• Trust Slimline Aluminum Keyboard For Macbook Pro

Although I’m a big fan of tactile, I also enjoy the sleekness, quiet keys, and wireless nature of. I wish Apple would make a full-size Magic Keyboard, but that doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. Thankfully Matias, a computer accessory manufacturer that’s been around since the 90s, is offering its own take on what an Apple-made full-sized wireless keyboard could be like.

The end result — the $99 — is an impressive rendition of Apple design principles, coupled with a few bonus features that truly make this keyboard worth considering. Have a look at our full video walkthrough for a hands-on look at the Space Gray version of Matias’ Wireless Aluminum Keyboard.

Four keyboard color options The Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard is available in four colors — Silver, Space Gray, Gold, or Rose Gold — that allows it to complement any color of MacBook or MacBook Pro. The Space Gray and Gold versions feature black key caps, while the Silver and Rose Gold colors feature white key caps. Needless to say, I think that Matias did a great job of nailing the Space Gray version that I’m currently testing, as it matches the 2016 MacBook Pro about as well as one could reasonably expect. I’m assuming that the other three colors are just as good, but I’ve not yet compared them in person. Video walkthrough Build quality & performance The surface of the keyboard is machined out of aluminum, while the bottom area of the keyboard is plastic.

If you’ve used any of Apple’s standalone keyboards recently, then you’ll have a general idea of what to expect here. The keys themselves, while not underpinned by the much-improved butterfly switches that are found on the latest MacBook Pro, feature significantly more key travel, and are relatively stable no matter where you press on a key. I found that I could type fast on this keyboard, and didn’t experience any out of the ordinary key input issues. The keys on the keyboard are not backlit, but Matias is producing two versions with backlighting that are currently available for pre-order (shipping in June).

The will come in two colors, and feature a separate battery dedicated to the backlight. The four rubber feet on the bottom of the keyboard do a good job of keeping the keyboard stable on the desk while typing. However, you won’t find any legs on the bottom to adjust the typing angle. Depending on the way you type, this could pose an issue with adjusting to the keyboard’s angle.

It’s been a while since I’ve used Apple’s full wired keyboard with number keys, but if memory serves me correctly, the build quality between it and this keyboard is similar. The Apple-built keyboard may be slightly superior in overall build quality, as I did notice a little bit of play on the edges of the Matias hardware when pressed, but no one’s going to do that in real world usage, and that’s probably being overly critical.

1-year battery life The most impressive thing about this keyboard is its battery life. Matias includes a 1,600mAh battery, which it claims is 5x to 12x larger than competing hardware. The result is a keyboard that can be used for a year on a single charge. Included in the box is a USB charging cable, which features a full-size USB-A port on one end, and a right-angle micro USB plug on the opposite end. As much as I hate micro USB, I don’t mind it as much considering that I’ll only need to charge the keyboard once a year. The micro USB port for charging is located on the front of the keyboard, along with the unit’s power button. Charging that keyboard takes around 5 hours, and the Caps Lock key light shines amber while charging.

Although there is a power button on the same front panel as the USB port, you’ll rarely need to use it. Once the keyboard is on and paired with your devices, you can leave it that way. Because the keyboard features such a large battery, it stays on and stays connected, which means that there should be no delays on the hardware side of things when you sit down for work. Number pad & full-size arrow keys To anyone who enjoys using full-size keyboards, I don’t have to explain why it’s such a good thing. I don’t have to explain the satisfaction of typing on a full number pad, or having full-size arrow keys to help you navigate. When it comes to a keyboard, having more keys is almost always a better thing in my opinion. But what makes this keyboard special is that it does two things that Apple has quarantined to two separate products.

If you want a full-size keyboard in Apple’s world, then you have to live with having a wired connection. But if you want wireless, you have to ditch the number pad, and the rest of the amenities that come with a larger keyboard.

With Matias’ offering, you get the best of both worlds. You get a truly wireless keyboard with a long-lasting battery, and you get a number pad, extra function keys, large arrow keys, etc.

