Expert picks: The best wireless keyboards

Why I like the Logitech MX Keys S

Logitech’s top-of-the-line keyboard design returns in an S variant, this time with an updated Bolt multi-device receiver and a new auto-adjusting backlight feature. The typing experience is as good as it was in the original model, and it’s even a tiny bit cheaper, so this upgrade is a win-win if you like your keyboards thin and stylish.

Just be aware that dozens of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity might bog it down. If you prefer your Logitech boards a little more clicky-clacky, check out the MX Mechanical variant. This design is also available in a smaller “60%” model — see below.

Who should buy the Logitech MX Keys S

If you want one of the most stylish keyboards around that isn’t mechanical, and one that effortlessly works with multiple devices, this is it. The MX Keys is also shockingly quiet, so it’s a good choice for crowded offices. But it you want a longer, more traditional key travel or an ergonomic layout, there are better options out there.

Why I like the Keychron B1 Pro

Logitech’s keyboards are great, but they often command high prices, especially at the top end. If you’re looking for something that has nearly all the same features but is much more affordable, check out the B1 Pro from Keychron (or its bigger brother, the full-sized B6 Pro). For less than half of the price, you get an almost identical stylish design, plus more programming options. The only thing it’s lacking is a backlight.

Who should buy the Keychron B1 Pro

If you’re not a fan of mechanical designs and you want something slim, quiet, and good-looking, and you don’t want to pay triple digits, this is the perfect fit. Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless support means easy switching between multiple devices, though it’s not quite as seamless as Logitech’s Flow software.

Why I like the K65 Plus Wireless

Corsair has been improving its designs for the last couple of years, incorporating more premium features and customization options. And it all comes together in the vastly redesigned K65 Plus, and does so at a shockingly low price. 

This keyboard combines the popular 75% form factor, high-speed, multi-device wireless, high-quality switches, and hot-swappable key sockets, with Corsair’s typically good gaming pedigree. The result is a keyboard that does a lot, for a lot of users, for a relatively low price. 

While the K65 skips a couple of exotic features like adjustable actuation or an OLED screen, and it doesn’t include a wrist rest in the box, it nails just about every other facet of design. It’s simply the best gaming keyboard you can get at the moment.

Who should buy the K65 Plus Wireless

Anyone who wants a high-quality keyboard with tons of options for customization, both hardware and software, will be pleased with this design. It also has some excellent bonuses, like PBT keycaps and a dedicated button for turning RGB on (or off, if you want maximum battery life). 

The 75% form factor isn’t for everyone — you’ll have to look elsewhere, or wait for Corsair to offer more models, if you want a different format. It’s also considerably less “flashy” than other gaming keyboards, and doesn’t offer the heft and quality of a metal body.

Why I like the Logitech Keys To Go 2

Logitech’s first try at the Keys To Go design was uninspiring, a flat, fabric-covered slab that was more of a tablet cover than a keyboard. The second-gen design is an improvement in every way, a fully functional conventional keyboard that’s super-slim and comes with an integrated protective cover that can add a little angle to your typing. With three years of battery life and multi-device pairing, it’s a great companion to any keyboard or phone.

Who should buy the Logitech Keys To Go 2

Mobile-focused typists and road warriors will love this little sliver of a keyboard, which can fit into places even the MX Keys Mini and Apple Magic Keyboard can’t. Even so, it manages to fit a 75 percent layout in there, with a full function row (and a few squished keys outside the alphanumerics). It’s also not a bad deal at $80 retail.

There are some comfort compromises here. If you need a tiny, super-light keyboard with some more key travel, I’d go with the Lofree Edge. But for those who need the absolutely tiniest keyboard that’s still usable, Logitech has it covered.

Why I like the Logitech Casa

If you need something a little more comprehensive for your travel needs, Logitech’s Casa might just hit the spot. It’s a keyboard and touchpad set that also comes in a swanky bento-style case, which doubles as a stand that significantly elevates your laptop. As an all-in-one solution for those who want to set up an office-style workstation on the go, it’s a pretty neat little package.

It is on the pricey side, though — for the same price you could get a laptop stand, keyboard, and touchpad and save a bit of dough, albeit without the neat travel-friendly design.

Who should buy the Logitech Casa

If you can’t stand typing on your laptop but you prefer a touchpad to a mouse, then this is the perfect package for you. It’s also surprisingly stylish in its all-in-one case, which folds down into a portfolio for grab-and-go convenience.

The option to raise your laptop screen may appeal, though there are easier ways to do that on the go. There are certainly cheaper ways to do all three.

Why I like the Keychron Q Max series

For the last couple of years Keychron has been absolutely killing it with its high-end Q series. These mechanical boards make features previously available only via building your own or spending a fortune on a boutique design available to everyone, like full aluminum bodies, gasket-mounted PCBs, and easy, open-source programming with VIA. They’re about as good as you can get for a standard design.

