Kensington Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set Review

The Ci70 Wireless Keyboard
Measuring in at 16" x 7", the Ci70 keyboard is one of the smallest keyboards to still include the 10-key numpad, and manages to squeeze in nearly all of the standard keys into its design without having to resort to double-feature keys using a function modifier. While some keys have been moved such as the 6-key group and the bottom modifier keys, every key is in a convenient location that's both easy to remember and reach.

One of the true advantages of the Ci70 compared to traditional desktop keyboards is the scissor key design, which not only makes the keys slimmer to reduce the overall height of the keyboard to 3/8", but it also reduces the travel time between the up and down states of the keys. The end result feels truly fantastic and especially responsive; however some typists may be offset by the lack of a wrist rest. It can take some getting used to, but at least the wrists won't be craned when the keyboard is set flat on its four no-slip rubber feet. Two kickstand risers can be extended for those who prefer a slanted feel, although the kickstands are not rubber soled, so the keyboard is more prone to accidental movement across the desk in this state.

As far as the key configuration goes, starting at the top you can see that all the standard function keys from F1-F12 are present, although in order to save space the segment dividers between F keys are missing. This can make finding the proper F key using touch typing a bit of a struggle for the first several days of using the keyboard. To the right of the F keys are the print screen, scroll lock, insert and delete keys, followed by the home, page up, page down, and end keys on the right edge of the primary key group. Keen observers will notice that the pause/break key is missing, so the Ci70 may not be the best keyboard for terminal emulation, but most likely this won't be of concern to you.

Moving on to the keys at the bottom, you'll notice that the left side is broken down into four modifier keys similar to a laptop, however the corner Fn key has been replaced with an Apple/Command key. This move is quite curious, as all Windows keyboards including the Ci70 can simply use the Windows key as a Command key, making this dedicated Command key somewhat redundant. However, by placing the command key towards the edge of the keyboard, users no longer need to stretch their thumbs, and it's positioning next to the Ctrl key makes cross-platform work easier as copy/paste commands can now be accessed with the pinky finger on both platforms.

To the right of the Command key is the Ctrl key, Windows Key, and Alt/Option key. Past the spacebar, there's a right Alt/Option key, Menu key, and a Right Ctrl key. No right Command/Windows key exists. At the bottom right corner of the main key group are the four arrow keys in a standard inverted-T arrangement. While the arrow keys are taller than those found on my Macbook, their relatively small width makes my medium-sized hand feel a bit cramped when using them.

The numeric keypad to the right is unchanged from the standard Windows keyboard, using the traditional large addition key layout. Here you'll find that the Numlock key doubles as the Clear key on an Apple keyboard, however there is unfortunately no indicator light to signal whether or not the Num Lock is indeed on. Lights for Caps Lock and Scroll Lock are also missing. When used with a laptop however, activating the Num Lock or Caps Lock will light the proper LED on the laptop's own keyboard. Why Kensington didn't just add three more LEDs to their own keyboard is beyond me.

Positioned above the numpad are 5 rubber multimedia keys: back, play/pause, forward, decrease and increase volume. A mute key is not present, but thankfully the repeat rate is fast enough that holding down the decrease volume key will fully mute Windows in less than 1.3 seconds. In addition to these playback controls, hidden under the sliding dock cover at the top of the keyboard are 5 additional keys including Eject (Mac only), Search, E-Mail, Web, and Media Player.

The Ci70 Wireless Mouse
The mouse included with the Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set is also a breakaway from your ordinary wireless mouse, mostly due to its clean lines and slim profile. At 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 1-1/8", the Ci70 mouse is without a doubt the slimmest mouse I've ever used, while maintaining a full symmetrical body that doesn't induce cramping. Even with the two AA batteries installed, the mouse is remarkably lightweight, and lifts easily thanks to the rubber molded grip that travels the entire circumference of the mouse.

Ergonomically, the Ci70 mouse is one of the better standard mice that I've used, not because it conforms to the hand, but because it's so flat that it's incredibly easy to keep a level wrist without thinking about it. In fact, it's almost impossible not to keep a level wrist. As such, wrist rests are not necessary when using the mouse and it's preferable to use a cloth padded mouse pad simply for comfort purposes.

Keeping in line with the simple design is the lack of any extra buttons, as the Ci70 mouse only provides the standard two left/right mouse buttons plus a clickable scroll wheel. While I personally prefer the convenience of back and forward thumb buttons, I can't see how Kensington could have easily added them without significantly increasing the height. The scroll wheel is also relatively simple, lacking the tilt-scrolling that's been increasingly prevalent on other desktop mice. Also, the scroll wheel is rather small and recessed; however it does have a ratcheted feel to it and has just enough traction to turn easily without accidentally scrolling.

