Keyboard trays--worthwhile option?

reynardreynard
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Here is a simple, practical question. Im to buy a desk, probably a glass-topped model. Should I invest in a pull-out keyboard tray. It adds about $70. My son never used his for anything but pencils and paper clips.

Those with vastly more experience than I, do you use the things? Ill do much more typing than hand-writing on the desk.

Thank you.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    stevesteve Posts: 523member
    Today's PC's, especially since the introduction of flat-panel monitors, work best when the whole unit is on the desktop, Macs especially, since you can attach additional devices to the keyboard, and you shouldn't have to go digging underneath the desk. Something else to consider is the combination of mouse and keyboard. I'm always using keyboard shortcuts to copy and past something, while I use my mouse for highlighting. This is something that's hard to do if your keyboard is obscured beneath a board.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    No...but you do want your monitor and keyboard on different levels...my iMac sits about four inches higher than my keyboard.
  • Reply 3 of 10
    rodukroduk Posts: 706member
    My desk came with a keyboard tray but I didn't even bother fitting it (the whole unit was self assembly). Its currently sat on the floor with the tower on it. I find keyboard trays tend to rob you of leg room, causing your knees to bang on the underside. Also recent Mac keyboards act as USB hubs. Having it on a tray means that when the tray is pulled out, the keyboard is often pulled backwards, just from the weight of the wires dangling over the back of the tray. Finally the Mac flat panel monitors are on short legs anyway which when combined with the wide bezel means the monitor is already three inches above the keyboard.



    [ 10-21-2002: Message edited by: RodUK ]</p>
  • Reply 4 of 10
    imudimud Posts: 140member
    I use the keyboard tray on my desk, at first it was odd but now i love it. Oh btw i dont use a mouse i use a logitech marble mouse trackball. I don't think there is actually room to use a mouse on my key tray. Perhaps you should measure the space you use for your keyboard and mouse and see if the tray is at least that big.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    I hate keyboard trays.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    overhopeoverhope Posts: 1,123member
    The question is not "should I get a keyboard tray?", but "is the keyboard tray going to work for me?".



    Try it out (if you can) first: is using the tray going to put undue stress on your wrists? Will it put your arms at a strange angle? Will having the monitor and keyboard at the same level strain your neck during normal viewing?



    If you don't need the desk acreage for anything else and there are no ergonomic issues, save the money...
  • Reply 7 of 10
    reynardreynard Posts: 160member
    Ive decided, with your help, not to get a keyboard tray. Two things pointed out that should have been more obvious to me:

    ?USB port. I use the keyboard to plug in my camera.

    ?Legroom. I mentioned originally that my son didn't use his tray. More than that, he destroyed it eventually by constantly knocking it off the support with his knees.



    Thanks for helping me save $70. I think Ill get those cute little Apple Speakers instead.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Get an adjustable chair
  • Reply 9 of 10
    machiavellimachiavelli Posts: 1member
    A slide-out tray is useful if you have a small area, since you can slide it back in to save space. But some tend to loosen and get creaky over time. Avoid the wood or chipboard kind as it tends to warp and stain. There's some good advice here.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I have two monitors, two computers, and a tv in the corner of a room. I'm probably going to buy the kind of keyboard tray that hangs on a swiveling arm so that I can more easily position myself to view whichever monitor I need to.



    I'm also working (as a hobby) on keyboard/mouse switcher that switches when the user (me) simply looks at one monitor or another. The swivel tray works nicely in this scenario.
Sign In or Register to comment.