You aren’t forced to sacrifice one thing for another. Pair up to four devices You’ll notice four curious-looking keys above the number pad on the right-side of the keyboard. These keys are dedicated to paired-devices, and you can pair up to four devices at once with the keyboard. Thus, these dedicated keys make switching between an iPad and MacBook, for instance, a painless affair. You can literally press a single button to switch effortlessly between multiple devices, and it works just as advertised.

Matias’ keyboard plays nice with macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows machines. Conclusion The Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard is probably the keyboard that Apple should be making. It’s a full-size keyboard with Bluetooth wireless connectivity, which is something that Apple doesn’t offer. If you’re in the market for a good-looking wireless keyboard that features Mac-centric keyboard shortcuts, yet can be easily paired and switched between other devices, then give it a look.

You can find the Matias Wireless Keyboard for $95, but in all four colors.

Search Wirecutter For: Search Reviews for the real world Browse Close. Browse Close. The allows you to pair it with up to three devices and switch between them with the press of a button, a useful feature that few Bluetooth keyboards have.

The keyboard is comfortable and responsive; it’s also solid enough for desktop or lap use, yet it’s small and light enough for you to slip it in a bag and use it on the go. Logitech says the K380 has up to two years of battery life with heavy use (defined as eight hours a day, five days a week), though the keyboard hasn’t existed long enough for us to test that claim. The K380’s unusual round keys can take some getting used to, and the keyboard lacks backlighting and the operating-system-specific layouts you’ll find on our upgrade picks, but those amenities aren’t available on other keyboards in this price range either. If the K380 is sold out, we recommend waiting for a restock—it’s that much better than the competition in its price range. If you need something right away, however, our upgrade or full-size options below may fit your needs.

If you spend all day typing and need a wireless keyboard, consider Logitech’s Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboards (for and ). Our top picks for several years, these two models have long been the gold standard for Bluetooth keyboards because of their smooth, well-spaced keys, their adjustable key backlighting, their platform-specific layouts for Mac and Windows, and their ability to switch instantly between multiple paired devices. But we don’t recommend them for most people because they’re expensive. Unless you need backlighting or a platform-specific layout, we think the K380 is about 80 percent as good for just 40 percent of the price. If you need a keyboard with a built-in number pad or want to connect to a computer or device without Bluetooth, we suggest the. The K780 also comes with Logitech’s Unifying wireless USB dongle, but it is otherwise very similar to the K380—offering the same round keys, multidevice Bluetooth pairing, and estimated two years of battery life. It adds a number pad and a built-in stand for smartphones and tablets, too.

It shares some of the K380’s flaws, however, as it lacks backlighting and isn’t available in Windows- or Mac-specific layouts. Kimber Streams has tested, lived with, and reviewed hundreds of computer accessories, and builds mechanical keyboards for fun. After narrowing things down, they tested 25 Bluetooth and wireless keyboards with the help of four panelists with varying typing techniques and skill levels.

They then spent months using the most promising Bluetooth keyboards for daily work. Phil Dzikiy reviewed hundreds of tech accessories during his tenure at iLounge. He retested our previous top picks against some of the strongest competitors from last time around, and added eight more keyboards to our test lineup.

Who this is for. Wireless and Bluetooth keyboards can help you declutter your desk, type more comfortably on your phone or tablet, or use a computer or TV streaming box from your couch without running a cable across the room. Traditional wireless keyboards, or RF (radio frequency) keyboards, typically include a small USB dongle that you need to plug into your computer for them to work. Historically they’ve been cheaper than Bluetooth keyboards, and they’re easier to set up since you don’t need to pair the keyboard to your computer as you do with a Bluetooth keyboard; they may also be a better fit for older laptops or desktops that don’t support the Bluetooth standard. But that dongle takes up a USB port, and you have no easy way to use these keyboards with phones or tablets. And most wireless keyboards these days have clunky, outdated designs that offer an inferior typing experience.

