Finding a compact keyboard that’s as clean and minimalist as the Apple Magic Keyboard — but not so Apple-centric — isn’t easy. There are lots of options featuring fancy switches and RGB lighting targeted at gamers, but for the rest of us, Logitech has lopped off the number pad from its excellent MX Keys keyboard and rebranded it as the new Logitech MX Keys Mini.
If you prefer pounding away on a loud clacky keyboard with mechanical switches under every key, the MX Keys Mini isn’t for you. But if you favour the quieter low-travel keys on a laptop, Logitech’s latest addition might be better suited for your desktop needs. Instead of each key being completely flat, Logitech has added a spherical indent the company claims will better match the shape of your fingertips for improved accuracy, but it’s no miracle cure for hunt-and-peck typists. What’s even more useful is the inclusion of a dedicated emoji key, and a convenient microphone mute button given most of our working days still revolve around awkward conference calls and video meetings.
Unlike Apple’s Magic Keyboard that doesn’t include any lighting, the new MX Keys Mini does, with backlit keys that automatically adjust their illumination to the ambient lighting conditions in the room, and only turn on when a proximity sensor actually detects your fingers near the keyboard. That’s an important feature because according to Logitech, the LED backlighting is a real drain on the keyboard’s rechargeable battery. With the illumination turned off, the USB-C rechargeable MX Keys Mini will run for up to five months — with the LEDs on, that drops to just ten days.
Wireless connectivity is handled either through a USB receiver attached to a computer, or Bluetooth, which allows the MX Keys Mini to work with devices running Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, or Linux. The keyboard can actually be connected to three different devices over Bluetooth at the same time, and easily switch between them with a quick button press.
Despite its smaller footprint, the new MX Keys Mini appears to be priced exactly the same as the original Logitech MX Keys keyboard at $US100 ($137), and both are available now in select regions. Stay tuned for news of their Australian price and release date.