Reviews for Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000

Total reviews: 5 of 423
Average Rating:

• N key is wonky (a common complaint) | Rating: | Date: 2008-08-28

  It has been widely reported and I will confirm: The N key is wider than the other keys (to fill in space) and the mechanical trigger for the key is in the center rather than towards the right where you typically hit the key. This means that half the time you press the N key and you get nothing. This is especially annoying for me as I'm just learning to touch type. I have had it for 9 months now and it has only become more annoying.
  
  Comfort-wise it is a good keyboard but it's hard to appreciate when 50% of my N's go missing!

• Good shortcut keys; Hard spacebar | Rating: | Date: 2008-08-28

  I bought this ergonomic keyboard because I thought my wrists were hurting from using a standard keyboard. I liked having the shortcut keys that reduced the amount of mousing I had to do, but the spacebar was hard to press and the keys felt a little gummy. After a couple weeks of using this keyboard, my wrists and arms felt worse so I stopped using it.

• Don't bother buying this model | Rating: | Date: 2008-08-27

  The space bar is so rigid you will soon be pain. I took the space bar off and discovered it had so many pegs holding it in place that that thing isn't moving anywhere! Add to that the fit of the pegs in the holes is quite tight, causing the bar to be difficult to push even if you hit the bar right in the middle. The space bar will not loosen up over time.

• Big, bulky, and clunky | Rating: | Date: 2008-08-23

  I accidentally spilled some water on my ergo keyboard last week and the control key and "c" key were out of commission. I purchased the 4000 and tried it out as a replacement. The keyboard is huge. If you are using a computer desk with a slide out keyboard tray, this monster will either scrape the top of the desk or not fit in at all when you try to slide it in.
  
  There are lots of bells and whistles such as programmable keys and the sort, but these are more of a gimmick than anything else. The key response and placement are ok, but its easy to mistype because of the angle of the keys.
  
  After two days, I returned this keyboard. It has a nice wrist cushion, but overall, the feel of the keys, the unwieldy over-sized footprint, and flimsy keys don't add up to a very good typing experience. The Microsoft Natural Elite runs circles around the 4000.
  
  Oh, and after two days, my keyboard dried out and works fine again.

• Pretty nice keyboard overall | Rating: | Date: 2008-08-20

  Thought this keyboard was really nice when i bought it.
  Pros: Palmrest, this has got to be one of the best palmrests i've ever bought since it's not made out of plastic for a change. It's got this leathery feeling to it which is nice. The programmable keys are really good to use, although i find it kind of hard to type on the keypad once in a while because the palmrests are not extended long enough. Price! This keyboard is pretty quiet too.
  Cons: I've been using the comfort curve 2000 and well, for the typing part, that one is still better. I find the keys a bit hard to depressed compared to keyboards. Not just the space bar key like other people have been saying, but i find most of the keys on the keyboard are hard to depress.