MAC KEYBOARD REVOLUTION: Your Hands Will Thank You (Or Demand It!)

It’s hard to keep up with Logitech’s ever-growing MX range of keyboards, but the Logitech MX Keys S For Mac is its latest top-of-the-range wireless keyboard, priced at $109.99/£109.99. Its slimline, low-profile design is very smart and attractive, and available in either Space Gray or Pale Gray. It’s the most solidly built Mac keyboard we have tested, and is capable of surviving some heavy-handed typing when it needs to.

The MX Keys S For Mac is significantly cheaper than Apple’s Magic Keyboard (from $179/£179), but also a lot more versatile, as it includes a dedicated set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three separate devices, including Macs, iPads, Windows PCs, and even Linux and Chrome devices.

Look for the “For Mac” model as it offers a Mac dedicated layout. The Command Key is the giveaway when you want to ensure you have the regular Mac keyboard layout. There are different models for U.S. and U.K. layouts, too.

The original MX Keys was launched a few years ago, so this updated MX Keys S includes a number of new features, such as Function keys that can be used to activate dictation on your Mac, open the emoji menu, or mute/unmute your microphone for video-calls. The backlighting has been improved too, automatically reacting as you first move your hands onto the keyboard, and adjusting to suit the ambient light in the room around you. The backlight does drain the battery though—the keyboard can last for up to five months if you’re not using the backlight, but this drops to around 10 days if you have the backlight on all the time.

You can use the MX Keys S with any Mac, and it will work like a standard keyboard with a row of Function keys that control settings such as brightness and volume, or activating Exposé. However, Logitech also provides an app, called Options+, which requires macOS 12 or later. This allows you to reprogram the various Function keys to perform different tasks. It can also be configured to work with specific apps such as Photoshop or Premiere, which makes it a particularly good option for professional users who want to speed up work in their key apps. The app has also been updated for the MX Keys S, adding a new Smart Actions feature that works a bit like Apple’s Shortcuts, by allowing you to record a series of actions that can be triggered using a single key.

At first glance, the two Magic Keyboard models launched by Apple in mid-2021 look very similar to the original models—which are still available and reviewed here as well. However, these newer models bring a number of new features that aren’t available on the older Magic keyboards. For starters, these models are officially referred to by Apple as (1) the Magic Keyboard With Touch ID For Mac Models With Apple Silicon ($149 / £149), and (2) the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad for Mac Models with Apple Silicon ($179 / £179). Note there are Space Gray versions that cost more ($199/£199) so make sure you select the white models if you want to save money.

(Apple Silicon means your Mac has an M-series processor—for example, an M2 iMac—rather than an older Intel-based processor. If you bought your Mac after 2020 it is likely using a Silicon M-Series processor.)

Apple is making it abundantly clear that the new keyboards are specifically designed for the latest Mac models that have Apple’s home-grown M-series processors. You can use these new keyboards with older Macs that have Intel processors, but you’ll really only be able to use them as basic QWERTY keyboards for typing, as most of the new features—including the Touch ID sensor that sits in the top row of Function keys—won’t work on Intel Macs.

The basic design of the two keyboards hasn’t actually changed that much, with the same slimline design and month-long battery life as their predecessors. The smaller Magic Keyboard With Touch ID is priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor. And, like the standard Magic Keyboard, it feels rather cramped, with a small Space bar and cursor keys. The lack of ‘travel’ (the up and down movement of the keys as you press them) also makes the keyboard feel a bit lifeless for people who type a lot and need a bit more tactile feedback when they’re typing up a storm. Then again, you might feel that your fingers have to do less ‘work’ compressing the key. Apple also introduced new versions of the Touch ID keyboard with black keys in early 2022.

