Top positive review
Works with Mac Mini
By Jennifer T. on Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2025
Works perfectly with the Mac Mini. The mac recognized it immediately. Just turn on the keyboard and then turn on the Mac. It is almost identical to a Mac keyboard. A couple of the “control” keys on the bottom left are in a different order. I just have to remember that when switching between the Mac Mini and the MacBook. It also doesn’t have the fingerprint button but the Mac Mini does recognize that there is not one so when you want to login to things like websites, it will prompt you to click to login if you have your passwords saved and it will enter the username and password just as if you used your fingerprint. I love the color and the feel of the keys.
Top critical review
737 people found this helpful
Versatile keyboard, but bad for intense use
By Curtis Rueden on Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2019
People use computers in a lot of different ways. There is no one-size-fits-everyone keyboard. This keyboard already has many reviews, and while I did not read all of them, I did not see any existing reviews focusing on the specific problems I have with this keyboard. I am adding my experience here for the folks who have similar needs to mine. TL;DR: Lots of good qualities, but bad for intense keyboarding sessions. - Pros: 1) $30; 2) quick-switch over 3 devices; 3) sturdy and portable; 4) same form factor as an Apple keyboard; 5) feels good to type on. - Cons: 1) It drops key presses when typing quickly; 2) Software support is bad; 3) Fn key behavior is hardcoded and cannot be overridden. BACKGROUND I purchased the Logitech K380 to use as a full-time keyboard at a desk with my MacBook Pro (MBP) 2018 laptop, which unfortunately has a keyboard infamous for malfunctioning. I recently had my laptop's keyboard replaced due to worsening issues, and decided to start using an external keyboard to minimize wear and tear on the new one. This review focuses on what I personally need in a keyboard as a software engineer who types rapidly (~130 WPM) with a keyboard-shortcut-intensive usage style. People who use a keyboard in a more casual way, and who do not care about customizing the keyboard's behavior, will probably not encounter the issues I discuss here. My requirements for an external keyboard are: - As accurate as possible when typing at 130+ WPM. - Exact same form factor as MBP keyboard, to unify muscle memory across the built-in and external keyboards. - Real function keys which can be set to act as F keys by default. I basically wanted my laptop's built-in keyboard, but as an external keyboard. Hey, Apple makes one of those! It's called the Apple Magic Keyboard (Wireless, Rechargable). So why didn't I just buy that? Two reasons. First, the price: $99+ is expensive. Second, I had bad experiences with Apple wireless keyboards from a few years ago: several keyboards which refused to pair, or would spontaneously unpair after a while. I have been a Logitech fan for many years, having enjoyed using many of their keyboards and mice on desktop PCs. When I saw that the Logitech K380 had a nearly identical form factor to the Magic keyboard including fn key, had strong reviews, was only $30 on Amazon, and supported quick-switching across devices, I decided to give it a try. PROS - This keyboard has a lot going for it: 1) Affordable. This keyboard is a great value for the price. 2) Quick-switch over multiple devices. Having tried several different means of tackling the "one keyboard, multiple machines" problem, I can say that quick bluetooth pairing has big advantages. Each switch only takes about 1 second, and it "just works," unlike Synergy, which requires networking your machines together and running special server software, or a USB KVM switch, which requires several cables and adapters. 3) Sturdy and portable. Some other reviews complained about these aspects. But I think it is exactly the right weight (1.17 lbs): it stays put while you type. And it's a small form factor keyboard which fits easily into a backpack or larger purse. If it were any more portable (e.g. foldable), it would suffer in durability or typing performance. 4) Same form factor as an Apple keyboard. I use macOS, and care about consistency across my keyboards. This keyboard is close enough to the Apple form factor that it feels pretty seamless switching between keyboards. It has all four modifier keys on the bottom left (fn, ctrl, start/alt/opt, alt/cmd ⌘), which is a big plus for me. Although beware that fn and control are reversed from Apple keyboards—more on that in "CONS" below. 5) Feels good to type on. This is highly subjective. But personally, I really like the feel of typing on this keyboard. The keys have a nice amount of travel: more than a MBP 2018, less than a classic 101-key keyboard e.g. from a Dell PC. The rounded keys are slightly strange at first but quickly become unnoticeable. Relatedly: another Amazon review mentions key presses happening repeatedly and sporadically, making correct typing nigh-impossible. This sounds like a defective keyboard to me—I have had zero problems with mine in that vein. CONS - Despite all of the above, using this keyboard intensely day after day is frustrating: 1) It drops key presses when typing quickly. In particular, certain combinations of keys, when pressed together, prevent additional key presses from registering. This is best illustrated with an example. Try typing the word "furious" as fast as you can. When I type this word on the Logitech K380, it nearly always comes out "furiou", with the S missing. Why? Each key typed has two parts: the press and the release. When typing quickly, you often press the next key (sometimes the next 3-4 keys) before releasing a previous key. Good keyboards will allow this. But on my K380, if I press O, then press U, then press S, without releasing any of them, the S does not register. It's not that the keyboard cannot handle three keys at once: the word "out" for example comes out just fine. But the word "plastic" eats the S. It's not just the S key though, because the words "nose" and "poster" work even with all keys held at once. But "please" eats the S, and "purse" eats the E. I am not sure, but it feels like a hardware just has a weird limitation here. It destroys my confidence in this keyboard. 