or vim user, you'll find the Esc key pretty annoyiing. It will slow you down. (Time to switch to emacs!) The wrist rest is comfortable, with minimal give. It will start to show a bit of wear marks after 6 months or so of use, but nothing significant. I've never used the number pad thingie, and probably never will. Formerly my favorite keyboards were: - Fellowes Microban Split Design Keyboard, Black (98915) Still like, have a few. Dislikes: Largish, noisy to type on, left alt key is not -quite- in the expected place, arrow keys are not in a 'T' layout, /page up/down etc keys are not in a 'normal' 3 wide by 2 tall layout. Definitely still usable. Likes: Best, most comfortable long-term layout (until the Sculpt). - Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite USB (the original, NOT the 3000, 4000, 'comfort', etc.) Still like, have a few (including the very rare black version). Dislikes: All the same as the Fellowes, except the alt keys are in the correct place here. For gaming, this keyboard doesn't handle chords or very fast keystrokes well - sometimes doesn't 'see' some. But never had an issue in any other situation. A little noisier than the Fellowes (to where coworkers have commented on it). This annoyed me enough to try the Fellowes. Also, they are generally very robust - But don't spill any liquid into one, even a little. The 'b' and some keys nearby will stop working - permanently. No amount of drying, cleaning, disassembly and cleaning will restore it. It's dead. By contrast the Fellowes keyboards seem to shrug off such accidents. They come in ivory only, unless you manage to find one of the very rare black ones. (I didn't know they existed until I stumbled across one on Amazon Warehouse Deals). Likes: The ONLY Ergo keyboard for many years I found to be an improvement over a 'standard' layout. And it is definitely much better, much more comfortable for me. I bought several as backups, used them at home and work. They're robust: I've used the same ones for years with no issues, and I have a heavy touch (learned on a manual typewriter). Relieved a bunch of minor complaints, mostly muscle tension. Happy typing. Update: 04/12/19 I have the same keyboard at work. I've used the original batteries since I got it. (I replaced them briefly while debugging the wireless issue, but then put the originals back). I have finally had to replace them (red light flashing on the kb for weeks, but finally it just quit). I got it about 4/18. So the batteries lasted exactly a year. I'm a software engineer, and use the keyboard heavily all day, almost every day.

I got this after I started experiencing minor pain in my fingers after long periods of typing at work. I was previously using a mechanical keyboard with Red Silent switches, and the keyboard itself had an aggressive tilt and while it felt good to type on, it put my hands in an uncomfortable position. I decided it was time to try and ergonomic keyboard. I wasn't happy with the options my workplace provided me, so seeing that this was reasonably priced and well regarded, I purchased one. For the most part, my experience has been very positive, so I'll go over the things I like about it first. I enjoy the switches and find that they're comfortable to type on and don't require too much force. They do have more travel than most scissor keys I've used, definitely more than what you'd find on most laptops. It feels like something between a laptop and a traditional rubber dome board. The wrist rest is soft and comfortable, and I would say that the magnetic riser that gives it a negative tilt could be considered almost a killer feature among ergonomic keyboards. After a few days of using it I decided to try it without it and see how it felt, and it was untenable after using the riser. It puts my wrists in a much more comfortable position. I also enjoy the key layout itself. While I do wish there were some distance between the backspace/enter/etc column and the keys on the very right, I think they did an elegant job of cramming the most important keys into its form factor. I also appreciated that the numpad was completely separate as I prefer to just not use it at all. Also, contrary to some of the negative reviews here, I've had no issue whatsoever with the dongle. I appreciate that it uses this dongle and not Bluetooth as it can be used in the BIOS and doesn't require the system to be in a state wherein it can pair Bluetooth devices. I also appreciate that there isn't a Fn key, but rather a switch that toggles the top row of keys between function keys and media keys. I recognize this opinion is divisive. Personally, I like them to be F keys all the time and having a switch means I don't have to rely on software to give me that option. I consider that a positive. I also find that the Fn key is often placed in a position around the control/alt/super keys in other keyboards and I find myself accidentally hitting it often due to muscle memory when looking for those other keys. Lastly, I like that it uses traditional AAA batteries. If the battery life is anywhere near the 36 months they advertise, I'd much rather use traditional batteries that I can replace as opposed to a non-removeable battery that can degrade over time. Now, I'll go over the few negatives. Aesthetically, I don't like that the area around the keys is glossy. It already looks dirty and picks up fingerprints whenever you miss a key or bottom out. It's a bad idea to use glossy materials anywhere where they're likely to pick up fingerprints, and this is probably the worst place they could have used it other than on the keycaps themselves. Next, the wrist pad. It's comfortable, but