Stay away from that keyboard if you can. I have it at work and it sucks. Seriously!!

I actually just swiped a keyboard like that at my work. When I first started here they gave me a non-standard keyboard(the PageUp, PageDown block was turned 90 degrees). I happened to find a computer that wasn't being used with a standard keyboard and this one was it. I have been happy with it so far.

I don't necessarily like it better than my keyboard at home, but it is definitely better than having a non-standard layout.

Dell makes the best keyboards in my opinion. I'm not big into the ergonomic layout, so a quiet keyboard with a standard layout is all I need.

I have that keyboard at work; came with the Optiplex series of workstations. It's alright I suppose, I prefer my logitech at home however. The only gripe I have with it is that it takes two hands to hit alt-printscreen now.

This keyboard is _very_ light and I end up pushing it around while typing. I don't like it for that reason but I agree with Marty. Some of Dell's new keyboards havethe Ins|Del|Home|End|PgUp|PgDn stack turned vertical. Those are the absolute worst.

> I have it at work and it sucks.

OK, but why does it suck? Can you be more specific?

Hey I know what you mean about the quest for a perfect keyboard. Have you tried the BenQ X800 X-TOUCH? I've been using it for over a month now and it's nothing but goodness. It's got that laptop-tactile feel to it, it's black, small, and minimalistic. Just thought I'd point it out ;)

I got the keyboard with a Dimension 8400 (bought in October 2004 for work, in Australia) and I like it. Coupled with the flatscreen, there's so much space that I even have the box just behind the monitor on a normal sized desk. It makes having and utilising two screens more viable IMHO.

I use a gel pad normally for my wrists so a large keyboard is less desirable. The only bad thing I find with it is the extra "bit" for the ctrl/alt/spacebar keys makes the pad not fit snugly against that side of it.

> Have you tried the BenQ X800 X-TOUCH?

Er, wow, that's weird..

http://img.ncix.com/images/12355-l.jpg

I rea;;y ;ike this keyboard <a href="http://www.daskeyboard.com/">http://www.daskeyboard.com/</a> and do not miss the ;abe;s at a;;

> Er, wow, that's weird..

May look weird, but I love it. Don't knock it 'til ya try it ;)

Anyway, uh, back to work.

I meant weird in a positive way. ;)

Scott, I mean Fidel, you might want to check your hand positions. :P

Sorry I didn't get to the reason I called this board 'sucky'.
After prolongued use, I found the tips of my fingures started aching and my right wrist was getting sore too.
Aesthetically, I'm unimpressed with this board. If they were turly minimalistic, that piece jutting up on the top (which has the lights) would have been where that DELL logo is.
I switched back to my MS Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth board and all is well again.
If you want really good keyboards.....get keytronics. Classic and well designed...with just the right amount of clickity :-)

I use the TypeMatrix EZ-Reach 2020. <a href="http://www.typematrix.com">http://www.typematrix.com</a>

I like it a lot, but I had to remap the right-side Alt/Ctrl keys to home/end. I typically don't use PgUp/PgDown too often.

The newer EZ-Reach 2030 has a much better layout of navigational keys, however they stuck the left-side ctrl/alt keys *below* the function/windows/etc. keys! I emailed them with my complaint, they replied (which is nice), but didn't offer any kind of solution.

The typematrix is not radically different or expensive; so if you can live with that small issue, it may be a good choice.

+1 for the typematrix. I just got mine last week and I've done the same home/end key remapping. Takes a bit of getting used to but I'm pretty happy with it now.
I wish they would make a new model with the size of the 2020 and the layout fixes of the 2030 - then it would be almost perfect.

Ian, I don't know how big the 2030 is, but I think the 2020 is really nicely sized 14" X 7".

The amazing thing is that despite its smaller physical size, when I go back to a standard keyboard, my hands feel cramped. It's a noticeable difference how comfortably spread out my hands feel on the Typematrix 2020.

I would love to try the 2030 layout *if* the left side ctrl/alt keys were moved up to where the function/windows keys are. As it is now, I know that all the ctrl key combos will be too much of a stretch for me.

