Saving Battery with a Quick Stowaway
Part of the trouble that you may have with some wireless desktop configurations is that the keyboard and mouse will always be in sending and receiving mode. They very rarely have any sort of official on/off switch, so you could find yourself burning through batteries even in standby mode. That’s not good for efficiency and that’s not good for convenience.
To overcome part of this concern, Microsoft has implemented something in this wireless desktop that you may have seen in some wireless mice in the marketplace. If you take the USB transceiver, you can slot it into the underside of the Wireless Mouse 5000. This helps for transport, naturally, but it comes with an added advantage too.
Do you see the small switch in the slot where the transceiver would fit? When pressed in, as would be the case when the transceiver is placed in there, the wireless functions of the mouse turn off, as does that blue tracking light. That saves some battery.
Unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t extend this functionality to the keyboard, as far as I can tell. I know that the batteries can last quite a long time in these wireless desktops, but having the ability to turn them off when not in use would still be appreciated.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the MSRP on the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 is $69.95, but I’ve been able to find it for half that price through online retailers. For that price, you’d expect to get a rather barebones approach to wireless desktops and you couldn’t be more wrong.
No, it won’t compete against the more premium options out there and it doesn’t come with too many flashy features, but this wireless desktop is more than adequate for the average consumer. The Wireless Mouse 5000 features the BlueTrack technology for terrific precision and accuracy on nearly any surface. It’s comfortable to use and is just the right size for comfort.
The Wireless Keyboard 3000 v2.0 tacks on several dedicated media controls and quick access keys for added functionality. The keys are relatively quiet and soft to the touch, making it a joy to use for extended typing sessions. It’s not as big as other keyboards, but it’s big enough.
If you’re in the market for a relatively inexpensive wireless desktop and don’t want to skip out on some of the cooler features, the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 is definitely a solid option at this price.
Pros
- BlueTrack mouse tracking technology
- Plenty of media controls and quick access keys
- Very comfortable experience overall
- A good value (when on sale)
Cons
- Not of a fan of the black-and-white color scheme
- Keyboard is a little bit too small
- Prefer two buttons on thumb side for mouse
- No flashy built-in display, other features
Overall Rating: 8.0 / 10.0
Love This Review? Hate This Review? Sound Off in Our Forums!