it isn't replaceable. It's just part of the keyboard. I have only had the board for a few weeks so I'm not sure how quickly the wrist rest will degrade with use, but you can already see some customer images on here depicting the wear and tear over longer periods of time. It would have been nice if it were replaceable and I don't see any reason it was necessary to have it permanently connected to the rest of the board. It's possible that there are electronic components inside, but if that's the case, it feels like an engineering oversight. Fortunately the board is not terribly expensive so if I have to replace it I'll probably buy the same board, but I don't feel like you should have to replace a functional board due to the wear of a piece that has no moving parts. Lastly, the dongle. I did list some positives for it earlier, but there are drawbacks as well. The foremost being that if you lose it, you're SOL. It's set up for your particular keyboard. There is a compartment inside the keyboard near the batteries where you can store it for travel, so I imagine the dongle, for most people, will be either in their USB port or in their keyboard 100% of the time, but there should definitely be a way to replace the dongle and reprogram it in the event that you lose it. Currently there isn't, which is definitely less than ideal. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the board so far. I've felt a marked decrease in finger fatigue since I started using it, and I've been choosing typing-heavy tasks to put it through its paces. I would definitely recommend it. For its price (currently 54 dollars standalone) I consider it a great value.

I'll list the highlights first, then get into the descriptive details for keyboard aficionados. PROS: - Size – compact, comparable to MS Elite - Arrow key configuration – standard - Key type – chiclet/laptop - Key noise – quiet, gentle “thunking” sound - Key tactile feedback – firm, satisfying - Key travel – a bit shallower than Elite but more than a Mac keyboard or many newer laptops. It reminds me how laptop keyboards were 10-15 years ago - Ergonomic curve – comparable to MS Elite, but even more comfortable - Detached num pad - Num pad backspace key - *Padded palm rest, feels a bit like suede (see note at end) - No dedicated media keys (there IS a Calculator key)–which I realize would be a con for some - Strong signal / dongle (NOT Bluetooth) - Detachable riser CONS: - Detached num pad - F key split between F6 and F7 - F key hard click - PgUp/PgDn/Insert key configuration UNKOWN: - Battery life First, I want to say how much I *LOVE* the arrow key configuration. I could write a freaking sonnet about how happy this arrow key config makes me! As is, I will just write a thorough review of all the reasons I am very pleased with this keyboard, and the few things I don’t care for much. I was trained to use keyboard shortcuts as a transcriptionist, including shift+arrow and CTRL+shift+arrow to move quickly through text while editing. The tiny diamond config arrow keys of the Elite keyboard have been the biggest problem for me since being trained/forced to work that way. You can’t easily keep the left hand on the CTRL and shift keys and the right hand on the arrows, using 3 fingers to easily arrow L, R, U and D without making a very tight, weird “claw” that gets uncomfortable quickly. I had to switch to the MS 4000, but that was too big–on my desk AND for my petite hands overall–and the keys got harder to push the older it got, which led me to replacing it with the Sculpt. I've had carpal tunnel syndrome (and surgery) -- and I'm educated in ergonomics and proper technique. This keyboard is the best investment I've made in an ergo keyboard since the MS Elites I bought years ago and which died. I have done a lot of research on ergo keyboards over the past 10 years. I’ve tried a couple different Kinesis boards. I’ve tried the Goldtouch Pro. I’ve used the MS 4000 extensively after the Elites were no longer available at my old employer. I’ve used an Elite at work and at home off and on since 1998 (20 years). It’s been my favorite keyboard, yet it’s so hard to find and expensive, it was tough to need a new ergo keyboard yet again and decide “now what will I do?” Recent research determined there are even fewer truly affordable choices for ACTUAL ergonomic keyboards than there were 10 years ago. There aren’t many under $300, and even fewer under $100. Finding this one under $75 and ending up loving it was pleasantly surpising. Most of the actual ergo boards are mechanical (clicky) keys, which I cannot stand anymore. I used to love how they felt when typing, and the sound didn’t bug me. But when you listen to people talk 8 hours a day for a living, and your employer rates you on how accurately you hear them, you really need to eliminate other noises which can interfere with that–but I digress! My research led me to the MS Sculpt being the closest in size to the MS Elite, and it had the traditional arrow key configuration which was top of my list of “must haves” as I scoured the interwebs for my options. I have been using the Sculpt for a couple months at home for light business and personal use. It is quite solid, which surprised me given its slim profile. Despite its low profile, it still achieves good ergonomic positioning. It has a detachable riser for the front. I hate those things, but I know a lot of people like them. MS was nice enough to give us the option on this, like with the MS 4000. Its keys are flat, WITHOUT sharp edges that so many chiclet keys have these days. They are low profile but sturdy, like a high end laptop used to feel. They feel a little