Hey, I stumbled across this thread looking for info on that Dell keyboard. I have to say the best keyboards are the ones from unicomp (http://www.pckeyboard.com). They use the old buckling spring technology that was found on the original IBM keboards (noisy but great feel) and they have a steel plate inside so they don't get knocked around. Later!

I use it at work and i like it, I just order one for my home PC. i have a 80 year old olk desk I`m using as a computer desk with a 19" monitor I don`t have alot of room.

I use one of these at school and I was soo impressed with the way it handled and how comfortable typing felt that I dicided to get one for at home. I had been using a Microsoft Wireless Elite keyboard wich, though I do love the features on it, is extreamly big, extreamly clunky, unrealiable (rarly detects in dos mode so bios are hard to deal with) but most of all it ocationaly sends the signal for a key you are holding down for about half a second after you realese it, this is no big deal for typing but if your playing games its a real pain. I'm not sure how will this Dell will work out for what I use it for, but for every day average use...I love it.

I do also highly enjoy the desktop elite though it does have slight problems, it is a great looking and feeling keyboard and the customizable macros on it are GREAT. Unfortunatly it must be purchased as a kit that INCLUDES a sub standard wireless mouse.

I have one of these at work and like that it takes up less valuable desk space. It's like the flat screen of keyboards. I wish more keyboards were made with the smaller outside dimensions.

The big stupid spacebar rattles like heck! I just go my XPS 600 yesterday, and they shipped it with this Godforsaken el-cheapo keyboard. I don't hate it (can you actually HATE a keyboard?) but I'm definately replacing it.

I like the slimline look of this board, it's kind of an apple rip off but in tru dell fashion it's black, 1/2 the price,and suckier than an apple product.

They just don't pay much attention to detail. The bottom edge of the board isn't straight which makes it difficult to align with a wrist rest. My biggest gripe with this board however is the truly crappy key feel. The keys are just lifeless, unresponsive, and stiff.

I ended up switching to a mechanical deck keyboard. http://www.deckkeyboards.com. Great feel, compact form factor, and actually looks ok when you unpimp it by putting it in a black case.

Excellent keyboard, ALMOST perfect. I have two, one at work and one at home. They rock.

BEWARE! Actually, the RT7D50 is NOT the SK-8115! I have both here at work at my university. As far as i can tell from the inscript at the back, my black SK-8115 (which i DISLIKE) is being manufactured by Lite-On OR YET Foundation, while the grey RT7D50 (which i LIKE) is being made by NMB / Shunding Technologies.

At home, i am using a Happy Hacking Keyboard or a Cherry G80-3000. The Cherry is my absolute reference keyboard for now. I have tried many others, including classic IBM with klick out of hell [tm], the Di Novo, other Logitechs and even Microsoft keyboards. The happy hacking is nice, but i just want F-Keys, INS, Home, etc. without a pressing Fn. It slows me down.

The DELL RT7D50 is a very nice keyboard, i am trying to get one for home use, but you can't order it from Dell Germany. Well, i'll keep looking, it's just very good!

The Dell keyboard at the top plain out sucks. The keys rattle away as you type, with the spacebar being the worst - it rattles every time you press any key. The keys are definately lifeless and don't have a good feel when pressed. Dell f'ed this up big time - their prior model keyboard was pretty good, but not this one.

Any of you tried the Dell CJ651 / 310-8038 Keyboard?

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=310-8038

I have used the RT7D50 at school, seemed to be a ok keyboard, and I agree with the person who said it takes 2 hands to ALT+PRINTSCREEN and it takes 2 hands for WIN+PAUSE BREAK, which I use alot to change computer names, workgroup names & domain names.

I really hate this keyboard. Keys feel dead to me. non-responsive. Right shift gets stuck. Mostly it is just very uncomfortable to use.

I'm using this keyboard as I type this. It came as part of a computer upgrade at a copy store in my college. I actually think it's quite nice. It's keys are very smooth and silent. The layout is just a tad different with the Print Screen / Scroll Lock keys and etc moved slightly farther away from the right hand, but that's obvious from pictures.