2) The software support is terrible. For macOS, Logitech provides a configuration tool called "Logi Options" for configuring the keyboard. It has nearly no features. One option it does have is "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" which sounds great in theory. As a software developer who needs to press combinations like cmd+shift+F11 on a regular basis, I strongly prefer this option to be enabled, so I don't have to press fn+cmd+shift+F11 instead (ugh). For the special functions (pause/unpause, next track, volume up, volume down, etc.), although I use them all the time, I never need to press them in combination with the other modifier keys like shift or ctrl, so holding fn for them is OK. I also use fn+arrow keys all the time for pg up, pg down, home and end, because there are no such dedicated keys on these small form factor keyboards. Unfortunately, this feature does not work reliably. When switching devices, the keyboard "forgets" that this option was enabled, and F keys go back to being not-F-keys again, and the next time you press F3 to dig into some code or switch terminal tabs or whatever, boom, your keyboard is unpaired again. And opening Logi Options and toggling the option back and forth does not fix it! It seems like after some unspecified amount of time, the keyboard just silently "flips" back to F-keys being F-keys again. But the inconsistency there makes it impossible to retain trustworthy muscle memory on the keyboard. And the weirdness does not stop there. Even when F-keys are not being F-keys (either because the keyboard was recently repaired, or because the box in Logi Options is unchecked and taken effect), the behavior of e.g. fn+up/down seems inconsistent: sometimes it's brightness up/down, and other times it's the equivalent of left alt+up/down (as reported by Karabiner Event Viewer). There are times when it becomes impossible to type pg up, pg down, home and/or end, due to the keyboard's inconsistency in behavior. And not being able to type those four keys puts a big damper on fast text editing. These segues into the final nail in this keyboard's coffin: 3) Fn key behavior is hardcoded and cannot be overridden. There is a great macOS tool called Karabiner Elements which lets you completely remap all your keys to behave however you want. So my plan for dealing with the weirdness of Logi Options was: I'll just use the Karabiner Event Viewer to figure out what keyboard events this keyboard is sending out, and remap everything to behave as closely as possible to an Apple keyboard. Problem solved! But you can't: pressing fn sends no key event. The keyboard only sends a keyboard event to your computer in response to keys pressed while fn is held. So e.g. pressing fn+up (sometimes! see above) sends the same thing as left alt+up. Thus, there is no way in software to detect the difference between fn+up and left alt+up, and therefore no way to program them to do different things. (For the GitHub-inclined, there is an issue in the Karabiner Elements issue tracker about it: pqrs-org/Karabiner-Elements#999.) This problem also means that you cannot switch the location of the ctrl and fn keys, which are reversed from their layout on Apple keyboards. Bummer—I bought this keyboard with the hope of being able to do that. I tried with Logi Options installed and Karabiner Elements uninstalled. I tried vice versa. I tried both installed. I tried neither installed. Rebooting in between configuration changes. But nothing worked. I could not find any way to capture an fn key press alone, nor to switch the locations of the ctrl and fn keys to match an Apple keyboard. (When Karabiner Elements is installed, the Keyboard Modifier Keys dialog in System Preferences gains a "Function (fn) key" for the K380, but sadly it does not work. And you still cannot map any other modifier key to fn either.) In conclusion, I heartily recommend this keyboard for casual use of slow-to-moderate speed typists. And vehemently recommend against it for intense typists and power users who want control over their keyboard's behavior.
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Works with Mac Mini
By Jennifer T. - Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2025
Verified Amazon Purchase
Works perfectly with the Mac Mini. The mac recognized it immediately. Just turn on the keyboard and then turn on the Mac. It is almost identical to a Mac keyboard. A couple of the “control” keys on the bottom left are in a different order. I just have to remember that when switching between the Mac Mini and the MacBook. It also doesn’t have the fingerprint button but the Mac Mini does recognize that there is not one so when you want to login to things like websites, it will prompt you to click to login if you have your passwords saved and it will enter the username and password just as if you used your fingerprint. I love the color and the feel of the keys.
ROCKIN TYPING INSTRUMENT!!
