The quietest keyboard around
Worried that his workmates were getting sick of his awesome, but very noisy clicky gaming keyboard, Metropol gadget guru Ian Knott tries out the new, and virtually silent, Logitech MX Keys S keyboard and mouse combo.
It should be said, that I genuinely love the Logitech G413 SE Mechanical Gaming keyboard, and have used it in my day job for the last year. But it is noisy, and I wouldn’t have blamed my colleagues had they pelted me with paperclips.
So I felt I should jump at the chance to put the very sleek and stylish MX Keys S through its paces.
The Logitech MX Keys S Combo is a wireless keyboard and mouse bundle that is designed for productivity. The keyboard features a low-profile design with scissor-switch keys, which provide a comfortable and quiet typing experience. So quiet in fact, that I fear I may now have the conundrum that people might not think I’m working at all!
The bundled MX Master 3S mouse isn’t a new product, but is easily Logitech’s flagship model, which complements the keyboard perfectly. It has a sculpted design that fits comfortably in the hand, and it features a high-precision optical sensor that can track on a variety of surfaces. The double magnetic scroll wheels, and programmable buttons make the MX Master 3S one of the most productive mouses available.
The MX Keys S is compatible with Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Chrome OS, and Android. It can be paired with up to three devices at the same time, and it can switch between them seamlessly using the Easy-Switch button on the keyboard. I can go between using the keyboard to type on my desktop, to using it to type a message on my phone with the touch of a button. It’s seamless, and once I started to remember the feature was available, I used it a lot.
The keyboard also features backlighting that can be adjusted to five different brightness levels.
The MX Keys S is powered by two AAA batteries, which are estimated to last for up to 10 months. The keyboard and mouse both have sleep modes that activate when they are not in use, which helps to conserve battery life.
Besides the virtually silent operation, perhaps my favourite feature of the keyboard is that even though its profile is slim and there’s very little fat that could be trimmed off – the keyboard is the heaviest I’ve ever come across. It’s solid metal and weighs more than some laptops. This no doubt helps with the silent operation of tapping on the keys, as it absorbs vibrations.
Adding to the overall comfort, the bundle comes with a satisfying-to-the-touch, very low-profile wrist rest. Initially, I thought it would be too thin to make a difference, but it definitely works a treat.
Purchasing the keyboard by itself will set you back around $280, and the keyboard/mouse/wrist rest combo around $450. But if ultimate productivity from your computer peripherals is the goal, then the MX Keys S Combo is well worth a look. Plus, the absolute silent operation just might save the sanity of your work buddies.
