Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Logitech MX Keypad
3.9
Professionals & Cons
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Compact and simply transportable – even for laptop computer customers. -
Good, clear LCD buttons. -
Plenty of software program help. -
No lag.
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Software program makes establishing a chore. -
Cabled connection, no Bluetooth possibility. -
A number of the built-in icons are fairly tough.
Fingers up in case you keep in mind the Microsoft SideWinder Strategic Commander? Solely me…? OK, let me fill you in.
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It was a macro-control gaming peripheral from the early 2000s you used together with your left hand, leaving your proper free for the mouse (sure, you used each on the identical time). It featured a mess of backlit buttons that allow you to hearth off keyboard shortcuts and pan and zoom throughout the map in video games. For those who have been taking part in a recreation like “Age of Empires” over a LAN towards somebody who had considered one of these and also you didn’t, you have been doomed.
These types of macro peripherals have continued to exist, however as somebody who divides their time between reviewing stuff, breaking stuff, fixing stuff, and writing about it, my want for one has waned through the years. Sure, I’ve dabbled with just a few every time I’ve gotten deep into Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Premiere Professional, however the issue is that I largely work from a laptop computer, and I’m reluctant to hold one other factor.
Additionally, I’m old-school sufficient to jot down down the shortcuts I take advantage of probably the most onto a Put up-it word till they’re seared into my reminiscence. However I hold pondering the fitting instrument might grow to be my subsequent Strategic Commander. The Logitech MX Keypad would possibly simply be that instrument.
The {hardware}
The MX Keypad is a small, palm-sized gadget partly made from recycled plastic that appears like a small cost terminal. It is available in Graphite and Pale Gray colorways, measures 3.61 x 3.07 x 1.00 inches, and weighs 3.39 ounces. It’s sufficiently small to tuck right into a laptop computer bag or pocket, in order that’s one much less excuse to go away it at residence. It additionally comes with a stand so you possibly can change its orientation from flat to angled to fit your ergonomics.
On the entrance are 9 customizable coloration LCD keys and two buttons to modify between the pages. It’s smooth, and the buttons don’t really feel too dangerous underneath the finger when pushed, however there’s a type of looseness to them that generally makes it unclear whether or not a button’s been pressed or not. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, however for somebody who spends a substantial variety of hours every week at a Mac keyboard, the buttons may very well be higher.
It connects by way of USB-C cable to Macs operating MacOS 14 or later, PCs operating Home windows 10 or later, and Chromebooks or Googlebooks.
Establishing the MX Keypad
This brings me to some attainable pace bumps. The primary is you could overlook about getting this to work on a Linux system, an iPhone, iPad, or Android gadget, and even an ARM-powered Home windows PC. That lack of Linux help alone leaves loads of builders out within the chilly from the beginning.
The second is that it’s tethered, and there’s no possibility to make use of Bluetooth. On a desktop system the place the keyboard and mouse are each wi-fi, it’s unusual to have this caught to a cable.
Oh, and whereas Logitech’s product itemizing claims that the MX Keypad helps MacOS 13, the software program obtain web page says MacOS 14. I’ve tried reaching out to Logitech for clarification, however to date haven’t heard again. I’ll replace this text as soon as I do.
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If any of these items are a deal-breaker for you, I’d counsel shifting on. Making the magic occur entails downloading the Logi Choices+ software program, putting in it, coping with a blizzard of OS permission requests, establishing accounts, and putting in extra stuff earlier than the keypad will do something.
There’s loads of establishing, and that’s simply the beginning, as a result of as quickly because the software program is put in, that you must customise it for the apps you wish to use. There are primary profiles arrange, however the energy of one thing like that is you could customise it to make it yours.
On the time of writing, there are plugins for simply over 100 functions (however bear in mind that not all of those will work with the MX Keypad, as a result of the software program covers a variety of Logitech merchandise), they usually lean towards creativity, productiveness, and AI instruments.
There’s loads to undergo right here, and if there’s a niche, Logitech even makes an SDK (software program growth package) out there that means that you can construct customized instruments both by hand the old style manner or by vibe-coding your approach to what you want.
The ups and downs
I spent a few weeks utilizing the MX Keypad, so I’ve a fairly good concept of the way it’s helpful. First, there’s loads of setup wanted to get probably the most out of your hundred-dollar funding. You’ll must provide you with a listing of the repetitive actions you soak up a specific app, then translate these to the keypad. If there’s a profile for a particular utility, loads of the built-in features will probably be there, but when not, you’re coming into keystrokes and keyboard shortcuts into Logi Choices+ your self.
