Microsoft Arc Keyboard review

Microsoft’s Arc Keyboard is unashamedly stylish. The curved body arches elegantly up from the desk, its exterior is coated with glossy black plastic and, aside from the keys themselves, the Arc’s clean lines aren’t disturbed by any stickers or brash logos.

Even the Microsoft emblem is barely visible in a shade of grey almost as dark as the rest of the unit, and the wireless dongle stows in a neat, magnetic slot on the keyboard's underside.

This concentration on design has ramifications for practicality, though. For a start, the unit’s curved shape results in keys at the outer edges that are small and compact, while buttons in the middle of the keyboard are larger and further apart.

This odd layout meant we took a while to get up to speed, frequently missing or clipping keys because they just weren’t where we expected. Even when we'd got used to the Arc’s unconventional design, we found the typing action merely average; there isn't enough travel, and the action feels weak and indistinct.

More irritating than this, however, is that instead of a standard, four-key cursor cluster, the Arc uses a small D-pad instead, which is a barmy design decision. Half the function keys and the print screen button, meanwhile, require an extra Fn key to access.

You wouldn't want to use this as your main work keyboard then, but although compact – and the ideal size for perching on your knees – it also lacks the features that would push it into Media Center territory. Aside from a volume control at the top right, there are few niceties beyond the traditional Qwerty layout: no touchpad, no play, no pause and no skip keys.

At £29 exc VAT it isn't expensive, but aside from its looks there’s little to recommend the Arc. It's too small, the typing action is mediocre and it lacks the sort of controls it needs to make it a viable Media Center PC keyboard.

Author: Mike Jennings