Microsoft Wireless Desktop 900 (PT3-00001)

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These look great, and I really liked the media buttons, and the price. But... I dont like how short the key press is, and the backspace button on mine does not seem to work well, which makes it a real pain to use since I have to double check that it worked every time I use it which really messes up my flow. I checked to see if something was under the key, but could shake anything loose. I must just have a bad one, but it was so cheap Im not going to bother replacing it, or sending it back. Just switched back to my previous wired keyboard.

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I bought this to replace my Razer Blackwidow X TE and Mamba 16,000 wireless keyboard and mouse. I upgraded my computer to Mojave and Synapse 2 had a lot of issues. Razer support simply said to buy a new keyboard and mouse as the old equipment ($300 in 2016) was not supported and will not be added to Synapse 3. So I bought this kit. Keep in mind that I work most of the day on a computer. I use extensively solidworks and autocad, as well as a lot of emails typing, spreadsheets, and coding (using BBedit of course). I am not a PC gamer (I have a wii U and switch for that) but I have found in the past the gaming mice and keyboards are the most comfortable for extensive use. Purchasing this microsoft set has only further cemented my beliefs. The good: -Battery life is outrageously good so far. However, it uses non rechargeable batteries. -works simply as basic HID devices on both PC and Mac. No setup, pairing, or drivers necessary. - neither keyboard nor mouse need to be "woken up" before use. They always start working immediately unlike most other wireless sets Ive used in the past. - keyboard is very quiet. The bad: Keyboard: - not backlit (not an issue for me in a well-lit office space) - no option to use with a cable. Wireless only. - the keys feel slightly gummy and harder to press than they should. - the keys are perfectly flat on top, making it hard to hit the correct key sometimes - I can type very quickly on this keyboard but I am still hitting the wrong key sometimes. It is also hard to press twice or more of the same key in a row because of the key action (such as the "s" in "press", or moving the cursor with the arrow keys) - like almost every keyboard except for the awful ones from apple, the cmd and alt key are switched for mac users. This can be fixed in system settings so its a very minor issue. Mouse: - no option to use with a cable. Wireless only. - acceleration is not adjustable and has a slightly "drunken" feel to it. Ive tried it for several weeks and it still feels funny. - liftoff is not adjustable, but seems to be OK from the factory. I am using a razer kabuto pad. - the buttons are too stiff and not adjustable. This should loosen up with time but for now they are too hard to press. - way too small to be held for long periods of time. I think the evil robots at microsoft need to at least look at a human hand once in a while. I understand its not fair to compare a $300+ kb+m set to a $30 set, but in the past I have used the FREE kb+m included with PCs from Dell or Silicon Graphics and while the kbs may have been mushy, at least the keys were curved on top, and the mice fit into my hand. It wouldnt cost MS any extra in materials to shape the key tops correctly, or mold the mouse into a nicer shape. One other thing that is very nice is that the receiver can be stored inside the mouse. The wireless range also seems to be very good. They will work from down the hall, even. Both pieces seem very sturdy and well made, but for my needs Im only giving them 3 stars. I went back to using my old keyboard and mouse after completely wiping out synapse from my computer, and they work just fine. I can live without being able to turn the flashy lights off and having the default color set to green. Turns out synapse isnt really all that necessary after all. But Im going to keep this set because it is just so convenient to have a wireless set that doesnt need any drivers around (as a nerd with a bunch of PCs everywhere). It works on android and although I havent tried it yet, it should also work with iOS and game consoles as well. For a more casual user it would absolutely be a 5***** set.

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I am using this product to type this review. Both items have held up better than i expected as i bought these for an office environment. We use these everyday of the week. We have had these for about 3 months and we have not had to change the battery on either device. They are large enough to be comfortable for large hands but small enough to not take up a huge amount of desk space. The only thing i dont like is the small stands on the back used to put the keyboard at a better angle. When you move the keyboard the stands catch easily on things as the stands come to a sharp point and fold down easily. Not a big enough problem to remove a star, just a bit annoying at times. Rounded edges could help with that small problem.

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I bought this because I was looking for a less "clacky" sounding keyboard. I was replacing the keyboard provided to me by my employer because I recently started using hearing aids (at age 39) and the "new" sound of my keyboard made me want to throw it out a window. I was desperate for a quieter keyboard. I read a ton of reviews looking for a quiet keyboard and never really found what I was looking for. I got tired of searching and bought this and it is quieter, but still makes noise (not that it claimed to be noiseless). As far as sound goes, its satisfactory. Im sure the rubberized keyboards are quieter, but I couldnt be sold on those. I like this keyboard and would recommend it to anyone looking for a standard, no frills wireless keyboard. There are no lights to indicate whether caps locks is on, etc. but there is a delightful calculator button that will bring up your calculator when you tap it. Its quite low to my desk, which I didnt expect. The mouse that comes with the keyboard is no frills, but also works great.

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The good: I really loved this keyboard and the mouse. The mouse is a nice size and is solid. The keyboard is really good too. The keys require a little getting used to as other reviewers have noted, but they dont bother me. The keys are quiet and have the closest feel to a laptop keyboard compared to anything Ive been able to find yet. Im a software engineer, so I do a lot of typing and I require a full size keyboard with the traditional layout. The NOT Good: The reason for a two star rating is that after 1 year and 3 months, the keyboard quit working. Ive been having intermittent problems with it all along missing a keystroke here and there. Sometimes it gets really bad. But now its just become unusable. Fifteen months is too short a lifespan for a product like this, so Im giving it two stars. Also, the rubber on the scroll wheel expanded to the point where it would slip on the wheel such that scrolling was impossible. I took the mouse apart and put a little bit of adhesive between the rubber part of the scroll wheel and the plastic wheel, which took care of that problem.

