I was looking for a nice keyboard to complement the Logitech M325 Wireless Mouse.
However, the Computer stores seemed to have only Wireless Keyboard + Mouse combo, which would make my M325 redundant.
The next option, however was a wired keyboard and I saw a couple of standard Logitech ones. Next I was shown a humble box which turned out to be a Dell Multimedia Keyboard (KB216), the one I am using to write this post.
Pros
The first thing I noticed when I saw this keyboard was ‘boy this is a beauty’. It comes in chiclet key style and has a full layout. So those of you who are spoilt by the new style of keyboards in laptops will welcome this warmly. Also this design means very less key travel compared to other keyboards in this range.
Moreover, it has a nice feel to the hand which I found to be very comfortable to type on. It also has a palm rest that is available for purchase separately.
Next you might probably notice that this keyboard is rather wide. It isn’t exactly true though since it has the same width as other wired keyboards. However, it has a very small depth, which would take relatively less desk space! To be precise, it measures 44.2 cm x 12.7 cm x 2.44 cm.
The next benefit this keyboard packages is two ‘Fn’ keys, again for those of us used to laptops. This allows easy access to functions like play, pause, rewind, and fast-forward and others. There is also volume control without needing to press ‘Fn’. Nice.
The indicator LEDs for the three locks are also present, in a subtle white colour of which I am a big fan.
Finally the price. I was able to buy this at Techzone, Sri Lanka at just Rs. 1200 (8 USD), which is very reasonable for what you are getting! If you live elsewhere, I am sure you can find it priced competitively.
Cons
Any great product should have some disadvantages, so I came up with this list:
- Not Spill-resistant (like the Logitech counterparts)
- Some desktop users may not prefer the lesser key travel
- Wired (really?)
Conclusion
I have been using it for 3 days now and have had a very positive experience so far. It can be used for virtually any purpose. I have been using this primarily for programming and can safely say this is by far the best budget keyboard I have used!
Hope you find this review useful!