Expert's Rating
Pros
- Volume and eject keys
- Gorgeous
- Same layout as that of the Apple Extended Keyboard
Cons
- No power key
- Short cord
Our Verdict
Ever since my faithful Apple Extended Keyboard succumbed to years of hard pounding and soda spills, I’ve barely tolerated the keyboard that shipped with my G3 Power Mac. Although I welcomed the extra few inches of desk space, I hated fumbling with the keyboard’s tiny function and cursor keys. Apple’s Pro Keyboard, which ships with all new desktop Macs and is also available separately, remedies the deficiencies of the older version and adds a few handy features.
The Pro Keyboard sports full-size function keys and an inverted-T arrow-key arrangement that makes zipping around spreadsheets a snap. Three new keys at the top of the numeric keypad let you raise, lower, or mute your Mac’s sound; a fourth key ejects the disk from your CD or DVD drive.
Apple didn’t include a power button on the keyboard, oddly enough, so you have to reach for the power switch on your computer to turn it on. And as with the standard G3 keyboard, the cable isn’t long enough if you keep your Mac under your desk.