Whether you have a PC or Mac, plug in the Microsoft 4000 wired keyboard for immediate use. The ergonomic split design helps promote natural hand and wrist placement. Plug and Play your keyboard with the PC and go. USB connectivity for a easy connection with your Computer. Quickly and easily connect with the computer. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.
For touch typists only, the MS' ergonomic keyboard may seem awkward, but it looks great and has a feel to match.'> 3 November 2005,Comments: 4 November 2005 R. Scott ClarkKeyboard Design
The wrist rest is literally built onto the keyboard and is not removable, but there’s nothing to complain about it. Why? Its Leatherette cushioning is friggin’ comfortable, by far the best wrist rest I’ve laid palms on.
The USB-only Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 does away with the unsightly beige coloring of its predecessors, favoring a sleek black design with silver edges and media keys. Nearly all of the corners are now rounded, including the edges of the 6 and 7 keys and those keys on the leftmost and rightmost sides of the keyboard to present an aesthetically pleasing and modernized look.
Like the Natural keyboards before it, this one splits the keyboard in half at a 12º angle to straighten your wrists with the alignment of the keys instead of bending your wrists at an awkward angle and cramming them together like traditional keyboards force you to do. Also, if you take a look at your hands, all your fingers will (hopefully) be of different lengths, the middle finger being the longest of the curved bunch. The rows of keys on the keyboard mimic this in what Microsoft calls a Gull Wing design, subtly curving the keys to better meet the placement of the fingers. Take a look at the two photos below, you can clearly see the difference these adjustments make.
It should be noted that the split keyboard design will only work for you if you know how to touch type. Two finger peckists will find the layout slow, and gamers will find that keys on the other side of the split are just too far to reach in the middle of a firefight. If you can touch type however and work in front of a keyboard all day, the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard is more likely to fit your lifestyle.
The Microsoft does more than just split the keyboard and curve the keys to try and provide a better typing experience. A lot of the emphasis is placed on elevation. Think about this, when you just plop your hand on a table, it probably doesn’t lay flat, but more likely it sits at a more vertical angle with the thumb raised in the air as if you were about to shake hands with someone. While the Natural keyboard doesn’t quite match this, it does slightly conform to the handshake posture with a 14º angle raising the vertical center of the keyboard.
What’s more, Microsoft totally rethought the concept of a raised keyboard. If you know anything about ergonomics (I’m still learning too), it’s always stated that your wrists be flat and not bent upwards. Despite this, many keyboards can be raised at the back using stands and this puts a strain on the tendons under the wrist. While the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard can also be raised at the rear, there’s a platform that connects to the front of the keyboard to create the exact opposite, a reverse 7º slope.
They seem to really be pushing it too, because it’s already connected when the box is opened. Using the reverse slope was very awkward at first, but I noticed two things about it. It forces me to sit upright to reach all the keys, and my arms are in the recommended 90º angle. Strangely enough I’ve come to prefer using the Natural keyboard with the reverse slope over using it flat, although I can no longer shut my keyboard tray because of it.
I managed to get a hold of the older Natural Keyboard Pro for comparison, and was able to conclude that the keys are not only much quieter to the touch, but they are also easier to press and travel slightly more when pressed. As such, I find the keys to be more responsive and not nearly as distracting.
Extra Functionality
The Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 ships with the IntelliType Pro 5.3 drivers to control all the hot keys of the keyboard to unlock the potential of the keyboard. At the top of the keyboard the small blue buttons that were present on the Natural Keyboard Pro are now replaced with silver rounded rectangles representing various functions. In the top center of the keyboard are five favorites keys labeled 1-5, not bound to anything by default. Pressing the star key underneath them will open a dialog box to assign each of them the task of opening a folder, file, or website. These can be particularly handy for quickly launching a text editor to take notes or opening a share on the network.
In the top left are three buttons for accessing your default browser’s home page, search page, and to launch an email client. On the far right are keys for muting and controlling the volume, pausing the current media player, and launching the calculator. The F-keys also double as enhanced function keys for common office commands, enabled by an F-Lock key next to the F-12 key. Both the regular hot keys and the enhanced function keys can be reprogrammed to perform one of several common commands, launch a program, or website. Just know that pressing Play/Pause will inconveniently bring the media player to front.
