Perixx Periboard-322 Wired Mechanical Trackball Keyboard with 2 Hubs, 2.17 Inch Large Trackball, RGB Backlit Design, US English Layout (PB-322BUS-11577)

I bought this keyboard as a backup keyboard when I'm sitting in a recliner. My normal setup is a Kensington SlimBlade trackball and a top-shelf mechanical keyboard. This is a great replacement, especially when I'm traveling but still want a full keyboard/trackball. The trackball itself is trapped in the keyboard (you can push it out with some pressure for cleaning), which is really nice so it doesn't go bouncing across the room!The keyboard has a bit of an unusual layout, because it's narrower than other 101 key keyboards. Some things are in weird places, particularly the Home/Delete/etc keys, but that also brings in the trackball to be close to the (normal layout) numeric keypad. Overall, it took me just a few hours to get used to this layout, and I'm very picky about things like that. (I got the US version with the pipe/backslash keyboard over the Enter key, where it belongs!) The Delete key is in a strange place, compared to most laptop keyboards, but at least I won't accidentally hit it.The keys themselves have a nice travel and click, but not overly obnoxious or even loud like an IBM Model M keyboard. They're probably about the same volume as Cherry Brown switches, but not quite as satisfying to press. However, I can type pretty quickly with this keyboard and the keys are nicely shaped, except that the keys are pretty smooth and not quite enough texture (so your fingers slightly slip, but if that bothers you you can add grip stickers). Note that these keys are basically about the same as nearly all mid-range keyboards sold on Amazon, and even some high-end ones, so that's really not too bad.The cable is great - long, fabric covered, and with two sturdy looking plugs. I would have preferred to see a bit more strain relief at the keyboard end, because it arrives bent into the box and I don't want it to get damaged, but it's really a very nice cable. The entire keyboard is plastic-covered, which I prefer because it won't bother me if I'm wearing shorts and metal doesn't really add anything here (the keyboard is very stiff and doesn't flex even when I bang very hard.) If plastic-covered was good enough for the IBM Model M, it's good enough for anything.Given how extremely unusual it is to even find a keyboard with a built-in trackball (let alone such a great trackball -- it's very good, even if it's not quite as good as a Kensington Slim Blade which costs about as much as this keyboard by itself, or my Das Keyboard which also cost as much as this keyboard!) and given the quality of the keyboard itself and the great price, I'm definitely giving this my highest recommendation. Once I got used to the layout and realized that I might even be MORE productive with this slightly compressed layout, I might even ditch my other fancier equipment.If this is Perixx's first try at a trackball-keyboard combo, it's a stunning debut... I'm a huge fan!

I bought this keyboard to make it easier to work while my arm is in a sling after surgery. My overall impression is that it is solid and well-built with good tactile sensitivity. When I received the box it rattled, and on opening it discovered that four keys had come off in shipping. Not a good sign but I was able to snap them back into place (with one arm) and went ahead and installed it.There are three indicator LEDs above the trackball for NumLock, CapsLock and ScrollLock. Turns out the Caps Lock LED did not work on this one, which led to my returning it and I replaced it with the same model. This was through Amazon and not through the manufacturer.The replacement was fine out of the box and went right to work. After 1-2 days of working with it I discovered I was struggling to see some of the key overlays, and I realized this was because there is not enough contrast in the key labels: they are gray over black, instead of white over black. Also, as it turns out, this keyboard is not directly compatible with the IoGear GCS1462 KVM switch I use to flip my keyboard/monitors from my workstation to my laptop (I lose the keyboard hot-swap capability, so I have to switch by pressing a button on the KVM; a bit of a nuisance).I then returned that one citing the incompatibility with my KVM and ordered the backlit version (Periboard-322), which is another $50. I've never spent this much for a keyboard/trackball combo, but I use this professionally and need the built-in trackball for about 6 more weeks. The backlighting took care of the squinting issues, and I believe this will be a solid keyboard for many years.Note: I don't use any of the multimedia-key features, and I set the backlight effects to 'on' and 'white'. There are a lot of options for crazy wavelike and sweeping or raindrop effects that probably appeal to teen-agers (I guess).My 2-star ERGO rating is for the non-backlit version, which to me is hard to see under some lighting conditions because of the lack of contrast.PROS:- Solid feel, substantial weight- Excellent tactile feedback and response of keys without being too noisy- Simple clean installation with no associated drivers to installCONS:- Documentation is a bit light - there are two USB cables on the backlit version and no instructions as to which one to use; IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.- It would be nice if you could program the wheel button for something else, like double-click. Again, no documentation here.- Clustering/arrangement of Home,Delete, PgUp, PgDn and other control keys are a little odd and take somegetting used to, but this is not a show-stopper.Overall: unless/until something breaks, this is a solid keyboard for someone who uses a workstation in a coding environment (non-gaming) for 8 or so hours per day. It's a bit on the pricey side but there are not a lot of keyboard/trackball options out there, and that's what I need for now.**UPDATE 2/23/2020: Something actually did break: after about two weeks, the backlighting no longer works. Returning this keyboard, and dropped the rating accordingly. I am all done with this one.