USB Keyboard and Optical Mouse Combo
Model: MKEYECOMBO
Manufacturer: Macally
MSRP: $30.00 (Internet: $28.00)
A full-size 103-key keyboard plus an optical mouse for $30.00? That’s not only a good deal but it’s a good product as well. We’ve used Macally keyboards for more than a decade. A white Macally Ice Keyboard remains Mrs. Reviewer’s favorite.
This keyboard is very light weight and the mouse is even lighter. First impression—are these going to be substantial enough in the long term? In use, the keyboard is sturdy with grippy, high-friction feet that positively prevent it from moving. It has a long five-foot (1.6M) cable. The two-button USB mouse also has a generous cable. Does anyone really need a mouse with a five-foot cable?
Typing on these keys is a pleasure. The layout is for Mac OS, with no ambiguous labeling. The keys are spaced well, make very little noise and the travel distance is similar to the Mac keys, perfect for my typing style. It is not designed for people who like deep-throw clackety keys.
The top row of keys has dual-purposes. In the default setting, the Function (FN) keys operate as usual. Simultaneously pressing the FN and the Up Arrow key changes these functions to an array of fifteen familiar Mac OS shortcuts. From left to right, they perform the following: Quit application (Cmd-Q), Cut (Cmd-X), Copy (Cmd-C), Paste (Cmd-V), Previous track (Cmd-Left Arrow), Play/Pause (Spacebar), Next Track (Cmd-Right Arrow), Mute, Volume Down, Volume Up, Eject, Screen capture (Cmd-Shift-4), Print (Cmd-P), Zoom Out (Cmd – [minus sign]), Zoom In (Cmd + [plus sign]). Pressing the FN and the Down Arrow key changes these keys back to their default Function mode.
There are three small blue LEDs at the top right corner of the keyboard: Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Power. These LEDs are bright. I don’t need to know if the keyboard is powered on. If pressing a key works, it’s on, if it doesn’t, it’s off. Why have a bright blue light on whenever you are working?
These input devices are plug-and-play, no drivers required. The keyboard is low profile, not quite 3/4†(2CM) high. If you use a keyboard drawer, this should fit well. The two-button mouse is pretty basic. The soft plastic scroll wheel clicks around with detents instead of spinning.
Both the keyboard and the mouse are wired. Even if you prefer wireless peripherals, you should always have a wired keyboard and mouse nearby in the event of a problem that interrupts wireless connectivity. This pair by Macally is a terrific solution.
The long cords don’t prevent me from giving this combo a big thumbs-up. The keyboard is responsive with some useful shortcut keys and the mouse, while basic, does its job with 1000 DPI precision. At $30.00, you simply can’t go wrong.
MyMac Review rating is 9 out of 10
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.