Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard - Review 2022

As yesterday's kids go today's highly sought-afterwards demographic for marketers, it'due south no surprise companies desire to deliver products aimed specifically at the sixteen-to-24-year-old Gen Z crowd. In 1 such attempt to capture the attention of younger audiences, Logitech seeks to walk the fine line betwixt absurd and cringe with the POP Mechanical Wireless Keyboard ($99.99). This compact, colorful wireless mechanical keyboard has some absurd, quirky functionality, but likewise a surprising lack of customization given its tech-savvy target audience. Possibly more than of a concern: It'south difficult to type on.

Smile Like You Hateful Information technology

The kickoff thing you'll notice about this new keyboard is just how colorful information technology is. The Logitech Pop Mechanical Keyboard is the flagship product of Logitech's Studio Serial line, which includes the $40 Pop Mouse, also pictured above, that will be reviewed separately. (The two products are not available as a package.) The board comes in three different color options, each one more than vibrant than the final. Our review unit of measurement uses the Blast color scheme—a saturated yellow body with black and gray circular keys reminiscent of an former-school typewriter. Your other options include the cooler lilac, blues, and whites of the Daydream color scheme, or the softer reds and pinks of the Heartbreaker.

Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard side view

Whatever color you cull, you lot'll be greeted with the aforementioned tenkeyless-pattern board. At 1.4 by 12.6 by 5.5 inches (HWD) and only 1.vii pounds, the POP Keyboard is meaty and light, and the keys, which are rounded at the edges, are roughly the same size every bit your fingertip. Logitech opts out of the common Ruby-red MX switches establish in most mechanical boards, in favor of TTC Chocolate-brown switches.

In use, the TTC Brown switches work merely also equally their Cherry MX cousins, providing a satisfying clack (though some may agree that they're slightly louder than Cherry MX Brown switches). There's enough infinite between the keys to clean between them easily, though because of the shape of the keys, not every i of my button presses stuck their landing. Speed typists should non apply.

Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard corner

Along the correct flank of the board, you'll discover the ability switch, and underneath, a slight bump atop the area where the AAA battery is stored—this protrusion also gives the lath a bit of inclination. Overall, it'southward a very perky-looking lath and is sure to brighten up your desktop.

The POP keyboard'southward 2d selling indicate is a scrap harder to consume. The board features five defended emoji buttons, which are meant to spice up your tiresome text with a quick smiley, a crying confront, or a centre-eyed emoji. Four emoji keycaps come installed on the board, with four more included in the box.

Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard keys and mouse

To be certain, the use and meaning of an emoji has become more polarizing equally times change. (Just enquire anyone nether the age of 25 if they've ever used the crying emoji un-ironically.) So the quick-admission emojis might entertain some while taking up valuable keyboard space for others. Every bit an avid emoji avoider, I find myself leaning toward the latter category, wishing instead that they were typical macro buttons (which they tin be, with some changes).

Although the jury might be out on whether the emoji buttons are actually useful or non, the POP keyboard comes packed with some solid functionality. For starters, the keyboard tin can utilise either the included Logitech Bolt USB wireless dongle or Bluetooth to connect to your PC or other devices. You lot can sync upwardly the board with upwards to 3 devices at once, cycling through each with a press of one of the beginning three office keys.

Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard keys close up

In addition, the part-primal row controls the volume, can instantly bring upward the snipping tool, controls media playback, and even offers immediate speech communication dictation with the press of a button. All of these functions can be adapted in the Logitech Options app.

Logitech Options: Not Plenty, Well, Options

As the hub used to control your Logitech POP keys, the Logitech Options app's other features are disappointingly limited. Y'all can use it to adjust and remap only the emoji keys and the majority of the function keys. (The start three are reserved for bespeak switching betwixt devices.) You tin as well assign different emoji-primal shortcuts for launching specific apps like WeChat instead of the emoji depicted on the keycap, but the customization ends there.

Logitech Options app

For keyboard aficionados anxious to remap their keyboards, being express to just function keys and emoji buttons might be deal-breakers. If that's where your interest lies, you're ameliorate off using something like the Razer Pro Type Ultra, a full general-use mechanical keyboard with tons of the more than premium features you'd expect from high-end productivity or gaming boards, including customization options galore.

If casual gaming is on your listen, the Pop Keyboard works only fine, though its rounded keys, while aesthetically pleasing, aren't reliable for fast-paced action games. You're ameliorate off with a gaming keyboard like the Asus ROG Falchion Wireless Gaming Keyboard.

Logitech POP Keys Mechanical Wireless Keyboard close up on keys

With a promised 36 months of battery life on one set of AAA batteries, the POP Keyboard boasts strong battery life, although we can't aid merely wish the batteries were rechargeable.

Just a Pretty, Smiley Confront

As a simple, general-utilize keyboard, the POP Keyboard works well enough overall for people who are emoji-minded (and not speed typists). Information technology will appeal to casual reckoner users, students looking to beautify their workstations, and energetic social-media addicts. The colorful, meaty board is like shooting fish in a barrel on the eyes and volition impress...at least, at first.

Only once you showtime to swoop deeper, you lot'll run into how express the board is. If you're in the marketplace for a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard for nether $100, yous might want to endeavor the entry-level Drib ENTR Mechanical keyboard. If you're willing to spend a fiddling more, the Razer Pro Type Ultra provides both better aesthetics and increased functionality. Otherwise, with the Pop, know what y'all are getting if you go for it: Buy information technology for the await, and stay for the smileys.