All of our picks, therefore, are Bluetooth keyboards—but we have a pick that, if that’s what you require. For most people, the Bluetooth standard is a better option. Desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, smart TVs, and streaming boxes all use Bluetooth, and some Bluetooth keyboards can switch easily between multiple devices without requiring you to re-pair them. Bluetooth keyboards used to be more expensive than their wireless counterparts, but they’re getting cheaper all the time, and most manufacturers are focused on making Bluetooth keyboards rather than wireless models—that means more choices and higher-quality keyboards. If you want to use a Bluetooth keyboard but your computer doesn’t support Bluetooth, you can buy a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle currently.

Like an RF adapter, it will occupy a USB port on your computer, but it will let you pair your machine with other Bluetooth accessories like gamepads, mice, and speakers. If you’re looking for wireless ergonomic keyboards, consult our.

How we picked. Just a few of the keyboards we’ve tested over the years. For this guide, we spoke to experts with more than a decade of combined experience testing and reviewing Bluetooth and wireless keyboards to find out what makes a great one.

Over the past two years, we’ve tested more than 30 keyboards—a group condensed from a list of more than 60 keyboards that were worth considering. We tested each keyboard by using it for at least a day of heavy work involving lots and lots (and lots!) of typing. After that, we spent much more time using each of our picks for work. This process gave us a feel for comfort, key placement, ergonomics, and build quality. Whether you’re using a Bluetooth keyboard or a wireless keyboard with a dongle, it should never feel like anything but a “normal” typing experience.

We prioritized:. Typing comfort: This includes the size and feel of the keys, the typing angle, and how it feels to use the keyboard for long periods of time. We prefer full-size, well-spaced keys. The amount of pressure necessary to hit the keys should feel natural and satisfying. The way a keyboard feels involves some subjectivity, but if you’re uncomfortable with your current keyboard, you certainly have better options out there. As for the design, most keyboards are made to slope upward from the front edge so that you can see the keys better.

Despite the ubiquity of this design choice, such an angle is bad for your wrists. Even show that the most ergonomic typing position is for the keyboard to slope downward, away from your body, so that you don’t have to bend your wrists upward at all. Easy pairing/no dropped signals: At this point, Bluetooth and wireless keyboards should have very few to no problems related to pairing or to dropped signals. They should also have as little delay as possible when it comes to seeing your keystrokes show up on the screen. Portability: A portable keyboard needs to strike a balance between compactness and ergonomics.

It should be small and light, but it should not cram three or more functions onto a single key or be too cramped for you to type normally. Some people may never take their Bluetooth or wireless keyboard anywhere—it might solely be a desk keyboard. But if you want to bring a keyboard with you, it should be easy to tote around, and it should be sturdy enough that dropping it shouldn’t cause you to panic. A design or cover that protects the keys is ideal but not necessarily required. Materials: Even if your keyboard remains at your desk, you should feel comfortable knowing the keys won’t start popping off or wearing away after a short period of use. Does the keyboard feel cheap or flimsy? Even if it gets the job done, anyone who needs to use a keyboard for long periods of time will probably look for something more substantial.

Layout: Standard layouts differ between Windows and Mac, so it’s ideal if the manufacturer offers a version of the keyboard tailored to each OS. We recommend keyboards without number pads for most people, since they’re ergonomically better and most people don’t use the built-in number pad, but we also have a recommendation if you do want a number pad. Backlit keys are a bonus. Battery life: Most modern Bluetooth and wireless keyboards offer long battery life, but they still have differences in this regard. A keyboard can use built-in rechargeable batteries or swappable batteries, and each kind has its advantages. Built-in batteries don’t need replacing and create less waste, but they can be recharged only a finite number of times—though any decent keyboard battery should last years before expiring completely. Many newer keyboards with built-in batteries will last for months on one charge, at least.

With swappable batteries, you don’t have to replace the keyboard until it’s falling apart, but you do need to carry spare batteries or buy disposable batteries periodically ( may come in handy here). Our pick: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard.