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Overall, this is a fantastic mouse/keyboard combo; but, the keyboard definitely steals the show. Here are my impressions after using it daily for a little over 4 months [Keyboard impressions: 5/5 stars]: The keyboard feels remarkably solid, and has virtually no flex unless you are really jamming down the keys. Id say that its much better than most chiclet-style keyboards in this price bracket. In fact, Ive actually grown to like using this keyboard more than my Cherry-MX blue keyboard at home (granted theyre vastly different typing experiences). I compared it to my brothers Razer Deathstalker, and the keyboard still easily held its own (and in my opinion was better). The keys are very quiet, and the spacing between the keys is just about ideal. The only complaint I have with the keyboard is with the satin finish - when new it has a matte/satin finish that looks very nice. However, after using it daily for work for about 900 hours total (~100 work days x 8-10hrs/day), some of the satin finish has worn down to be glossy. This can be seen in areas where I rest my hands, such as below the space button, and on home row keys. However, the painted letters on the keys are still in perfect condition. [Mouse impressions: 3.5/5 stars]: The mouse somewhat brings down the experience. Theres nothing inherently wrong with it - its just perfectly average. The mouse is ambidextrous, and large enough to be relatively comfortable for daily use. Im not exactly sure what dpi the sensor is, but it is an optical sensor that Id say is somewhere around 2000dpi. The mouse is also somewhat heavy, but this could be attributed to the two(!) AA batteries that the mouse uses. Flipside to the battery weight - the battery life seems great so far. Another potential negative is the usb receiver - its somewhat large (~2cm) compared to virtually all of the nano receivers that seem to exist in 2018. If you leave it plugged into the back of a desktop like me then its a non-issue, but mobile warriors may view this as an issue since youll have to remove it from your laptop before you can throw the laptop in a bag. If I could rate the overall package, itd really be a 4.5/5 star rating. This keyboard is one of the best chiclet keyboards that Ive had the pleasure of using, and the mouse isnt too shabby. As with pretty much every Microsoft peripheral Ive used, they both feel incredibly solid and will likely last for years of daily use. I think the combo is an excellent value for less than Andrew Jackson bills, and is still worth picking up in 2018.

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I am enjoying using my new microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse. I had been very accustomed to using the Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 (Black) and had previously ordered two of those -- LOVE THEM! So, when I got ready for a wireless, I looked high and low for one configured exactly like the 600. I was a tad skeptical at first because this one was not exactly what I was looking for -- or at least didnt look like it. But, after it came, and once I got it hooked up and tried it out, I loved it. Its design is a little sleeker than the 600. But, it is totally comfortable to the touch, and the mouse is a perfect fit (ie feels good in the hand). I was not disappointed at all with this purchase, and I believe I got my moneys worth with this product. Havent had it very long. But, for now, it works.

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When I first got this keyboard & mouse set, I really liked it and felt that it was a good quality product. However, since then, my keyboard seems to have a mind of its own. It will only pick up certain keys that Ive pressed so I will end up with partial words, but the bigger problem is that a key will seem to get stuck because I will end up with a long string of a letter (ex: becaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaause). The key itself isnt stuck in the pressed position, so I am not sure what causes this. Apparently I am outside of the return window for this item, and because I didnt purchase this through Microsofts website I cannot get an exchange or refund... even though it has a 3 year warranty. I may try to call Microsoft since I only used the online help so far, but otherwise I may be out of luck. So for prospective buyers - I would not recommend purchasing this product, unless you do so directly from Microsoft and can take advantage of the warranty.

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Make sure you check that there is no damage upon receipt. This product was NOT shipped in the correct size of box; shipping box was beat up and it is amazing that the product did not FALL OUT. (Actually, I would not be surprised if it did fall out at one point and was shoved through the hole back into the shipping box.) Product itself is fine. It took a little effort to get the keyboard/mouse to work with the computer, so it is not quite "plug and play." Mouse is a little big for my female hands and innate DPI is on the high side for my preference. Adjusting mouse cursor speed in pointer options mostly helped. Keyboard is quiet, but I wish certain keys were larger - primarily the function keys, backspace, enter, and delete. Numpad feels on the small side, too. But hey, at least I am no longer fighting with too-short USB cords!

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I havent had this keyboard for very long, so I cant comment on battery life, durability, or other long-term usage factors. I like that the keys are quiet, with a feeling very similar to the Apple keyboard that I like so much. Overall, Im quite satisfied with both the keyboard & mouse. A few quibbles: 1) There is no Caps Lock LED to indicate when its on or off. 2) I would like more space between the Backspace key and the Insert key so as to avoid inadvertently hitting Insert (or at least an LED light to indicate that Insert mode is on). 3) The battery door on the bottom of the keyboard was very hard to open, and resulted in breaking one of the tabs that holds it in place. 4) Could be just my PC, but every time I wake it up from sleep mode, a pop-up message says it doesnt recognize the USB device (which connects the keyboard & mouse via Bluetooth). If I click on the Unknown USB device and ask it to load the driver, it says the driver is already installed, but I still get that error message every time I wake up or boot up the PC. Despite the message, both keyboard and mouse work fine. Its just annoying to have to dismiss the message every time. Despite my quibbles, Im very pleased overall with the feel and performance of the keyboard & mouse, and it was reasonably priced.

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