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ViewSonic ViewMate KP102 Keyboard & MC201 Optical Mouse |
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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
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Page 2 of 2
At the top right of the keyboard are the media function keys. There's the small Power Off and Sleep button. The oval cavity contains volume controls (including a mute button at the top) as well as Previous, Stop, Pause/Play, and Next buttons. The volume keys are of particular interest since they eliminate the need to change volume using Windows software (if you're using headphones, which I do most of the time).
As for the rest of the keys, they're not as elevated as those found on most boards (somewhere in-between laptop key height and standard keyboard height). They generate a moderate, pleasant clicking sound and are very easy to depress. They're also slightly textured for better grip. The Enter button is backwards L-shaped. Because of this, the Shift key below it is slightly shorter to accommodate the \ button to its right. The Backspace button is equivalent to two key lengths (the ideal size). Finally, the F and J buttons have stubs for proper finger alignment.
Once the driver is installed, whenever you click on any of the hotkeys (with the exception of a select few) a green OSD will tell you what you're pressing. This also holds true for the media controls on the upper right of the keyboard. None of this is really necessary; it's there just because. You can always get rid of it by uninstalling the custom driver and using Windows' generic driver.
Hmm, testing. I used both and did what I always do: work (and bit of gaming, but don't tell anyone). After using the Logitech MX510, the MC201 mouse felt awkward. It doesn't have the comfortable ergonomic grip and it's small. That happens to be its major problem: due to the reduced size, my hand constantly hovered over my mouse pad. After a couple hours my wrist began to hurt. It's something you can get used to, but it's far from perfect. The button clicking is also a bit loud.
As for the keyboard, it's the best I've used to date. What a sad day it was to retire my nearly decade-old Microsoft Elite. The KP102's keys works great, the arrangement is generally good, some of the hotkeys are extremely useful, and the grey area extending below the Space bar functions as a near perfect wrist rest. Unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of using any similar Logitech keyboards so I can't claim this as the be-all end-all, but it's pretty darn good.
Pros
- Tons of hotkeys on keyboard
- Very well laid out
- Keys are almost perfect in height, placement, and response behavior
- Wrist rest is very comfortable
- Great price: $18 for both
Cons
- Mouse is small and causes discomfort
- Mouse button clicking is loud
- Keyboard needs USB connection (with PS/2 adapter)
- Office Lock mode should be disabled by default
- Would be awesome if the keyboard pointer functioned like a mouse
In general, there's not much that can be said about keyboards. ViewSonic's ViewMate is definitely a class above most other "enhanced" keyboards, but hotkeys don't matter as much as the overall feeling, and I'm very pleased with the experience received thus far. The same can't be said about the mouse. For a basic/budget optical, it does the job. It has good tracking, smooth gliding, and basic functions. On the flipside, it's too small for complete comfort, lacks any extra buttons, and clicks way too loud. Keyboard great, mouse just ok. See your options here.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 13 July 2007 )
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