By TheGambler - Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2018
Verified Amazon Purchase
I had NO IDEA I would like this keyboard as much as I do. It's really interesting how you can experience something as simple as falling in love with a KEYBOARD after so many years of not thinking about them at all. Soooo let me start from the beginning on how this all happened and give you the reasons why you should and shouldn't purchase this keyboard. Recently I purchased a Lenovo y520 laptop as my daily puter. Even though I don't play computer games I wanted a rockin fast system and this one was it. Well little did I know along with all the newest and best parts like the extremely fast Solid state hard drive (which by the way if you don't have one in your computer you're missing out on one of life's greatest prizes and I wouldn't live without one), along with all of the goodies this baby came with, it also happens to have a rockin keyboard on it. I didn't even know that there was a difference between keyboards so this was a surprise to me to say the least. But I absolutely fell in love with the keyboard on this laptop. It's not why I bought it...but once you get the feel of the keys and used to them being backlit, it becomes VERY hard to go to anything else.,...and I would almost buy this laptop JUST for this keyboard now that I know it so well. WHELP that brings me to where I am now. I also have two other desktop computers that I was trading a logitech MK320 Keyboard and mouse setup between and every time I would trade out the USB dongle I was thinking #1 how much of a pain in the butt it was to do that, but #2 just how difficult the clunky keys were when I went to type something more than a word or two to name files. Don't get me wrong..it's a cool set up...and Logitech does a great job for the price etc...but compared to my new Lenovo keys...they are sorely lacking. So I went to the store to try out a few keyboards. Let me rephrase that, ALL of them....even the mechanical ones that gamers use...and typist use.....and the ones that click..the ones that don't...the ones that look like Chiclets and well... Literally every kind you can think of. And out of all of them I fell in love with these round keys on this little deal. I was stunned because just like my buddy said...you would think with round keys like this and the distance between them that you'd miss and screw up more often, but such isn't the case. I knew within moments of typing some crazy blurb that I was digging this experience. The one that I used at the store MIGHT have been the larger one with the numeric key pad but I couldn't remember for sure and just popped on this one without the keypad since I don't really need it and there isn't a size difference that I can tell. It types amazingly. I haven't regretted it ONE MOMENT! The beauty of this thing is that you can connect it to three different devices. The funny thing is that I didn't think anything about that when I purchased it. I just figured I'd pair it with the one computer and call it good..but once you have the ability...before I knew it I had it connected to my main work computer...then my Ipad...and then my phone...which...it's really nice to be able to type on your text messages instead of swiftkey or pecking with your fingers. I hadn't even thought of doing that. In fact I only did it...and tried it because I could...and it turned out awesome. Connecting to each device is as easy as a push of the button and it types like NUTS. I have now become officially a keyboard snob. I would literally pay very good money for a great keyboard. The whole experience of not making mistakes when you type, where the whole process is natural is just an experience all it's own and that every person should have. NOW...onto the cons of this thing. Well...I've only had this thing all of a few days, so i can't speak to the battery life, or the longevity of the keys etc, but the one thing that I can come right out and say is a bummer is that it's not backlit. I wanted the ease of typing with this specific keyboard because I tried other logitech keyboards that I wasn't real happy with, and there are only two models with these specific and lovely round keys and they AREN'T backlit. One with and without the keypad as I mentioned. They do have a wireless backlit keyboard but I can't speak to the way it types. I think I typed on that model and passed it up anyway as I was riffling through the models to test. So.... even though I've been ruined and spoiled now that my laptop is backlit and gives me the ability to find the home row easy as pie...AND you have to kind of feel your way around this one to get set up if you can't see really well in the dark..it's still worth it's weight in gold. It just types like a dream...really. And Logitech is a great brand you can trust. what's the downside? It's small so it's easy to use... BARELY smaller than a normal keyboard...types like the wind so I feel like a world class typist....and it's just....the coolest thing ever because it runs on everything effortlessly. I don't get emotional about most things...but the stuff that I really dig...and makes my life easier can get me that way. And this thing is definitely one of them. I have no regrets and I know you won't either.
Logitech K380 Pebble Keyboard - A Wireless Marvel of Efficiency
By Tony Romo - Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
Verified Amazon Purchase
The Logitech K380 Pebble Multi-Device Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard has truly redefined my typing experience, making it an absolute joy to work across multiple devices seamlessly. First and foremost, the design is sleek and modern. The low-profile keys provide a comfortable typing experience, and the matte finish adds a touch of sophistication. The compact size and slim profile make it incredibly portable, fitting effortlessly into my bag for on-the-go productivity. The Easy-Switch feature is a game-changer. Being able to connect and switch between up to three devices with a simple press of a button has streamlined my workflow. Whether I'm typing an email on my laptop, responding to a message on my tablet, or making edits on my smartphone, the K380 Pebble effortlessly transitions between devices, saving me valuable time and effort. The Bluetooth connectivity is reliable and responsive. Pairing the keyboard with my devices was a breeze, and the connection remains stable even at a distance. The battery life is impressive, providing extended usage without the constant need for recharging. The tactile feedback of the keys is excellent. Despite its compact size, the K380 Pebble doesn't compromise on typing comfort. The keys are well-spaced, responsive, and provide just the right amount of feedback. Typing for extended periods is comfortable and efficient, making it an ideal choice for both work and leisure. I also appreciate the thoughtful inclusion of the integrated cradle, which securely holds my smartphone or tablet at a convenient viewing angle. It's a small detail, but it adds to the overall functionality and user-friendly design of the keyboard. In conclusion, the Logitech K380 Pebble Multi-Device Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard has exceeded my expectations. Its sleek design, easy switching capabilities, and comfortable typing experience make it a standout choice for anyone in need of a versatile and efficient keyboard for multiple devices. 5/5 stars – A wireless marvel that enhances productivity and style!
