This is one of Microsoft's lower end keyboards, with just a wired USB connection (PS/2 adaptor included) and an ergonomic feel in mind. When your fingers first start tapping away you will probably notice a somewhat odd feel about it, since the keyboard is designed ergonomically rather than the usual "flat" layout the keys are held almost around a curve, meaning that some are larger than others, which can lead to you accidentally hitting the wrong letter.

This is most noticeable when you first use the keyboard, or use it after being stuck in front of a standard keyboard for a long time. I think that the layout is supposed to be better for your health, since it encourages a more natural layout for your hands. Typing on it takes a little getting used to, although after a while the "odd" layout will probably feel natural to you.

Along the top of the keyboard there is the usual array of buttons which are there to "help" make things easier, some are useful (such as calculator) whereas others just seem to get in the way, for example there is a Play/Pause button which works with iTunes, but only when iTunes is the currently focused application, no use if you wish to pause music in the middle of something.

As with most Microsoft hardware it is very well built, you can feel that it isn't going to rattle apart as you type as fast as you can. Despite this it is pretty noisy, not in a way that makes you feel like it is a cheap product, but more so that there is a loud and reassuring click & clunk upon key presses. This has the disadvantages that you can no longer use your computer very privately, although it does ensure that you know when you have pressed a key, if not you are left with an odd amount of silence.

I'd say that despite this being a budget model in comparison to Microsoft's other offerings it is by no means substandard, when you compare to other cheaper brands you can definitely tell that it is worth paying a little extra.