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Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

The Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 is Microsoft's redesign of their natural keyboard. This keyboard is designed for ergonomics and features a split keyboard to create a more natural positioning of the hands when typing. It also sports a removable front-tilt plate so that the keyboard rests at -7 degree angle relative to your desktop.

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Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
MSRP $50.00
Release date September, 2005
Brand Microsoft
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Pros & Cons14
Reviews6
Details
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Competitors
Comments3
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
6 reviews
65
negative
mixed
positive
4 positive
1 mixed
1 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Comfortable pad for your wrists
+6agreedisagree

•
Quiet keys
+5agreedisagree

•
Not too expensive
+5agreedisagree

•
Ergonomic, natural keyboard layout
+4agreedisagree

•
Prevents/hinders carpal tunnel
+4agreedisagree

•
A lot of special keys, media buttons, and zoom slider
+1agreedisagree

•
Looks great
0agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
Difficult to use if you have not been formerly taught to touch type
+3agreedisagree

•
Special keys require the bloated Intellitype software to configure
+3agreedisagree

•
The zoom slider would make more sense as a scroll wheel
+3agreedisagree

•
Space bar quite stiff, requires some force to press
+1agreedisagree

•
Should be much easier to disable unwanted keys
+1agreedisagree

•
Software setup requires you to also set up the Microsoft mouse, whether you want it or not
+1agreedisagree

•
Hard to type
-1agreedisagree


6 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
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Articles

• A Review of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

written by Omar Dec 14, 05

This report was started December 11, 2005 at 5:57 pm by Erik
with the last edit occurring Monday, 3:07 PM by Christian Michael Southgate
This page has been viewed 2876 times, with 69 edits by 8 contributors.
See the full report history »

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Comments

4 taps
1.  avatar Erik said:

I have this, and coupled with a better mouse, I swear it reversed the onset of Carpal Tunnel for me. I LOOOOVE this keyboard, and I'm pretty picky. The split might take a bit of getting used, to, but it didn't for me. After 5 minutes, I never wanted to go back to a traditional keyboard.
Apr 04, 2007 10:43am
2.  avatar mojo said:

I tried to get used to this keyboard for about a month, but couldn't do it. The problem is that I have not been formally taught to touch type, so I don't always use the right finger for the right keys. For example, I sometimes hit T with my right hand's finger, and due to it being out of reach on the 4000 I end up typing Y instead.

If I were to make the effort to learn how to type properly, using the correct fingers for each key, it would probably be brilliant. It's certainly comfortable enough. I just couldn't break the habits of a lifetime, using whatever finger seems best placed at the time to hit each key.
Jul 10, 2009 1:57pm
3.  avatar Christian Michael Southgate said:

It is possible to change the behaviour of the zoom control so that it scrolls instead. There's a good article on how to do it here: http://www.pchenry.com/Home/tabid/36/EntryID/77/Default.aspx
Nov 16, 2009 3:07pm
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

mojo

avatar
July 10, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
5 cons
have ithave it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Quiet keys
  • Not too expensive
  • Ergonomic, natural keyboard layout
  • Prevents/hinders carpal tunnel

Cons

  • Difficult to use if you have not been formerly taught to touch type
  • Special keys require the bloated Intellitype software to configure
  • The zoom slider would make more sense as a scroll wheel
  • Space bar quite stiff, requires some force to press
  • Hard to type

Comments

"I tried to get used to this keyboard for about a month, but couldn't do it. The problem is that I have not been formally taught to touch type, so I don't always use the right finger for the right keys. For example, I sometimes hit T with my right hand's finger, and due to it being out of reach on the 4000 I end up typing Y instead.

If I were to make the effort to learn how to type properly, using the correct fingers for each key, it would probably be brilliant. It's certainly comfortable enough. I just couldn't break the habits of a lifetime, using whatever finger seems best placed at the time to hit each key."
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Erik

avatar
July 10, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
78
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
2 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Quiet keys
  • Not too expensive
  • Ergonomic, natural keyboard layout
  • Prevents/hinders carpal tunnel
  • A lot of special keys, media buttons, and zoom slider
  • Looks great

Cons

  • Difficult to use if you have not been formerly taught to touch type
  • Special keys require the bloated Intellitype software to configure

Comments

"I have this, and coupled with a better mouse, I swear it reversed the onset of Carpal Tunnel for me. I LOOOOVE this keyboard, and I'm pretty picky. The split might take a bit of getting used, to, but it didn't for me. After 5 minutes, I never wanted to go back to a traditional keyboard."
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

ltumbula

avatar
August 21, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
33
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
6 cons

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Quiet keys
  • Not too expensive

Cons

  • Difficult to use if you have not been formerly taught to touch type
  • Special keys require the bloated Intellitype software to configure
  • The zoom slider would make more sense as a scroll wheel
  • Space bar quite stiff, requires some force to press
  • Should be much easier to disable unwanted keys
  • Software setup requires you to also set up the Microsoft mouse, whether you want it or not

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

ralli

avatar
October 20, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
0 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Quiet keys
  • Not too expensive
  • Ergonomic, natural keyboard layout
  • Prevents/hinders carpal tunnel
  • A lot of special keys, media buttons, and zoom slider
  • Looks great

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Amanie

avatar
April 4, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
1 con

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Quiet keys
  • Not too expensive
  • Prevents/hinders carpal tunnel

Cons

  • Hard to type

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Christian Michael Southgate

avatar
Monday, 3:01 PM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
1 con
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • Comfortable pad for your wrists
  • Ergonomic, natural keyboard layout

Cons

  • The zoom slider would make more sense as a scroll wheel

Comments

"It is possible to change the behaviour of the zoom control so that it scrolls instead. There's a good article on how to do it here: http://www.pchenry.com/Home/tabid/36/EntryID/77/Default.aspx"
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

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