further apart than the MS Elite keys (which I currently have at work again), but I haven't actually measured or compared them side by side. It's very slight, though. Not enough to throw me off more than a few seconds as I get acclimated again each time I sit down at it. It’s a nice compromise between the MS Elite and the MS 4000. The only keys I am still getting used to are the Delete, Insert, PgUp, and PgDn keys–and if I wasn’t switching back and forth between the Elite at work and Sculpt at home, I probably wouldn’t still be struggling. Essentially, this keyboard combines the standard arrow configuration of the MS 4000 with the relative size and curvature of the MS Elite, and the key style and feedback of a well-constructed laptop of the late 90s. The membrane switches are stiff enough to give good feedback without requiring pressing too hard. The detached num pad is a bone of contention for some users, and I can't quite decide how I feel about it. Sometimes I like that it's detached and I can move it up when I know I won't need it, moving my mouse closer to the keyboard (reduces neck/shoulder/arm fatigue). Sometimes I need to use it, and I can pull it back into position beside the keyboard. But sometimes I forget and grab both ends--like I would my MS Elite--to reposition it, and it doesn't work. It annoys me a bit that I can't pick "it" up because "it" is a "them"... and I have to pull them back toward me. I have a tendency to push them a little bit forward as I work because my work surface at home is a rather slick table. I am going to get an extra-large mouse pad type thing to put under the whole keyboard and mouse. I have one at work under my Elite, and other than when I bump it with my chair or something, it never moves. Given how well the MS Sculpt stays in place on the "slickery" table, I am confident the mat will solve my issues as well as the one at work did with the Elite. So, once I do that, I think my overall feeling about the separate num pad will be that it’s actually more helpful than annoying. One VERY cool positive that this num pad has, which many do not, is the BACKSPACE key at the top right. I freaking LOVE when keyboards have that! It also has a Calculator key to launch that app. It’s the closest thing to a media key this set has. I know a lot of people love media keys, but I loathe them. They’re a waste of space for me. I don’t use them except when I unintentionally bump one. I’m glad this keyboard doesn’t have them. It makes the keyboard more compact, and it keeps me from wasting time closing programs I don’t use. The media keys are integrated with the F keys, and you slide a tab to select regular F key use or secondary use of media keys, monitor settings, etc. The F key issues are minimal for me. I quickly get used to the fact that the F keys are split like the actual number keys – between 6 and 7 – instead of between 5 and 6. Again, it’s mostly an issue because I am switching between a Sculpt at home and an Elite at work. However, given how much I love the Sculpt, and the fact that I have had several problems with keys on my Elite activating as I typed and edited this–I will probably be replacing my work keyboard with a Sculpt really soon! Battery life is difficult to judge. I’ve had it a couple months, and I use it between 8-24 hours a week. Haven’t had to change batteries yet. If I don’t have to change it for 3 more months, I’ll be satisfied. Two AAA batteries every 3-6 mos is fine with me. I’ll try to remember to update the review after I’ve had it longer, or after I have experience using one at work, which would be extensive use 8-9 hours daily, 5 days a week. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with this keyboard, and I wish I'd gotten one sooner! I have spent SO much money on ergo keyboards over the years, though, which were such disappointments, I was quite gun-shy on trying this one. I'm quite glad I took the leap, though. Also -- I highly recommend getting a “Protection Plan” on this, or any electronic item you invest more than $50 in and NEED to have. For a few extra bucks, you can get easy, hassle-free replacements of products. Electronics are like the people who make them -- imperfect, and occasionally you come across one that's a dud. I figure that if you're spending over $50 on a keyboard, it's because you are choosy enough or have physical needs which require something specific. The protection plan is an investment in your own peace of mind, health, and well-being. A few bucks for a guaranteed replacement if it goes belly up? Worth it. *Padded Palm Rest “PRO”– Palm and wrist rests are only supposed to be used for pauses *between* typing and mousing, not for resting or pressing on while performing the actions. While this keyboard’s lightly padded, synthetic leathery feel is nice, you should NOT actually rest your palms on it WHILE typing. That is how I exacerbated my carpal tunnel syndrome to the point of needing surgery–by subconsciously pressing on the palm rest while typing. The more busy and stressed I was, the harder I pressed. AFTER my CTR surgery, I realized I had been doing that, and I retrained myself to stop it. I also had an ergonomic specialist consultation (thanks to my employer!), and they told me my fingers should dangle from my hands, which should be held above the keys, with my arms at a 90-degree angle (L-shape) as seen from the side. Rest between typing only. If you need support, get a chair with arms or get arm supports that attach to your desk. The support under your forearms can relieve a lot of shoulder/neck tension and strain. But that’s too much weight to put on small points such as the wrists or palms.

