Image rights: Logitech.A
pple is famous for its industrial design
skills but, strangely, those skills often
seem to desert it when it comes to
the company’s keyboards and mice — the
short–lived MacBook “butterfly” keyboard
being just the most recent example. And,
of course, Apple’s keyboards and mice tend
to be pretty expensive, which has given
companies like Logitech an opportunity to
offer its own alternatives. Logitech’s MX
keyboards and mice have always been Mac–
compatible, but it has now launched a special
MX For Mac version of both devices.
The MX For Mac keyboard and mouse are
sold separately for $99.99 each. They can
be used as conventional Bluetooth devices, but
also include a USB adaptor that acts as a radio
transmitter for busy offices where there may
be a lot of Bluetooth devices that interfere
with each other.
The keyboard and mouse have both been
updated with Apple’s space–grey color, but the
Mac features are more than just cosmetic. As
well as two high–speed scrolling wheels for
horizontal and vertical scrolling, the MX mouse
is packed with additional features, including a
“gesture” button located below your thumb
(for right–handed users only, unfortunately).
Pressing the gesture button and then moving
the mouse allows you to mimic some of the
three–finger gestures that are available with
Apple’s own Magic Trackpad (which costs
$129). And, when using Logitech’s Options app,
you can even connect the mouse to three
separate devices — including Macs, WindowsPCs and iPads — and drag and drop files
between them via your Wi–Fi network. Battery
life for the mouse is 70 days, and both mouse
and keyboard use USB–C for charging.
The MX Keys For Mac is a full–size keyboard
with numeric keypad, and now has Mac–
specific Command and Option keys. The
slimline keyboard feels a little firmer and more
sturdy than Apple’s Magic Keyboard, and the
keys have a nice smooth feel when typing. We
wouldn’t have minded an adjustable stand,
though, which would allow us to raise the low–
profile keyboard up off the desk a little more.
Battery life is up to five months, although
frequent use of the keyboard backlight will
reduce that quite a bit. Like the MX mouse, the
keyboard can connect to three separate
devices, with special keys allowing you to
quickly switch control between devices. The
Options app also allows you to reprogram
the top row of Function keys, and to create
keyboard shortcuts that work with specific
programs such as Photoshop or Safari. Our
only complaint is that the Options app can be a
little tricky to set up at times, so Logitech
could provide a bit more help for these
advanced features.
THE BOTTOM LINE. It’s a shame there’s no
money–saving bundle that lets you buy the two
MX devices together, but if you’re looking for
an alternative to Apple’s Magic mouse and
keyboard then the MX For Mac keyboard
and mouse are hard to beat — especially if you
want to use them to control multiple devices at
the same time. CLIFF JOSEPHLogitech MX For Mac
A versatile keyboard and mouse combo
Keyboard: $99.99; Mouse: $99.99 From Logitech, logitech.com
Features Bluetooth, USB adaptor, USB–C charging Needs macOS 10.13, iPadOS 13.1LOGITECH MX
FOR MAC
Versatile Bluetooth or
radio control
Options app provides
advanced features
Work with up to three
devices simultaneously
Options app needs
better help files
EXCELLENTA gesture button on the
MX mouse lets you use
three–finger gestures
like a trackpad.
Reviews
40 SEP 2020 maclife.com