Microsoft Wireless Desktop 900 (PT3-00001)

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2017 Update: Still a fan. This keyboard and the Logitech K750 are tied as my favorites. The mouse has grown on me - it is basic, but I find it very comfortable. It slides nicely on a variety of surfaces, and I like the feel of the wheel and the buttons. UPDATE after 1.5 years: Still a fan. Love the keyboard. The mouse is basic/no-frills, so I keep that in my bag as my travel mouse, and I use the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Mouse as my primary mouse. The keyboard is nearly silent. It has a unique feel to it, which may not appeal to everyone. I like it – its similar to the feel of typing on a laptop. I’m still working on my masters, so I also have a home office. There, I use a Logitech K750 keyboard and Logitech M510 mouse. I recommend both the Logitech products, but they are significantly noisier than the Microsoft keyboard and Sculpt Comfort mouse. UPDATE AFTER 4 MONTHS USE: Continue to love this keyboard - it has a nice soft touch, and is near silent. Quietest full size non-laptop keyboard Ive ever used. I like to take meeting notes electronically, and now, on conference calls, people dont have to hear me banging away. This is a very affordable set, but in my opinion, much nicer than many of the more expensive keyboard/mouse options out there. Love this keyboard, and the mouse is solid. Im a keyboard and mouse junkie. Hey, I spend a lot of time working on the computer! 10-hours a day at work, and then every night on my masters. I have about 6 keyboards, and this is my favorite! Its nearly silent, the keystroke depth is perfect (shallow, but not too much so), and its an attractive streamlined design. It looks good on my desk. The mouse is basic, but its comfortable to use and the movements are smooth and accurate. Despite owning many more expensive mice and keyboards, the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 800 set was one of my favorites. Basic, but well executed. Im happy to report this set is a fabulous update - basic, but well executed and a pleasure to use.

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This is a modern yet classic keyboard-mouse set. The keyboard has standard key layout (full size) and the mouse is well-designed (not too small, comfortable curve). - A Classic Wireless Keyboard: Its main layout (except F1 to F12 which are smaller) is exactly the same as the traditional keyboard that I used back in 10 years ago. It doesnt have the fancy function key (the "fn" keys) at the bottom, so you wont accidentally hit the wrong button. Yet, it has dedicated "Volume Up", "Volume Down", "Mute" and "Play/Pause" buttons at the upper right corner. To me, whats really important is that it has independent "Delete", "Home", "End", "Page Up", and "Page Down" keys (which are handy for programmers). However, the feeling of the keystroke is no conventional. Its pretty much like how you feel when you type on an Apples wireless keyboard (or 2015 Macbook Pro). I personally love it and appreciate that I can get this keystroke feeling on a full sized wireless keyboard. - A Not-too-bad Wireless Mouse The mouse weighs about 2 AA batteries - the batteries it uses. It doesnt have weird curve. Nevertheless, its comfortable to hold it in my hands. - Complimentary Batteries This set comes with 2 AA and 2 AAA batteries. Interestingly, the mouse uses 2 bigger batteries (AA) while the keyboard uses smaller (AAA) batteries. It is reasonable as a mouse normally consumes more power. - Easy Setup No configuration is needed. It works right out of box. I just plug in the USB receiver, and both the keyboard and the mouse work instantly.

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Keyboard: The keyboard has a great matte plastic finish which is textured, and should do a good job of rejecting dust and debris. One of my big problems with nice keyboards is how they are generally glossy plastic, which is fingerprint and dust prone. The keys feel great, and if youve ever used one of the new Surface Pro 4 TypeCovers, the chic-let type keys should feel comfortable to you. I work in an open floor environment (trading floor), and now I dont feel self conscience typing for hours as others have to hear me clicking away. I also love how every key, all the way across the board is evenly spaced, and Id estimate key travel at about 2mm which is perfect for me. There is also a dedicated calculator button (which is awesome), along with media buttons (play/pause, mute, volume up, volume down) above the keypad. All of these buttons worked just fine without configuration on my Windows 7 desktop. Mouse: When it comes to desktop mice, there really isnt much to compare. This mouse and keyboard set are clearly meant for office or home office use, and not die-hard gamers. With that said, I really love the weight of the mouse with two AA batteries in it (it can hold two, but only one is required). The manual also says that the batteries could last up to two years, which is a nice change for wireless mice. I am 6 tall with large hands, and the mouse is large enough to hold comfortably, without being too unwieldy. It was nearly identical in size to the corded Dell mouse that I am replacing on my work computer. I am right-handed but also noticed that the mouse is ambidextrous, which I imagine the lefties of the world would appreciate. Bundle: Overall I couldnt be happier with my purchase. Microsoft is also known to have amazing return policies when it comes to their hardware, so I have piece of mind that even know these werent priced to break the wallet, that I can and will likely use these for years to come. They are a perfect set for anyone looking to clear a bit of clutter from their work desks. Im not sure you will find a better looking, and better functioning set in the $35.00 price range. Other great desktop items seen in my photos: - Jabra PRO 9470 Mono Wireless Headset with Touchscreen http://amzn.to/2aDK6oy - Surface Pro 4 http://amzn.to/2aDJ9gg - Surface Pro 4 TypeCover (Red) http://amzn.to/2aT0rGx - DecoBros Desk Supplies Organizer Caddy Pen Pencil Holder http://amzn.to/2bcsdjj - iMBAPrice USB-MFAN USB Mini Desktop Fan http://amzn.to/2aDHV4B - iGotTech Cable Clips & Cord Management System http://amzn.to/2aDIeMR