After outperforming a number of newer keyboards in our latest comparisons, the remains our top pick. The comfortable, compact, and inexpensive K380 can switch between up to three paired devices and has battery life that (Logitech claims) you can measure in years. It’s similar in design and function to our long-standing previous picks, the Easy-Switch K810 and K811, but it has round, shallower keys and lacks backlighting. Despite those flaws, we think the K380 is about 80 percent as good as the Easy-Switch models for 40 percent of the cost.

The Logitech K380 measures 10.9 inches wide, 4.9 inches deep, and 0.6 inch thick, and it weighs 15 ounces; it isn’t too large or heavy to slip in a bag and take with you. The K380’s slight slope isn’t ergonomically great for your wrists—flat would be ideal—but the angle is not as steep as on most keyboards, and it isn’t uncomfortable to use for long typing sessions. The round keys are springy and satisfying to type on. Each key is slightly concave—except for the keys in the top and bottom rows, which are convex—so they’re more comfortable than flat slabs.

The Logitech K380 is comfortable and responsive enough for most people’s typing needs, but if you type a lot you should consider the instead. The K380’s keys sound snappy and provide gratifying audible feedback, but they aren’t so loud or clacky as to disturb another person in the same room.

Even with round keys, the K380 doesn’t feel cramped or uncomfortable. The Logitech K380’s keys are all where they ought to be and don’t feel cramped, but the round shape leaves larger gaps between the keys than a traditional, square shape would. In our tests, getting used to the key shape took a little time, but after a brief period of acclimating ourselves to the keyboard, we were able to use it without issue. The K380’s textured plastic coating doesn’t feel cheap and doesn’t amass hand oils. The biggest advantage the K380 has over most Bluetooth keyboards is its lengthy battery life.

The K380 runs on two included AAA batteries, and Logitech told us it would last for about two years of heavy use (defined as eight hours of use a day, five days a week). We haven’t been able to test the limits of that claim, but our K380 is still going strong after more than a year of daily work and entertainment. This result compares favorably with what we’ve experienced with our upgrade picks, which have lasted about three weeks on a full charge whether the backlight is in use or not. You can recharge the K810 and K811 via USB and use them when they’re charging, but the K380’s impressive battery life is a huge advantage.

The K380 can easily switch between up to three paired devices. One of the K380’s best features is that it lets you pair it with up to three devices and switch to any of those instantly with the push of a button.

(Our upgrade and ergonomic picks also do this.) So if you wanted to, you could use the K380 to start typing an email on your computer, switch to your smartphone to send a quick text message, switch to your Apple TV to change your background entertainment, and then swap back to your computer to finish up that email. Few keyboards do this well (most can pair with only one device at a time), and our picks are the only models that combine this convenience with comfortable, responsive keys. It also supports, which when used with a compatible Logitech mouse lets you hop between multiple computers on the same network (you can even copy and paste or drag and drop files from one machine to another) as you move your mouse from screen to screen. Multiple Wirecutter staffers have used the K380 for multiple years, and none of them have anything bad to say about it. The K380 “feels better, or at least as good as, most laptop keyboards,” said senior staff writer Kevin Purdy. “And its batteries last so long that I forget it has batteries.” Lead editor Kimber Streams and their partner each have a K380, and they use the keyboards both at home and when traveling: “We had to change the batteries in Matt’s keyboard once, but I’ve never changed the batteries in mine in the two and a half years I’ve owned it.” And lead editor Andrew Cunningham bought a K380 to replace our upgrade pick, the Logitech K811, when that model’s internal rechargeable battery began to wear out. “The K380 isn’t as nice of a keyboard and I miss the backlight, but I’ve had it for almost two years and I still haven’t replaced the original AAA batteries it came with, so I never ended up getting another K811,” Andrew said.