A few other points of interest about the Natural keyboard is the status indicators have been relocated from the center of the split to make room for a zoom slider, and now lie below the space bar along with new back and forward buttons that can alternatively be reprogrammed to skip through MP3s. The logoff and sleep keys that were above the number pad are now replaced with an extra row of keys including the equals key, start and close parentheses, and a backspace key. Oh, and that evil vertical 5-key arrangement above the arrow keys on some Microsoft keyboards thankfully didn’t make its way to the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard, it’s just the classic 6-key arrangement the way it was meant to be.
One curious thing I noticed was the Mac logo on the box. While there are no alternative printings for Command or Option on the modifier keys like on some Logitech keyboards, there is indeed a OS X .dmg install image on the included CD, and the software is very similar to the Windows version, with support for the favorites and multimedia controls as well as zooming. The Windows and Alt (option) keys are switched by default to match the standard Mac keyboard layout, and the right-click key is a hot key that can either be programmed to a keystroke (Cmd-Tab by default), or converted into another Windows key. Support for enhanced function keys is not present, but the ability to have different key assignments per application via profiles is, something the Windows users don’t have.
Recap
The Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 is a serious keyboard for safety- and comfort- conscious touch typists. Although awkward to use at first especially with the reverse slope attachment, I have found myself able to type for longer periods of time without discomfort and have a better posture when typing as opposed to my usual slouch permitted by any other keyboard. The keys are of good quality and are quiet yet tactile, and the curved gull-wing alignment of the keys conforms to the arc of my fingers rather nicely.
The padded Leatherette wrist rest is a blessing from the heavens, and with the exception of the play/pause button the hot-keys are very handy in reducing keystrokes. My only real complaint is the lack of a USB hub. If you know how to touch type and are even the slightest bit concerned with getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I strongly suggest giving this keyboard a try.
Ergonomic Keyboards on Amazon
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The PC based systems use our exclusive and feature rich Drive Manager software with advanced functions. Standalone systems are ultra-fast, high speed copiers duplicating gigabytes of data quickly and accurately.How_delightfulsays: November 30, 2013 at 3:13 pm
There are three different models with three different prices of this 4000 model here. Any idea if I should get the 00010, 00012 or 00028?
Simon Ravhøjsays: August 21, 2013 at 2:14 pmRemember a vertical mouse!
William Warren McGinnissays:Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 Review Mac Os
May 10, 2013 at 7:10 amWhere is the “function” key on this keyboard?
Chris Novasays: June 2, 2013 at 2:15 pmright above the backspace
Since 1994, Microsoft has been at the forefront of what it dubbed 'natural' keyboards, now often referred to as ergonomic keyboards. This series of keyboards are designed to more accurately represent how are arms and hands are meant to lay rather than when they're crunched, wrist-to-wrist when using a laptop.
The new Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard looks to be the successor to the 2005 Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (not to be confused with the more recent Sculpt Ergonomic and Surface Ergonomic releases).
As a long-time user of the 4000, Sculpt, and Surface Ergonomic keyboards, I have some thoughts about this new one.
Improved typing today
Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard (2019)
Bottom line: Microsoft's latest ergonomic keyboard costs less but delivers even more value. With new dedicated keys for emojis, Microsoft Office, and the new snipping tool, plus an improved typing experience, this is the most comfortable ergo keyboard around. Too bad there are no backlit keys.
Pros:
- Larger keys, more consistent travel.
- Improved layout and modern design.
- Affordable.
- Plug and play.
Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard design and emoji
The Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard is a comparatively light keyboard, weighing just 35.98 oz, including the cable (1,020 g). It's made from all plastic and has a hollow feel to it. While light, though, it won't slide around your desk due to the rubber feet.
A single USB Type-A 2.0 plug is needed to power the keyboard, so it is not wireless. Disappointingly, the keyboard is also not backlit. That choice was likely to keep costs down, but it would have been amazing to have an option to purchase a more expensive version with backlit keys. It's worth pointing out, too, that this is a skinny cable. I'm not worried about it breaking or fraying, but I do appreciate how little room it occupies, letting you have a more minimalist look.
The most significant change with this 2019 model is the addition of a few more relevant dedicated keys. There are new keys for the Windows 10 emoji picker, Microsoft Office, and the new snipping tool. Other dedicated keys include one for calculator, task view, locking the PC, and Windows search.
Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center app lets you configure the keyboard even more.
The top middle row houses the expected media keys, including mute, volume controls, play and pause, skip, and forward tracks. The media-player button defaults to opening Groove, but users can program that button (and others incuding emoji key) using the optional Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center application. There are three numbered keys on the top left that can be assigned a macro or to open any app you want.
Like other Microsoft ergo keyboards (except for the Surface Ergonomic), this one includes a wrist riser that can better help angle your wrists upward. On previous keyboards, Microsoft used magnets to attach that riser, but now there is just a plug that snaps into the bottom. While this doesn't matter in day-to-day usage, I like the magnets better.
Dedicated keys (left to right) for calculator, screen snip, task view, and screen lock.
The material used for the wrist rest is interesting. It's not the leather found on the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, nor the Alcantara (which gets very dirty) on the Surface Ergonomic keyboard. Instead, it resembles that of the Sculpt Ergonomic. It's a soft, nylon-esque material that is darker than the Sculpt and presumably will get less dirty and hold up longer. It feels excellent and makes typing that much more comfortable due to the quarter-inch padding underneath.
Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard typing
Typing on the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard is excellent, but some context is needed as Microsoft has various keyboards, all with different key designs. The travel on these keys is much deeper than the Surface Ergonomic and even Sculpt Ergonomic. Instead, it matches the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 more closely.
However, the keys on the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard are significantly larger (especially the arrow keys) than the Natural's, resulting in fewer missed keystrokes for a more consistent experience. But while the travel distance is similar (depth), the newer keyboard has a much better bounce-back, alleviating some effort when typing. While the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 is excellent to type on, the keys are also a bit mushy. That is not the case here.
Likewise, the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 has a notoriously loud spacebar key that felt a bit too difficult to depress. That is fixed here with the spacebar feeling like the other keys and not requiring much effort at all.
Finally, the 'wave' design is more accentuated on the new Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard than on any release so far. This change likely reveals a more precise manufacturing and the latest science on the matter. (Microsoft famously studies this topic extensively in its Human Factors Group.)
So should you buy the new Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard?
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 Review Mac Air
Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard with the optional wrist riser installed.
If you are still holding onto your Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard (2019) is a natural upgrade. The pedigree is similar, but it's clear Microsoft has dramatically improved and updated some of the core features of this series. Typing is more comfortable, and the keyboard looks more modern with a cleaner, more straightforward design.
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 V1.0
The new keys for emojis, Office, and snipping tool are excellent and charming touches. Emojis may seem goofy (depending on your age), but they are trendy, and that is only increasing as the workforce gets younger. And if you don't use them, no big deal.
If you're coming from the Sculpt or Surface ergonomic keyboards, this one will feel different. That's because the key travel is much deeper than those, which some users prefer. This keyboard is also wired, making it much more reliable than wireless models. And you don't have to replace or charge batteries. The Sculpt keyboard used a wireless dongle, which works well, but you still need to keep spare batteries handy. The Surface Ergonomic is Bluetooth, which can suffer from interference and occasionally fail.
For those who never tried an ergonomic keyboard, the new Microsoft Ergonomic may be worth a shot. At just $60, the price is one of the lowest of this series, making it quite accessible. There is a learning curve, though, and it will take wat least a few days of practice to get used to the design. However, as people in comments here will attest, once you go ergonomic, it's tough to go back.
For me, I'm glad Microsoft made this keyboard. My only real complaint is the lack of backlit keys, but due to the benefits of typing on this improved design, it's a tradeoff I'm willing to accept.
Typing right
Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard (2019)
The most comfortable way to type
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 Review Mac Os
Microsoft's Ergonomic Keyboard for 2019 is an excellent follow-up to the legendary Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. With larger keys, better key actuation, fixed spacebar, and now dedicated keys for the Windows 10 emoji picker, Office, and Windows snipping tool, it's also the most useful. That $60 price is quite fair, though for a wired keyboard we would have preferred backlighting.
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UH OHMicrosoft may have delayed Windows 10X and Surface Neo beyond 2020
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 10X and Surface Neo products may not be shipping in time for the holiday after all, according to a new report from ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley. This means that other Windows 10X devices from third-party manufactures also won't be launching at the end of this year like originally planned. Microsoft's dual-screen Windows 10X effort has been put on pause.