Canadian Mac Forums at ehMac banner

Apple Wireless Keyboard Arrived: Review

4K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  fyrefly 
#1 · (Edited)
My pre-ordered new Wireless Keyboard arrived, and I will say that my first impressions are very positive.

I have owned a Core2Duo MacBook for about a year, and become very accustomed to the keyboard style and layout. As a result, more and more when I sat down at my iMac to do some work I became annoyed at the bulky, blocky keyboard that came with the iMac. I even replaced it with the Wireless one that was previously released, which had little effect on my appreciation of the keyboard.

When Apple announced the new keyboard design I felt as if my mind had been read- for awhile now I had been thinking that it would be great if the keyboard for the imac was identical to that of the MacBooks. In fact, I'm considering an upgrade to a MacBook Pro, but am waiting for it as well to be upgraded to the recessed, square key design of the MacBooks and now iMac keyboards.

The New Wireless Keyboard is very, very compact. I don't think it's clear in the photos just how small, thin, and well-designed it is. It's width and profile are exactly that of the MacBook's- to a tee.

The height is a comfortable incline, one which is reasonable and not too daunting on the wrists. It's understandable that the reason for the lift is due to the requirement of batteries, something that is a draw back for some people. I however use rechargeable batteries, and found that with the previous Wireless keyboard, the batteries lasted for months- and I imagine this keyboard will be no different.

Another criticism of this Bluetooth version of the new Apple keyboard is its lack of a numeric keypad. And again, coming from the MacBook, I have both no worries about that and no need for it for the work I do. I can see however that some people are displeased- to have the new design they're left with the wired version, something that didn't happen with the previous generation of Apple keyboards.

The typing experience is nearly identical to my MacBook, something that's warmly welcomed. Additionally, the extra Expose and Dashboard buttons, as well as brightness, volume, and playback controls are welcomed.

I've included some photos which try to show the size and profile of the Wireless keyboard accurately.

I'm giving it a 4.5 out of 5- the missing numeric keypad will be a deal breaker for some, while the portability, MacBook size and feel replication will also be a beacon of joy for others.
 

Attachments

See less See more
2
#3 ·
That keyboard truly is tiny! Awesome. I can't justify spending the money since I have the exact same one built into my MacBook. ;) I think I'll go with the wired version eventually, though.
 
#4 ·
at first, before the wireless version came out ~ I was going to get it either way.. with or without the numeric keypad.. but recently I found myself relying on it.

However, I can totally see the benefit of this keyboard for those who both have an Apple laptop and desktop, as switching between the two systems would be much easier and more solid. I found myself making simple mistakes because I type as if I were using my desktop keyboard..so yeah.

Anyway great review, I might look into getting one of these instead of the wired one when I order my iMac ;)
 
#5 ·
This is the perfect keyboard to sit on my coffee table to use with my media centre Mac mini! It's just too bad they couldn't build a track-pad into it. I'll be using the BlueTooth Mighty Mouse instead for times when I can't navigate with the keyboard conveniently.
 
#7 ·
Nice, useful review - thanks.

I have the old BT keyboard. the only issue I had with it was when my iMac wakes from sleep. I have the Mac set to require a password when waking from sleep etc. - the BT keyboard was not recognized right away. I had to hit a random key a few times for the Mac to recognize the kb. Only then could I type in my password.

I really like the small size of the new one. I don't use the number pad, and the additional space is great for my notebooks etc.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the review I love that this keyboard doesn't have a numeric pad. It's much more ergonomic for people who use a mouse with their right hand, because the mouse is closer to center of your body. The numeric pad always annoyed me and caused unnecessary strain.

I tried out the wired keyboard the other day and it's so light and I the key action is fine with me. Can't wait for this to show up in apple stores!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top