My favorite keyboard packs a punch that rivals Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
In 2012, Logitech managed to create the perfect keyboard for me that met all the requirements I needed. The K810 was a compact wireless TKL keyboard that was both Bluetooth compatible and backlit. Those two boxes aren’t hard to check off today, but they were back then. Best of all, I could seamlessly switch the keyboard to another device just by tapping a key.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the K810 was the build quality of the keyboard – it wasn’t bad, but it didn’t feel super solid. While I loved the keyboard, it became increasingly difficult to find and eventually Logitech discontinued it in 2019. I wasn’t the only one who missed it. You can find plenty of Reddit posts looking for alternatives or pleading with Logitech re-release the K810. I found myself buying used or refurbished K810s from eBay because Logitech had not produced a good replacement.
That eventually changed in 2021.
The Logitech MX Keys Mini was almost everything any K810 owner could want in a successor: same compact design, backlit keys that were more comfortable to type on, easy switching to other devices, a much-needed upgrade to USB C for charging and an absolutely solid build quality that challenged Apple’s own (and beautiful) Magic Keyboard.
Why I like the Logitech MX Keys Mini Keyboard
The MX Keys Mini has a lot to offer. The backlit keys automatically turn off when I’m not using the keyboard and turn on when my hands come near them. The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys to my current lighting conditions (although I can also adjust this manually). The surface of the keys themselves are slightly concave, so typing feels nice.
I also love the battery life. Logitech’s website claims the Keys Mini will last up to 10 days on a single charge or up to 5 months with the backlight turned off. That seems to undermine it. Even with daily use, I don’t have to charge the keyboard more than once a month.
And I like the keyboard. The top row of keys has some standard and non-standard options. The expected multimedia, volume, esc and del keys are present, along with the three simple toggle buttons to change the Bluetooth connection with another device I’ve already paired with and the backlight intensity keys. The keyboard has a handy and dedicated dictation key, a microphone mute/unmute key and an emoji key to open the emoji panel for supported apps. While I can’t say I’ve ever used the emoji key, I love the idea that enough typists want something like that that Logitech has added.
Available for $99 in both Windows And MacOS optionsthe Logitech MX Keys Mini is easily my top recommendation for someone who wants a solid typing experience in a compact and competent package. It also tops our list for the best keyboard for 2024. If you prefer the full keyboard experience, Logitech offers the MX Keys S with a special numeric keypad.
For more information, check out my favorite gadget to control my Philips Hue smart lights.
