Logitech Pop Keys
We love the thinking behindbehin the mechanical Pop Keys, but the typing experience isn’t quite up to scratch
SCORE
PRICE £83 (£100 inc VAT) from logitech.com
Do not adjust your sets: this is a Logitech keyboard, just not as you know it. Rather than the staid grey designs of its ever-brilliant MX series, the Pop Keys is available in a trio of eye-popping colours. And, as the photo shows, it includes a column of five emoji keys down the righthand side. If Logitech’s chosen set of emojis makes you then mix and match with the four others in the box until you’re . Simply rip the old ones off and slot the new ones on.
Logitech would earn itself an even bigger smile if its Options software was clever enough to automatically detect which buttons were in place, but instead this is a manual job.
More positively, if you buy the accompanying Pop Mouse (£35) and install Options onto an iPad d or second d computer, then h you can move the mouse between the h two like lk a giant virtual ld desktop; k both the mouse and keyboard y oard will switch between computers. Or you can simply pair each computer with the keyboard, then press F1, F2 and F3 to manually switch the source. If you don’t have Bluetooth, there’s a Logi Bolt USB receiver in the box (the Pop Keys isn’t compatible with Lo Logitech’s it h’ unifying receiver).
Logitech has opted to make this a mechanical keyboard. I have mixed feelings about thi this. I like the positive action of the brown switches (Logitech’s own, but similar to Cherry MX Brown), and when I got into m my rhythm I enjoyed the click and clack as I always do with mechanical keyboards. Sadly Sadly, in
day-to-day -day use I found it all too easy to make e typos. This isn’t an issue I’ve found with conventional mechanical keyboards, rds, so perhaps it’s due to the round keytops eytops or their shiny surface. This is a shame, because otherwise there’s here’s much to like here. For instance, Logitech ensures the keyboard should look equally striking in years to come by printing the lettering tering onto the keys. The pair of f AAA batteries will allegedly keep the keyboard going for three years (there’s re’s no backlight). I even like the flourish urish given to the Esc key, which is finished in metallic copper on the yellow-and-black “Blast” finish of my review sample. Then there’s the compact design, which salvages extra space on a desk.
But we need to talk about the price. At £100, you have to absolutely the aesthetic to buy this keyboard.
TIM DANTON
SPECIFICATIONS CATIONS
Bluetooth Bl tooth mechanical keyboard Logitech gitech Brown mechanical switches Bluetooth 5.1 LE (10m range) three ree channels Logi Bolt USB receiver ceiver 2 x AAA batteries (supplied) supports Android 8, Chrome OS, iOS S 11, macOS 10.15 and Windows 10 or r later 321 x 138 x 35mm (WDH) 779g 79g 1yr limited warranty