Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse - L5V-00001

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I really like the look and feel of this keyboard and it worked fine for a few weeks, but then the keyboard started stalling, I would type and there would be a lag and not all of the characters would type, or it wouldnt type at all. I tried new batteries, same thing. Tried reconnecting it, same thing. There seems to be something wrong with the bluetooth connection of the keyboard, the mouse is working fine. It will go stretches of a couple hours working fine and then it will go days where it is totally spotty and only works perfectly a couple minutes out of the day. I contacted seller about this issue and they said to contact Amazon because they shipped the item. I responded and said it wasnt an issue with the delivery or anything but the product itself, and never heard back. Pretty big bummer. I would have liked to try out a replacement. I think theres just something wrong with my keyboard specifically since a lot of the other reviews are good.

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The pros: - good ergonomics for the keyboard - mouse is pretty good too (much better than I actually expected) - relatively inexpensive the cons: - keys could have a nicer feel (my Lenovo laptop has better key feel) - the wrist pad does fade out/get white streaks really quickly - *********It keeps missing keystrokes**************** This last thing makes me want to throw the keyboard across the room!!! As I am typing this, every other sentence has a word or two with several missing letters. It isnt the pressure of typing, nor is it a certain key or group of keys. It just occurs randomly, like the keyboard went to sleep and wakes up half way through a word. It is most noticeable after pausing a moment. I sometimes have to lift the keyboard and set it back down to get it to respond (a little light goes on between the space bar keys when you do this). I have Windows 10, and this may be a factor - considering Windows 10 HATES USB devices! Every update it stops recognizing USB devices, and I have to do a workaround. Ive used Windows for ~30 years, and I may just switch to Mac. I had to edit this post - and every other thing I type (Im in graduate school and type ALOT!!!) because of all the missing letters and words. For example, if the word "it" or "be" is in a sentence, and the keyboard flakes out, the whole word is missing. Makes typing really slow because I keep looking to makes sure the keyboard is responding, and having to correct. I give it 2 stars because the design is nice and comfortable, the mouse works fine, but the issue with missing keystrokes is enough drive me insane. Would NOT recommend to purchase.

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I ordered this product back in May. I love the feel of this keyboard/mouse set, HOWEVER, when I received my first set I noticed right out of the box that the responsiveness of the keys on the keypad was lacking. I placed an exchange request to get a new set, and received it very quickly. As the months have passed, Ive had increasing responsiveness issues with this keypad as well. Over the last week or so, its been missing keyed data consistently. Quite frustrating having to go back multiple times during the data entry process to re-enter the information being missed, sometimes having to use the row of numbers at the top of the keyboard instead to just get it done. Im not sure if the keypads battery is going sour at this point - the specs claim battery life is typically 36 months. There is no indicator on the device to help make that determination. Could be a design flaw, considering 2 keypads have had the same issues. I guess my next step will be to order a new battery for the keypad (the keyboard works just fine still) and see if that makes any difference. I will update then.

