Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop
RRP: AU$229.95
The Good: A two pack of Wireless Mouse and Keyboard, the Optical Desktop looks really good; a mixed silver/black finish on the keyboard is particularly striking. Like Microsoft's newer keyboards, there's a mix of additional function buttons, most notably media playback buttons at the top of the keyboard. Key travel is quite good; a comfortable 104 key experience. Mouse is a simple two-button affair with a clear scroll wheel.
The Bad: We couldn't get the mouse to respond on one of our test machines. Installation requires two ports, one of which must be PS/2 -- the mouse comes with a USB adapter, but the keyboard doesn't, so it isn't recommended for users with no legacy ports. The function buttons automatically revert to opening documents rather than their standard use, which is annoying when you have to remember to put function lock on every time you boot up.
The Verdict: The Wireless Optical Desktop certainly looks the business if you want to impress. As with all wireless keyboards, you've got to be prepared to shell out for batteries, and it may be worth having an old cabled keyboard around for if this one fails. If you like split keyboards, Microsoft also offer this package as the Wireless Optical Desktop Pro with ergonomic split for an additional AU$20.
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