Recommend me a new keyboard

[TUS 373]

After upgrading to a stylish black and silver Sony TFT monitor, my ageing beige keyboard is clashing with it and ready for renewal too.

There is a bewildering array of black-silver coloured keyboards on the market, and I would like to get a completely cordless set up for both the keyboard as well as the mouse.

I had a look at the overpriced stock in PC World, and up close, most of the keyboards on offer look very flimsy and tacky and don't look like they will last even 12 months before they are in bits - including offerings from Microsoft and Logitech. I did quite like the Logitech Di Novo, but this seems to retail at about £125.00 even amongst web retailers.

Can someone recommend a quality, stylish wireless keyboard-mouse combo costing <£100.00 that can match the clean modern lines of a TFT - and is basically isn't a load of junk please?

>>> Edited by TUS 373 on Friday 3rd December 21:47

[sparkythecat]

Have a look at www.ebuyer.com they have dozens.
I bought a Genius wireless keyboard and mouse combo that's ok. Cost about £50 IIRC

[BliarOut]

Have a look at www.belkin.com. I have a stylish wireless keyboard and mouse from them. Very nice, only problem is the mouse doesn't have a back button.... No idea on price as mine came free with a KVM.

[TUS 373]

Thanks chaps. Good to have a recommendation for the Belkin kit, and a reminder about ebuyer.

[wedg1e]

I'm a cheapskate. I make do with one of those black and silver Logitech's that you don't like: £13 from 'justdeals.uk' in Eire, on Ebay.

Prior to that I used a Neolec RF combo, cost £18 about 18 months ago.

Also have a Logitech Freedom Joystick, works a treat on the Flight Sim (if lacking the reality of rudder pedals)...

[Pigeon]

Keyboards are shite these days. I use an IBM Model M. This technology is still available from www.pckeyboard.com

[pmanson]

Logitech Cordless Desktop MX. (Keyboard and mouse)

Very good keyboard & mouse. I've had mine 8 months or so and its very good!

Comes with a charging station for the mouse which is very useful as the cordless mice tend to take a lot of juice.

Highly recommended! (I think I paid £80 from Dabs.)

[simpo two]

Just one thing - I have a cordless Logitech set-up, and the only thing you have to watch out for is the mouse batteries. When they go, they go without warning: the cursor just freezes and that's it. So always keep spare batteries!

[welsh blackbird]

Pigeon said:

Keyboards are shite these days. I use an IBM Model M. This technology is still available from www.pckeyboard.com

I use an old IBM keyboard - out of the ark, but you can't better the feel and the click!

[pmanson]

simpo two said:

Just one thing - I have a cordless Logitech set-up, and the only thing you have to watch out for is the mouse batteries. When they go, they go without warning: the cursor just freezes and that's it. So always keep spare batteries!

Mine's got the charging station and it always gives you a couple of warnings before the batteries go.

[TUS 373]

Thanks again.

It would probably be helpful if gave my requirements for the keyboard-mouse to see what is recommended. Thing is, in places like PC World where you can handle and try them, they are usually all jumbled up and it takes forever to work out the corresponding model number and price. So here I go:

1. Comfortable to use ( I use a 'Natural' keyboard at the moment and it has been good)
2. Cordless mouse and keyboard
3. Mouse must be optical (fed up with ball mice - time to move on)
4. Lights for Caps, Numberlock etc
5. Some media keys - but not absolutely essential
6. Black and silver (hey, I have to live with this for a few years)
7. Prefer a recognised quality brand

TIA