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I’m not going to sugarcoat this — it’s tedious, and Logi Choices+ doesn’t make it straightforward. A macro recorder could be helpful, however even a approach to import keystrokes into the app would do. Possibly that is one thing Logitech might work with one of many AI firms to ship on.
The following difficulty is that I don’t perceive why the icons used on the keypad are so ugly. The LCD behind every button can show colourful, beautiful icons, however for the commonest actions, we get ugly two-color icons that really feel straight out of the Nineteen Nineties.
One other annoyance is that the mix of the 2 colours is completely different for every app. I perceive the intent behind this: making it apparent you’ve swapped apps, however the actuality is that the buttons simply jarringly change coloration as you turn between functions. You are able to do issues like change the colours, however it’s important to do it for every icon individually — I haven’t discovered a approach to edit the look of a complete profile directly (not less than, it hasn’t grow to be apparent to me within the time I’ve been utilizing it).
You may also obtain extra icons, however word that there are numerous sampler packs within the Logi Market, so that you would possibly find yourself spending extra money.
One other weak point for me is that whereas the MX Keypad has 9 buttons, Logitech has expanded this with two “web page flip” buttons on the underside. The issue is that as quickly as I want to modify to a distinct web page of buttons, any button on that web page would possibly as nicely not exist. Solely the 9 buttons that seem initially matter.
Additionally, there’s no on-screen indication of what number of pages there are, and while you attain the final web page, it’s important to use the again arrow to return. It’s best to as an alternative have the ability to cycle by way of the pages utilizing both arrow.
It’s an funding
For those who put within the effort, although, the MX Keypad can grow to be a really succesful sidekick. I’ve used it to push macros to functions that encompass a number of instructions. For instance, I can resize a picture to a specific preset in Photoshop and put it aside with a single press of a button.
I intentionally prevented utilizing it as an app launcher (the taskbar and Dock already try this in a single click on), and for something that I can already do just about in my sleep (stuff like copy, paste, and undo).
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I discover that the power of the MX Keypad doesn’t lie in widespread instructions you utilize dozens of instances a day, however in these you utilize solely often and that don’t profit from muscle reminiscence, and even higher: chaining collectively a number of actions into one press of a button. It’s additionally helpful for many who spend a part of their day on video calls and such, as a result of you possibly can management calls and conferences with a button fairly than fumbling about in menus.
I’ve some stage of peripheral neuropathy in my palms that causes a small quantity of cramping and lack of coordination, so I discover the MX Keypad helpful for lengthy, repetitive classes that may in any other case grow to be uncomfortable. I’m making a leap right here in assuming that others with RSI (Repetitive Pressure Harm) or restricted hand mobility would possibly discover it helpful.
Does a $99 button beat a free keybinding?
The entire time I’ve been utilizing the MX Keypad, this query has been on my thoughts. I imply, AutoHotkey v2 for Home windows and Hammerspoon for Mac are highly effective automation instruments you could obtain and use at no cost.
If it’s not instructions you need however, say, the flexibility to enter particular textual content with out having to sort all of it, then possibly what you want is a textual content expander, alongside the strains of Espanso, which isn’t solely free but additionally works on Home windows, Mac, and Linux.
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The distinction that the MX Keypad brings this to the desk — actually — with a bodily, illuminated button related to an icon. You solely want to recollect what to press, and the button does the whole lot else. This alone makes it stand out.
Last ideas
I wish to love the Logitech MX Keypad. I imply, it makes me consider these evenings spent gaming. An enormous a part of me does like it, it’s a really succesful little bit of package that works extremely nicely. The tiny shows are nice, the buttons are sufficient, and there’s no lag when utilizing it.
The software program wants some assist, although. Higher icons and a neater approach to arrange macros and shortcuts could be a significant enchancment. The entire course of is extremely long-winded, and the software program is in the end fairly restricted.
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The appliance has modified. The Strategic Commander was a winner as a result of real-time technique video games demanded a relentless circulation of shortcuts from a small pool of choices. The MX Keypad is making an attempt to do one thing comparable, however at a a lot bigger scale. That mentioned, I can see this interesting to a subset of builders, creatives, and people spending extra of their day wrangling and nudging AI.
For $99, it’s a good little bit of package, alongside the strains of what I anticipate from a Logitech product, however it’s important to put the time in to decide to its use case.