Best* Option of the 7 Mac Keyboards I've Tried. Complete Comparisons Below.
By Christine - Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2022
Verified Amazon Purchase
I've been on a quest to find a miniature, Mac-specific keyboard (i.e., one with a Command key) the size of the Macbook Pro keyboard I'm used to (but separate so I can start practicing appropriate ergonomics and hopefully have less neck, shoulder, and back pain) and with similarly quiet keystrokes. It's not been a fun or especially fruitful search, but I've landed on a suitable selection for me and another excellent option for people with larger hands. So, here's what I've tried and what I thought about them in case it help you in your search. For context, I'm using these for work vs. gaming or media, and I usually work in complete silence, so the 10/10 whisper quiet original Macbook keyboard is the bar I'm measuring against. I was also looking to match the aesthetics of my aluminum and black Macbook and black trackpad as best as I could. **THIS KEYBOARD: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard – Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV Compatible – with Flow Cross-Computer Control and Easy-Switch up to 3 Devices – Dark Grey | $32 | This isn't my favorite keyboard in terms of aesthetics, and I hate that it has circular keys. I really don't understand why anyone would sacrifice utility for "aesthetics." I mean, I'm a real aesthete, but I don't find circular keys optically groundbreaking in any way, shape, or form. It's gimmicky at best. Unfortunately, it's the quietest of all the truly miniature keyboards, earning an 8/10 compared to the whisper-quiet Macbook Pro. The keys do make a soft click, and if you hit them with some force, they will make a bit of a soft "thud" sound, but nothing like the bass-like tones apparent in all five options above, save for the Vortec. So, why is that unfortunate? Because I'm a well experienced and pretty skilled typist, but the small, circular keys have me mistyping far more often than is usual for me, and the spacebar is a particular offender, which is incredibly irritating given how often it's used. It is, however, reasonably quiet, so I'm trying to convince myself that I'll get used to it and train myself to find the sweet spot on the spacebar. But I definitely read at least one other customer review complaining about the shoddy spacebar. So, my hope is tempered. Also, while the gray isn't particularly offensive (even though there are three bright yellow buttons on it, which I also don't like), it doesn't match the Mac aluminum gray or the black of my trackpad. It is available in blue, though, so I plan to buy the blue and go for a fun pop of color instead of cohesion and to just hope like heck that my hands get used to these stupid circular but amongst-the-quieteset-I've-found keys. **Vortec Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad, iPhone, Android, Apple, Windows – Streamlined, Compact Multi Device Keyboard – Ergonomic Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard for Mac, PC – Computer Keyboard Bluetooth by Vortec | $25 | This isn't much of a miniature keyboard. Sure, it's smaller than one with a separate number pad, but it's wider than my entire 13" Macbook Pro, so the keys are spaced much further apart than I'm used to, and they're circular as well, which steals a little surface area from you that could make the wider spacing more doable. I eventually got into the habit of finding the backspace key with my pinky, but I made so many more typing mistakes due to the weird key spacing that I was constantly hitting it. It also has the brand name emblazoned on the spacebar, which I hate. The keys weren't loud, though -- it earned about a 8/10 on the quiet scale (the best score I've found in my search, all things considered) -- and they didn't have a distinctly cheap sound to them like some of the others. So, if you have big hands/if laptop keyboards are too small for you but you don't want a full-size keyboard, this one's almost certainly worthwhile. It's just not for me, but I'm 5'1" and perfectly comfortable using the original keyboard on my 13" Macbook Pro. **Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac, OMOTON Compact Wireless Keyboard Compatible with MacBook Pro/Air, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Mini, Mac Pro Laptop and PC, Grey | $24 | I wanted to love this keyboard so badly because it was super cheap, making it a contender for traveling with (without any anxiety) since it's easily replaceable, and it successfully appropriated Apple's aesthetics, offering a space gray keyboard with black, square keys vs. circular keys, which certainly appear to be trendy at the moment even though, from an ergonomics standpoint, I can't imagine why. I like the angle that it's at (vs. flat) as well. And the keys themselves aren't terribly loud. I'll give them (specifically) a 7/10 on the quiet scale. However, the keystrokes combined with the arguably cheap (again, $24) keyboard frame make a low, hollow, rumbling, bass-like sound that sounds terribly cheap and that I just can't get