Logitech MX Keys and MX Master 3, getting closer to perfection

We tested the two new Logitech products for our Macs: the MX Keys keyboard and the MX Master 3 mouse, two products that are established as the market reference and the products to beat by any brand, setting the bar moh high. Quality, comfort and advanced features that we discuss below.

The union of Logitech and keyboards and mice for our computers is so intense that it seems difficult to think of a keyboard or mouse and not automatically think of the well-known brand. They are years of experience in this sector, which are reflected in its products, increasingly refined and with functions that could hardly have been imagined a few years ago.. The new MX Keys keyboard and MX Master 3 mouse are the brand's new releases that are getting closer and closer to perfection.

MX Keys keyboard

If the Logitech Craft keyboard (which we already discussed in this link) you liked, but its price seemed too high (although it deserves it), this Logitech MX Keys is just what you were looking for. Heir to the design and materials of his older brother, dispenses with its characteristic function wheel and in return offers us a much more attractive price for those who were not going to get too much out of that feature of the Craft. But Logitech has not wanted to lower one iota in the rest of the features, and offers us a 100% premium keyboard.

After a year and a half using the Logitech Craft on a daily basis with my iMac I have not noticed the slightest difference with this MX Keys. The keyboard is extremely comfortable to use, very stable on the table Thanks to their metallic design and a good support surface, the keys are of a normal size, concave and with a small but enough travel to have a good feeling when typing. A full keyboard with numeric keypad, full cursors, and additional function keys that help to perform tasks much faster. It adapts perfectly to Windows and macOS, with all the keys of each system.

It is a Bluetooth keyboard, but it can also work through Logitech's Unifying system thanks to the included USB adapter. I recommend this second way of connection, it is more stable and gives me the feeling that the battery lasts even longer, at least for the time that I have used the Logitech Craft. Using either of the two methods you can link up to three devices thanks to its three memories, and switching between them is a matter of pressing a button, that fast and easy. If you often use your iPad or MacBook alongside your iMac, you can use the same keyboard for all devices.

Another feature of this keyboard is the backlight, adjustable in intensity (not in color), and with a sensor that makes it activate only when necessary, thus extending the battery life. It can be adjusted in intensity manually, and it is a delight to see how well the keyboard sensors work, just by bringing your hands closer they activate the illumination of the keys, without even having to press them. Once you try a backlit keyboard, you no longer understand how you could have been without it before, inconceivable that Apple does not include it in its keyboards.

Recharging the keyboard is done using a USB-C cable, included in the box. It has an autonomy of about 10 days with "normal" use and active backlighting, in my case I would say something else, because there are days that I do not use it, although I never turn off the switch that is available for it. The keyboard automatically enters low power mode when it is not used for a while, and wakes up automatically as soon as you touch a key. If you deactivate the backlight, the autonomy is up to 5 months according to Logitech, something that I have not verified.

MXMaster3

The MX Master 3 mouse is the perfect complement to the keyboard, or without it. It is simply perfect and the flagship product of the brand. After more than a year using the MX Master 2S I cannot speak more than wonders of this fabulous mouse, and its successor inherits the best and improves some aspects. Ergonomics, comfort of use, reliability, customization, premium materials and access to a myriad of quick functions… I can only think of a small problem with this mouse: they have replaced the charge indicator LEDs with a single LED that does not show you the amount of battery remaining. For the rest, what was said: perfect.

Logitech has slightly modified the mouse design from its predecessor to improve ergonomics, and has achieved a very comfortable hand position, which is helped by a new arrangement of the buttons on the side, more accessible, improving its usability. If you are used to a normal two-button mouse, seeing a mouse with so many controls may raise doubts, but you get used to them in less than a day of use. Its two wheels and multiple buttons are strategically placed so that its use is very intuitive, and being able to customize the controls allows you to put everything where you see fit.

Special mention deserves its main wheel, made of machined steel and with a softness in its use that will make you hate any other mouse you pick up. Its «Magspeed» system makes you have a beautiful and smooth movement when turning it slowly or fast and wide when turning it quickly. Magnets control the rotation of the wheel and depending on the force you apply to the rotation, it will know how you want to move. The button just above the wheel allows you to manually change the system, but I don't really use it at all, the automatic system works great.

The main buttons are very soft to the touch, but you won't press them by mistake. The scroll wheel falls on your thumb, and you get used to it very quickly, missing it as soon as you don't have it. Just below it are two more buttons that are customizable with the functions you want. If this seems not enough, there is another button on the side tab of the mouse that is also customizable. For those who have never used a mouse of this type, it may be strange to customize so many functions in a mouse that it has always served only to point. In the next section of the analysis you can see how they are customized and why it is something that makes this MX Master 3 the best mouse on the market.

The mouse connectivity is the same as the companion keyboard, and a single Unifying device on your computer's USB will do for the keyboard and mouse, or you can use Bluetooth. It has three memories, like the keyboard, and changing devices is a matter of pressing a button located on the base. A 4.000 DPI sensor gives you enormous precision and works on any surface, even glass. Regarding autonomy, you can enjoy the mouse for 70 daysAnd if you run out of battery, peace of mind because in addition to being able to use it with the charging cable connected, you can also use it for 3 hours with just one minute of charging. By the way, Logitech has added USB-C to charge the MX Master 3, something that differentiates it from the previous model and is appreciated.

Logitech Options, the software that closes the circle

Good hardware isn't everything, and Logitech knows that its excellent products must be accompanied by configuration software to match. The Logitech Options app allows you to configure all the actions of those "special" buttons on the MX Master 3 mouse and MX Keys keyboard. Use the scroll wheel to zoom, the side buttons to undo actions or take screenshots, move between desktops ... the quality of options offered in this app is incredible, and you can even configure different options depending on the app you are in. using. This way you will be able to perform some functions in Final Cut Pro and other different ones in Word. With Duolink you can expand the functions of your mouse by pressing the Fn key on your keyboard, and with Logitech Flow you can transfer files between computers. And so that you do not lose your configuration once you have perfected everything to your liking, you can create backup copies from the application itself.

Editor's opinion

Logitech has created two new products by making good use of years of experience making keyboards and mice. MX Master 3 replaces its predecessor as "better mouse" and with the keyboard MX Keys has managed to maintain the quality of its successful Logitech Craft by removing the function wheel that not everyone took advantage of and offering in exchange an excellent keyboard at a lower price attractive. Separately, but much better together, this keyboard and mouse is the perfect choice for anyone looking for something more than what conventional products offer..

• Logitech MX Master 3 € 89,99 (link)
• Logitech MX Keys € 85,74 (link)