A: “With its ability to toggle between nearly any smartphone, tablet and most computers, Logitech’s smooth-operating and affordable K380 is one of the best multidevice wireless keyboards you can buy.” likes the K380 but warns that people with larger hands may find the keys small and crowded. We think that generally comes with the territory of a portable keyboard that isn’t full-size—it’s to be expected.

If your hands are large, you should consider a larger keyboard. The Logitech K380 comes with a; Logitech will repair, replace, or give you a refund if your keyboard is defective. Flaws but not dealbreakers. The Logitech K380 lacks a couple of features that our upgrade picks provide.

First, the K380 isn’t available in different layouts for Windows and Mac, instead offering a one-size-fits-all layout. Some of the keys do different things depending on which platform you’re using it with, but you might find functions in unfamiliar places. For example, the K380 places Ctrl in the bottom-left corner with Fn immediately to the right, which is traditional for Windows keyboards but backward for Macs. This limitation is not a dealbreaker for most people, but if you can’t stand the K380’s layout, you should.

The Logitech K380 lacks backlit keys, but that’s a necessary trade-off to achieve such long battery life. Most people don’t need to spend $20 to $60 more for a backlit keyboard, but if the feature is a requirement for you, check out our upgrade picks. As we mention above, the K380 has round keys that take some getting used to. Most of our testers were up and running at full typing speed after an hour or so (some even sooner), but we would have preferred traditional, square keys. The round keys have less surface area and leave large gaps that make it easier to miss the keys if you’re touch-typing.

The K380 also lacks a built-in number pad. That’s a bummer for people who have to input a lot of numbers, but not everyone needs this feature, and the added weight and bulk wouldn’t be worth it for most owners.

Our full-size keyboard pick, the, includes a number pad and has a layout very similar to that of the K380. Long-term test notes.

Kimber Streams has used the K380 for work nearly every day (when they haven’t been testing other keyboards and laptops) for about a year and a half, typing hundreds of thousands of words on it and traveling with it a few times a month. Aside from normal wear and tear—namely shiny spots worn into the most frequently used keys—the K380 works just as well as on the day it arrived.

And the battery hasn’t died yet. Wirecutter research editor Courtney Schley has also used the K380 daily for work for about a year and a half, and reports that it has held up well. Aside from some shiny spots on the keys, the keyboard still works great despite normal wear and tear and periodic abuse from young kids who grab it off her desk and use it to “work.” Upgrade pick: Logitech Easy-Switch keyboards. If you spend all day typing, you should upgrade to one of Logitech’s Bluetooth Easy-Switch keyboards with platform-specific layouts: the or the. Both are more comfortable than the K380, with smooth, well-spaced square keys and an adjustable backlight. Both have rechargeable batteries and come with three-year warranties, and both let you switch between three paired devices with the press of a button. The Easy-Switch keyboards were our top picks for years, but we now recommend the K380 for most people because it’s so much less expensive—the street prices of the K810 and K811 usually run between $60 and $100.

The square keys are well-spaced and feel nice. Both versions of the Easy-Switch are similar in size to the Logitech K380 but about half an inch wider and a smidgen deeper. The Easy-Switch models are also a bit flatter—which is better for your wrists—and lighter at 0.74 pound. The Easy-Switch keys are satisfying to type on, with deep enough travel and springy feedback. Compared with typing on the K380, using either Easy-Switch feels smoother and less clacky.

Most keys on the K810 and K811 are slightly concave and coated in a smooth black plastic that looks and feels better than our main pick’s textured plastic. As with the K380, the top and bottom rows have convex key tops, though the effect is subtler on the Easy-Switch keyboards. Each version has a traditional layout for its respective operating system, as well as audio keys, track control, and backlight adjustment. We recommend getting the version that corresponds to your operating system of choice, but both models will work with any OS—Bluetooth doesn’t discriminate.

