Office peripherals generally get a bad rap for being clunky, boring, and not that great to type on. Well, with how far great keyboards and mice have come in terms of quality and performance in 2024, has that changed? Enter the Dell KM555, a wireless keyboard and mouse combo kit intended for office use that I've spent many hours typing with. It's simultaneously better and worse than you think, but I can clearly see who this keyboard and mouse are made for.

We can't talk about the Dell KM555 combo without mentioning the price. It costs $50, and that gives you a wireless keyboard, mouse, disposable batteries, and a 2.4GHz USB receiver in the box. At that price, it's pretty easy to look past some of the keyboard and mouse's flaws, like middling ergonomics and a subpar typing experience. Where this kit particularly excels is in its extremely quiet operation, which will benefit office workers who don't want to bother their colleagues with a noisy keyboard.

About this review: Dell provided a KM555 keyboard and mouse combo for review. The company had no input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Pricing, specs, and availability

Dell's KM555 combo kit includes a wireless keyboard and mouse, and comes in a subtle black color. It's available for $50 on Dell's website, and includes the batteries you need to get started. The keyboard features a Windows layout, so you'll want to use it with a PC. While this combo kit may come to other retailers in the future, for now, your only option is to buy it straight from Dell.

What I like

There are some premium features hidden in this basic office peripheral set

Just to keep your expectations reasonable, the Dell KM555 keyboard and mouse feel like the type of peripherals you'd get in the box with a Dell prebuilt tower or a Lenovo all-in-one PC. Both peripherals feature a largely plastic construction, though the build quality is somewhat impressive. There's virtually zero deck flex on any part of the KM555 keyboard while it's lying flat on a desk, and only a bit of flex when I try to twist it in my hands.

While these peripherals feel like basic office input devices on the outside, it's what's on the inside that makes this kit stand out. The keyboard and mouse come with a 2.4GHz USB receiver that can be cleverly stored inside the mouse when not in use. It's USB-A, which is unfortunate in 2024, but makes sense as most office desktop towers still rely heavily on the standard. There's also support for Bluetooth 5.1 on both the mouse and keyboard — hardly the latest-and-greatest of Bluetooth tech, but still impressive. That unlocks multipoint connectivity, so you can connect these devices with two computers at once.

It's true that these features aren't new, and many keyboards and mice, such as the Satechi Slim X2, feature multipoint connectivity with three devices. However, it's rare to see this kind of thing on office peripherals at this price point. The mouse has an optical sensor, a programmable scroll wheel, and a 4200 DPI. In terms of feel, the mouse is better than the keyboard. The shape and ergonomics of the chassis could still be better, but I had no major issues using the KM555 mouse for testing.

You also get a Copilot key, as well as a few other programmable hotkeys, if that's something you're interested in. The keyboard and mice are disposable battery-powered, like the Logitech Wave Keys for Mac I recently reviewed, which I don't love. However, Dell says you'll get 36 months of battery life on a single AA for the mouse and two AAAs for the keyboard, and these come in the box. You shouldn't have to worry about the battery too much.

What I don't like

The typing experience and ergonomics could certainly be better

Where these office keyboards usually falter is in the typing experience, and that's the case with the KM555 keyboard here. There's actually a decent amount of key travel, but the membrane pads make for a very mushy and unsatisfying typing experience. This does come with a positive: the KM555 is probably the quietest keyboard I've ever used. The mouse is similarly quiet, and this silent operation is perfect for office setups where you don't want to distract the people around you.

The stiff membrane keyboard resulted in a bit of discomfort in my hands and wrists, but I suspect that could go away with time or with a wrist rest. Compared to the mechanical keyboards, and even scissor-switch keyboards, that I'm used to, the KM555 falls short in typing feel and overall ergonomics. But if you've used office keyboards before, you'll know this is nothing new for the category.

Should you buy the Dell KM555 combo?

You should buy the Dell KM555 combo if:

• You want a basic and cheap keyboard and mouse combo kit for your PC or laptop
• You'd like some premium features, like multi-device connectivity and a Copilot key
• Quiet operation is one of your top features in a keyboard or mouse

You should NOT buy the Dell KM555 combo if:

• Ergonomics are your main priority
• You don't like the feel of cheap membrane keyboards
• You need a keyboard that works well with macOS

If you have reasonable expectations for this $50 combo kit, the Dell KM555 is a solid option for office deployments. It's the quietest keyboard and mouse I've used in years, maybe ever, and that's really valuable in office environments that can be noisy. It's also nice that a combo package as cheap as this one can still include some modern features, like multi-device connectivity, a Copilot key, and Bluetooth 5.1.

You can certainly do better if you're willing to pay more, but there's something to be said about the fact that you can buy multiple sets of the Dell KM555 for the same price as one of the best mechanical keyboards.