Tech Review: Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480

As you know, I have a problem. I'm addicted to techno gadgets. It's not that I'm ashamed to admit it, it's just that not everyone understands these things as a fellow techno-junky might. As a writer, I tend to gravitate toward writing tools. Computer keyboards are among my many interests. The keyboard I use must have just the right feel and sound for me to actually want to use it for my writing, or I am apt to neglect it in favor of another tool. This - I believe - is the reason I collect typewriters. More about that later, I think.

Today, I'd like to review a gadget in my writing/productivity arsenal. The Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device K480 Keyboard - released sometime in 2014, from what I gather in my research. It retails for about $50, but I bought mine on Amazon.com for $27.87 + $1.43 for the SquareTrade 4-year PC Peripheral Protection Plan. Why the protection plan? Because it's a smart investment for any such object, and lets face it… it was $1.43 for 4 year full coverage. Why wouldn't I do it, right? But I digress…

First things first - This is a nifty little keyboard which connects by Bluetooth to all three of my devices at once. I can switch back and forth between my smartphone, my tablet and my laptop within just a second or less of flipping the dial, which makes multitasking and productivity flawless. The K480 is the perfect size to sit on top of my laptop keyboard without hitting any of the keys and it sits slightly elevated so there's decent airflow for the laptop itself. A lot of people don't realize this, but your laptop "breathes" through the keyboard, so blocking airflow completely could be harmful to the internal components, and we wouldn't want that.

What do I love about the K480? The laptop, tablet, and smartphone can all be used at one time with a great deal of ease and functionality, so switching from one device to another is as easy as can be. There's really no lag time, and I like that I can continue working with my laptop or tablet, and still answer texts on my phone without having to pick up the phone to text, then just as easily switch back again. For me, this is great, because - I'm a little ashamed to say - if my phone is in my hand, the likelihood that I'll go on the internet and get distracted is really high. If I'm just using the K480, I'm much more likely to stay on task and focused. There's an added bonus to using the K480 for texting - fewer typos. My smartphone is a Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, and I use the Swipe feature, which is often, but not always, accurate and sometimes things come across in a way that leaves me ad the recipient scratching our heads in confusion. Obviously I don't carry the K480 with me everywhere just to text, but it's ability to interact with my phone is truly helpful while I'm working. It also came with 2 AAA batteries installed and they're said to last up to two years, which is fantastic. Your mileage may vary depending on how much typing happens in your world. As for me, I'll have to see what time and work brings to know for sure.

As for the feel of the keyboard itself… First, I want to mention that I'm a HUGE fan of a good mechanical keyboard and prefer Cherry MX Brown switches for their audible and tactile feedback. Brown switches are just the right amount of loud without being too loud, and have an amazing feel to them that I just love to pieces. The Logitech K480 does not have that, which made me really hesitate to spend the money on it, but for under $30, I felt it was worth a try for the Bluetooth multi-device functionality of it. I've mentioned it before, but I'll say it again - I'm really picky about what I type on. I want to enjoy not just the creativity of the writing process, but the tactile input that comes along with typing. That's why I love typewriters so much. It's the feel, and the noise, and the aesthetically pleasing look of a good typewriter, and with mechanical keyboards, there's a certain typewriter-reminiscent factor to them that I really enjoy. With the K480, there's a slight resistance and travel to the keys that makes it feel like you're actually TYPING, as opposed to the tapping feel of a regular laptop keypad. I absolutely hate the feel of a laptop keypad, because it's totally flat and silent and very hard to type on. It's also really hard to know when you've hit the key properly if you're not as much a touch typist as some. I do touch type, but when I'm working on a novel, or blog post, I tend to watch the keyboard more than the screen. I don't know why, but I'll chalk it up to my childhood days of hunt-and-peck on my aunts typewriter and call it a bad habit.

The Logitech K480 keys feel pretty good for having such a low profile. You know that you've hit the keys, and typed the letters, but it's not so ridiculously sensitive that hitting multiple keys at once is an issue. There's not as much clicky sound as I would have liked, but it's not silent either, so that's good and I can live with the lower profile and sound level since it's offers SO MUCH in functionality. I should mention that you can use the K480 with Windows, IOS, and Android operating systems. You're not tied down to one brand or another. If you have an Android phone, an iPad, and a laptop with Windows or Workbook with IOS, you can connect to all three at once and switch back and forth at will, without issue. It's really cool. How many other keyboards are there that can connect wirelessly to three different devices at once? I don't know, but I really like it.

Lets talk about the weight and dimensions for a moment. So one thing that I really like is how the K480 has a nice dock that works so easily with my devices. It holds my 10" tablet in landscape mode beautifully, and if I set my phone and the tablet in portrait mode, it holds both with a touch of space between. As for stability, at 1.8 lbs. it's got a nice weight to it that will keep it from tipping over with both devices in the docking area at the same time. In fact, you can try to tip it back, and it just comes forward again to right itself. That's a handy feature when - like me - you're typing in bed or sitting on the couch with it in your lap.

What surprised me? The ability to toggle through my phone and tablet apps with the K480 and be able to select and engage the apps without having to pick up or tap on the screens. I can do almost everything with the K480 even on those devices. I can even switch between various open applications flawlessly by using the F2 button, which also serves as an application switch. There's also a home button, search button, right click, and back buttons which all function on the tablet and phone. I must admit, I didn't expect that. Volume controls also work very well from the K480 to the mobile devices as well.

So to recap - I really like this keyboard. It's got a LOT of functionality in a little package for a very reasonable price. If I were to change anything I would give the keys a little more click, but that's not something everyone likes, and it's not that much of a big deal in this since it does have some click to it. The feel makes up for it anyway. The low footprint is really nice, and doesn't obstruct my view of the computer screen as some other mechanical keyboards have done. The dimensions are about 12x7.5x1 respectively, and that makes this really portable for on-the-go work. You can stuff it in your laptop bag or bookbag with your favorite tablet, and be off in a jiffy, no cables and cords to worry about.

As for style, it comes in all white with a grey dock or all black with a neon green dock. I like the understated white/grey because I'm not much for neon or green, but that's just me. The point is… it's a great keyboard for a great price. If I were to rate this product, I'd give it a 4.5 /5

Thanks for reading and many blessings!

C.A. Bennett