★★★★★ 4
I was glad I bought it until four or five months later...
Color: Black
I am now about a week and a half into using this keyboard. It is the first time I have used an ergonomic split keyboard. I am a medical transcriptionist and type for a living. At first I found it awkward, I kept reaching too far for some keys, and it seemed that I was always missing the right-sided home row by one key. Now I find that I'm not thinking about the keyboard at all, which means it is working well for me. I find the key "touch" to be a little on the firm side, which means that I occasionally miss a letter because I didn't push hard enough, but I think over time I will adjust to that, too. This keyboard does not "click" when you type, which means it is generally quiet. Personally, I prefer the clicking, but for work, I wear a headset and don't hear the keyboard at all, so this is not an issue. Of course, with the need to press the keys harder, there is more thumping than I think I would normally hear when I type. As far as the alignment, it seems excellent. I have rheumatoid arthritis, which is well controlled, but I still have some stiffness and loss of range of motion in my fingers and wrists, and the angles of the keyboard seem to be perfect for me, and I don't feel as much strain as I used to in my wrists after working all day. There is one thing I wish was included, and that is a lighted keyboard. I have never had one, but I have worn the letters off the keys of several keyboards, plus it would just be helpful to be able to see the keys more easily for those times when you don't have bright light or so your eyes don't have to adjust to dim lighting after staring at your bright monitor screen for a long period of time. After less than two weeks, I can already see shiny spots on the space bar and some of the most-used keys, so I know the letters will start wearing off soon. Not a big deal, but a lighted keyboard would be a really nice feature, perhaps an option that could be offered in the future. If you are considering this type of keyboard, I think it is worth the minor aggravation of needing some time to get used to it. My impression is that my hands and wrists will be thankful I made this purchase. UPDATE JULY 22, 2015: The keyboard started acting strangely yesterday morning, some keys not working at all, some keys creating the wrong letter or digit, and the period key seemed to be stuck. I tried to file a claim using the extended warranty, but because it was still under the manufacturer's warranty, they told me to contact Microsoft, and they gave me the wrong phone number for Microsoft. Microsoft wanted the keyboard to be shipped back to them in California, and they would send a replacement AFTER they received this one. I use the keyboard for work, and I don't have a week or more to wait for a replacement. I asked for my money back, which they agreed to do, BUT they then sent me on a wild goose chase trying to make that happen. It seemed that no one with Microsoft had any idea of how to help me and they didn't seem interested at all in helping me, although one person I spoke to at one of the wrong numbers I was given was very kind and helpful in spite of my anger and frustration (thanks, Sachin!), but he couldn't help me either, and he said I needed to contact Amazon. This was definitely NOT Amazon's problem, but you know what? They made it right. No arguments, no questions, no lengthy explanations, no making me feel like I was trying to take advantage of them. I asked for their help, and they apologized for the troubles I had experienced and sent a new keyboard. I have heard people complain about Amazon, but as far as I'm concerned, they are AWESOME. Microsoft and Square Trade Warranties not so much. This keyboard should have lasted longer than a few months, and Microsoft's customer service was horrible when I needed help, so when I have to purchase another keyboard, I probably won't buy another Microsoft product. That said, I have been very happy with the layout of the keyboard and I wish it hadn't malfunctioned so quickly.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2015