Lenovo73p5220 External Wired USB Preferred Pro USA Keyboard ( 41A5289, 89P8530)

This is the first time I’m typing on this keyboard and so far I like it. I like the cupped shape of the leys and the fact that all of the keys are where they should be. I would prefer more of a downstroke when I press a key before it types the character, I tend to touch the keys lightly sometimes and that types something I don’t want but that’s just me, I have to relearn keeping my fingers above the keyboard.DESIGNThe return key is where it should be and the right size and shape, although I will always have a preference for keyboards that have an L-shaped return key. The backspace key is likewise well positioned, it’s not as close to the insert and delete keys as some keyboards, which always make frustrating errors that are hard to fix.This is about as quiet as a keyboard can get without going to those flat chiclet keys that have almost zero travel. If you learned on that you probably can type fast but I have seen people type even faster on some mechanical keyboards. This is like a happy medium – traditional keys but not clacky or thunky.THINGS I WOULD LIKE CHANGEDIf I am going to accept that this is a traditional keyboard almost exactly the way IBM invented it for PC’s I have to accept those little light bulbs far off to the upper right corner. They are okay for the NumLock which I always keep turned on anyway because otherwise it just duplicates keys that are already there – in other words a historical throwback that they could easily dump. But I like a Caps Lock that either has a light in the actual key itself or a message on the screen that lets me know when I turn it on and off. Being an ancient design this Lenovo has zero interaction with my computer via apps or software, even their own for my Lenovo mouse that I just bought. Post baby boomers may lament the lack of even anything resembling media controls, eject buttons, Mac keys, etc. None of them are here, there are no dual-function keys other than the waySTANDOUT THINGS I LIKEIt is unusual to find a keyboard that has multiple ways to route the USB cable. I guess historically most people used to put their computers on the left so cables come out of the left side of most keyboards. This one let’s you route it from the left, center or right side. That makes for a much neater desktop for me. I also like that the natural incline of this one is a couple of degrees. I almost always have to use the little feet on the back but not with this one, the angle is perfect for natural typing with the feet collapsed. The pencil tray may sound like fluff but it is convenient. And finally, while there is no wrist support there is just over an inch of softly curved edge to rest the edge of my hands on while typing. It is better than the majority of keyboards that have a sharp squared off edge.YES NO MAYBEIt is rare that I buy from a non-prime seller, especially something designated as used or reconditioned but the savings were too good to pass up, so I took the gamble. I am very impressed, this keyboard looks smells and feels brand new. Not one scratch or fingerprint. The end result is that I could not be happier. This keyboard is absolutely new looking and feeling and every key has the identical sound and touch feel, how rare is that with today’s units? Sure it may not have some of the fluff like media controls or on-screen displays but for a writer or anyone who uses a keyboard seriously this one lets you focus all of your attention on just one thing, typing. For that reason I believe it is a five star product.

In 2008, it has become hard to find a decent keyboard. For starters, most manufacturers take it upon themselves to tweak the layout of their offerings, leaving you with an L-shaped Enter key, an extra "fn" button or a rearranged Insert/Delete cluster. I have a computer at work as well (who doesn't?) and for four years I've put up with one of these fancy-schmancy media keyboards. I can't believe the RELIEF I'm feeling after getting this Lenovo product with an unaltered, matching layout! I feel like my spine is taking care of actions such as moving text blocks around.The quality of this Lenovo is very good. It's a plastic keyboard, so I doubt it'll survive the beer and coffee tests we gave the 3270 of yesteryear. It's also perhaps a little bit too lightweight for my taste. However, the keys feel solid and responsive, no matter from which angle you hit them - again, a relief from my former "ergonomic" keyboard, where the tactile feeling was more of a mushy kind and sometimes a key wouldn't register if you hit it at an angle.I like the appearance of this one, too. The lack of media buttons gives it a cool business attire, while the non- square layout makes it look more contemporary. I use it on a dark antique desk, and it looks fitting. The two Enter buttons are a dark blue/gray, but they don't stand out as much in real life as they do in the pictures. The wrist rest is also a nice surprise: while you don't need it (the KB stands flat enough), it does fit snugly and has a feeling that I would describe as something between leather and non-slip rubber. It's a little hard though, so it won't replace a gel pack if you need something like that.The downside of this device is that it requires an unsightly cable connection. However, the extra cable comes with benefits:- It works. You just type and there it is (I know, Duh, but try a few wireless keyboards at this price!).- It's secure: whatever you type, it's between you and your keyboard, no password sniffing from your neighbor.- It can wake the PC (depending on motherboard). I love being able to hit the space bar to power up my PC which is now stowed out-of-sight in the armoire.Bottom line: for 35-ish $$, this is probably one of the best keyboards and you couldn't go wrong with it.

This is a REAL keyboard intended for touch-typists and those who spend long hours actually typing. They have a nice long throw (that's why people who have only ever typed on laptops don't like them very much) and good tactile feedback. It's constructed of heavy plastic -- both the case and the keycaps -- giving you a very secure, robust platform for extended work.The company that I work for has deployed these keyboards for years so I've seen a ton of them -- never seen a broken one, though. We do have a sprinkling of cheaper keyboards from other companies and finding them broken is not unusual.At work, I provided myself out-of-pocket with a Unicomp Classic 101 White buckling-spring mechanical keyboard ($84) but, as nice as it is, it's far too noisy to subject my loved ones at home to. This Lenovo keyboard is an excellent compromise: It still feels great but it's much quieter (not silent, though, but it's relative).All of the keys are placed where they are supposed to be. The pipe key is above the Return "Enter" key and not on the top row where it doesn't belong, for instance.For the record, these keyboards are in use on Linux workstations at work and on a Mac at my house. Mac users should swap the "Alt" and Windows keys to get them to function properly as "Option" and "Command" keys. Use the Keyboard control panel and click on the "Modifier Keys..." button to make this change.I would have purchased a white model if only it were available. I work in subdued lighting -- dark, sometimes -- and it's simply easier for me to locate specific keys on a white keyboard on the rare occasion that I need to. That's just a personal thing, though.