The K810 has a Windows-friendly layout: Ctrl in the bottom left, with Fn to the immediate right, then a Windows key. Along the top row, it has an Application Switcher key, a Home button, a calculator shortcut, and Print Scr and Delete buttons. The Mac- and iOS-friendly K811 has Fn in the lower left, followed by Control, Option, and Command; along the top row it has Mission Control, Home, brightness, and eject buttons. Our upgrade picks have backlit keys, unlike the K380, and you can increase or decrease the backlighting level with a pair of function keys. After a few seconds of inactivity, either Easy-Switch keyboard automatically turns the backlight off to conserve battery, and it lights up again when it senses your hand nearby.

It doesn’t offer auto shut-off, though; it won’t turn off entirely unless you switch it off, so you have to be mindful to avoid draining the battery. The Easy-Switch keyboards add an adjustable backlight, a nice feature if you’re typing in the dark. The Easy-Switch models have built-in rechargeable batteries, which you can charge via the included Micro-USB cable even while you’re using the keyboard.

In an earlier test, we noted that the Easy-Switch models typically lasted two and a half to three weeks on a single charge with the backlight all the way up; with no backlight, the battery lasted four or five more days. That result is much shorter than Logitech’s two-year claim for the K380, but it’s not a huge inconvenience when you consider the backlight and internal battery.

Although the Easy Switch keyboards are the best Bluetooth keyboards we’ve tested, they’re too expensive for most people’s needs. Their street price is usually between $60 and $80, and when they go out of stock prices can climb above $140—an amount that no one should pay for a Bluetooth keyboard. Unless you need a Windows- or Mac-specific layout, or spend hours typing every day, you’re probably better off with the less-expensive K380. What do other reviewers think? In a, Steven Sande writes that he found the Easy-Switch to be impressive, concluding, “I give the Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard a big double thumbs-up with frosting on top. Seriously, the keyboard’s backlighting, feel, and ability to switch instantly between devices makes it a winner in my book.” 9to5Mac named the Easy-Switch the to use with an Apple TV.

Wirecutter editor Dan Frakes during his time as an editor at Macworld: The Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard is one of the best Mac keyboards on the market thanks to an appealing design, good keys and key layout, and a nice batch of special-function keys—in this case, for both OS X and iOS. The Easy-Switch lacks the luxuries of an extended desktop keyboard, such as a numeric keypad, but it makes up for those omissions by providing multi-device Bluetooth support and a design that makes it small enough to toss into your bag. These qualities make it versatile enough to be the primary keyboard for your desktop Mac, your MacBook, and your iPad or iPhone—without sacrificing full-size keys or a standard key layout.

Trust Slimline Aluminum Keyboard For Macbook Pro

On the Windows side, gave the K810 four stars (out of five), writing, “I can imagine using this keyboard primarily with a tablet. I can see swapping it between a tablet and a desktop, or perhaps among multiple tablets. It would even make a great living-room keyboard thanks to its tidy, unobtrusive design.” Several Wirecutter staffers own the Easy-Switch keyboards—and have for years—and everyone loves them aside from minor complaints about price, battery life decreasing over time, and lack of auto sleep.

A couple of staff members have had an Easy-Switch keyboard for more than two years and say it works just as well as when they bought it, for the most part. The keys show minimal signs of wear, but the battery life has dropped a bit: Instead of needing to charge the keyboard every two weeks or longer, they need to charge it every seven days or so. This problem is, unfortunately, a downside of rechargeable batteries, and can’t be helped. The keyboards still work for about a week—and also work on passthrough power—so we don’t consider this limitation to be a dealbreaker. One owner also noticed that the backlighting in the middle of the keyboard isn’t as bright after having been in use for a couple of years. Best full-size keyboard: Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard.

When it comes to a Bluetooth and RF wireless keyboard with a built-in number pad, our top recommendation is still. The K780 is very similar to the K380—it has round keys, it can pair with and switch between up to three devices via Bluetooth, it promises an estimated two years of battery life from two AAA batteries, and it comes with a one-year warranty—but it adds a number pad and a built-in stand for smartphones and tablets. It also supports, which when used with a compatible Logitech mouse lets you hop between multiple computers on the same network (you can even copy and paste or drag and drop files from one machine to another) as you move your mouse from screen to screen.