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Lets get the little things out of the way: The keyboard is wireless. Requires 2 AAA batteries The Numpad is wireless and separate from the keyboard. It requires a CR2430 3V Lithium Coin Battery (commonly called a "watch battery") The Mouse is wireless and requires 2 AA batteries All batteries are included with the keyboard The mouse, keyboard and numpad require a single USB connection. The USB connector is a small dongle which can be stored within the mouses battery compartment - its about the size of a quarter. The cover for the battery on the mouse and main keyboard, as well as the riser for the keyboard are all magnetic, snapping into place but having no mechanical hinge. It is possible for the battery covers to fall off if you accidentally drop the hardware, but the batteries are held pretty securely inside and will stay in place even without the covers. It is also really fun to snap the covers and risers into place and I did it far too many times. The battery cover on the 10-key numpad is held on with a screw and friction brackets (it is not fun to play with). Layout - ------------------------------------------------------- I am a long time user of the Microsoft Natural line, ever since their first "split" keyboard back in 1994. For those who have used the Natural line before, the layout of the Sculpt is similar to the "Elite" line. The main body of the keyboard maintains the Delete/Home/End/PgUp/PgDown/Insert keys, but they are in a double-row column. The arrow keys are in the traditional "pyramid" shape, but due to space restrictions, the left arrow shares space with the right CTRL key under the right Shift. The separate numpad contains the full-sized 10-key layout as well as the NumLock, an app button (defaulting to opening the calculator), a clear button (for use in calculator), and a Backspace key. As a keyboard "purist," the 6 key layout is annoying in a full-sized keyboard. I find myself smacking the wrong keys because they arent where I think they should be. I havent had to look at my keyboard layout in years, and having to hunt and peck for the Page Up key is annoying. However its a small thing and something Im sure Id probably get used to over time. If youre a gamer trying to use a Natural Keyboard (bless you), the arrow keys wont seem quite as bad as other squashed six-key layouts because they decided to keep the pyramid configuration. Keys and Buttons - ------------------------------------------------------- The Sculpt keyboard is a "chiclet" style keyboard, similar to those found on laptops. The keyboard is a rubber dome, membrane-style keyboard utilizing scissor switches. For those unfamiliar with scissor switches, these style switches tend to require less distance to activate and give a more solid, "bouncy" feel. If you had previously used a Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000 and did not like the "squishy" feeling of the key action, these may feel better to you. They obviously do not feel anything like Cherry switches, but I do like the action much better than my old 4000 (I favor MX Blues on my mechanicals). For those who are office users, the keys are pretty silent - honestly the only key that I hear is the space bar. All of the normal row keys are silent. Like most USB keyboards, the Sculpt only recognizes around four to five simultaneous keypresses. Also, the media buttons are not gone, but instead are set as an Alt-Function of the Function keys. In order to access alt-functions, there is a small physical switch on the upper-right corner of the keyboard. You have to set this switch to Function or Alt-Function (White or Blue). So, if you wanted to play your video, refresh a webpage, and then pause your video, the order of operations would be thus: Set the Function keys to Alt (Blue), Press F1 (Play), Set Function keys to normal (White), hit F5 (refresh), set Function keys to Alt (Blue), Hit F1. Its a little odd. The other option is simply to no longer use the secondary functions. The annoying implementation makes you think Microsoft wants to phase these out anyway. The Sculpt mouse is a side-rest mouse, the hand placement basically the same as the old Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 . If youve never used a side rest mouse before, it will probably take a little time to get used to. The "pulling" motion feels a little odd at first. The mouse uses Microsofts Blue Track technology, meaning that the mouse will track properly even on transparent surfaces. I have a sheet of 1/10 inch plexiglass on top of my maple desk - my older optical laser mice jump all over place when on this surface, however Blue Track mice work just fine. The only dislike I have with the mouse is with the tertiary buttons. The primary, right-click, and wheel mouse are fine and no different from most mice. The wheel does retain both the scrolling up/down as well as the rarely used side-to-side functionality. However instead of the standard back and forward buttons, Microsoft has opted for a back and Windows key button. This wouldnt really bother me as you can easily remap the Windows key to something more useful, but the placement of the keys feels very unnatural. Perhaps its due to hand size, but when I rest my hand on the mouse, my thumb does not rest on the buttons naturally. When compared to the old Natural Laser Mouse 6000, the keys on the Sculpt mouse are set forward, similar to where the second front button is located on the 6000. Also instead of having two buttons at the same level, the Windows key is on top and the back key is set in the thumb recurve area. The back button also takes a fair amount of force to actuate, making the use of the button a wholly annoying process. It should be noted that when I initially installed the keyboard and mouse, Windows 7 had no problem loading drivers, but it defaulted to a generic mouse and keyboard. In order to completely configure all of the media buttons as well as the secondary mouse buttons, you will need to download the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center from the Microsoft.com product page. Flow and Comfort (aka: Learning your Home Row) - ------------------------------------------------------- The ergonomics line is all about comfort and natural motion. In this, I have always liked the feel of the natural line. While not as truly ergonomic like the Kinesis or kits like the ErgoDox, it is probably the best easily obtained keyboard line in this regard. For those who have never used a split keyboard, it forces you into using the standard Home Row style typing method. If you do a lot of typing through the day, you can expect to feel comfortable with the key layout within a week. If you only type sparingly, itll probably take upwards of a month. With frequent use, the side rest style mouse will probably feel normal within a few days. The wrist rest on the keyboard is nice - it is not super plush like a couch, but a simple thin layer of foam covered in a "pleather" type covering over plastic. For users of the old Natural 4000, the rest feels the same, maybe a tiny bit stiffer. The keyboard comes with a riser which tilts the keyboard forward - you may or may not use the riser depending on your chair-to-desk height. The mouse has an O-ring shape on the underside where the mouse makes contact with the surface. Most mice usually only have three or four small contact points and I was afraid that this might make the mouse feel sluggish, but it glides nicely. A bit of Teflon tape probably wouldnt hurt though. Conclusion - ------------------------------------------------------- Microsofts Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop is a good successor to the Natural line but in general a bit of a mixed bag. While I wish Microsoft had opted to go with mechanical switches for their keys, the scissor switch keys a great improvement over the squishy plain rubber dome keys of the old Natural 4000 keyboard. While making the 10-key numpad separate from the main body of the keyboard probably won a few fans, the six-key layout seems like a needless change. Moving from a wired to wireless is nice when keeping desk clutter down, but a total of five batteries in order to power keyboard and mouse seems excessive. Unfortunately due to the odd placement of the tertiary buttons, I am not a fan of the newly revamped Sculpt mouse. Given that the old 6000 is no longer available, the new Sculpt isnt a bad mouse for ergonomic use, but using the back button became something that I had to think about and change hand position to use, rather than being a natural feeling motion. As an end note - Why is everything GLOSSY? Everything, except the keys themselves and the side buttons on the mouse, are a piano black gloss. The mouse looked nasty after simply removing it from the box and putting it on my desk. The keyboard is a jumbled mess of random fingerprints and smudges. All-in-all, if it were possible to pick up only the keyboard, Id be a fan of that rather than the keyboard + mouse combo. However as the keyboard does not seem to be a standalone product at this time, its coin-flip in my opinion on whether to pick up this bundle or not. If you have an old 4000 keyboard that you need to replace, I would say get this product simply because the key action is so much nicer. Keep your old 6000 mouse though. For the folks who have never had a split keyboard, the Sculpt is a great representative of the line and a good keyboard by itself, and despite my complaining, the mouse is not bad, just a little annoying for a nitpicker like myself. **Small edit - Many folks have pointed out that Microsoft is planning on releasing the keyboard as a standalone product later on, however it was not available as of this review.