The operation rocks. Best keyboard I've ever used. I don't have a problem with pain while typing, I like these split keyboards for speed. I don't like the noise of mechanical keyboards. Quiet keyboards, like on laptops, are usually squishy keys and slow down the typing. This kind is a perfect combo of decent key travel, quiet operation, and just a joy to use. I've actually bought two of these. But I'm not buying one again, especially not from Amazon through Microsoft as the seller. Story Time: The first one I purchased went about a month before constantly going to sleep and not waking up until I'd remove/replace the batteries. Then it'd instantly connect and work fine until I stopped typing for like 30 seconds and go back to sleep. This seems like a software glitch so I did quite a bit of troubleshooting and searching online to solve this issue. After probably 3 hours over the span of a week I came up empty and finally started a tech support chat with Microsoft which was a heck of an adventure I never want to repeat. The initiation was mostly fine, took me a bit to figure out which Microsoft support site to refer to then get a chat with a human going. Then had to go through that rep's troubleshooting steps, same as what I'd already tried, but fine. It was determined I had a faulty unit and I was authorized to get a replacement which would involve me shipping this keyboard back to them then they'd send me a new one. Based on online reviews, I already knew that process would take many weeks so I actually ordered myself a new keyboard so I didn't have to wait because I liked it so much I wanted them for work and home. But before they'd let me ship it, I had to jump through some hoops. Send them proof of purchase, fine. Send them pics of the keyboard...kind of overkill for a $60 keyboard purchased within 30 days but whatever. Also I had to tell them the serial number and get a picture of it. Fine. Sent them their info. A few weeks later I get an email back saying the pictures I sent didn't show the serial# clearly enough and also didn't show the little USB wireless connector docked with the batteries which made them assume I wouldn't be sending it with the keyboard I guess? That serial number is TINY and nestled behind the batteries along a side. It's REALLY hard to get a clear photo of it. It's odd to me that if they wanted to prevent me playing shenanigans with returned a different keyboard than what I purchased that they couldn't just check that serial number after they got the keyboard back which I was to be shipped on my dime. But here we are. I was VERY annoyed at this point but I had already put the work in and wanted a working keyboard. Sent them their more detailed photos. Finally got a return authorization code and shipment address. Was asked to email this particular rep the shipping tracking info. I did. Haven't heard back from them for months. So I had to jump through several annoying hoops and errands to even get MS to replace my bad keyboard and months later am still waiting for it. But I HAD a good working version that I have purchased separately. Until today. After a few months of use, it started doing the same unresponsive sleep thing the first one did. I'm not going to spend another minute of my life on troubleshooting or trying to get Microsoft to do something about this defect. I'm giving up on this keyboard and buying keyboards from Amazon. If I did want to triple down on this thing I'll be getting it from Best Buy or somewhere that will simply trust me if I say it's not working and exchange it without making me go through a maze of dumb tasks and ship it to them at my own cost.

