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Today we are going to take a look at the Enermax Aurora Wireless Keyboard which incorporates a laser trackball and mouse keys into the bezel of the unit. This makes it ideal for use with home theatre computers or in other applications where a dedicated mouse isn't preferable.
Enermax isn't particularly well known as a peripheral manufacturer; most enthusiasts will be most familiar with their ranges of cases and garish fans. They do, however have a fairly comprehensive range of keyboards available which are targeted predominantly at a mainstream audience.
We look forward to seeing how the Aurora performs in our tests!
Specification
The Aurora is supplied in a fairly compact box which features a large image of the keyboard on the top. There are also a series of logos, including one identifying this keyboard as a winner of the red dot design award (2009).
Turning the box over reveals a large diagram of the keyboard, illustrating a number of its key features. There is also a list of specifications which is repeated in seven other languages.
The box itself doesn't feel particularly sturdy but there is some polystyrene inside which should do a good job of protecting the keyboard during shipping.
Inside the box, there are only two items bundled alongside the keyboard. These are a set of AA batteries (the Aurora isn't rechargeable) and a USB dongle.
First impressions of the Aurora are very good indeed as the keyboard is based around a solid brushed aluminium plate which has been anodised black for extra effect. This makes the construction of the keyboard feel very durable, despite the use of plastic elsewhere in the construction.
The base of the keyboard is made entirely from plastic, but it feature four rubber feet in the corners to improve traction when using on a table. There is also a small door on the underside which lets you install batteries into the unit, alongside a connect button and power switch.
We assume that the ‘Micro' part of the name is to describe the fact that it isn't a full keyboard. The layout is basically a standard laptop keyboard layout, meaning all the essential keys are present.
Enermax has also included a series of hot keys along the top of the keyboard which control various functions, including volume and multimedia playback. We would have liked to see some of these as additional dedicated media buttons considering this has been designed as a multimedia keyboard.
There are some further multimedia controls on the keyboard but they are second functions on the ESC – F11 keys. These can be activated by pressing the appropriate key in conjunction with the ‘Fn' button in the bottom left corner.
It's quite clear after typing a few lines on the Aurora Micro that Enermax haven't put a lot of effort into developing the keyboard itself. It feels like the kind of unit that you would have found on a sub-£300 Acer laptop 5 years ago.
The keys feel mushy and and are made out of very cheap plastic. The metal construction of the unit does a good job of eliminating flex, though.
On the top left hand side of the unit we find the left and right mouse button, arranged as two halves of a circle. There is also a scroll wheel located just to the right.
Over on the top right hand side of the unit there is a large laser trackball which lets us move the pointer around the screen.
We were fairly impressed by the operation of the laser trackball during our tests. It is a more elegant solution than the tiny touchpads that can be found on many compact home theatre keyboards. We do feel that it could have a slightly smoother action, though, as it can sometimes feel quite juddery during use.
Setting up the keyboard was very easy. We didn't have to touch the connect buttons as the keyboard was picked up by the PC automatically after a minute or so. We didn't notice any lag during our tests, either, which can be a serious problem with some wireless keyboards.
Using the keyboard on your lap is simple thanks to the sturdy design. We would avoid holding the keyboard in your hands, though, as the metal construction means it's very heavy.
Even though the layout of the mouse buttons appears to be aesthetic, they are actually very well positioned for your fingers. It takes a little while to get used to this radical alternative to a dedicated mouse but it soon becomes second nature.
Overall we have mixed feelings about the Enermax Aurora Micro Wireless keyboard. We love the aesthetic design of the unit which features a beautiful brushed aluminium finish with chrome accents in select places. The form factor is ideal for those looking to control their home theatre PC with ease from their sofa as the keyboard is very easy to use on your lap.
In our opinion, the keyboard itself lets the whole package down. It feels cheap and nasty and is way below the high standard set by the rest of the unit. This isn't as big an issue as it would be on a typist's keyboard, but we doubt a better quality keyboard would have increased the cost of the unit by much.
Despite the unusual design of the laser trackball, we were fairly impressed with its operation. It doesn't take too long to get used to and makes navigating a large TV screen very easy. We would like to see Enermax improving it's refinement a little on future products, though, as it can feel a little scratchy during use.
At a price of £24 from Scan, the Aurora Micro offers excellent value for money and is a good deal cheaper than most wireless multimedia keyboards. At this price we can almost forgive the poor quality keyboard, but we would like to see Enermax improving this in the future.
Pros
- Solid build quality.
- Very good looking.
- Great value.
- Innovative trackball.
Cons
- Substandard keyboard.
KitGuru says: The Aurora offers good value for money and is significantly cheaper than many wireless multimedia keyboards. The keys are low quality however.