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I really like how comfortable the keyboard is to use. The numeric keypad isnt as comfortable to use, but its super handy to pull it out only when you need it. I code a lot of in VI and I dont like the small escape key. The wireless transmission on both the keyboard and numeric pad is great. I never had a problem. The pad on the keyboard seems like it will wear poorly. Ive had mine for two weeks, and its already losing color. The mouse is comfortable to use, but it seems more prone to interference. I had the usb key behind a monitor and I had to move it to a foot and a half from the mouse. Much further than that, and the mouse gets laggy. I have to deduct for that. It would have been better if this entire set was bluetooth.

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For some odd reason, if I just plug the wireless receiver dongle into a USB port, the keyboard drops keypresses like crazy and the mouse movement is very jerky & stuttery. This was true with my laptop (with the dongle only a foot or two away!) and a desktop (dongle 3-4 away) in a completely different location. But one my co-workers happened to have a USB extension cable so now the dongle can be mere inches away from my keyboard & mouse (wireless -- hah!) and everything works. Before buying this, I spilled on my beloved MS Natural Ergonomic Keyboard, which Id used for years. I wondered if this would be worthy successor. I think it largely is & Im happy with it. Comparison: * Same general shape means I could get back to typing as I was used to quickly. * I LOVE the removable numeric keypad & I love having it out of the way until those times I need it (or on the left side, if you prefer). I use the mouse FAR more than the numeric keypad, so I love having the mouse closer. * That said, the arrow keys & Home/End/PgUp/PgDn are in slightly different spots than the MS Natural Ergonomic Keyboard, and this means I lose some muscle memory efficiency when going for those keys as I have to stumble around a bit. Thankfully, they are less often used, so I can live with it, and Im learning the new locations. * The mouse seems a touch overpriced to me, but I do like it and very quickly adapted to it. * The shorter chiclet keys are slightly easier to type with in my opinion. In any event, chiclet keyboards are everywhere these days. * I agree with other reviews that complain that the function keys seem oddly cheap. Again, these are not as often used. * I slightly miss having the Zoom rocker that the MS Natural Ergonomic Keyboard had in the middle, but I otherwise dont miss any of the other keys for opening up media players, etc. Im perfectly happy hitting the Windows key and running these from the Start menu.

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I didnt think it was possible to make a better keyboard than the Microsoft Natural. But this is. The keys are quieter now and the whole thing feels even more comfortable. My typing speed has increased and seems to have gotten more accurate. I have always liked trackballs, but the mouse it came with has proved to be extremely comfortable. There are only two downsides. This is a wireless keyboard. A dongle custom coded to your mouse and keyboard plugs into a USB port on your computer. DONT EVER LOSE IT BECAUSE IT CANT BE REPLACED!!! The other problem was that I got this keyboard through Amazon Warehouse Deals. Upon opening it, I found that the AAA batteries in the keyboard had corroded. I had to throw them away and clean out the battery compartment before the keyboard would work! Had I been a little bit less handy with the cleaning tools, I probably would have returned the whole thing.

