Product Review: Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse

The Verbatim 97472 Keyboard and Mouse set is a wireless keyboard and mouse set that is great for take along use with a laptop or netbook and has the full keyboard keys but some use a shift function.

Ease of Use, Performance: 18/25

Look & Feel: 21/25

Features 22/25

How much I enjoy 21/25

Total: 82/100

Laptops and netbooks like my Chrome CR48 require some special considerations when connecting wireless devices like whether it supports Bluetooth. You can still find plenty of low cost keyboard and mice sets that run not on the more expensive Bluetooth but simple wireless connectivity that does not require any setup except plugging in a receiver.

The Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse follows the lines of similar laptop keyboards designed to carry along with your portable computer to give another input instead of the onboard keyboard. The wireless mouse that the set includes is a slightly larger mouse than similar wireless mice for laptop use but it works well for on the go convenience.

The Verbatim Mini Wireless set 97472 includes the thin profile keyboard, wireless mouse, 4 AAA batteries, software CD and quick start guide. The keyboard itself uses two AAA batteries while the mouse also uses two batteries with both being easy to install and use.

The Verbatim Slim keyboard is 11.5 inches by 5.5 inches and about an inch tall with a slight slant toward the user and the regular letter keys are a half inch square, the same size as a regular keyboard. The keyboard does not feature and feet to raise the rear and increase the angle but the angle it is at is comfortable even for a full time keyboard.

The nano receiver that uses 2.4 Ghz wireless communication can be stored in the mouse when not in use but its low profile and smaller size makes it easy to leave in your laptops USB connection. The wireless works well for both the keyboard and mouse with almost instant connection when the USB receiver is plugged into your computer.

There is a connect button on the keyboard and mouse but I never had to use these at all, connect was always perfect when I plugged in the receiver or turned on the mouse. The mouse includes an on off button on the bottom to help conserve batteries but I usually did not remember to use it and still had no problems with battery life.

The software CD includes drivers and a small display box indicating the function, caps lock, scroll lock and connection status for a quick reference because there are no indications on the keyboard itself. The keyboard includes media control keys using the blue function key along with the full keyboard including a number pad that also uses the blue function key to turn on and off.

The one thing I dislike about the laptop specific keyboards I have been receiving recently is the function of the number lock usually comes on when starting up the laptop. This means you have to remember to turn it off first thing or when you use the U, I, O, P, J, K, L or M keys you will actually be typing in numbers.

You simply have to hold the blue Fn key and press the NumLk key to turn of the key pad numbers and turn your keyboard into a full qwerty keyboard. This is the one feature I wish would be turned off as a default when turning on your computer but it is not that big a deal, something you will get used to easily.

Other than this feature I truly enjoy the smaller keyboards for use with a laptop because I like to be able to position the keyboard a little away from my screen when using a laptop. The smaller keyboard also makes using your laptop in odd places like your living room coffee table easier with the keyboard on your lap and the laptop on the table.

The wireless mouse is a smaller mouse but not as small as many laptop specific mice I have reviewed in the past, kind of a midway between full sized mouse and the smaller laptop ones. The mouse has the usual right and left buttons along with the clickable scroll wheel but no other buttons and the same gloss black finish as the keyboard.

The Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse set is a nice set and works just fine whether your connected to a full computer or a portable laptop or even the less featured Chrome netbook. I had no problems using the Verbatim Slim set on my desktop PC, my Chrome netbook or my living rooms HTPC and connection was very quick when plugging in the receiver.

I used the Verbatim for a time through the McTiVia media streaming device to use my HTPC that is now sitting in my office and control it while watching the output on my living room TV. The receiver worked perfectly with the McTiVia allowing me to control the computer connected through my network without any problems at all.

The Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse works very well and except for having to remember to turn off the number lock when starting up your computer the set would be perfect. The Verbatim 97472 set costs about $50 at their site but can be found for less at Amazon and makes a great keyboard and mouse set for a laptop or a regular computer to save space on your desk.

Verbatim Website