Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Keyboard Review
A backlit, low-profile keyboard that makes typing feel quiet, fast, and effortless all day.
The MX Keys S is the keyboard you buy when you've stopped caring about hype and just want to type fast, quietly, and all day without thinking about it.
What the MX Keys S actually is
This is a full-size, low-profile wireless keyboard aimed squarely at people who work on a computer all day. It's the modest refresh of the original MX Keys, so the headline news is software-driven rather than a redesign. The keys, the heft, the matte finish, all carried over. If you liked the old one, nothing here will scare you off.
It connects over Bluetooth or Logitech's Bolt USB receiver and pairs with up to three devices at once. You hop between a laptop, a desktop, and a tablet by tapping the 1-2-3 keys. It typically runs $90 to $120 on Amazon, which puts it at the premium end of mainstream keyboards without crossing into mechanical-enthusiast money.
How it performs day to day
The typing experience is the whole pitch, and it delivers. The spherically dished keycaps cradle your fingertips, so your accuracy goes up without you trying. Travel is short and the bottom-out is soft. It's quiet enough that nobody on your video call will hear it, which is more than you can say for most mechanical boards.
The smart backlighting is genuinely useful. The keys light up when your hands approach and dim when you walk away, which saves power and looks tidy. Battery life is the part owners rave about most: roughly 10 days with the backlight on, and up to about five months if you turn it off. You charge it over USB-C and keep typing while it tops up.
Logi Options+ is where the customization lives. You can remap keys, set per-app shortcuts, and tie it into the Flow feature so one keyboard and mouse control two computers and copy-paste between them. The software is fine. It nags you to update occasionally, which is the price of admission for the good stuff.
The downsides worth knowing
There's no built-in tilt adjustment. The keyboard sits at one fixed, low angle, and if you want it raised you're buying a stand or improvising. For a keyboard at this price, leaving out feet feels stingy.
It also isn't backlit in any flashy RGB sense. The lighting is white and functional, not decorative, so gamers chasing a glowing battlestation should look elsewhere. And while the keys feel great for a low-profile board, anyone coming from a tactile mechanical switch will find them shallow. This is a productivity tool, not a clacky toy.
Who should buy it, who should skip it
Buy it if you write, code, or live in spreadsheets and want a keyboard that disappears under your hands. The multi-device switching alone justifies the cost if you juggle a work laptop and a personal machine. Mac and Windows users are both covered, and Logitech sells a Mac-specific layout if you want the right legends.
Skip it if you're a gamer who needs fast mechanical switches, if you can't live without adjustable tilt, or if you just need a basic keyboard for occasional use. In that last case the cheaper Logitech K380 or a wired board does the job for a third of the money. The MX Keys S earns its price through daily use, not light duty.
The verdict
The MX Keys S remains the default recommendation for a premium wireless productivity keyboard, and it's hard to argue with that. It nails the fundamentals: comfortable typing, long battery, quiet keys, and effortless device switching. The missing tilt feet are an annoyance, not a dealbreaker.
If you spend hours typing and want to stop thinking about your keyboard, this is the easy pick. Most people won't find a better all-rounder at this price.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between the MX Keys and the MX Keys S?
- Physically they're nearly identical. The S model adds refined smart backlighting behavior, dedicated dictation, mute, and emoji keys, and tighter integration with the newer Logi Options+ software. If you already own the original, the upgrade is minor.
- How long does the MX Keys S battery last?
- About 10 days with the backlight on and up to roughly five months with it off. It charges over USB-C, and you can keep typing while it charges, so downtime is essentially zero.
- Does the MX Keys S work with Mac and iPad?
- Yes. It supports macOS, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, iPadOS, and Android over Bluetooth or the Bolt receiver. There's also a Mac-specific version with the correct key legends if you want a cleaner look.
Daniel covers home, kitchen, and everyday-carry gear. He's a stickler for durability and value, and has no patience for overpriced hype.