The key feature of these keyboards, though, is the Touch ID sensor, which sits by the F12 button on the top row of Function keys. This works just like the Touch ID sensors on the iPhone and iPad, and—on Macs with Apple Silicon—you’ll see a new Touch ID panel appear in System Preferences when you first connect the keyboard. This allows you to store up to three fingerprints, which you can use to unlock your Mac, or to make secure payments on the Apple Store, or other online stores that support Apple Pay.

There are a few other new features as well, including an Emoji command on the Fn key in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, which displays the Emoji viewer panel so that you can quickly add emojis to any document or message that you’re typing. There are new Function commands too, for activating Spotlight, Dictation and Do Not Disturb.

As always, the larger version of the keyboard is even more expensive but the numeric keypad will be useful for people who do a lot of number crunching at work.

There’s more room to provide a larger Space bar too, and larger navigation keys. Even so, the thin keyboard panel means that the keys still feel a bit lifeless, so business users and budding novelists may prefer to look at one of the larger and more solidly built keyboards available from other manufacturers reviewed here.

It’s not often that we recommend HP’s range of PC accessories to Mac users, but the company has launched a number of keyboards, mice and webcams that are now Mac-compatible when used with the HP Accessory Centre app – also known as HPAC – which is available on the Mac App Store. 

As well as being Mac-compatible, its HP 975 Dual-Mode Keyboard is well designed, versatile and provides good value for money.

The 975 Dual-Mode keyboard is a full-size keyboard with a slim, low-profile design that includes a row of programmable Function keys, as well as a set of navigation keys and a numeric keypad for number crunching. It is sturdily built, and the keys feel firm and responsive when typing. 

The keyboard costs just $120/£89.99, so it’s less expensive than rivals such as the Logitech MX Keys ($109.99/£109.99) or Apple’s Magic Keyboard ($129/£129).

You can pair it with two devices via Bluetooth, and also connect a third device using a small USB wireless transmitter that’s included with the keyboard (although this transmitter is USB-A interface, so you’ll need an adaptor). 

The keyboard is designed for Windows PCs, so it has a Windows key and Alt key, but you can reassign those keys as Command and Option keys via the Keyboard Settings panel on your Mac. You can reprogram most of the Function keys using the HPAC app.

The HPAC app also lets you change the brightness and duration of the keyboard backlight, and warns when the battery drops below a specific level. 

Battery life is good, lasting for around six months if you don’t use the backlight very often.

Logitech’s POP Icon keyboard has a matching POP mouse that are available as a combo set or individually. (Read our Logitech POP Icon Combo review.)

As always with Logitech’s Pop series, the attractive design of the keyboard immediately catches the eye. It come in Graphite & Green, Graphite & White, Lilac & Off-White, Off-White & Orange and Rose & Off-White. Logitech can certainly do great colors.

We like the contoured, flat keys of the POP Icon keyboard. They feel comfortable when typing and are quiet, which is, of course, less of an attraction for fans of mechanical keyboards—if you prefer the clickety-clack, look to Logitech’s $99 Pop Keys mechanical models. 

Thanks to its slim design, the Pop Icon keyboard is also easy to position and has all the keys you need. However, the layout is also a little cramped as some important keys are close together. The Pop Icon keyboard also offers all the usual shortcut key combinations, such as for muting, an emoji menu or taking a screenshot. The four action keys can be customized using the Logi Options application, which is available to download free of charge.

The Logitech Pop Icon Keys is compatible with multiple operating systems and devices and can be connected to up to three devices simultaneously. This means you can switch between different laptops with a single click.

According to the manufacturer, the keyboard has a battery life of up to 36 months. It uses standard batteries rather than being recharged via USB.

The Logitech Logi Options app can be installed and used free of charge. It provides the Smart Actions already described as well as an AI Prompt Builder, which is based on ChatGPT 4. This allows texts to be copied automatically and reworded, shortened or suitable responses formulated using preset commands.

