Logitech Ergo K860
Great keys meet great posture
£109.99 FROM Logitech, logitech.com FEATURES Split layout, sloping body, wrist rest, Bluetooth 5.0, USB–A receiver dongle, 2x AAA batteries (included)
The design choices are intended to provided a comfortable position
Many of us spend an enormous amount of time sat at a desk working on our Macs. The problem with all this typing is that it can create a real strain on your body – not just your wrists, but your arms and back too. Logitech has decided to do something about this with its new Ergo K860, an ergonomic keyboard designed to make things easier on your body and offer a more comfortable typing experience.
The first thing you notice about the K860 keyboard is its layout. The keys between Caps Lock and Return are divided into two very separate banks, with a large wedge between them. The keys themselves follow an undulating path, aligning horizontally at the edges and becoming more angled as they approach the centre.
The body of the keyboard itself is also convex, with its highest point right in the middle of the key divide. These two design choices are intended to provide a more natural, comfortable position for your hands – instead of angling your wrists so that they’re straight, there is minimal modification needed for your posture.
The built-in wrist rest also aids comfort. This is generously sized, taking up around three-quarters of the height of the keyboard. It’s on the firm side but isn’t overly rigid, giving your wrists plenty of comfy support without feeling like a block of wood.
Typing feel is one area where the K860 really excels. Compared to Apple’s Magic Keyboard, the K860 has slightly more travel and there is the merest hint of a physical click on each key press. It actually makes the Magic Keyboard feel slightly squishy in comparison, which is not something we expected and high praise for Logitech’s effort.
Cross-platform ease
Many of the keys are printed for both macOS and Windows use, which is handy if you regularly switch between the two platforms. Speaking of which, the K860 can connect to three devices and change between them at the touch of a button. There are also dedicated screenshot, calculator, and lock buttons
– and oversize Esc and Print Screen keys.
The keyboard does lack backlighting, which would have been a welcome addition; although that would have impacted on the impressively long two-year battery life from the two (included) AAA batteries.
The K860 also incorporates a full number pad, making it very wide on your desk, and centring your hands over the wedge-shaped divide pushes your mouse quite far away. This took some getting used to and ironically actually resulted in some slight discomfort before we found the ideal position. Sadly, Logitech doesn’t offer a more compact ‘tenkeyless’ option in its ergonomic range.
Still, the K860 has a lot going for it. Once you get the position right it’s a comfortable experience – both in terms of its layout and key feel – and could be just what you need if traditional keyboards leave you aching. Alex Blake