Reviewed by: cpeterson46 on 16-Dec-08 Rating:

Strengths:Easy on the wrists.

Weaknesses:Awkwardness of the space bar.

Summary:My second one of these just went out. The first one I had lasted 2 days. Then the C and V keys would not work. Got another one as it was under warranty. It has lasted a month. The C key will not work. The guy working at the store said they had been seeing a lot coming back with the same problem.

Reviewed by: lurkdale on 28-Dec-08 Rating:

Strengths:Everything except the spacebar

Weaknesses:the spacebar

Summary:I just bought a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. The spacebar sticks and really slows down the typing. This seems to be a common complain with this keyboard. I would NOT recommend it.

Reviewed by: paazel on 10-Oct-05 Rating:

Strengths:design, better insert/home/delete layout, long cord

Weaknesses:tactile response could be better, ps2 connection not availibe, price, size of software package

Summary:have been waiting for a wired black ms natural keyboard for a while. i like the keyboard. the padded wrist rest is very nice. zoom slider seems useless. a \"power on\" button would have been welcome. software package is huge to customize keys. keyboard is very customizable.

all & all happy with the product.

Reviewed by: reviewerreid on 17-Jul-06 Rating:

Strengths:good feel, configurable

Weaknesses:space bar could have lighter touch, driver causes problems with Microsoft apps.

Summary:After installing the keyboard software, MS Excel, and Power Point zoom to the max. PP then \"flickers\". Had to press the shift key to open Word. Otherwise it opened and immediately closed. One web page repeatedly closed whenever I tried to type in a specific text box. Uninstalling the driver fixed these problems. The keyboard is nice, but the driver (5.5.661) needs fixing.

Reviewed by: CzarKasm on 17-Oct-05 Rating:

Strengths:CORRECT orientation of the arrow keys and the INS/HOME/PAGEUP block of keys. Ultra-quiet key response. Sleek & sexy appearance.

Weaknesses:No USB ports - c\'mon! Hard to see when playing games in the dark.

Summary:I have previously owned the original Natural and the Natural Pro keyboards, skipping the Elite because MS screwed up the placement of the arrow keys and the block of 6 keys above them. These ergonomic keyboards are great for playing FPS-style games. I can play for hours without any finger or wrist cramping, compared to the torture of using a straight keyboard. If you\'ve never used an ergo keyboard before, there is definitely a learning curve, but you will get used to it after a week or so of regular use. All of the MS keyboards I have owned previously have been built very solidly, and the 4000 is no exception. If anything, I think it\'s a little bit better than before. The key presses are almost completely silent, so unless you like the clickity-clack racket of old-school keyboards, you will love this keyboard. The big negative I found with this keyboard is the lack of extra USB ports. I mean, geez, if it\'s a wired USB keyboard, why leave off the extra ports for easily connecting a mouse, tablet, or whatever?

Reviewed by: jgmendozaiii on 19-Oct-05 Rating:

Strengths:Comfort!!!! tons of features!

Weaknesses:Price!!!

Summary:Bottom line...comfort! Forget all the other features! this keyboard is comfortable. The words just fly off your fingers with this keyboard! no stuttering!

It also has tons of features that you can use if you choose to. But if your hand is tired of typing, invest in a little comfort.

Reviewed by: 9upinu on 01-Nov-05 Rating:

Strengths:Keyboard is very chic looking and much more comfortable than conventional keyboards that Ive used in the past .The keys are lifted up higher for a better feel and less strain while typing.

Weaknesses:The only faults I have are the zoom buttom in the middle of the keyboard is unnecessary and takes up space. Also I would prefer different colors to choose from such as blue or silver.

Summary:I highly recommend this keyboard because I type and play games frequently putting unduly strain on my hands.The keyboard is functional as well as good looking.The software was easy to install and has a variety of supportive features such as one button access to the internet. I hope to enjoy using this product for years to come.

Reviewed by: cswake on 22-Oct-05 Rating:

Strengths:Black & Wired, Layout, Appearance, Feel, Software

Weaknesses:Key shape, Keyboard riser, Zoom button

Summary:Microsoft knocked this design out of the park. I can\'t emphasize enough how nice it is to type on this - even coming from the much loved Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro. (NKP) Finally, Microsoft has released a keyboard that is both black & wired, their wireless products have given me lots of headaches. The layout continues the same layout as previous Natural Keyboards, but both sides appear to have a bit more of a concave shape than previous models - resulting in a better feel for me. The keys also have a softer type to them rather than the loud click of my NKP, another welcome change. In addition, the black/silver appearance of the keyboard definately matches the sleek looking computer cases & LCD bezels nowadays. Top this off with the reliable Microsoft keyboard software and it is difficult to find things not to like.

No worries though, I\'m rather picky and can always find things to complain about. The shape of some specific keys is bad, where they seem to have raised the center of the key above the sides rather than making it lower. This results in situations where sometimes I can\'t pinpoint the key easily and/or my finger will slip off. (Thankfully this is not all of them) The keyboard riser to raise the front of the keyboard is good, but it\'s too high in my opinion. They should have somehow made it user adjustable. Last but not least, the zoom button in the middle can useful, but I often find myself hitting it accidentally - a minor annoyance.

Bottom Line: Buy this now.

Reviewed by: jgranato on 29-Mar-06 Rating:

Strengths:Ergonomic, Wrist Support, Tactile Keys, Zoom Scroll

Weaknesses:Lacks USB Hub

Summary:This keyboard replaced my trusty MS Natural Multimedia Keyboard. The think that really caught my attention was the padded wrist and elevation option. These worked really well for me. The new zoom key is nice, but I keep going back to my mouse for this function. Good software to support programming key functions. I really like the keyboard response when I type and the pad does really help after typing all day. As a wish list item I would have liked to see an USB hub built into the keyboard.

Reviewed by: fandry96 on 28-Jan-06 Rating:

Strengths:Very comfy and natural.

Weaknesses:Takes some getting used to.

Summary:As expected with something new, this keyboard will take some retraining of your mind. It feels extremely smooth and comfortable and after a few days you get used to having your hands in a new position and the typos get less and less. I love this keyboard and I am sure I could never go back. I also love the middle back and forward buttons, so easy to hit them with your thumbs while you surf.