Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard for Business. Wireless , Comfortable, Ergonomic Keyboard with Split Design and Palm Rest. Separate Number Pad Included

Let me start by saying I type A LOT. I'm a computer programmer by profession so with that I use just about every key on the keyboard. I was on the fence of buying this keyboard for a LONG time. My biggest hesitation were the mixture of extremely positive or extremely negative reviews. I can't stand finding products that have such polarizing takes. I tried a number of stores and no one had one on display...recently I happened into a Microcenter and they happened to have one in a box on the shelf...I had to peek. So I opened it up, put my hands on it, and ultimately decided I NEEDED to try this keyboard. I ended up buying from Amazon simply because Microcenter didn't have the unit without the mouse. So, onto my review... I use this plugged up to an Apple Macbook Pro. Yeah, it seems wrong I know, but nobody in the Apple universe seems to believe in ergonomic. My wrists started hurting years ago typing on the flat keyboards and I made the switch and I will never go back. I currently own 4 ergonomic keyboards and this one is so far, my favorite, and not by a small margin. So you'll have an idea of what my other keyboards are for comparison sake, here they are: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 - great wired keyboard with some minor annoyances Microsoft Wireless Comfort 5000 - another great keyboard, wireless, but a little hard feeling and squishy key feel Adesso Tru-Form Pro 308 - Love the idea, not great build quality, buggy USB - flakes out on ocassion Now that I've been typing on the Sculpt Ergonomic for well over a month now, I must say I absolutely love the feel of the keyboard. It is INCREDIBLY comfortable to type on. The key response is very fast, and the feel is just excellent. I type with fantastic accuracy and speed with this particular keyboard. Everything from writing emails, technical documents and programming, the keyboard is just excellent. Now, let me get into some of the details that people will find useful in making the decision for themselves.... Pros: - Key sizing and spacing are perfect for me (I'm a 6' guy with regular sized hands) - I love the tactile click of the chiclet style keys - very reminiscent of typing on an Apple keyboard - The wrist pad is very comfortable - The magnetically attached riser for the front is perfect for me - helps keep my hands at a good angle and height for typing - I love the magnetic battery / receiver cover - TINY USB receiver - I love how small it is (could be a problem if you forget where you put it though!) - Love the separate number pad - allows you to move your mouse closer to the keyboard - nice ergo feature - As mentioned, very responsive - Works perfectly with my Macbook Pro - I toyed with remapping the Windows key and the Alt key but it really doesn't take long to get used to them being switched - Love the split spacebar. So easy to hit with either thumb with a simple tap (not the same can be said on the Natural 4000) - Love the look and size of this thing - it's small, elegant and cool looking, IMO - COMFORTABLE!!! Absolutely no pain using this thing 9+ hours each day. Cons - these are not deal breakers to me...as a matter of fact, I love this keyboard so much I'm thinking about buying another one for my other computers to replace the Natural 4000 - The FN switch key - REALLY Microsoft?! C'mon - just give us a FN key like all other keyboards on the planet. I hate the switch key, but fortunately I never use it - would I use those keys more if not for the switch? Probably. But because of that annoyance I find that I'll just adjust the volume in the OS via the software or I'll learn the keystroke for doing a search, etc. So basically I leave mine set to the F-key setting and not the special keys and I just roll with them...irritating to be sure - F-keys are not grouped as with most other keyboards - being a programmer I use the function keys quite a bit, so it's taken a bit of relearning the feel of where the keys are. - Top row of F-keys and others are not the same style of key. They don't have that same "travel" feel that the rest of the keys on the keyboard have. It's annoying that they didn't use the same type of switches, but whatever. - Layout of the Delete, Insert, Page Up, Page Down, etc. - these are a brand new layout and for someone who's used to the standard groupings on keyboards from the past 20 years, this has definitely taken some getting used to. I still find that I'll hit the delete key when I'm reaching for something completely unrelated. I'm still not 100% good with these keys but I'm getting better. I use Home and End quite a bit and those have taken some getting used to. - Wish there was a backlit option for the keys To wrap this up...Honestly it should probably be a four star for the review, but I didn't want anyone to look at my review and think I'm on the fence with this thing. I LOVE THIS KEYBOARD. It's comfortable, it's fast, and I can use it with both my Windows and Apple computers. Of all the keyboards I've used in my life, and that's quite a few, this one is my favorite. Is it going to be for everyone, probably not because some of the cons above might actually be deal breakers for some, but for me, those tradeoffs are small in the pain relief and the enjoyment I get out of typing on this keyboard. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. If they were to address the list of cons above, they'd have something beyond special. So really, this is probably a 4.5 star review for me, but I plan on buying another one soon!

