The Basics:
The computer chosen to test this keyboard and mouse combo is a Gateway GT5028 Athlon64X2 3800+ based system with Windows XP Media Center 2005 connected to a 32” Sony Bravia LCD HD Television/Monitor. The test subject’s hands are about 8 ½” long from wrist base to middle finger tip, with a middle finger length of 3 ½”. All settings are done through the standard Windows Control Panel " and were left to Windows XP’s regular settings for this review of the
Rosewill RKM-800RF. The setup involved a quick install of the batteries (one for the keyboard, one for the mouse), turning the switches on, and plugging the receiver into a rear USB port. After 19 seconds for Windows XP to find the hardware, we were off and typing.
The keyboard is devoid of any extra surface area, making this a nice idea for those who have a need to take a full-sized keyboard with their laptop. It’s also nice for those with a PC-based entertainment machine in mind, however there are no extra multimedia buttons on the keyboard. The mouse is a bit shorter than a traditional Microsoft Intellimouse, with a slightly ‘square’ shape to it. For a size comparison, a basic Dell keyboard is pictured next to the Rosewill RKM-800RF's keyboard.
Keeping the idea of different people’s hand size and shape in mind, the keyboard felt a little uncomfortable to my quite large hands. With no built-in wrist rest and no extra surface on the RKM-800RF’s keyboard, my hands had to be bent slightly upward to type. Extending the rear legs did help quite a bit, but the experience felt more like typing on an old laptop, before they moved the keyboard toward the rear of the body. With this in mind, my wife was offered the unit to use. With her smaller hands and shorter fingers, she felt it rather pleasant to use for a page or two of use. The keys have a nice, soft feel to them and the keyboard is quiet with nearly no noise while in use. The RKM-800RF keyboard was responsive with no lag. And the advertised 15M (49.2 feet) might be true. Typing from the opposite end of my computer lab at the 32 foot mark, the RKM-800RF was just as responsive as if it were on the desk.
The RKM-800RF’s mouse was much more pleasant to my hands. Although my large hands nearly engulfed the mouse, the boxier shape " almost chunky " helped make it very easy to control. Again, keeping other hands in mind, my wife found the RKM-800RF mouse nice to use, and comfortable for daily use. The wheel is raised about an eighth of an inch higher than the surface, and the scrolling has very subtle detents, much less than the Microsoft optical mouse currently in use on my machine. The 800dpi optical tracking made easy work of quick photo edits in Adobe PhotoShop Elements, laying out ride segments in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, and surfing the Web in Firefox. As with the keyboard, the RKM-800RF mouse was just as precise from 32 feet away as it was on the desk. This does make the RKM-800RF set handy if your intent was to control a TV-based media center from the couch or recliner. After hammering out this review using the RKM-800RF, and seven days of general use of about 6 hours per day, the batteries seemed as strong as when they were installed.
The image below shows the RKM-800RF's mouse along side a Dell branded Microsoft Intellimouse.