For better or worse, the K780 also shares some of the K380’s drawbacks, namely a lack of backlighting and a single layout rather than separate models tailored to specific operating systems. In addition to Bluetooth pairing, the K780 comes with Logitech’s Unifying wireless (RF) USB dongle, so you can connect the keyboard to a computer without Bluetooth.

The K780 is the only Bluetooth keyboard we’ve yet tested that has both Bluetooth and a USB dongle, and we appreciate the flexibility. If you have (or any other Logitech Unifying peripheral), the K780 can connect to your computer using the same dongle as your mouse uses.

The K780 isn’t quite a full-size keyboard. Its arrow keys are small and crowded together beneath the Shift key, and the navigation keys—Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down—are relegated to a function layer on the number pad. It also lacks Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause buttons, though few people will miss those. As a result, the K780, at 14.9 by 6.2 by 0.9 inches, takes up less room on a desk than most full-size keyboards and is more ergonomically friendly, but the design also means the arrow keys are small and harder to press than full-size keys. Unfortunately, none of the full-size keyboards we’ve tested with regular arrow keys are worth recommending over the K780. Both and gave the K780 four out of five stars in their respective reviews, with both reviewers praising its keys and its ease of use. Best number pad.

If you don’t use a number pad frequently, we recommend getting our top keyboard pick, the Logitech K380, and pairing it with a stand-alone number pad for occasions when you need that feature. Keyboards without number pads are more portable, and such smaller keyboards have the added ergonomic benefit of allowing you to place your mouse closer to the keyboard.

We recommend the. At its current price of around $30, it’s not too expensive (many good Bluetooth number pads cost $50 and up). Plus, the keys are responsive, the keypad is light enough to take with you, and one handy mode lets you use the number keys as directional arrows and as Page Up, Page Down, Home, and End. A couple of Amazon reviews note that the keypad automatically switches off when not in use and can take a few seconds to reconnect, but that isn’t a dealbreaker for an inexpensive number pad. We also tested, which some people may prefer.

It’s thinner than our pick, it looks nicer, and the keys have a better feel. It has a built-in rechargeable battery, and Satechi claims that a charge of one to two hours can last up to two weeks. However, this model is usually 33 percent more expensive than our pick. It also lacks the extra arrow-key functionality. But if you have money to spend and you’ll be doing lots of calculations, you may find that it’s worth the investment. What to look forward to.

Logitech announced the, a keyboard with a customizable “creative input dial.” At launch, there are only built-in integrations for seven apps—Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and InDesign on both macOS and Windows, and Microsoft Office on Windows only—but you can customize the dial for other apps on your computer. If you’re using the brush tool in Photoshop, tapping the top of the dial will bring up options for size, hardness, opacity, and flow; tapping the side will click through to what option you want; and turning the dial will activate what you’ve selected (e.g., changing the brush size).

In PowerPoint, you can edit text boxes and charts through the same procedure, and in Chrome, turning the dial will scroll between tabs. The Craft, which can be used with Bluetooth, Logitech’s Unifying Receiver, or a USB-C cable, is due for release in October, and we’ll compare it with our pick, the, then. The competition. A sleek, lightweight Bluetooth 4.0 keyboard, is a pleasure to use, with high-quality construction and properly bouncy keys. At $80 currently, it’s also in the ballpark of the K780. It doesn’t have the same versatility as the Bluetooth-or-wireless K780, however, and it can’t switch between paired devices, nor does it have a built-in smartphone/tablet stand. The Surface Keyboard uses two AAA batteries and is designed for Windows PCs.