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I bought three of these in March and April for employees at my company to use. The keyboard types well and has a natural feel. The mouse as well. The rubbery-plastic the mouse is made out of makes it feel very comfortable in the hand, and helps protect it from slipping. Everything was going great with these keyboard/mouse combos for several months, but now just 4 months after purchasing none of them work anymore. The keyboard did not break. The mouse did not break. The USB receiver broke, in the exact same fashion, on all 3 units. It seems after a few months of general use the receiver "loosens" (for lack of better description). The plastic exterior of the receiver became loose, as if an internal part that holds everything together broke. I would chalk this up to a cosmetic problem, except for the fact the keyboard and mouse no longer work at all. This problem occurred on both laptop and desktop computer users. If the receiver was more durable, and capable of living longer than just long enough for the return policy to expire, this product would have gotten a much better rating from me. Maybe 4 or 5 stars. The feel and general use of the keyboard and mouse is great. But I cant rate anything that habitually breaks when the return policy expires over one star. Considering I purchased three of these, and all three broke within 4 months, I will not be purchasing another. And I suggest buyers that may be considering this product move along.

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Solid Keyboard for my use. Upgraded from a bottom the line Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse combo that was always just ok. This new 900 is great so far. I use it for home use. I can only type about 30 word per minute. I use it to surf the web, HTPC, light typing, and moderate non-critical gaming. Pros: -Both the mouse and keyboard feel solid and sturdy. The Logitech felt like flimsy plastic and would flex. This, while plastic is not flimsy. -The mouse is full size and has some weight to it. So many wireless combos give baby mice. Again, while plastic it does not feel cheap -It looks great, very pleasing to the eye. Tasteful classic black, no crazy and ugly designs or two-tones. -The mouse tracks very well on fabrics. This is associated with a HTPC, so the mouse is often used on common furniture like couches. -The mouse has an on and off switch. -The mouse scroll wheel is very nice. It has more clicks per rotation than most. It solidly locks per scroll as well. The Logitech I had sometimes on its own would back bump on a wheel click screwing up what I was looking at forcing me to re-scroll. -Plug and play out of the box. The dongle is locked, no sync button. Just Go. Cons: -The keyboard DOES NOT have an on/off switch. This is not critical on a desk, but when on a lap watching Netfix or YouTube on a couch its nice to be able to lock the keyboard. -The F-keys are not clustered in fours, but run straight across the top for those that care. -There is no on keyboard notification caps lock, num lock, etc. You with have to go into Windows control panel to turn on these in Windows. This is a Chick-let style keyboard for those that care. I also cant type fast enough to tell if this will lose keystrokes for fast typers. The keys are well laid out with solid feel when pressed. The only concern I have now is battery life and only time will tell on that. Microsoft claims two year life on this products battery life. This product can be further researched with Mr. Google for Microsofts product page. The hot key buttons are: Calculator, Play/Pause, Mute Sound, Volume Up, and Volume Down. Thats it. All other keys are standard keys one would find on a PC keyboard. Overall a solid upgrade for me.

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I tried making this set my primary several different times over the past year. I ended up throwing it in the garbage. The finishes and build quality are fantastic, but the design are usage are simply terrible. The keyboard design leaves no space between the three sections (probably to try to save space), so its incredibly easy to accidentally hit the wrong keys when doing simple touch typing. The under-sized backspace being placed next to the full-sized insert key was the biggest frustration. When I wasnt accidentally hitting wrong keys, it would miss my keystrokes on a fairly regular basis - exacerbated by the really soft action. The connection between the keyboard and USB dongle just didnt seem to be that solid. The bundled mouse was equally beautiful and comfortable, but just plain heavy. One of the cool design features with it, though, is that you can actually still use it with just one battery. I tried this to see if it would help make the bulky mouse more comfortable, but it only made it unbalanced and awkward to use for smaller movements. The BIGGEST problem I had with the set was this: Every time the computer is woken from sleep, restarted, or turned on, you have to plug in the USB dongle. You literally have to pull it out and plug it back in just to get the mouse and keyboard to recognize theyre connected to something. You guys, I have used dozens of wireless accessories over the years and have literally NEVER had to do this. Ever. All said, the whole experience was a complete disappointment - especially hardware made by the biggest name in PCs.