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I bought this for my new Apple iMac desktop computer. For the life of me I dont know why Apple does not make its own ergonomic keyboard and/or mouse, but they dont. Ive been a PC/Windows user for 30 years and have used some form of ergonomic keyboard for many of those years. So, when I got my new Mac, I definitely wanted to keep my keyboard. My go-to manufacturer, Logitech, didnt have an Apple compatible product and I searched everywhere for one. Finally went to Microsoft and found this one. It works great for me. I had no problems plugging in the dongle and having it work perfectly right out of the box. It doesnt have 100% of the same functionality as the Apple keyboard such as the command key. The Windows key does not have the same functionality as the command key. That is the main difference I can find; however, like I said - Im a new Apple iMac user, and a long-time user of the Apple keyboard may find many more limitations than I have. I have been using it for digital photo editing and graphic art and love it. The one other peeve I have about this keyboard is that there is no light on the caps lock key like any other keyboard Ive ever used. Its not that big a deal until you forget its on when youre entering passwords, which is where I find it irritating; because I do use my caps lock key for various applications in my work. But - thats me and I could see where it wouldnt be so irritating to others. Other slight drawback for me is the distance between keys, mostly on the upper row (qwertyuiop) the distance between say the F key and the T key is greater than Im used to and had to learn to reach or stretch my fingers further when typing. However, I dont seem to be having any fatigue or soreness issues in my hands and fingers so far, and I do a lot of typing - still, I personally would have liked to have the keys a bit closer together as in most of Microsofts and Logitechs models. The keys do have a pretty soft touch and its very quiet, no clatter when typing. Its well made and feel sturdy and has enough weight to it to feel good under your hands. I personally love that the 10-key pad is separated from the board, as I can place it wherever its most comfortable for me. Overall, Im happy with the keyboard - a little pricey, but if you have an Apple desktop and want an ergonomic keyboard, it seems we are kind of stuck with the cost for now.

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Update: BEST KEYBOARD EVER!!! I have been using this keyboard for a while now, and it has helped my should problems SO MUCH. In fact, they are gone! I had completely forgotten how much my shoulder bothered me on other keyboards until I had to use my husbands one day. Its ergonomic, but the numeric keypad is attached, which makes using the mouse a literal pain in the neck. Using this one, with the numeric keypad separate, has completely taken care of the problem! YIPPEEEEEE! And using the mouse has not bothered me at all, despite it looking less ergonomic than my old one. The keyboard still looks brand new and so does the mouse. I love that the mouse has a spot to put the USB for it so I dont lose it. The bottom of my mouse stays on no problem--you just have to put it on correctly. This is the best keyboard set EVER and Im SO HAPPY I have it!!!!! Im now going to get another one for my husband for when I have to use his computer too. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! I replaced my (very) old Microsoft Natural wireless keyboard with this version. When I received it, I unboxed it, plugged the single USB in, and keyboard, mouse, and numeric pad all just plain worked. No setup at all! This could be common as keyboards go now, but I havent had a new one in so long, I was expecting to have to install drivers, etc. Nope! Just plug and play--yay! It has a slightly different typing feel than my old one, but has the same (or very similar) slope as the MS Natural if you use the elevating piece, and I got used to typing on it in a matter of minutes. Im sure the muscle-memory learning curve would be longer if youre not coming from a similarly shaped keyboard though. I find this new one very comfortable--even more so than my old one. And the BEST thing about it is that the numeric keypad is separate, so that I can have my mouse in a much more ergonomic position--closer to my hand instead of an extra 3-4 inches off to the right as on my old keyboard with built-in numeric pad. This was the only keyboard I found like that, so Im thrilled it is comfortable in general as well as with the mouse. The keys are nice and quiet, too. My home office is right next to my toddlers room, and my old keyboard was loud enough to disturb him, but this one is plenty quiet. Also, I like the mouse. I wasnt sure if it was going to be ergonomic enough, but I actually think its just right. The vertical mice crank my wrist too much. This one is in a very natural position, and with my gel mouse pad with the wrist rest, it feels like the perfect position. The mouse is taking a little longer to get used to. It is a little heavier than my old one, and it lacks an indent on the right side of it, which makes it more difficult to grip when you have to pick up the mouse to move it from one corner of the screen to another. This is a moderate nuisance to me since I work on a really big screen, hence the four stars, but since it feels so comfortable otherwise, I think it will end up working pretty well. I might try to put a little poster putty or maybe even a little smear of silicone caulk on the side to add grip. I would not consider this a deal breaker, but if you do, the keyboard is available to buy without the mouse if you want to use a different mouse with it.

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I have two of these keyboards, one for work and one for home. The ergonomic positioning enables you to stretch out your hands and relax. This Microsoft design is lightweight, portable and very sleek. I put my feet up and type with the keyboard in my lap or sit on my couch and type away. Nice range and havent had batter issues. Only critiques are that the elevation stand for the keyboard is connected by magnets which could be stronger--it comes off sometimes, and I think the bluetooth USB is bigger than it needs to be. The mouse is different from others due to the posture but very comfortable and easy to use. It is large in size which I like. I never use the separate number pad.

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