The keyboard is light in the front though the back (towards monitor) is a little more hefty feeling. I don't rest my hands on the keyboard so it's not a problem for me that the keyboard should be pushed around while typing. I haven't used it for more than a day or so, I suppose I can't give an accurate or detailed review of this keyboard.

But from my experience so far it has been alright. Nothing fancy, but somewhat pleasing in a minimalistic way.

Any one know, how do I toggle the display between LCD display(flat screen monitor) and a projector from a dell keyboard model: sk-8115

It is shitty.
The keys worked very well for a while then the left CTRL got stiff and sticky.
I loved it at first,
I hate it now. ( less than 2 months )

Cody is absolutely correct .. the RT7D50 is a freaking awesome keyboard. The keyswitch mechanisms they use are very very nice.

Solid key-feel that rivals my very expensive Happy Hacking Keybaord II PRO! The keys are matte black, not shiny, and have a slight grippy texture to them.

Do not judge this keyboard with any of the other model numbers! Especially the SK-8115 which totally sucks.

If anyone has tried the Dell CJ651/310-8038 which Dell has on their website now, let us know how it compares to the RT7D50 if you have used both.

I just got this w/ my new Dell comp. I really dont hate the whole keyboard. My beef is with the huge spacebar that will only "space" when hit directly in the middle. And its loud. I dont mind the sounds of the others keys. Just constant.... perfect way to describe the sound would be to say its the chaaaa before the ching in chaaa-ching! LOL Or like a stapler! I have never in my life thought about a keyboard so much. SO this morning (after having nightmares about it last night) I just typed "dell keyboards suck" and this is what I got.

so is the Dell CJ651/310-8038 different from RT7D50 or are they the same?

someone help!!

so is the CJ651 any good?

I've been using the sk8115 here at work for a few months.
It seems to require more key pressure than the IBM that it replaced.
I prefer the IBM.

<b>adasfdsaf</b>asdkfjasf<i>asfsaf</i>

Bumped into this site while search for SK 8115. I tried SK 8115 at school and really like it. Feel really comfortable with it and feel I can type quicker with this. So I am going to order one.

Hello!

I'm using a dell RT7D50

It's a great keyboard, I don't really have a problem with it being too light.

By the way, can I ask a few very important questions?
Of all the keyboards I have ever used (ok.. a grand total of two..), all of them have a cool function, and that is when you press two keys simmultaneously and you hold both of them down, i get this:
qeqeqeqeqeqeqeqeqe
However, most people with other keyboards get this:
qeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I find the qeqeqeqe keyboards to be VERY useful at times (ps, i'm a gamer and this nifty function allows me to abuse glitches to no end)

Have you ever come across other keyboards that have such a function? Is it just my computer? (meaning does this same thing happen on your dell keyboard on your com?) What causes this?

*note, it's not really a function.. just something i found out along the way that proved to be very useful

off of these keyboards at work have lost the print on the keys when used frequently

my spacebar recently broke

THIS KEYBOARD SUX! I AM ALWAYS MAKING TYPOS DUE TO ITS CRAMPED KEYS! I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A NICE BACK LIT LARGER MULTIMEDIA/GAMERS KEYBOARD BUT SINCE LOGITECH CHANGED THE G-15 FROM BLUE TO AMBER, I AM NOT HAVING MUCH LUCK NOR DO I WANT AN AMBER COLORED KEYBOARD!

Keys are a bit clunky and wobbly, doesn't let me type that fast. Makes a stupid rattling noise when I type.

I lost one of the legs soon after I got the keyboards, when it popped out and hid itself somewhere. So, it's now even more awkward to type with as I can't raise the back.

On the plus side, because it is minimalist and does not take up that much space it doesn't knock over my cups of tea, very often.

The "perfect keyboard"? Is that really a question? That's got to be hands down the IBM Model M. I've got one from 1992 that needs a little cleaning (it has "history", by which I mean board chow and hand salsa), but aside from that is in perfect working order and fantastic to type on.

Plus, when the extraordinarily loud clicking from the unparalleled key feedback drives my coworkers insane, I can use the metal backplate as a shield to block bullets.