The keys have the short stroke and crisp feel of the better laptop-style keys. A flat, inline keyboard gives me sharp, shooting pains through my wrists within a few days; this ergonomic keyboard does not. These two criteria are my pass/fail checkpoints, and it passes very well. When is the last time you thought about a keyboard's artistic merits? Right. Me neither. Nonetheless, this keyboard is interesting to look at. It also does not take a huge chunk of desk space. It does take a little while to get used to the split keyboard layout. But the designers have adjusted the width and height of every key in order to minimize this effect. Overall, it requires a very short learning curve and has a very natural feel for touch typing. The keyboard comes with its pre-matched USB plugin that is keyed to the keyboard and number pad. Just plug it in, and the keyboard and number pad are ready to go. (Sorta. Read the next paragraph for my exception.) I had a return-the-keyboard problem when I first plugged in the keyboard: I typed roughly twice as fast as it would accept my keystrokes. Half of my keystrokes were dropped. The fix was easy: Move the wireless USB plugin to a different USB port. I was doubtful as to why this would work, but the online help at Microsoft did not have any other recommendation (Which, when you think about it, indicates that it usually does work after all.) The F-Keys at the top are combined with the blue Function keys. You have to actually flip a switch in order to toggle between the F-Keys and the Function Key functionality. If this bothers you, and you are technically inclined, then read the workaround in the next paragraph. Otherwise, skip the next paragraph. As the Function keys mainly apply to laptops and 8.1 specific functions, I do not really need them. However, I do like the pause/play and sound volume Function Keys. Fortunately, for windows users, the keys are easily mapped to the keys that you use. Half of my keys are now the standard F-Keys, and half of them are the standard Function keys. I used a free download utility called Kwikset SmartKey that writes the re-mapped key functions to the Windows registry. It is as simple as clicking the key that you want to change (Blue Function Key), and the clicking the key that you want it to be (F-Key). As far as the Blue Function keys themselves, I really do not know what the hieroglyphic symbols mean, and my cursory searches were not productive. If you have a laptop computer with Win 8, I would suggest hitting the keys and seeing what they do, I love the F10, which gives you a 3-dimensional view of your open applications. Bottom line, if you require an ergonomic keyboard, and you like short-stroke, crisp keys, then this is a great, no-compromises keyboard. I tried many, many keyboards in person before ordering this one blind. None of the other ergonomic keyboards compares to this one, and very few of the inline keyboards will either.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: I thought the design looked the most comfortable for the price (I could be tempted to a true split keyboard at double the amount, but). I was not disappointed! It is so-o-o-o comfortable! I have had ZERO pain since a few weeks after I started using it, and I used to have a LOT. I am a college instructor, teaching exclusively online, and I write as a side gig, so I am keyboarding ALL DAY. Comfort and ergonomics matter! So I can wholeheartedly recommend this. Keyboard size: A bigger (wider) person might prefer a true split keyboard, but this one is wide enough for a woman, at least, to prevent you having to scrunch your arms in front of you or twist your wrists into weird configurations to use it. My forearms are still angled in a bit but, as I say, not enough to be awkward. I am prone to arthritis and so if it's comfortable for me you're going to likely be more than fine with it. Feel: Pretty good feel to it! I think I might like the more modern fingertip-shaped keys and a softer surface available on other products these days, but this is fine. I grew up with hard, flatter keys, so I'd never given it a second thought until reading reviews tonight. On which subject, I'd thought I was going to need to replace it (see below), but in an hour or more of reading reviews I did not see anything I liked better.... so, two years and change later, this is still the best choice for me. Zero regrets. Brightness: Unfortunately, it is not backlit. I have a desk lamp and although I'm a touch typist I still am not entirely comfortable using it without the desk lamp angled toward it. Functionality: The only trouble I've had with it is that it seemed to be, well, failing recently. Weirdly, it was worse in the afternoons, when all the kids in the neighborhood get home from school but before dinner, and I figured there were hordes of teens all trying to game and whatnot (some might even be doing homework). Then I decided it was the battery.... It was neither. Apparently, it's a quirk with this keyboard, and I came here to write a review complaining that I'd only got two years out of it (at pennies a day, but still) and found a reviewer with a solution: Move your USB thingy so that it is in a direct line with your keyboard's receiver and within a foot or two of it and problem solved. Sure enough, I moved mine to my hub so it would be on the same level (I had my laptop elevated, so its USB ports were nowhere near in line with my desk surface) and I scooted the keyboard over a bit to give the receiver a direct shot at the dongle and dang if it isn't working perfectly now. The letters are wearing off the keys, though, and if you are not fluent in touch typing, you may find you'll need to replace some after a couple of years use. I never look at them and so do not care! Keyboard layout: I have no complaints about the layout. Although some people seem to prefer different variations, I've gotten used to this one and it does not slow you down once you are familiar with it. It's pricey, but you will not regret it. It very quickly works out to pennies a day and what it will save you in pain, discomfort, and possibly even (eventual) disability is priceless anyway.