over, which made its overall acoustic score a 5/10. In addition, the surface texture of the keys is also not smooth, so the keys feel cheap as well, which was tough if you're sensitive to sensory stimuli. There are better options for only a little bit more money for sure. **Satechi Slim X1 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard – Illuminated Keys & Multi-Device Sync – Compatible with 2022 MacBook Pro/Air M2, 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Pro & Max, 2021 iMac, 2020 Mac Mini and More | $60 | For $60, I high really hopes for this one, especially since it also successfully appropriates Mac's aesthetics, offering a space gray keyboard with black, square keys. It even has the same on/off toggle as Apple's mini Magic Keyboard, so it's not like it's hiding what it's up to, and it does a much better job at "borrowing" from Apple than the OMOTON replica does, offering smooth keys and a flat form factor that doesn't shake or rattle or cause a din as you type. The only place that it falls short is in the keystroke sound. The keys have a sharp, clicky sound to them in addition to a bit of a bass-like rumble. It doesn't sound hollow, cheap, or rattly, and it isn's quite as noticeable as in cheaper keyboard. But it's there and, given everything else that's great about it, it's a real disappointment. I really wanted this one to work for me and am sad it won't. **Kensington Multi-Device Dual Wireless Compact Keyboard - Black (K75502US) | $30 | This had the loudest keys of all seven keyboards I've tried, earning a 0/10 on the quiet scale, with 10/10 being the original Macbook Pro keyboard. It was absolutely unusable. You may as well buy a high-profile mechanical keyboard for all the sound this made. **Macally Small USB Wired Keyboard for Mac and Windows - 78 Scissor Keys, 13 Shortcut Compatible Apple Keyboard - Mini Compact USB Computer Keyboard That Saves Space and Looks Great - Space Grey | $30 | As soon as I tried a wired version, I realized it was the wrong choice, regardless of how many batteries I have to go through or how short a wireless keyboard charge may last. It just looked messy and dated. The real reason I couldn't keep it, though, was that the keys were super loud and had a low, bass-like tone to them that makes them sound even louder than they might actually be decibel-wise. I'd give it a 3/10 on the quiet scale. I work in silence and this was an absolute racket reminiscent of, but not quite as bad as, a mechanical keyboard. **Apple's Magic Keyboard (Mini, No Touch ID) | $99 | I bought this too thinking that it'd be the best option. However, it's only available in an aluminum form factor with white keys, so it doesn't match the aesthetics of my Macbook or the black Apple trackpad I bought because it matches my Macbook. And for $100, I really want to be happy with it. Also, even though I know it has the same keys as my laptop and it was similarly (I don't know about exactly as) quiet, there was something that just didn't feel the same about the Apple keyboard as its own disembodied entity, even though the laptop-attached keyboard is also flat. I think it might have had to do with the thinness of the form factor. I'm really not sure. But I wasn't $100 happy with it, so I returned it. If it were available in aluminum with black keys, I would no doubt own that and have called it a day, even given the weird "feel" issue I had. But it's not -- even though Apple could clearly charge more money for the other color, like it does with the trackpad. So, that's incredibly disappointing as well. And, even though it doesn't match my setup, it will be what I go back to if I can't get the Logitech to end up working for me. I hope this helps! :)
I love this thing
By Amazon Customer - Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2023
Verified Amazon Purchase
I bought this keyboard because my ancient Surface Pro 3 no longer talked to its companion keyboard. Microsoft couldn't fix it so if I wanted to use a keyboard with the Surface, I needed bluetooth. Did a bunch of research on Amazon and found the K380. The only downside I've experienced is that the K380 is heavier than I'd have preferred. I think it might even be heavier than the Surface itself. But it is SO handy. I have it set up to talk to my Surface, to talk to my work laptop (since I'm not fond of its keyboard), and to talk to my Android phone. One push of a button and I can switch back and forth among those 3. And it would be easy enough to reprogram if I wanted to use it with another device. I was an old school Blackberry fan. Love that physical keyboard. I'm just not a fan of typing long messages or doing anything on a phone that has to be typed on the virtual keyboard. But as I sit here now on an Amtrak train, I'm easily writing this review using the K380 to type it on my phone. One thing to know (that at least I didn't see in the instruction sheet). There's a subtle on/off switch located on the left edge. It took me a while to decide that there had to be a way to turn it off, and I ended up having to google to figure it out. Bottom line, I'm very happy I bought it.
