Like with many things out in the world, the term one-size-fits-all doesn’t apply to keyboards. There’s no such thing as a keyboard that everyone can agree is the best. That’s because we all have our preferences when it comes to the look and feel of a keyboard and just because we think something it the best, doesn’t mean someone else will think the same. That’s why all these different types of keyboards exist because I do believe that if a person searches hard enough, they will be able to find their perfect keyboard. It just might not be what we think is perfect. Take for instance the new Dell KB900 Premier Collaboration Keyboard. This is a business-oriented keyboard aimed at productivity and collaboration.
DESIGN
The Dell KB900 Premier Collaboration Keyboard is a flat, full-sized keyboard not unlike Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The keyboard is very angular, covered in dark color tones, and looks very business serious. This isn’t a fun-looking keyboard and would look more at home on the desk of a CEO or account executive than it would in front of a gaming rig.
I do like the look of it and I appreciate the weight this has on it too. It’s actually pretty heavy despite how thin it looks which is great for keeping the keyboard in place when in use. You may also like that the keys on the Dell KB900 are backlit, though only behind the keys and not through the characters. You’ll also really like the fact that there are three ways you can connect to the Dell KB900. You can connect to it via Bluetooth, RF dongle, or via USB-C cable.
Other than that, there’s not much more to say about the Dell KB900 in terms of looks.
EXPERIENCE
It took some time for me to get used to the Dell KB900 a bit mainly because I’m used to using mechanical keyboards right now. The Dell KB900 is a lot flatter and there’s a lot less travel in the key presses. However, once I got used to it, it was a fairly comfortable typing experience. I will say that the keyboard itself was very quiet and would be great in an environment where noise might be ab issue. Typing felt really smooth and accurate and most business users would probably enjoy the experience.
What I wasn’t expecting the Dell KB900 to do was install something automatically, which it did with the Dell Peripheral Manager. Definitely not a fan when devices do this, but I will say that the app itself is useful. It’s basically just used to show device status and battery power left, customize the Zoom-specific buttons, and adjust the illumination. You can also use it to customize the 12 programmable shortcut keys. You’ll also need this app if you’re going to pair the Dell KB900 up with the Dell MS900 Premium Rechargeable Mouse, which we’ll talk about in another post.
Aside from all this, the Dell KB900 is pretty good for everyday typing and work use. You’re also not limited to just Windows as the keyboard will work with the following: Apple MacOS, Linux, Android, Google Chrome OS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0, Ubuntu 18.04, Microsoft Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 / 11.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Dell KB900 Premium Collaboration Keyboard isn’t going to be for everyone, but for those that it is for, you’ll find that the typing experience on it is pretty good and the overall quality of the keyboard is quite solid. While I’m not a fan of keyboards like this in general, I can appreciate who it was made for and why. Business users are sure to love this and those who frequently use Zoom not
