Logitech’s productiveness peripherals have impressed in recent times, with each the Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard and the Editors’ Selection award-winning Logitech MX Grasp 3S cordless mouse amongst our favorites. Now Logitech has revisited and revised 2019’s MX Keys within the type of the MX Keys S ($109.99). The wi-fi keyboard is strikingly just like its predecessor, with minor bodily updates that productiveness fiends will little question respect—in the event that they discover them in any respect. In the meantime, the star of the present is definitely a software program replace: Sensible Actions, the most recent addition to Logitech’s Choices+ keyboard and mouse software program, helps you automate duties and streamline workflows with a contact of a button. The MX Keys S is not low-cost, nevertheless it occupies a pleasant area of interest between generic workplace keyboards and deluxe mechanical keyboards.
The MX Keys to the Kingdom
To see how a lot the MX Keys S resembles the 2019 unique, look no additional than its practically similar measurement and design. Measuring 5.2 by 16.9 by 0.8 inches (HWD), it affords an ultra-slim profile akin to Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Contact ID. And at 1.7 kilos, it is simply as mild. Like the primary MX Keys, it comes with a built-in carry or tilt that provides some additional peak to the low-profile keyboard in the event you favor it, in addition to a USB-C port for charging its built-in battery and an influence swap within the high proper nook.
The MX Keys S is obtainable in Graphite or a brand new Pale Grey hue; a $199.99 bundle that mixes the keyboard, an elective wrist relaxation, and the MX Grasp 3S is obtainable however restricted to the Graphite keyboard coloration. The pictures you see present the Pale Grey mannequin however I principally examined the Graphite, which appears to be like modern on nearly any floor. Black buttons, barely concave to accommodate your fingertips, sit atop an aluminum body to provide the keyboard a high-quality, bespoke look, whereas the Pale Grey unit’s white buttons will definitely invoke Apple Magic Keyboard comparisons. Key journey is shallow, due to low-profile scissor switches, however the board is quiet and total pretty comfy to make use of.
That is all acquainted territory, so what’s new? For one, the improved backlighting not solely reacts to your fingers as they strategy the keyboard, but in addition reacts to your surroundings, robotically adjusting the brightness to fit your environment. The keyboard structure has additionally been barely up to date to incorporate an emoji button (just like the one on Logitech’s POP Keys mechanical keyboard), a mute/unmute button for calls, and a dictation button for speech-to-text performance. There isn’t any microphone in or on the keyboard, so you will have to have an exterior mic close by in the event you’re utilizing the keyboard with a desktop PC.
The keyboard comes with a charging cable and a pair of.4GHz USB wi-fi receiver, in addition to low-energy Bluetooth expertise that connects to as much as three units without delay, letting you turn amongst them with a press of a button. It is suitable with Home windows 10 and Home windows 11, macOS 11 or later, ChromeOS, Linux, iPadOS 14 or later, and Android 9.0 or later.
As for battery life, Logitech claims as much as 10 days of life with backlighting on and as much as 5 months with it off (the identical battery rankings because the 2019 MX Keys). As talked about, a skinny wrist relaxation is an extra-cost possibility, although I discovered it not very comfy—it isn’t plush and did not help my wrists as a lot as I would like, which might be annoying for heavy-handed typists.
That is about it for {hardware} adjustments, which isn’t essentially a nasty factor because the design of the primary MX Keys keyboard was fairly stellar in its personal proper. However there’s one other replace value mentioning, tucked away in Logitech’s customization software program.
Work Smarter, Not More durable
Choices+ is Logitech’s customization software program (accessible on each Mac and Home windows) for all its current gear. It is principally what you’d count on: backlighting changes, performance customization for the top-row operate keys, and firmware updates. The good addition, formally releasing alongside each the MX Keys S and MX Anyplace 3S mouse, is Logitech Sensible Actions. In essentially the most fundamental phrases, it is a macro maker, designed to simplify repetitious actions by combining the required steps into the press of a single set off key. Sensible Actions is supposed to automate widespread duties however can deal with fairly sophisticated ones if want be. Mapping my set off to the Calculator button, I enabled a Sensible Motion that opened Google Chrome, Microsoft Phrase, and Spotify, with slight pauses between every to accommodate loading occasions.
In one other instance, ChatGPT stepped in to combination a listing of some well-known New York Metropolis lunch choices and put up it as a response in Slack. Some fundamental workflow templates are inbuilt, however you’ll be able to actually get into the weeds by including purposes, textual content, keystrokes, and system capabilities to Sensible Actions. You may even import and export macros to share with different customers or throughout units.
Utilizing a Sensible Motion does disable the set off key to which it is assigned, so you need to select which operate you will sacrifice for comfort, however actions are simply toggled on and off inside Choices+. Sensible Actions are suitable with different units that use Choices+, so current Logitech merchandise may even be capable to make use of them. In order that begs the query: Is the MX Keys S value an improve if its chief enchancment is a little bit of software program additionally accessible for different keyboards?
Verdict: Small Modifications Imply Higher Choices Elsewhere
At $109, the Logitech MX Keys S is pretty dear for a non-mechanical keyboard, although extra reasonably priced than the $159.99 Razer Professional Kind Extremely (our wi-fi mechanical favourite) or Dell’s $119.99 KB900 Premier Collaboration Keyboard. In the end, there are merely not sufficient enhancements right here to warrant a brand new buy for house owners of the unique keyboard. However in the event you’re searching for an Apple Magic Keyboard different or are out there for a brand new productiveness each day driver, the MX Keys S is a superb low-profile keyboard, if not a high decide.
Should you can stretch your finances barely, not solely the Razer and Dell however Logitech’s personal MX Mechanical are first-class decisions by way of each consolation and performance. Should you’re searching for a deeper low cost, the Cherry Stream Wi-fi Keyboard is a scissor-switch cut price at $49.99.
