Logitech MX Mechanical review: Fun in an adult package

Best Prices Today: MX Mechanical Mini

The Logitech MX Master Series is now seven years old, starting with the MX Master line in 2015. In this context, it’s almost surprising that it took the company so long to release a mechanical keyboard in this series, given that the category exploded at the same time. . MX Mechanical combines the understated elegance and power user features you’ve come to expect from a brand with a range of sizes and switch options from the world of mechanical keyboards.

It also comes with a pretty hefty price tag: a full $150 for the MX Mechanical Mini in this review and $170 for the full size version. It’s honestly a bit ridiculous, even with the tools on offer. If you have deep pockets, you have nothing to complain about with the MX Mechanical keyboard. But if you’re even on a slightly tight budget, there are better options in both the wireless and mechanical categories.

This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best wireless keyboards. Go there for information on competing products and how we tested them.

This thing looks familiar

The MX Mechanical comes in Logitech’s standard sleek gray/dark gray palette, first seen in the mouse series and more recently on the Craft and MX Keys boards. You also get aesthetically pleasing backlighting, which is especially handy since there are so many functions tied to the function row and additional keys on the right side. While there is an aluminum plate underneath the key switches, the rest of the body is made of thin plastic with only single-stage feet, a USB-C charging port, and a power switch breaking its soft planes.

Switches come in real Cherry, clicky blue, tactile brown, or linear white, but in new and interesting low-profile options. This gives the switches surprisingly long travel (more than similar Kailh Choc designs) and a familiar feel in an extremely small form factor. The entire keyboard is barely over an inch high. Unfortunately, the shallow feet and switch travel mean your regular Cherry MX compatible keycaps won’t work. It seems likely that there will be dedicated Cherry Low Profile keycaps at some point, but at the moment the customization options are practically nil. And someone will surely want to, as the ABS plastic in the keycaps is a bit flimsy, even though they are doubled to be backlit compatible.

Smart Layout

Using the MX Mechanical Mini is very similar to the MX Keys Mini, albeit with the addition of full-sized arrow keys (since you can’t use half-size mechanical switches). The extra column of keys on the right side is enough to add a bit of extra functionality for advanced users. The top row of features gives you all those little tools you need on a semi-regular basis, notably Print Screen, a dedicated emoji button, media controls, and quick microphone mute. You can switch between F-keys and function icons with Fn+Esc, just like on a laptop.

The layout isn’t unique, but it’s functional and compact, making the Mini keyboard variant fit easily into a bag. And, like most high-end Logitech keyboards, it allows you to pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth or Bolt’s wireless USB receiver, and is compatible with Flow’s multi-device software. If you need even more customization (by matching key icons), you can download Logi Options+.

Only the rightmost keys (not counting the right arrow keys) and F4-F12 can be remapped to retain the basic functionality of the keyboard. This makes sense given the target audience, but more flexible binding options for advanced users would be appreciated. The keyboard borrows a few backlight modes from gaming boards, but there is no RGB, and they seriously hurt battery life. I was able to disable the keyboard in just a couple of weeks, which is negligible for a modern wireless board.

Maybe wait for a sale?

If you like the understated elegance of Logitech in the MX line, but want the satisfying click and travel of mechanical keys, the MX Mechanical is for you. But with a $50 premium over MX Keys and MX Keys Mini, respectively, you’ll be paying a lot for the privilege. Even with the backlighting and multipoint wireless connectivity of these keyboards, this is a very high price compared to competitors such as the Keychron K3, the Logitech ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II, or even Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

In short, there are better deals out there, even if you’re looking in a specific niche like premium low-profile mechanical boards with a compact design and wireless capabilities. Wait for a sale if you’re on a budget; go ahead and buy it now if you don’t.