The circular keycaps sit on TTC Brown switches, which we’ve always thought sounded just a bit louder than the real Cherry MX Browns, but the difference is marginal. They do take a while to get used to unless you’ve recently been typing on an antique typewriter – circular keycaps are easy to miss-hit for the unfamiliar. The keyboard has limited key-rollover support, only detecting three key presses at a time. Unless you're buying this keyboard for gaming, which would be unlikely for a productivity-focused keyboard, that shouldn't be an issue.

OTHER SWITCH TYPES. Among wireless keyboards, you'll spot the occasional model using membrane or mechanical key switches. Membrane keyboards actuate, triggering the signal that goes to your computer, by pushing down a rubber dome at the base of the key. Mechanical keyboards do the same via a physical switch with a spring or other tactile actuator. Relative to scissor switches, both types of keyboards provide more key-press travel, which leads to a more comfortable typing experience. Many people prefer the low action and light touch of scissor switches, though, so this ultimately comes down to personal preference. KEY LAYOUT. Most wireless keyboards are full-size, meaning they have 104 keys or more, including a number pad. Most particularly productivity-focused models, use low-profile scissor-switch keys, similar to what you’d find in a laptop. This keeps their dimensions slim, making them more portable and helping to maintain the sleek, minimalist look popularized by Apple’s Magic Keyboard. With that in mind, the best wireless keyboards don’t overcommit to that aesthetic so much that the keys feel bunched together too closely. Mechanical keyboards tend to be wired models, more often than not, though there are exceptions.On a positive note, Microsoft says a new set of batteries will last for 36 months, and the price is eminently reasonable. In stark contrast to the original, the 3000N comes with all the latest tech, including anti-ghosting, per-key lighting and full-N-key rollover, which lets you press as many keys as you want at once and still get the desired result. The Cherry MX Silent Red key switches make for a pleasantly quiet, if not completely silent, typing experience, but that’s more down to some resonance in the plastic body. If space or money is tight there’s a tenkeyless version without the numerical keypad, and Cherry says the laser-etched keycaps are abrasion-resistant, too, which is a nice bonus. Keys: Look forkeys that are sculpted and spaced for typing comfort. This is why we encourage trying before buying: We’ve had very different experiences with traditional keys vs. chiclet-style vs. flatter key designs, and it’s surprising how little things like the texture or the amount of dimple will make or break a choice. Most mainstream keyboards use membrane technology, which is adequate for most users, but heavy-duty users and gamers will likely prefer keyboards with mechanical switches (which are not reviewed here).Windows hotkeys, or even programmable keys, are great bonuses, especially for power users. The layout is crucial. Most keyboards have a conventional layout with a dedicated numeric pad, function keys and a cluster of Home, Insert and Delete keys, though some will ditch certain of these to save space. If you use the numeric pad or the PgUp and PgDn keys a lot, this is something you ought to bear in mind. Shrunken Shift keys and Enter/Return keys are a perennial problem, while some keyboards have a cramped layout, where the keys are smaller and very close together, or a smaller spacebar. There are also a few features you’re unlikely to find. Though a few keyboards on our list come with a wrist rest, it’s less likely that a wireless keyboard will include one. Also, without a wired connection, it would be impossible for a keyboard to offer USB passthrough ports on the body, so that’s not something you’ll find, either.

The mouse is small in the hand. It primarily fits in the fingers without being long enough to fill the palm area. In larger hands, it may feel exceptionally small. I recently tried the larger Logitech G403 mouse, which is "designed for comfort" (i.e. gaming), and it fits much more snugly and comfortably in the entire hand. The Cherry mouse rests at the top of my hand, more within the fingers than the palm. The new G80-3000N RGB is a reinvention of that classic, designed to appeal to today’s more demanding users. Carryovers include the classic ergonomic keycaps and original typing feel, but these are now combined with a much slimmer, more contemporary housing, 16-million colour illumination and state-of-the-art electronics. Does the new model actually feel like the classic model? We’ve not used a G80-3000 for more than 15 years but the reworked model certainly felt familiar once we started tapping away on it. With an adjustable PU Leather wrist rest and a compact footprint that’s ideal for cramped home working setups, the miniStreak is an absolute dream of a keyboard. A touch pricey, perhaps, but worth every penny. The MX Keys Mini charges via USB-C but won’t connect to your PC/laptop/tablet that way: it’s only compatible with Bluetooth. This is perhaps the only blot on the MX Keys Mini’s otherwise stellar record.The keys have a soft, padded feel with just enough bite to satisfy hungry typists, unlike mushy laptop keys. Working or browsing for multiple hours at a time is comfortable and easy. This is no surprise, as Cherry is famous for its mechanical key switches, the infrastructure below the button that dictates how much effort it takes to press down ("actuation force") and how those presses feel. On the top of the keyboard, next to the Bluetooth/RF toggle, is a USB-C port for recharging the permanently installed 650mAh batteries. This is a perk for anyone who considers regularly buying and installing batteries an inefficient hassle. When you plug in the cord to charge, an LED on the top lights up red until fully charged, at which point it turns green.

In this case, the fact that the design hasn’t changed in over a decade is probably a good thing, and spill resistance only enhances the impression of a simple, reliable product. Frills are limited to a calculator hot key, but for basic needs you won’t get much better for just over a tenner. Last, but not least, multiple companies offer wireless ergonomic keyboards, which use an alternative key-layout shape to minimize repetitive stress injuries in your hands, wrists, and arms. The wireless ergonomic keyboards we’ve seen employ a curved, unibody design that prevents you from twisting your wrist. They are, by and large, helpful if you experience wrist or arm pain when you type, though they can take some getting used to when you first switch to one from a standard keyboard. Its best feature is its deep memory foam wrist rest, which is made up of multiple layers of foam – just like a premium mattress – and a knitted fabric cover to provide genuinely luxurious typing comfort.Without a PC-connected cable to power it, every wireless keyboard, of course, needs a battery to run. Most wireless keyboards these days rely on built-in lithium-ion batteries you can recharge, though you do occasionally run into some that rely on good old AA or AAA cells. The design of the Pop Keys keyboard, from the eye-catching colour schemes to the retro keycaps, is unique, as is the design of the matching Pop mouse. Looks aside, it’s a very solid and well-made keyboard, the build quality belying the almost toy-like styling. It was hands-on all the way with our keyboard testing. We spent at least one full workday typing exclusively on each model we tested, with follow-up time to allow for a learning curve. We assessed the primary typing experience: key design, typing feel, and even noisiness. We also tried the secondary features: hotkeys, switches and dials on multi-platform models, and even the ability to adjust the angle or other comfort characteristics. It can be paired with up to three devices at once, and switching between them is as simple as tapping a button. Plus, it comes with both Windows 10 and macOS markings, making it easy to use no matter what platform you happen to be using. Powered by a pair of AAA batteries (included) and connected via Bluetooth LE or 2.4GHz, this is a superlatively comfortable and flexible ergonomic keyboard.