Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 for Business - Wired

I had a prior version of this keyboard (the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 3000) for my office PC. It did admirably, but after a year or so, my wrists were starting to hurt IN SPITE OF the ergonomics helping. This one is better rated. So far, it has helped, but it took at least a week of use just for my hands to BEGIN to get used to the differences. Id do a pro/con list, but Im not sure there are any "cons" as compared to "issues to expect" if you buy this keyboard. 1. Expect a steep learning curve to get used to the layout. The "bend" in this keyboard is significant, and it will take time for your fingers to get used to hitting the right keys on a consistent basis. Give it one or two weeks of regular use before deciding if you like it or not. You cant know in a couple of days if its helping you because you do need to re-learn your hand placement and fingering to some degree. 2. There is a physical break in the left and right hand keys. This "no mans land" means you need to unlearn using the wrong hand for the wrong keys because you will either miskey or just hit nothing when you go to use your right hand to it the G key (or a similar situation). Likewise, some of the keys have an odd shape that takes getting used to. I had considerable issue getting used to hitting V and B correctly. Again, this is all about relearning how to keyboard properly. My best tip is to avoid looking at the keyboard while typing. For me, looking at the keyboard made it harder compared to just backspacing and repeating until I got it right. Passwords are about the only thing where I still watch what keys I strike. 3. This keyboard is wider and "taller" than most. If you use a keyboard tray, clearing it might pose and issue (see next point below). You will likely have less room for your mouse as well, but I found it something I could live with. 4. The keyboard has three (maybe four) resting positions. Theres a removable front skirt that elevates the front. There are the standard rear folding supports to elevate the rear. So, thats resting flat (none), rear elevated, front elevated, and both elevated. Lying flat, the keyboard works fine with my keyboard tray. Set the way I find its most comfortable for me, I can only push the tray in halfway before the keyboard hits the desk. This isnt a deal breaker for me, so Ill live with it. You keyboard tray may need to allow at least 3 inches of vertical clearance to not have an issue with this keyboard. I was divided on four or five stars, but since I need this more extreme curve to deal with wrist pain, its not the products fault, so I wont hold the awkwardness of it against the designers. It does what its designed to do for a good reason. That comes with a trade off.

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This is a replacement for my old keyboard, which was the same as the new one. It takes a little getting used to when you first try it, but overall the shape is more comfortable for typing. Before buying this one, I read several of the reviews. (1) A few reviewers complained that the Function keys are not labeled, but they are. Yes, on the tops of the keys it has something else, but the Microsoft function numbers are clearly labeled on the front of the keys. (2) Others complained that the letters on the keys wear off, and, although it hasnt happened on this one yet, it did happen on the old one. I dont really look at the letters as Im typing, so it isnt a problem for me. (3) The space bar has been a little finicky a couple of times, but not enough to cause a problem. (4) Since my old keyboard died after I spilled soda on it, I guess the reviewer who said that it doesnt hold up if you spill liquids on it was right; it started having problems immediately. The solution to that is to not have food or drinks where they can be spilled on the keyboard. The old one lasted me for several years, without a problem until I was a klutz. Enough of the negative! Here are the reasons why I bought the same keyboard as before. (a) Once you get used to the split keyboard, its really more comfortable than the old straight keyboard. I hate using a straight keyboard now when I have to borrow my husbands computer. (2) Having the zoom on the keyboard makes life very easy because Im getting older, and need to enlarge things sometimes. (3) I love having volume controls (especially mute) on the keyboard! Very handy.

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I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel, very mild, when I started losing feeling in my thumb, index and middle finger. Of both hands. Felt the numbness for weeks or longer and it is very distracting when your entire job is typing emails, contracts, etc. But literally within 30 minutes or so of using this keyboard -- the only one that has this unique shape, apparently -- the feeling RETURNS and you feel completely normal again. I had this happen several years ago at work. Then after being between jobs, I bought the exact same model for home. Spilled wine on it (IT DID NOT SURVIVE AT ALL) and I immediately got Amazon Prime so that I could replace it ASAP. Got the new job to give me one as well. If you have numbness in your fingers, GET THIS KEYBOARD

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As a software developer that spends 40+ hours a week working at a computer desk, and additional hours for gaming, this has been a very comfortable keyboard solution. I recently purchased this keyboard to replace my old one of similar make/model which I had for around 5 years. The old keyboard was showing some signs of wear, and some important keys were sticking. I couldve probably taken it apart to give it a good cleaning, but I figured it was time to buy a new one anyways. I got at least 5 years worth of use at 50-60 hours a week out of the old one, so money well spent in my opinion. Before I purchased this ergonomic keyboard five years ago, I had many issues with wrist/shoulder pain. With this keyboard along with a good mouse, and chair, I dont have nearly the same degree of issues with extended use.

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The ergonomics of this keyboard are very helpful. Ive purchased this same keyboard many times over the years (they wear out). It takes some getting used to, but I love it. Its a more natural position. Id like it better if there was more space between the two sections of keys, but I would assume they were trying to keep the footprint similar to a regular keyboard for space reasons. This made a big difference in my neck and shoulder pain and I dont experience any wrist pain like I do when using other keyboards. I dont know if they still make the wireless version, but I cant recommend that as it wears out even faster than the wired keyboard. And that leads me to the one real drawback - they wear out too quickly. Usually the letters on the keys wear off first, which usually isnt a big issue since I dont look at the keyboard much, but when I do, its a pain that the keys no longer show the some of the letters. The keys themselves begin to wear out. It seems to me it happens faster than it did years ago. They used to last a few years before they keys stopped responding well (nothing happens when you hit the key and then suddenly you get a jumbled mess), but in recent years, it seems like I need a new keyboard every two years. I suppose thats one way to make sure your product continues to sell. Also, initially the keys are fairly quiet, but it doesnt take long before theyre quite noisy. In comparison to other ergonomic keyboards, this one has the best design in the lower price range. Others with better designs run into the hundreds. I highly recommend this keyboard.

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Love this keyboard. Like that its not WiFi. No need to replace batteries. No extra WiFi "waves" involved in typing. Extremely comfortable, with the upslant in the middle; my hands are in a totally natural position the whole time. A bit of a learning curve after my old one, but Im getting it. I also love the slightly padded rest for my upper hands and wrists. One more thing - it has a very positive feeling - you have to push the keys a little bit, and then they pop up again. I like it better than the almost flat, unmoving laptop keys. Its large - includes a full number pad, but Im fine with the size of it too. Im utterly pleased. The price was right, too. Highly recommend.

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Why Ive used these since the late 90s: Im in IT and use keyboards regularly in my home and at work. They are all this keyboard. Back in 1997 I dropped my motorcycle and lifted it manually. I hurt one of my wrists doing it. The next day I went to work and found I could only type about a sentence before my wrist hurt. It was a very painful day. Coincidentally, there was a sale on these keyboards going on and I had already planned on picking up two that night - one for home and one for the office. So the next day I plug in my new keyboard and notice my wrist is all healed. But I got to thinking, I wonder if it is the keyboard? So I switch back to the old one and, sure enough, after typing a single line my wrist started hurting again. Ive been in IT since 1983 and am now 64. Im also an avid gamer. Ive never had any carpal tunnel problems nor wrist/finger problems with all of those decades of typing. I owe it to this keyboard.

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