HP 430 Wireless Keypad Review – 9 Reasons This Product Means More Than Business

I didn’t realize how competitive the wireless keypad market is until I stumbled upon a review opportunity for the HP 430 Wireless Keypad. Personally, I like full-sized keyboards with a number pad built in. I don’t need all of the extra macros or anything, but I like my keypad. Anyway, long behold, the 430 Wireless features nine programmable keys, making this pad more than just numbers. I couldn’t find a keypad with that amount of accessibility for $49.99, so let’s see if it lives up to all of the rage.

Style / Feel / Build / Hardware

Although the HP 430 doesn’t scream premium upon first glance due to its bland office look, it is primarily made of solid plastics. It may look dainty, but the device is rather robust, and I wouldn’t cringe if I dropped it. It will probably chip or scratch, but it’ll work, which is always a positive.

The HP 430 hosts 27 clickable buttons on the face, 9 of which are customizable macros, and the other 18 are the typical number pad layout. The top section of buttons may have preset keys provided by HP, but these keys are entirely unique to whatever the user wants to set them to. Simply remove the keys with the included tool and decide from the ample amount of stickers or the blank canvas sticker to alter the look of the macros. The clear sticker keys open up, so you don’t have to place the sticker right on the key, which is a simple but effective design choice.

Each key has a bit of concavity or curve, adding a bit of stylization and texture to the touch rather than keeping it flat and typical. Under the curved keys are mechanical brown switches that offer a tactile feel and create a chronic feeling of constantly wanting to mess with the keypad. The HP 430 is annoyingly enticing to fiddle, touch, and tap like a fidget toy. The keys hug your fingers like a pillow, and even when the device is off, I find myself uselessly tapping away, and I mean that with positivity.

Surprisingly, even though still very durable, the HP 430 is very thin and low profile. In my case, it is much shorter than my keyboard, so switching back and forth in wrist height is a mental roadblock. It is just something to consider when integrating into your hardware layout.

The power switch, not a button, is on the top right of the HP 430, where you will also find three indicator lights: one for Number lock, Bluetooth, and power. I always like a good indicator light, and I am glad to see the HP 430 refrain from skimping on such a design. Little things like visual assistance always help with user experience. If you were wondering, the switch is stiff but doesn’t feel cheap.

Flipping the device over, the HP 430 has tiny rubber feet in each corner, which are very grippy. While we are here, I can’t stand the battery door. I know it’s just a battery door on a relatively inexpensive device, but it’s the cheapest-feeling part of the unit, standing out with its snappy and reckless use.

Adjacent, you will find the Bluetooth pairing button, which gives me reset button vibes, especially since HP’s choice to make this white weirdly stands out. But this is merely a design nitpick. I’m looking for things to review here, people. This is a piece of plastic with numbers on it.

Anyway, another central oversight in the hardware design of the HP 430 is the lack of a kickstand. When it comes to using the numbers primarily, I can see why there would be no need for a kickstand, but not having a stand for this device just seems like an easy win that was missed. I would have drooled over something as silly as a bit of leverage for the presentation aspect. Someone who might use this for the macros more often might also appreciate a little leverage on these buttons. For now, the HP 430 presents itself like the drum pads of the world, flat to the table.

Performance / Hands-on-use / User Experience / Analysis / Etc.

You only know what you are missing out on once you know, and the workflow benefits acquired from using the HP 430 are just one of the moments. The device truly can unlock efficiency. Whether you are an office worker always using Excel or Word, a digital artist looking for more control, or even a gamer who needs some edge, the HP 430 has your back. Well, it’s really the aspect of the macros here.

Yeah, of course, you can find other devices on the market that offer a set of programmable macros, but this device simply fills multiple holes at once for those who don’t have a number pad on their keyboard or for someone who doesn’t want one attached to their keyboard. The HP 430’s portability and mobility are benefits on their own, but I digress.

For those who miss their number pad after ditching big hardware, the HP 430 brings keystrokes, macros, and functions into play with HP’s downloadable software, The HP Accessory Center, or HPAC for short. Overall, the software package is straightforward to understand and use, which is excellent for those who aren’t technologically savvy. It does require a little effort, but it is easy enough for anyone to pick it up and learn how to create combinations to carry out tasks in one click. Whether multiple hotkey presses in a row to fulfill an action in Excel or to copy and paste whatever intended copypasta instantly, digital intentions are quicker and available to all demographics.

I hope they fix the HPAC because this program is the buggiest software I have used. The screen lags and freezes upon input every few moments or almost every time I move my mouse cursor. I’m sure it’s a device-by-device case, but it’s not a good sign for the user experience here, especially for those who may not be tech-oriented and might have a tough time navigating screens.

As mentioned before, HP provides a wide variety of matching pre-built-in macros to the stickers in the box, so if you aren’t much of a make-your-own hotkey, at least HP offers numerous other functions ready to go. Although you must commit a bit to your intentions since it’s a sticker that will lose its stick if removed, locking in your macro layouts is still fun. You can even have the keypad set to open applications with a single key press, and the software makes it very easy to find installed apps, or you can browse for a file path.

Speaking of software, the most remarkable aspect of the HP 430 keypad is the specific button controls or profiles for each individual program. For instance, you can have a completely different set of functions for Adobe Illustrator, where the macro keys perform differently for Excel. This is all seamlessly changed via HPAC. At first, this customization process was confusing even for me, but once I understood what I was changing in HPAC, the power of this device opened up. You don’t have profiles but rather sets of keys specific to software packages, which is a better system for maximizing customizability.

Other talking points about the HP 430 Wireless keypad include the lack of latency when reflecting key presses on the screen. I was rather surprised at how little delay there is to the screen, especially since Bluetooth devices naturally have lag. No lag on the HP 430 keypad only adds to the efficiency aspect of the device, bringing immediacy to your workday.

After holding down the connect button on the back, the Bluetooth light will blink continuously until connected. The light turns off when connected rather than showing blue or a consistent white light. The device can benefit from a light when connected or after connecting for a visual indication, as it’s even hard to tell if the device is left on since there is no light on the HP 430 when idle.

Lastly, and surprisingly, we are back to a long battery life with the return of AA batteries. One AA battery in this device, which is included in the box, lasts up to 2 years, and there is no internal battery to charge up, so who knew the Stone Age was so efficient? I’m happy I don’t have to worry about constantly charging something so minor as an add-on number pad. Big kudos to HP for picking a long-lasting solution here.

Conclusion

It may appear gimmicky, but the HP 430 Wireless Keypad takes the trend of portable number pads to the next level. If you are in the market for a product like this, it might be on the higher price scale at $50 vs. some other choices at $20 or $30, but I challenge you to find one that does as much as the HP 430. It’s built durably, doesn’t take up much space, is highly configurable for anyone’s lifestyle, and is just fun to have on the desk. You never know; you might find a lot of use for those nine programmable keys when you return the number pad to your desktop.

It’s a little pricey given the actual use case for most buyers looking for a simple number pad, but for professional PC users, spending a few more bucks is worth it. The extra features provided here are great, and having a calculator button is nice, too.