Last August, I crowned my favorite keyboards: The Cherry Stream and the Razer Ornata. A lot has changed since then. With the MyGamepad (my first impressions), I hardly use the keyboard for gaming anymore, and I’ve received a new work laptop without USB-A. The Cherry Stream mouse/keyboard bundle requires a USB-A dongle, and the mouse is rather mediocre. And the first version of the Razer Ornata unfortunately has high keys, which I’m just not a fan of.
In my office, many people use the Logitech MX Keys S or Logitech MX Keys Mini. This gave me the opportunity to try typing on them. A flat housing, low-profile keys, a tactile feel, and wireless. I felt comfortable with the keyboard right away. Its focus is clearly on typing text, not on gaming. Nevertheless, I ordered the full-size version for home and paired it with my PC via Bluetooth. From the very beginning, it has largely met my expectations. So much so that I’ve since ordered the small version for work. It fits perfectly in my backpack and is always with me when I have to go to the office in Zurich. But let’s get into the details.
Typing Feel
The most important point, but also the most subjective one. How does the keyboard feel? The keys are crisp, and the actuation point is clearly noticeable. The keycaps are slightly indented and have space between them. This makes every key and its center easy to feel. The lettering is clearly visible and so far doesn’t give the impression that it will rub off easily.
For me, the keys are great. I always know which key I have under my fingers and can feel the switch to other keys very well. Thanks to the short travel distance, you don’t have to press for long but still get tactile feedback when the key actuates.
Build Quality
Both the S and the Mini versions are surprisingly heavy. While this is a negative for a mouse, it gives a keyboard the necessary stability. The housing is presumably made of aluminum, the keys of plastic. The battery is probably housed in the stand at the back, which is also encased in plastic. The keyboard doesn’t creak at all and is also very torsion-resistant. The keycaps also feel very high-quality. The key mechanism shows no signs of fatigue even after half a year. The only thing the mechanism doesn’t like is excessive pressure. When I’m gaming with the keyboard and press the W key with too much enthusiasm, it sticks briefly after I let go; I seem to somehow lock it in its cutout. But Logitech doesn’t market the keyboard for gamers, which is why I can’t hold that against it. For typing, there’s nothing to complain about.
Connectivity, Lighting, and Features
The keyboard can be connected to a device via either the Logitech Bolt dongle or Bluetooth. All common operating systems are compatible - Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. I’ve personally been able to successfully test all of them except for Android. You can have three devices connected at the same time and switch between them using special keys. This worked absolutely seamlessly for me between Windows and iOS, although iOS needs a key press on the connected keyboard to be reminded of it.
The backlighting is subtle and its brightness can be adjusted via the keyboard. I personally don’t need it since I can touch-type. This also saves power. For this reason, the keyboard automatically deactivates the lighting when it hasn’t been used for a few seconds. However, a proximity sensor automatically activates the light when your hands are over the keyboard. I’d love to know exactly how that works, but it works reliably. Thanks to this feature, the keyboard easily lasts a week without charging, even when used for an average of eight hours a day. It charges quickly via a USB-C port.
On both sizes, the F-keys are also function keys that can be used to control both keyboard functions and system functions like volume or media playback. When the FN key is held down, the key reverts to a normal F-key. The MX Keys S has additional function keys above the number pad for the calculator, screenshots, and more. In the Logi+ software, the function keys can also be remapped, but this makes little sense due to the labeling. At most, you could use it to launch a different program with the same function, for example, ShareX instead of the Windows Snipping Tool. But the keyboard also runs completely without software, which is perfect for me.
Conclusion
Both the smaller Logitech MX Keys Mini and the larger Logitech MX Keys S are, in my opinion, very well-executed keyboards. They feel premium, are stable, and have an outstanding typing feel. The software is fortunately optional; I’m just not a fan of driver software. The battery life is good and can be extended by deactivating the backlighting.
While the full-size version comes with a number pad and is a complete keyboard, the small one forgoes the number pad and the navigation keys above the arrow keys. The arrow keys have been moved under the right Shift key. This makes the arrow keys significantly smaller, and you have to give up the right Win/Command key. Not a problem for me; the arrow keys are still easy to use, and I almost never use the right system key.
But this also comes at a price. The Mini costs 70 euros on Amazon, while the larger S goes for 90 euros. Not as expensive as a gaming keyboard or a mechanical keyboard, but significantly more expensive than a Cherry office keyboard. For me, the investment was worth it. However, if you want to game with them, these two keyboards wouldn’t be my first choice, although I haven’t encountered the problem with the W key on the small version yet.