Key profile
The distance that the key travels when pressed — from the initial position to touching the contacts and sending the "command". Indicated as
high or low.
Keyboards with low key travel(3 mm or less) are considered to be more comfortable for fast input (such as fast typing). However, the best option largely depends on the habits and preferences of a particular user.
Additional keys
The number of
additional keys provided in the design of the keyboard.
Such keys do not belong to the standard layout and are intended for quick access to specific functions or individual applications — for example, to control the media player or open mail with one click. This function is convenient because commands from additional keys are usually recognized by the system regardless of what is on the screen — thanks to this, for example, you do not have to close the text editor to switch tracks in the player.
Note that in this case we are talking about individual keys that have a strictly defined purpose and corresponding markings. Programmable buttons, the Fn key (see below) and the functions of the main keys implemented through Fn are not taken into account in this paragraph.
Cyrillic colour
The colour of the Cyrillic letters printed on the keyboard.
This colour is usually chosen so that the letters are clearly visible. This point does not affect the functionality of the keyboard, and the choice in this case depends mainly on personal preferences. However, there is also a practical point: for inexperienced users who have not mastered touch typing, it is desirable that the letters stand out as much as possible against the background of the keys.
Transparent letters are a separate case — they are used in keyboards equipped with a backlight (see below), due to which such characters, when the backlight is on, are visible even in the dark.
Volume control
Volume control methodprovided in the keyboard (if such a possibility is provided at all).
—
Through Fn. Adjustment using the Fn key (see above): increasing and decreasing the volume is carried out by simultaneously pressing Fn and one of the main keys of the keyboard (usually from the F1 — F12 row), The main advantage of this control is that it allows you not to overload the keyboard with additional controls — this, in turn, has a positive effect on the dimensions and cost. The disadvantage is the need to simultaneously press two keys, which is not always convenient.
— Additional keys.
Control with additional keys specially designed for working with volume. A very convenient and practical option: additional keys are usually clearly labeled, while they take up less space and are cheaper than a wheel or a touch slider (see below).
— Wheel.
Control by means of a mechanical wheel, the rotation of which up and down or left and right provides a change in volume. A fairly user-friendly option — visual, intuitive and accessible even blindly. At the same time, the wheel can take up quite a lot of space, and it significantly affects the cost of the keyboard.
— Touch slider. Management using a touch surface, the movement of a finger in one direction or another. The sensor takes up minimal space, looks neat
...and generally fits well with the overall design of the keyboard, but it is not cheap. Therefore, this option is extremely rare, mainly in high-end gaming or multimedia keyboards. Sensor
The principle of operation of the
mouse supplied with the keyboard.
— Optical. The principle of operation of optical mice is to use an LED that illuminates the surface under the mouse, and a photo sensor that “observes” the illuminated surface and tracks movements. This technology is quite reliable and inexpensive; at the same time, traditional optical mice, although they are inferior to laser and BlueTrack mice in terms of accuracy, however, they work more than satisfactorily on standard surfaces (rodent pad, tabletop). In addition, various specific technologies can be used in the design to increase accuracy and allow working on unusual surfaces.
— Laser. The development of the idea of the optical mice described above: the principle of operation is the same, however, for illumination, in accordance with the name, a more intense light source is used — a laser. Thanks to this, laser mice are more accurate and behave better in non-standard conditions — on fleecy, polished surfaces, etc. — however, they are more expensive.
— BlueTrack. Microsoft proprietary technology (however, used by other manufacturers), which provides a number of improvements for optical mice (see above): a bright blue LED (hence the name), high-quality coated lenses, a large sensor, etc. Thanks to this, such mice are significantly superior to conventional optical mice both in accuracy and in the variety of surfaces with which they are compa
...tible. The disadvantage of this traditional option is the high cost.