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Purchased the set originally from Microsoft back in April 2018 - absolutely loved it. Quiet keys, smooth typing, mouse is smooth and works great BUT the dongle is a little less than to be desired. If its being used in a PC where it will be stationary, this will be great. Although, with a laptop (which is my case), be VERY CAREFUL. In my office, I dock my laptop and have a couple of monitors connected to the docking station, so I need the keyboard & mouse, but I take my laptop home in the evening and only use mouse. In transit, my laptop still has dongle attached, the laptop is placed into a backpack made to carry a laptop & other devices so its a durable carrying unit. One day when going home, the dongle (which protrudes about 1/2" - 3/4") was banged and felt a little loose, so it wasnt making a connection. SeeOnce dongle gets damaged, its over. Per Microsoft, the dongle is programmed directly with the particular keyboard & mouse that its packaged with - you cannot purchase another dongle for the set since it will NOT be programmed for that particular set. I was unaware of this originally and purchased the 1461 dongle from eBay, which worked for 5 minutes then never again - "buyer beware", right? So now, I purchased another one from Amazon, which I should have done originally, and received the new set but now I will remove the dongle when transporting laptop.

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Does just what its supposed to do. Nice light weight keyboard, great mouse. You do use both AA and AAA batteries but I kepp both types around anyway. Now to see how they hold up in the long term. After a months use, the keys tend to physically get stuck. Rather annoying. Have to use a more gentle touch and even then the keys still stick. Will order something more robust next time. Went from 5 stars to 3. Couple more months have passed, now.... Keyboard keys still physically sticking in the down position almost daily. Mouse is fine. I give up, warranty period is over. This one is going into the trash and I already received a different brand wireless keyboard/mouse combo. Hope the new one works better. Down to a 1 star review now.

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I usually like Microsoft hardware but this keyboard is just awful. Two key problems (no pun intended): - The keyboard times out - goes into sleep (or perhaps just loses its connection?) - VERY often, sometimes in as little as 10 seconds after the last key press. Ive timed this and its a repeatable behavior. This means that youre constantly losing the first letter of what you type if you pause for a few seconds. Its extremely frustrating. As per Microsoft this timeout is NOT user configurable, which is even more frustrating. - While the layout is generally good, the backspace key is narrow and too close to Insert. Consequently I end up hitting Insert about half the time Im trying to hit Backspace. Im not new to typing, and I use a lot of different keyboards. Ive never encountered that problem on another keyboard. Ive tried living with this thing for about a month and the truth is I just plain hate it. Its probably too late to send it back so Ill just relegate it to a backup use and find something more reliable to use for my main keyboard

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UPDATE INFO 09 12 16: I found the Logitech K330 wireless combo on sale at Staples today for $24 today. I bought it, and now remember why I liked the "larger Logitech board... and the slightly smaller mouse." Keys have deep travel with better feel. And the keys are laid out such that I can easily find the BACKSPACE and the DELETE keys, as theyre clearly separated. As I mentioned below... Ill quickly retire this Microsoft combo to my computer travel case. UPDATE INFO 09 09 16: Just read another reviewers comment about "on-screen Cap Lock Indicator"..... and found the authorized Microsoft.com software package/update for MS Keyboard and Mouse gear... which after I downloaded, gave me that "Cap Lock Indicator" at bottom-rt of my screen. Find the Microsoft (actual MS site, not an aftermarket page) at: [...] (Im running and downloaded the MS Win 10 64bit software) Its been about two months since receiving this keyboard and mouse combination. I cant fault the transmit-recieve distance, the key-touch, feel of the mouse, or the reliability of the duo. But one thing that does bother me to this date, is my difficulty getting used to the locations of the backspace and delete keys. I also sometimes find my hands have shifted to the left. Its because the keyboard keys are closer together, and my "nearly most used key... DELETE" is not as isolated as it is in my larger keyboards. With few "Quick Keys", (it does have the Windows key and a calculator key), its what Id call a "minimalized layout." And for travel, thats a good thing for me. In short, Ive taken it on trips, and enjoy the smaller size of the keyboard. But I use this keyboard in my home office right now more than on the road. So Im actually thinking of buying another, larger, conventional-layout keyboard. I honestly hadnt thought about the layout of the keys and overall size of the board when I saw the lower price for this Microsoft combo. Ill put this into my travel kit. But for the next purchase, Im going to a store to test out some keyboards, and will then check Amazon Prime when ready to buy.

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