You can use it with a Mac, though—just note that you may not be able to swap the modifier keys without using a key-remapping tool., a non-Bluetooth wireless keyboard with a USB dongle, is often available for less than $35. Its quiet, soft-touch keys don’t have quite as much bounce as we’d like, but they’re certainly acceptable. The keyboard itself is a sturdy black plastic—it’s not as old as most non-Bluetooth wireless keyboards we tested, and that shows in the straightforward, inoffensive design. The keyboard also comes with a wireless mouse, if that sways you in any way. We’ve eliminated both our budget and our portable keyboard options since the last iteration of this guide. Since the K380 is often available for $30 or less these days, we don’t see the need to recommend a separate budget pick. Our previous budget pick, normally lists for $20 to $25.

Saving $5 or $10 is not worth the obvious drop in quality when our top pick is already so inexpensive. Our previous portable pick, is no longer worth highlighting, either. It’s more expensive than the K380, and it’s not that much more portable. The spill resistance is a nice feature, but the typing experience is a big step down from that of the K380. Charges its internal battery using an included Lightning-to-USB cable and weighs only half a pound. It has a shallower slope and larger—but shallower—keys that are somewhere between those found on the past few generations of the MacBook Air and Pro and the 12-inch MacBook.

The keyboard auto-pairs with computers running at least El Capitan (macOS 10.11) the first time you connect it for charging. But this keyboard costs $100, and we think the Logitech K811 is better for Mac owners because it’s less expensive, more comfortable, and capable of switching between multiple devices. Although the lets you switch between multiple paired devices with a dial, the keyboard is huge and heavy—it weighs 1.8 pounds, nearly double our top pick—and its large, clacky, plasticky keys make it feel more like a Fisher-Price toy than a quality keyboard. The folds in half for easy portability, and it can connect to two devices at once. But the large gap down the middle is disruptive to some typists, and it’s too expensive.

The has larger, less-cramped keys than Microsoft’s Universal Mobile model, but it’s heavier and less convenient to store in a bag. The curved body of the takes up more valuable bag space than a flat keyboard, and it has tiny, cramped keys. (Despite its name, it doesn’t come with a case for any other device—just a case for the keyboard itself.) The is really affordable, but it has miserably small key spacing, and many shortcuts (such as the volume and music controls) require hitting a secondary key. The has better build quality than Anker’s Ultra-Slim keyboard (which we also dismissed), but it isn’t as nice to type on and doesn’t have a rechargeable battery. Compared with the Logitech K780, the has keys that are less comfortable; it’s also compatible with fewer operating systems, and it doesn’t let you pair with and switch between multiple devices.

The doesn’t feel cheap and hollow like; it can switch between devices, as well, and it has a numeric keypad and full-size arrow keys. But we tested it on Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS, and on every operating system we experienced frustrating disconnects during use and slow reconnects from sleep. We tested a second keyboard and experienced the same disconnects on Chrome OS and interference with other Bluetooth devices on Mac and Windows. A $100 keyboard shouldn’t have connection issues. Dates back to 2011, and it makes you feel like you’re still typing in that year. It’s defined by cheap, bulky plastic, and it shows its age. Has a number pad and a larger footprint than our top pick, yet also has slightly smaller keys.

Those small, cheap-feeling keys can make for an awkward typing experience. Two Logitech wireless keyboards—the and the —charge on solar power. We tested the Mac version. It’s a fairly nice keyboard, but it’s also expensive for a non-Bluetooth wireless keyboard, and solar power doesn’t offer any real use advantage over the long battery life of newer keyboards.

Has decent keys. But it feels cheap, and it’s light in a bad way—it can rock around on a desk or in a lap if not perfectly situated. Is a wireless/Bluetooth keyboard and mouse combo. In our tests the keyboard was sturdy, but the keys felt relatively soft and didn’t give us quite the bounce we were expecting. We also had issues with the palm rest, which adds bulk to the keyboard and can’t be removed. In addition, that palm rest has very tiny perforations, which can easily trap dust and other particles.

Is a wireless/Bluetooth keyboard that comes with a stand for smartphones and smaller tablets. We found that its keys tended to rattle more than bounce—we were surprised by how cheap the keyboard felt.