This big, beautiful beast from Keychron, is one of the most comfortable offerings around. As you’d expect from the manufacturer, it’s endlessly customizable (both in terms of hot-swapping keys and switches, and using Keychron’s web-based Launcher app), but it’s also incredibly comfortable to type on for long periods, despite a lack of wrist rest or adjustable typing angle.

It’s also pretty heavy, but if you’re not planning to move anywhere, it’s easy to recommend. While Keychron has plenty of smaller keyboards, this has a full numpad, and customizable macro keys above it, as well as a full function row and that oh-so-satisfying volume knob.

It’s not cheap, but it earns its price tag.

The Lemokey L1 HE is one pricey keyboard, but you certainly get a lot for your money–incredible build quality and a raft of high-quality features. If money’s no object and you want a premium gaming keyboard, the L1 HE fits the bill. From a sound point of view, it brings a thocky sound that is deeply satisfying when you’re firing off sentences at a rapid clip.

The L1 HE comes in a 75 percent layout, which essentially chops off the numpad and loses a fistful of bonus keys for good measure. It offers the standard QWERTY keys and a function row, alongside a few extras (Delete, Insert, Page Up, Page Down, Home, but no End). If you think that makes this a more portable keyboard, note that it’s built like a tank, with an all-aluminum chassis and barely a strip of plastic in sight. It tipped the scales at a smidge under 4.5 lbs (over 2kg).

The Lemokey L1 HE is loaded with gamer-pleasing features, including a rapid trigger mode that repeatedly actuates without requiring each key to be fully released, a Snap Click feature that allows two keys to be alternated in quick succession, an analog mode that permits fine-grained control rather than binary on/off statuses, and more.

On the left-hand side of the keyboard are four programmable macro keys, which can be set using Lemokey’s Launcher companion app. Above them is a customizable roller (set to adjust system volume by default) and a flip switch for changing between Bluetooth, wired and 2.4GHz modes. The roller is textured and firm, if a little heavy in action, while the flip switch clicks satisfyingly in use. These switches come pre-lubed for smoother motion and also feature magnetic Hall effect tech as opposed to a more traditional mechanical switch structure.

Sadly, this keyboard lacks any kind of height adjustment, and that resulted in a degree of discomfort after only a short period of typing. I eventually got used to it, but the lack of height adjustment means its ergonomics are sub-par.

Given its $240 price tag, the Lemokey L1 HE isn’t an impulse buy for most people. That said, it’s stuffed with high-end features that will benefit typists and gamers alike, from its hot-swappable Hall effect switches and smooth acoustics to its huge customizability and compatibility with both macOS and Windows layouts.

I’ve never understood the need to put batteries and Bluetooth into keyboards. After all, if a keyboard is just going to sit on your desk all the time then it’s both simpler and cheaper to opt for a straightforward USB connection instead. And, as this is a backlit keyboard, you don’t have to worry about the backlight draining the battery either. Satechi is one of the few companies that still makes a good range of wired keyboards, such as the affordable Satechi Slim W3, which costs just £62.99/$69.99.

Satechi has a strong background in the Mac market—making some recommended Mac Thunderbolt hubs and docks—which ensures that the W3 provides good Mac support too.

The Slim W3 is aptly named, as it measures just 9.9mm thick, and lies almost completely flat on your desk, although Satechi also includes a couple of small risers that you can stick onto the base of the keyboard if you want to increase the tilt a little. It’s sturdily built too, with a tough aluminum panel that weighs 440g, and the keys travel well given the slimline, low-profile design of the W3.

The keyboard is quite large, measuring 420mm wide and 115mm deep, but it includes a numeric keypad, arrow keys, a set of navigation keys, and even manages to squeeze in no less than 19 Function keys as well, just like Apple’s more expensive Magic keyboards. Alternatively, if you want something a little more compact, then Satechi also makes a smaller wired model called the W1, costing $59.99/£53.99 that omits the numeric keypad and navigation keys, as well as a number of mechanical keyboards that are more suited to gaming or high-speed typing.

