Customer Reviews

Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 4000 (3.0) Silver PS2/USB Mac/Win

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I read some of the excellent reviews before my purchase, so there were not many surprises. The name of the set is different on Amazon than in other stores, which was a bit confusing. Microsoft itself calls it the wireless optical desktop - comfort edition. My impressions after a few weeks of use:

Pros:
- The radio signal appears to be strong and is resistant to interference. I've got a Gyration Ultra cordless mouse, a WiFi router, and speakers near the base receiver, but both the keyboard and mouse work without a hitch.
- The keyboard is relatively comfortable to use with good tactile feedback, and the faux leather wristpad is nice. Microsoft has a knack for well-built keyboards.
- Love all the extra buttons! They are reprogrammable with the Intellitype program, which is included.
- The zoom function is pretty nice when the type on the screen is too small to read. I don't have to always have my reading glasses on.
- The mouse is ambidextrous (one of the few wireless mice that isn't ergonomically designed only for righties).

Cons:
- The mouse has only 2 buttons plus the scroll wheel. Most of the newer high-end optical mice have more programmable buttons.
- The keyboard is not a true ergonomic keyboard (despite the "comfort" label). Although the layout is slightly curved, there is not much wrist angle reduction when typing.
- As others have noted, the F Lock key and the new and improved function keys are a serious step backwards to all of us used to working with the old function keys. For example, I am used to hitting F12 in some programs. Now, by default this is set as a "print" function. I've printed out more than a few pages accidentally.

Overall I am reasonably satisfied with the keyboard and mouse, but as with most Microsoft products, I think it will take a few iterations to get things really right.

This is probably Microsoft's best-made Keyboard yet. It feels solid and steady, much more so than previous ones, and well-made. The Keys have great feedback and it looks and feels like a high-end peripheral. The 'faux leather' palm-rest works very well. The mouse unfortunately is not MS' high-end explorer, but the more simple optical mouse. It works well, but will leave some longing for the better contoured, button-rich explorer 3.0. The keyboard shape itself is a bit of a mixed bag, it feel like Microsoft tried to do everyone right, and missed it slightly either way: If you want a truly ergonomic board, don't get this; you can beat MS' own Optical Keyboard Pro (true ergo, and split). This is more akin to a more comfortable standard keyboard than something truly ergonomically styled. But, if that doesn't bother you, this is a good buy at a good price. Wireless works absolutely flawlessly, though the reach could be a tad bit farther.

I am a Mac guy. Full disclosure right up front. I dislike Microsoft for their less-than-honorable business practices. Still, my Logitech set-up mysteriously crapped out on me, and when you need a keyboard you tend to grab what is at hand. For me, that was this Microsoft Keyboard/ Mouse combo, the "Comfort" edition. Yeah, the fake leather wrist-rest cushion is a gimmick, but wow... it really does feel like leather. Soft as a baby's butt doesn't begin to cover it. It is really soft and really comfortable.

Ok, big deal - we have the comfort nailed, but what about function? So much in this world is style over substance, but Microsoft just flat-out has the function nailed, too. I can't speak to the Winders software, but if it is half as good as the software controlling the mouse and keyboard on the Mac, it will be almost perfect. Set up is a breeze for the half-way tech savvy, though if you read and follow the directions, I fail to see how anything can go wrong.

The mouse is smooooooooooooth. Like a fine single-malt scotch or satin sheets, there really isn't a way to adequately describe this mouse; you just have to experience it for yourself. This mouse just exudes quality. Buckets of it. It's as if this mouse is crafted from a solid piece of metal. You know it's not - your eyes tell you that. Your sense of touch tells you that. Yet... it glides on the desktop almost like it is floating on a cushion of air. The scroll wheel doesn't click as it spins, it is just home-made vanilla ice cream smoooooooth. And the side scrolling feature that lets you scroll right and left is very cool, and very useful when surfing the web.

The "Killer App" here is the software. The smart scrolling and intellipoint software are just so blamed... intuitive. It doesn't get in your way, it works almost as an extension of your brain. It speeds the mouse and the scrolling at just the right speeds, all the time, every time. It is spooky, it is that good. When you flick the mouse to send the pointer across the screen, the pointer takes off like a bat out of hell, and then slows and stops precisely where you tell it to go. It is like it can read your mind.

BOTTOM LINE TIME : As a Mac guy, I have no love of anything Microsoft. Still, credit is due, and this is the best wireless combo mouse/keyboard I have ever owned. Logitech had better pay attention, because Microsoft is going to eat their lunch if Logitech isn't careful. Buying this combo is money very well spent, and in my opinon this is the best wireless combo I have ever owned, bar none.

The Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 4000 (3.0) Silver PS2/USB Mac/Win is like having "Silver Wings" on my keyboard tray. No wires, no fuss and they always work. This is my third wireless keyboard/mouse combination, but my first combo that really works well for me. The keyboard and mouse set up very easily. They work so flawlessly that my hands and fingers seem to fly along.

It has been three months and I am still on the first set of batteries. I have not seen any false battery "alarms" and I am always connected when I boot up the computer. Interference does not seem to be an issue with this Micorsoft setup.

The keyboard is easy to use and the mouse fits my hand very nicely. My hands are of average size - so it may be a good idea to "preview" this setup at a store somewhere. My wife's hands are small, but she says that the mouse and the keyboard seem to fit her "fairly" well. She does prefer a smaller mouse - so that should be taken into consideration.

The extra features such as the Tilt Wheel Technology and the Smart Technology to reduce the likelihood of interruption by notifying you when it detects interference, or low battery levels are nice. However, I don't really notice them. Personally, that is the way I like it! One "sweet" touch is the one-touch button on the keyboard that brings up your calculator. No more searching for a calculator when you want to use one.

I don't know about the half year of battery life yet but so far, so good. I do appreciate the fact that the keyboard is not over-designed by the Microsoft ergonomics experts. The arched shape to provides support for your hands in a natural, comfortable position is not overdone, and therefor is easy to become familiar with. Microsoft got this one right!

I placed my mac in my living room because there is another pc in my room. I decided to buy a cordless desktop to avoid wires running across the living room. I bought this for cheap at another major store. Once installed it was a hassle to setup and after that it became a pain in the arse. The main culprit is very weak signal. The mouse would jitter; the keyboard would become unresponsive. It would only work nearly well if I'm at a distance of 2 feet, at most. Do not buy this if you are unable to get this close to the receiver. This is a very poor product. I recommend the Logitech brand; it works perfectly.

Overall, this keyboard/mouse set works pretty well. For general computer use (surfing the web, checking email, etc), it'll serve you just fine. However, for anyone doing any gaming or image editing, this set just won't do.

The keyboard has an F-lock, which is all right, except in gaming I frequently use the F keys AND the Print Screen button. In order to do Print Screen, I have to turn off F-lock, and then hopefully remember to turn it back on. A bit of an annoyance, but not so bad by itself.

The BIG gaming problem comes when you need to hold down a key for a long period of time, for example to run. It will send the signal that you're pressing the key for a while, then stop. You then have to let off the key, and press down again to continue running. Running long distances? Get ready to mash those keys down many many times.

As far as image editing goes, the problem comes from the scroll wheel. It's rather non-responsive. Middle click is REALLY hard to do, and middle click and drag is nearly impossible.

This is one of Microsoft's best keyboard/mouse sets. The Keyboard and it's "leather" palm rest are really comfortable when typing. Keep in mind it is not a truly egronomic keyboard as the keyboard is still together as one; for that look to their Wireless Desktop pro which is a "split" keyboard for true egronomics. The main downside is the mouse is not their top of the line intellimouse explorer. However, it still works very well overall. The wireless capablities work flawlessly for both the mouse and keyboard. Overall this is an excellent buy for the price.

We got this about 8 months ago and have been using it ever since. We almost never have any problems with it. Every once in awhile the keyboard will miss a key, but that's rare. We haven't changed the battery yet and it's still going strong. Some other electrical devices may interfere with the operation of the keyboard. For example, we have a paper shredder that completely disables the keyboard when it's in use. Overall, we've been very happy with this device.

I like the keyboard well enough, though having the caps lock light on the receiver rather than on the keyboard itself is silly. The "F lock" thing was very frustrating to figure out. But I have no real issue with the keyboard.

The mouse is another story. The mouse generally does not function at all if it is more than two inches away from the receiver. Seriously, two inches. It really defeats the point of having a wireless mouse. My last wireless mouse was from Dell and I kept the receiver three feet away from the mouse with no issues whatsoever, so this new mouse is very frustrating. Weirdly, I can take the keyboard halfway across the room and it still works. The mouse also goes through batteries at an amazing rate.

My initial experience with this keyboard/mouse was very good, but it has not remained that way. The mouse buttons have developed a fairly common tendency to be ignored by the system. In other words, although the keyboard and cursor send their signals to and they are received by the computer with apparently no trouble, the mouse buttons require numerous depressions (or extremely forceful whackings to send their signal to the computer. Sometimes the solution is to move the mouse while maintaining pressure on the button. Unfortunately a couple of times this "solution" has resulted in folders or files being moved when that was not the intent! I'm not very happy.