Works well to almost make a Samsung 8 Tablet into a functional Laptop computer
By Kitsap Consumer - Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2022
Verified Amazon Purchase
I paired this Logitech keyboard with a wireless mouse to my new (2022) Samsung 8 tablet. This allowed me to use my tablet like a laptop. I needed to be able to read/edit MS Word and Excel, and read PDFs while on a trip. This multi-device keyboard has 3 buttons that let you pair the keyboard to 3 different devices. I only used the keyboard with the Samsung 8 tablet and a mouse, but I was also able to attach my cell phone as a 3rd device - all of the devices worked together and I did not experience any lag or interference. I specifically decided to buy this older wireless keyboard that uses AA batteries, rather than buying the newer rechargeable Logitech keyboard. While the batteries do make this keyboard a bit heavier than a rechargeable keyboard, I did not want to risk having a keyboard that needed to be recharged when I was in the middle of a document. I've always been able to find batteries while traveling so I have no concerns about choosing batteries over rechargeable. In total, I recently used this keyboard for about 42 hours over 3 weeks on fresh batteries and I did not encounter any problems with loss of power. The keyboard does shut off so you are not wasting power on "ghost" Bluetooth connections. This is a compact keyboard format, but I did not have any problems adapting to the keyboard structure and the feel of the keyboard and amount of pressure needed worked for me. There is no numeric keypad but this was also not a problem for the majority of the work I do with a keyboard. This keyboard also fits perfectly in the Grifiti Chiton Slim 12 Sleeve for 12 Inch Wireless Keyboards. This neoprene sleeve has a fold-over end closure, a pocket for a mouse and this lightweight sleeve provided protection for the keyboard when I carried it in a full backpack. I would recommend this portable travel keyboard.
My favorite keyboard. Period!
By P. Lio - Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2020
Verified Amazon Purchase
I'm a keyboard nerd. I love mechanical keyboards and have several expensive ones, including the WhiteFox and a Poker 3 (one with Cherry MX Blues and one with Cherry MX Browns. Blues are my favorites, by the way!). I also really like the Apple Magic Keyboard: it's ergonomic, very quiet, and extremely reliable (unlike the butterfly fiasco!). But a few years ago I saw this keyboard and--on a whim--ordered it. I fell in love! It's very similar to the Apple Magic keyboard, but is just a little more comfortable to me with it's cool round keys and and lot more flexible: it has the ability to pair with 3 devices and switch easily and reliably on the fly! I got one for work and loved it using it every day for the last few years. And then I was updating my setup at home--I use my laptop which has been great, but I wanted to have an external monitor and keyboard setup. So that sent me on an adventure! I do love my mechanical keyboards, but: 1. I really want wireless for the clean look and setup 2. They are kind of loud for late night typing and they do bother my wife and the rest of the house 3. The ergonomics are a little harder on the thicker keyboards: I feel like my wrists get tired vs. the flatter low-profile options. So I considered this K380 of course, but was curious about the Logitech K480: a bigger, slightly bulkier cousin that also has a neat slot for holding a phone or iPad: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bluetooth-Multi-Device-Computers-Smartphones/dp/B01AKCM5YG They were nearly the same price, so I got that one and... really liked it! I type super fast on it and it is pretty comfortable... but because it quite a bit thicker and perhaps because it is totally flat, my wrists didn't love it. It is also a bit louder "clackier" than the K380. So, while I really like it (and kept it!), I went with the K380 and could not be happier. I have it so that I can tap button #2 and control my iPad which is like having a second computer right next to me and is perfect for replying to text messages and such. I have #3 set to my phone, but I don't really type much into the phone directly. This is, in my honest opinion, one of the best keyboards ever made. It's crazy that it is relatively inexpensive as well. I think this one is hard to beat!
a keyboard i wouldn’t give up on
By glittergirl🌸 - Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2020
Verified Amazon Purchase
UPDATE 3/29/21: So either I’m insane or just desperate because I ended up buying this keyboard again. This is the only wireless keyboard I can find that’s pink (not fuschia, hot pink, bright pink but just pink), without the number pad on the side, has low profile keys and is SILENT. I bought it again after reading more recent reviews and hoping maybe the first one was a dud. So far that seems to be the case because since I’ve received keyboard 2.0, it hasn’t cut off not once. So far it’s been great! I didn’t touch it for over a day and it woke up instantly and so far no random bluetooth freezing. Now do I look like an idiot because I still have my other keyboard plugged in (still leery and just in case), yes I do :) but I don’t mind. If this stays consistent, I will unplug the other keyboard and I guess just keep it close by LOL. Update 12/13/20: I ended up returning this because while it works great, it keeps disconnecting and the only way I found to fix it is to reboot and I am not going to keep doing that. So disappointed because it’s cute and quiet and when it works, it works great :( I looked up every possible solution online and the only thing that consistently worked for me was rebooting. ugh ORIGINAL POST: Love this! It’s so cute and small yet it’s the exact same size as the keyboard layout on my laptop. Of course I bought it because it’s pink - it’s more of a dusty muted pink with a greyish beige overtone. It comes with terrible pictorial instructions but if you know how to find the control panel and bluetooth settings in windows, you don’t need instructions. It connects fast and works great. I love how silent it is and how low profile the keys are. I did have one instance when the F1 light kept blinking and none of the keys worked. I still have no clue what happened but all I did was disconnect and reconnect the keyboard bluetooth and it fixed whatever happened. If they ever make a 2.0 I wish they would light the keys up to make it easier to use in the dark. Overall I love it and wish I had bought it sooner.