The only disappointment is that Satechi is a very U.S.-centric company, so its keyboards only offer U.S. layouts. That’s not too much of a problem for U.K. users, though, as you can still use standard commands such as ‘Shift+3’ to print the ‘£’ symbol, even though the U.S. layout means that the ‘3’ key is labeled with the ‘#’ symbol. But, if you need non-English layouts then you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Keychron keyboards are popular for a reason (spoiler alert for the rest of our list), but the K8 HE is one of the better-looking options out there with a wood finish that gives it a wholly different vibe to rivals.

Offering a compact size that still has enough room for plenty of key travel and without bunching too many keys together, it’s comfortable at all three of the included angles and isn’t as heavy as some on this list, either.

And, while Macs aren’t home to the majority of keyboard-bound gamers, the K8 HE is also pretty great for playing when the working day is done, thanks to the Hall Effect switches.

Logitech’s Craft and Ergo K860 keyboards are both designed for specific types of users, but if you’re just looking for a good general-purpose keyboard then its MX Keys range is hard to beat.

The latest model in the range is the new MX Keys Mini For Mac ($99.99/£109.99), which has a compact, low-profile design that clearly pitches it as an alternative to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard. And, to be honest, Logitech’s years of experience with mice and keyboards really give it the edge.

The basic design of the MX Keys Mini For Mac is impressive. Available in Space Gray or Pale Gray, it’s heavier and sturdier than the Magic Keyboard, with firmer keys that feel more responsive when typing. The keyboard has a backlight too, with a sensor that automatically activates the backlight as your hands approach the keyboard, and then turn it off after a few seconds when you move away.

The backlight does drain the keyboard’s rechargeable battery, lasting only 10 days if you have the backlight on full brightness the whole time. However, turning the backlight off extends that time to a full five months – far longer than the single month provided by Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

The top row of Function keys works automatically with the Mac, allowing you to adjust the backlight, volume and other controls. Logitech’s Options+ app also allows you to program the Function keys to perform different tasks, such as opening Mail or Safari.

There’s also a larger version, simply called the MX Master Keys S For Mac, reviewed above, which has a separate numeric keypad as well—and this has recently been on sale at the same price as the MX Keys Mini, although it’s not clear if that price cut will turn out to be permanent. Check the live prices we feature below each keyboard.

At first glance, the K950 Signature Slim keyboard looks almost identical to Logitech’s top-of-the-range MX Keys S, and the two keyboards do have many features in common. However, the K950 is intended to provide a more affordable option for home users and people who work from home. It’s available in either graphite or white, and you can buy it on its own for $79.99/£79.99 or as a combo – called the MK950 – with a mouse included for $99.99/£109.99.

The layout of the two keyboards is the same, with the K950 including a row of Function keys, arrow keys for navigation, and a numeric keypad. The lower price means that it’s built out of more lightweight plastic, although it still feels sturdy and firm enough to cope with long hours of typing when you’re at work.

There’s no backlight on the K950, and rather than having a rechargeable battery, it is powered by two AAA batteries. Logitech includes a set of batteries so that you can use it straight out of the box and, with no backlight to drain the power, it states that a single set of batteries should last for up to three years. The lack of backlight also means that you gain two extra Function keys – as they’re not required to turn the backlight up or down – which are now devoted to Mission Control and Launchpad.

The K950 is just as versatile as its more expensive counterpart, though. It can be used as a conventional Bluetooth keyboard, but Logitech also includes a USB wireless adaptor as well (albeit with a USB-A interface, so some people may need an adaptor for their Mac). And, like the MX Keys S, the K950 includes a special set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three different devices and quickly switch between them, including Macs, iPads, Windows PCs, Chrome and Linux. Most of the Function keys work with the Mac automatically, but you can also use Logitech’s Options+ app – which requires macOS 12 or later – to reprogram the keys to suit the apps that you work with most.