On the underside of the mouse are two large Teflon feet for easy gliding across most mouse surfaces, as well as a recessed area for storing the wireless receiver that doubles as a dirt cover for the 1,000 DPI optical sensor. When the receiver is tucked in place, it presses down on a small button that powers down the mouse. A secondary power button is also present in one of the dimples located within the bottom Teflon foot, activated when the mouse is docked within the keyboard's cradle.

The cradle does have a few design issues however, as it does not actively lock the mouse into place, nor does it allow the mouse to simply drop in and have the mouse's power turn off. Rather, it takes force to press the mouse into the dock so that both small dimples click into place (thereby turning off the mouse), and many times even though the mouse feels like it's docked, the power will remain on by just a millimeter's difference, requiring you to look behind the keyboard every time you dock the mouse.

Also, when docked the mouse is meant to act as a foot for standing the keyboard on its top edge, thereby revealing a plastic sheathe picture frame for displaying your loved ones. In reality however, the keyboard stands perfectly fine without a mouse even against a slight jostle, and standing the mouse actually loosens it from its docking station, powering the mouse on for several more minutes. While I think the picture frame is a novel idea, personally I just can't see myself using it even in a Cube environment. Not only could I show off the same picture through a conventional frame or screen saver, but I'm a bit uncomfortable at the thought of placing a picture of my friends or family face down against my dust and crumb laden desk.

Tracking performance with the Ci70 mouse is on par with other standard wireless mice, perfect for general office and internet usage. The 1000 DPI optical sensor is a faster and more responsive than your generic mouse (usually 800DPI), but is still well within the average person's ability to handle without accessing the operating system's sensitivity controls. Graphics professionals and gamers won't be too pleased with the precision however, as slow lasso selections and target sniping is somewhat jittery on a wide variety of surfaces.

Ci70 Wireles Performance
Unlike many other wireless desktop packages that use the 2.4GHz wireless spectrum, the Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set utilizes the older, more traditional 27MHz spectrum for communication with the wireless receiver. This has a number of advantages and disadvantages to it. On the plus side, it's not susceptible to interference from cordless telephones, speakers, routers, Bluetooth devices and microwave ovens, so performance is mostly predictable and you won't get dropped when someone warms up a burrito. Likewise, using the keyboard and mouse won't harm your phone calls or wireless network performance.

The downside to using the 27MHz spectrum however is its relatively short range. 2.4GHz devices can typically be used from several feet away, even through multiple walls. This is perfect for Media Center applications and surfing on the couch. In stark contrast, the 27MHz spectrum that the Ci70 Wireless Desktop uses however is limited to 5 feet according to Kensington. In my own testing, I was able to maintain a signal only from less than 4 feet away with line of sight. The signal can also succumb to interference when there is less than 7" between the keyboard and the receiver. Kensington thankfully includes a USB extension cable for better positioning of the receiver, which can drastically improve performance and alleviate any interference stemming from the receiver being plugged into some metal cases.

There were a few times that the wireless signal did get confused though even when the receiver was a safe foot away from the keyboard, as I discovered during some gaming sessions in Quake III Arena and Marathon Resurrection. Every now and then the mouse or keyboard would continue transmitting a button or key even though it was released several seconds ago. Re-clicking the mouse or key would stop the key from being transmitted, but it has the potential to cause some frustration; constantly firing rockets into a nearby wall until death does that to you.

Battery life for the Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set seems to be nothing short of exceptional, with Kensington claiming up to 6 months of usage before swapping the 2 AA batteries in the mouse or keyboard. Obviously I can't continue the review for that long, but after several weeks of solid usage, my batteries are still in good condition. Like many wireless mice, the Ci70 mouse will go into a low power state after 5 seconds of inactivity, and will completely shut off after several minutes, only to be reactivated by a mouse click. As such, it's won't adversely affect battery life too much if you forget to place the mouse into the dock or stowaway the receiver. The mouse and keyboard both have a handy LED to indicate when there's less than 10% battery life remaining - on the keyboard it's located between the multimedia keys and dock, and on the mouse it's embedded into the scroll wheel.

Recap
Kensington's Ci70 is a wonderful solution for those who like their desks free of clutter and cables, and love to have a place to stow away everything when not in use. The scissor keys feel exceptionally responsive and are a welcome change over traditional conventional keyboards, and the slim height of the mouse, while at first awkward, relieves some strain from my mousing wrist. The cross-platform compatibility, extra Command/Apple key in the bottom left corner of the keyboard, and driver free installation are also huge benefits, although the short-range wireless performance and tracking precision is a bit lackluster. Overall the Ci70 is a decent set for office work and laptop road warriors, although gamers and graphics professionals should keep looking.