Versatile keyboard, but bad for intense use
By Curtis Rueden - Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2019
Verified Amazon Purchase
People use computers in a lot of different ways. There is no one-size-fits-everyone keyboard. This keyboard already has many reviews, and while I did not read all of them, I did not see any existing reviews focusing on the specific problems I have with this keyboard. I am adding my experience here for the folks who have similar needs to mine. TL;DR: Lots of good qualities, but bad for intense keyboarding sessions. - Pros: 1) $30; 2) quick-switch over 3 devices; 3) sturdy and portable; 4) same form factor as an Apple keyboard; 5) feels good to type on. - Cons: 1) It drops key presses when typing quickly; 2) Software support is bad; 3) Fn key behavior is hardcoded and cannot be overridden. BACKGROUND I purchased the Logitech K380 to use as a full-time keyboard at a desk with my MacBook Pro (MBP) 2018 laptop, which unfortunately has a keyboard infamous for malfunctioning. I recently had my laptop's keyboard replaced due to worsening issues, and decided to start using an external keyboard to minimize wear and tear on the new one. This review focuses on what I personally need in a keyboard as a software engineer who types rapidly (~130 WPM) with a keyboard-shortcut-intensive usage style. People who use a keyboard in a more casual way, and who do not care about customizing the keyboard's behavior, will probably not encounter the issues I discuss here. My requirements for an external keyboard are: - As accurate as possible when typing at 130+ WPM. - Exact same form factor as MBP keyboard, to unify muscle memory across the built-in and external keyboards. - Real function keys which can be set to act as F keys by default. I basically wanted my laptop's built-in keyboard, but as an external keyboard. Hey, Apple makes one of those! It's called the Apple Magic Keyboard (Wireless, Rechargable). So why didn't I just buy that? Two reasons. First, the price: $99+ is expensive. Second, I had bad experiences with Apple wireless keyboards from a few years ago: several keyboards which refused to pair, or would spontaneously unpair after a while. I have been a Logitech fan for many years, having enjoyed using many of their keyboards and mice on desktop PCs. When I saw that the Logitech K380 had a nearly identical form factor to the Magic keyboard including fn key, had strong reviews, was only $30 on Amazon, and supported quick-switching across devices, I decided to give it a try. PROS - This keyboard has a lot going for it: 1) Affordable. This keyboard is a great value for the price. 2) Quick-switch over multiple devices. Having tried several different means of tackling the "one keyboard, multiple machines" problem, I can say that quick bluetooth pairing has big advantages. Each switch only takes about 1 second, and it "just works," unlike Synergy, which requires networking your machines together and running special server software, or a USB KVM switch, which requires several cables and adapters. 3) Sturdy and portable. Some other reviews complained about these aspects. But I think it is exactly the right weight (1.17 lbs): it stays put while you type. And it's a small form factor keyboard which fits easily into a backpack or larger purse. If it were any more portable (e.g. foldable), it would suffer in durability or typing performance. 4) Same form factor as an Apple keyboard. I use macOS, and care about consistency across my keyboards. This keyboard is close enough to the Apple form factor that it feels pretty seamless switching between keyboards. It has all four modifier keys on the bottom left (fn, ctrl, start/alt/opt, alt/cmd ⌘), which is a big plus for me. Although beware that fn and control are reversed from Apple keyboards—more on that in "CONS" below. 5) Feels good to type on. This is highly subjective. But personally, I really like the feel of typing on this keyboard. The keys have a nice amount of travel: more than a MBP 2018, less than a classic 101-key keyboard e.g. from a Dell PC. The rounded keys are slightly strange at first but quickly become unnoticeable. Relatedly: another Amazon review mentions key presses happening repeatedly and sporadically, making correct typing nigh-impossible. This sounds like a defective keyboard to me—I have had zero problems with mine in that vein. CONS - Despite all of the above, using this keyboard intensely day after day is frustrating: 1) It drops key presses when typing quickly. In particular, certain combinations of keys, when pressed together, prevent additional key presses from registering. This is best illustrated with an example. Try typing the word "furious" as fast as you can. When I type this word on the Logitech K380, it nearly always comes out "furiou", with the S missing. Why? Each key typed has two parts: the press and the release. When typing quickly, you often press the next key (sometimes the next 3-4 keys) before releasing a previous key. Good keyboards will allow this. But on my K380, if I press O, then press U, then press S, without releasing any of them, the S does not register. It's not that the keyboard cannot handle three keys at once: the word "out" for example comes out just fine. But the word "plastic" eats the S. It's not just the S key though, because the words "nose" and "poster" work even with all keys held at once. But "please" eats the S, and "purse" eats the E. I am not sure, but it feels like a hardware just has a weird limitation here. It destroys my confidence in this keyboard. 