I have nothing bad to say about the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard for Business. I have been using it for engineering and FEA modeling work, and it has been excellent. One of the biggest advantages is the separated number keypad. It allows you to use your left hand for number input while keeping your right hand on the mouse, which noticeably increases efficiency and workflow productivity. For technical work that requires constant data entry and modeling, this setup makes a real difference. The ergonomic design also encourages proper hand placement and posture. After more than 7 years working in an office environment, I have not developed carpal tunnel symptoms, and my wrists do not get tired during long work sessions. That alone makes this keyboard worth it. Highly recommended for professionals who spend many hours at a desk and want both comfort and productivity.

As a computer programmer suffering from mild carpel tunnel effect (aching around wrists and splitting pain close to the tip of ulna bone), I have been using the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 since 2006 (It also goes without saying that you should have a decent chair with lumbar support + arm support...plus a desk with proper height etc). While I appreciate the split layout from the Natural Keyboard 4000, one thing I find quite inconvenient is the frequent hand travel from the keyboard to my mouse (I am right handed). As a programmer, I rarely use the number pad, and this extra wasted space requires me to move my hand back and forth for a good minimum of 6" per one way trip. Obviously, over the years, I have mastered the keyboard shortcuts to save time; however, I still use mouse a lot, especially if you come to appreciate the multi gestures feature in your mouse (i.e. Apple Magic Mouse, Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse etc). Upon receiving the Sculpt keyboard-only package, I noticed that the battery chamber cover along with the batteries already popped out, roaming freely within the plastic package. Knowing that the cover is magnetic, it would be a challenge to hold everything in place during shipping. But it is not a big deal, aside from minor scuff marks on the battery cover resulted from sliding or squeezing against batteries during shipping, it is still fully functional. This keyboard takes two AAA batteries. Since I just received this product, I do not know how long the battery life will last. Also, note that there is no power switch button with this keyboard, so it is unclear how you can power down the keyboard to save batteries (aside from the obvious popping out batteries) The keyboard setup with OS X Mavericks is a breeze. You simply plug in the USB dongle into the available USB port, and OS X will ask you to verify the keys to the right and left of the "Shift" key, and to confirm that it is US North American version of keyboard, you are good to go! At the time of writing this review, I am currently typing on this Sculpt keyboard along with Apple's Magic Mouse. The setup works perfect, as I can finish typing, and very quickly move my hand over to the mouse if necessary. In terms of learning curve, I would say that the Esc key at the upper left corner may take a little bit to get used to. Often times, I accidentally pressed "," (comma) key right below to Esc key. I also have similar muscle memory issues with Backspace and Delete keys, since they are so close together, but it is really just a tiny issue to adapt. Aside from the aforementioned issues, I'd say if you have used Natural Keyboard, you shouldn't have any trouble reaching the same typing speed as before. Someone already mentioned that the keys are chiclet style, but perhaps, because I am already quite used to the same style on Macbook Pro, I find the tactile feel is just as good, if not better, than Natural Keyboard 4000. The added bonus is that I now type a whole lot quieter than before. There are two areas that I wish Microsoft can improve further with Sculpt, both of which are not related to the typing experience itself. First, the device does use up one available USB port. It would have been quite nice if the keyboard is Bluetooth based. I do not quite agree with the official response from Microsoft stating that Bluetooth based keyboard suffers from unsatisfactory response delays. At least from my experience, Apple's Bluetooth keyboard seems to have no issues at all. Second. the slot for storing the USB dongle is hidden inside the battery chamber. It means that if you happen to put away the keyboard completely, you must take out the separate magnetic support (if you use it), open up the battery chamber with your nail, and then insert the dongle for storage. It would have been nicer if the storage slot is in plain view, so that we can easily shut off the keyboard by inserting the dongle inside the keyboard. I will update if I have more to report. Overall, it is a good keyboard, especially for those that do not use number pad. Note: I haven't reviewed number pad, as I don't use it. Update (Oct 27 2013): In Natural Keyboard 4000, the wrist rest is leather based, and has nice cushion feel to it. Under Sculpt keyboard, the cushion feel is also quite good, but the fabric is no longer leather based, as it is more foam-based. Thus, if you arm gets ashy on a dry day, it can leave much undesired ashy marks on the wrist rest fabric. It is also quite hard to clean. Still, functionality-wise, I find it very comfortable to type on still.