The Q Max series takes these designs and shores up their one weakness: reliance on Bluetooth. While Q Max keyboards have multi-device Bluetooth available, they’re also packing standard 2.4GHz wireless with a USB dongle, making them ideal for use with a hefty desktop PC (and they even do alright as gaming boards).

With a wide variety of layouts like the TKL-sized Q3 Max above, there’s a keyboard in this series for just about anyone, including split “ergonomic” designs. They’re fantastic as stand-alone purchases, or bases for your custom dream build with replacement switches and keycaps.

Who should buy the Keychron Q Max Series

If you’re ready to step up to a premium mechanical keyboard design, one of these Q Max models should be at the top of your list. At the time of writing they’re available in full-size with number pad, TKL, 75%, 65%, and compact “1800” sizes, plus oddball Alice and left-handed models. There’s even a Happy Hacking Keyboard clone version, all of which come with hot-swap switch sockets and RGB lighting.

They’re great on their own with no extra mods, with the only real downside being so-so stabilizers. But you can swap those out too if you’re okay with opening the case, and the rest of the board is just as customizable. They can be custom-programmed, too, so both newbies and veterans are welcome.

Keychron’s high-end boards are on the pricey side, even if they aren’t as expensive as the boutique builds they’re inspired by, so bargain hunters should hunt somewhere else. And while they offer 2.4GHz wireless and wired options for gamers, the lack of game-specific software features means that there are better choices if you want to slay first and type later.

Why I like the Keydous NJ80-AP

Keychron gets the recommendation for an all-around mechanical keyboard. But if what you really want is a fantastic “thocky” typing feel right out of the box, then this unassuming little keyboard is the best I’ve ever tested. It does this with a lot of high-quality components, like PBT keycaps, a brass plate, premium stabilizers, and lots of internal sound dampening. But the big magic is in the switches.

Keydous went with exotic, high-end switches from Kailh to make the NJ80-AP and its stablemates stand out. These “Blueberry Ice Cream” BOX switches have a ridiculous name, but with soft POM plastic housing, reinforced stems, and a factory-lubed sliding mechanism, they feel amazing. They’re the best I’ve ever seen come standard on a keyboard, and that includes boards that cost twice as much as this one.

The NJ80-AP also offers both Bluetooth and dongle-based wireless, RGB lighting, an aluminum volume wheel — all the standards from a high-end mechanical design. Its plastic case and fiddly, proprietary programming software are a disappointment, but for satisfying typing out of the box, it’s simply the best around.

Who should buy the Keydous NJ80-AP

If you’re looking for a standard design with absolutely amazing typing, look no further. The NJ80-AP delivers, and if you want something bigger or (slightly) smaller, the same features are available in 65% and compact “1800” layouts (full number pad, slightly squished). Just make sure to order the one with those fancy switches.

But on the other hand, the software leaves a lot to be desired, and you can get keyboards with better all-metal bodies or faster wireless by spending a little more. And if you really want to go all out, you can get most of the way towards the high-quality typing of this board by ordering the same switches online and putting them in another board with hot-swap capability.

It’ll cost a lot — Keydous designs are on the cheap side of the high end — but if you’re dropping more than three digits on a keyboard anyway, it’s a legitimate option.

Why I like the Logitech K780

If you like the convenience of a Bluetooth keyboard that can switch among different devices, but don’t require the compact layout of the MX Keys Mini, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard promises to be the one keyboard to rule all your computing gizmos. Indeed, it’s fully compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS for fast and effortless switching between your computer, smartphone, and tablet.

It also costs a good deal less than the MX Keys Mini, and offers a roomy layout with a numpad. The integrated device stand is especially good for phones and tablets up to about ten inches in size — like the standard iPad Air. Anything bigger might need its own separate stand. That makes this an excellent companion for a multi-device desk…though it doesn’t exactly pack away well.

Who should buy the Logitech K780

If you’re constantly switching between a PC and a phone or other mobile gadget, this keyboard is exactly what you’re looking for. The dedicated keys for switching gadgets and the integrated stand make it an excellent way to save time and space on your desk.

Why I like the Logitech Ergo K860

Logitech’s Ergo K860 has finally conquered our skepticism about awkward ergonomic keyboards. In the course of our review, there was a marked improvement in typing comfort and reduced muscle tension, all without sacrificing productivity to a steep learning curve.

It’s a little expensive compared to a conventional wireless keyboard, but if you’re struggling with comfort, the K860 is the only ergonomic keyboard we’d heartily recommend. If you need a more compact, affordable version of Logitech’s curvy keyboard design, check out the Wave Keys instead.

Who should buy the Logitech Ergo K860

Ergonomic keyboards aren’t the easiest to find, especially with big, comfy integrated wrist rests. Among major vendors it’s basically this design and the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard, which is wired. So if the split, angled layout with low-profile keys is what you want, the K860 is the best game in town.

If you aren’t trained in strict home row-style typing (index fingers on F and J, et cetera), the split layout may cause a headache. Try the Wave Keys instead if you want bigger, more responsive individual keys and a continuous layout that still has a comfy wrist rest integrated into the design.