2) The software support is terrible. For macOS, Logitech provides a configuration tool called "Logi Options" for configuring the keyboard. It has nearly no features. One option it does have is "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" which sounds great in theory. As a software developer who needs to press combinations like cmd+shift+F11 on a regular basis, I strongly prefer this option to be enabled, so I don't have to press fn+cmd+shift+F11 instead (ugh). For the special functions (pause/unpause, next track, volume up, volume down, etc.), although I use them all the time, I never need to press them in combination with the other modifier keys like shift or ctrl, so holding fn for them is OK. I also use fn+arrow keys all the time for pg up, pg down, home and end, because there are no such dedicated keys on these small form factor keyboards. Unfortunately, this feature does not work reliably. When switching devices, the keyboard "forgets" that this option was enabled, and F keys go back to being not-F-keys again, and the next time you press F3 to dig into some code or switch terminal tabs or whatever, boom, your keyboard is unpaired again. And opening Logi Options and toggling the option back and forth does not fix it! It seems like after some unspecified amount of time, the keyboard just silently "flips" back to F-keys being F-keys again. But the inconsistency there makes it impossible to retain trustworthy muscle memory on the keyboard. And the weirdness does not stop there. Even when F-keys are not being F-keys (either because the keyboard was recently repaired, or because the box in Logi Options is unchecked and taken effect), the behavior of e.g. fn+up/down seems inconsistent: sometimes it's brightness up/down, and other times it's the equivalent of left alt+up/down (as reported by Karabiner Event Viewer). There are times when it becomes impossible to type pg up, pg down, home and/or end, due to the keyboard's inconsistency in behavior. And not being able to type those four keys puts a big damper on fast text editing. These segues into the final nail in this keyboard's coffin: 3) Fn key behavior is hardcoded and cannot be overridden. There is a great macOS tool called Karabiner Elements which lets you completely remap all your keys to behave however you want. So my plan for dealing with the weirdness of Logi Options was: I'll just use the Karabiner Event Viewer to figure out what keyboard events this keyboard is sending out, and remap everything to behave as closely as possible to an Apple keyboard. Problem solved! But you can't: pressing fn sends no key event. The keyboard only sends a keyboard event to your computer in response to keys pressed while fn is held. So e.g. pressing fn+up (sometimes! see above) sends the same thing as left alt+up. Thus, there is no way in software to detect the difference between fn+up and left alt+up, and therefore no way to program them to do different things. (For the GitHub-inclined, there is an issue in the Karabiner Elements issue tracker about it: pqrs-org/Karabiner-Elements#999.) This problem also means that you cannot switch the location of the ctrl and fn keys, which are reversed from their layout on Apple keyboards. Bummer—I bought this keyboard with the hope of being able to do that. I tried with Logi Options installed and Karabiner Elements uninstalled. I tried vice versa. I tried both installed. I tried neither installed. Rebooting in between configuration changes. But nothing worked. I could not find any way to capture an fn key press alone, nor to switch the locations of the ctrl and fn keys to match an Apple keyboard. (When Karabiner Elements is installed, the Keyboard Modifier Keys dialog in System Preferences gains a "Function (fn) key" for the K380, but sadly it does not work. And you still cannot map any other modifier key to fn either.) In conclusion, I heartily recommend this keyboard for casual use of slow-to-moderate speed typists. And vehemently recommend against it for intense typists and power users who want control over their keyboard's behavior.
Thought I wouldn't like it, but it has become an indispensable tool.
By Jonathan Douglass - Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024
Verified Amazon Purchase
This keyboard was my wife's choice. I would have personally chosen a different brand, but I ended up using this keyboard more frequently than my wife and my opinion changed quite drastically. Aesthetics are generally important to me, but this keyboard just works. I'll gladly sacrifice a little in the aesthetics department for all the benefits it provides. What I don't like: 1) the look. I'm not a fan of how the round keys look. 2) there are no "Home" and "End" keys. Bummer - I heavily rely on these on other keyboards. 3) would have liked a button color option besides yellow for the three connection buttons. What I like: 1) Interestingly enough, I think the round keys actually improve my typing accuracy. I think I probably hit the corners of keys on other keyboards, reducing my accuracy. I didn't expect the round keys to have a positive impact on my typing. 2) Durability: This keyboard is very solid! It has some heft to it which might be a down side for your application. For me, everything about this has proven to be quite durable! I have transported this regularly in my backpack, and car seat pockets, and car glovebox without issue - no case required. 3) Grip: This keyboard has great rubber feet on each bottom corner which grips all porous surfaces very nicely! Then, use it on glass and the thing doesn't slide at all! 4) Connection: You might know that Blutooth devices can be prone to connection issues, but I have yet to find fault with the Blutooth in this Logitech keyboard. I like the function of the yellow buttons (but can you give us a different color?). Link a phone to button 1, another person's table to button 2, your tablet to button 3 and the device remembers your device's connection! Press the yellow button you programmed for your device, and it will quickly pair with it. This is a fantastic feature because we use so many different devices with it! 5) Battery Life: I couldn't even guess at the battery life because 1) I don't use it for very long sessions,, or 2) for many hours a week. Rather, this keyboard is kept in a handy spot so I can grab it for impromptu mobile work when I am out of the office. Anyhow, the battery life is very good! The battery compartment lid is easy to use, secure, and of quality manufacturing.
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