Logitech Ergo K860 Ergonomic Keyboard Review

As a writer and former software engineer, I must admit that I pay a great deal of attention to keyboards because it is probably the most used tool in my computing arsenal.

Over the years, I have tried all kinds of keyboards, from the cheap ones you get for $5 to the clicky IBM keyboards in the 90s, the thin laptop-style keyboards, and of course, the mechanical gaming keyboards.  All have their pro and cons and build-quality  aside, it is mostly a matter of personal preferences.

The Logitech Ergo K860 is an ergonomic keyboard designed from research data about what is supposed to be the most natural and comfortable posture of our body, arms and wrist while working. The company also sells the Mx Ergo trackball and MX Ergo Plus mouse/trackball, so the Ergo K860 is an expansion of the product line.

Upon opening it, the first thing that I check is the build quality. As said earlier, that is a critical differentiator between different products, regardless of your typing preferences. For example, high-quality plastic with a surface coating that doesn’t become quickly greasy will make a keyboard much more agreeable to use and always feel “clean” instead of oily and slippery.

That’s the case here as the Logitech Ergo K860 is made of high-quality material that gives it a soft and durable feel.

The armrest piece feels much nicer than many flimsy and sharp add-ons that I always remove (by the way, you cannot remove it). The keyboard can be height and tilt adjusted to account for your posture and seating height. It means that the K860 can lean forward or upward, and that is uncommonly flexible.

While typing the keys feel good with a firm tactile response, and it is much quieter than a mechanical keyboard. I highly recommend that you try one in a store to decide if it fits your preference, but the key switch action quality and surface design are very agreeable.

Unfortunately, the keyboard is not backlit, and that missing feature could push away potential users. It’s not surprising for a wireless keyboard, and in my opinion, Logitech should simply allow a USB-C or Micro-USB connectivity option to support backlighting (maybe for Gen2?).

It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth or a Logitech USB dongle. If there’s an available USB port, I almost always prefer using the dongle because it is more reliable overall than Bluetooth. However, if no such port is free, BT is “okay” even though the protocol itself can be annoying and forces you to reconnect devices from time to time. That’s for BT in general, not this keyboard in particular.

A better reason to use Bluetooth is the Logitech Ergo K860’s ability to pair to three devices at any given time, and that’s great for people who want to type on their phones and/or tablet in addition to the computer. You can switch quickly, thanks to the dedicated button.

There are plenty of reasons to use a keyboard with multiple devices, but the most compelling to me is that some chat apps secure modes only work on mobiles (device to device encryption) and I admit to using a tablet just for email or social networks, so being able to type at full speed on all devices is extremely comfortable and fast.

We haven’t had this keyboard long enough to give you an accurate battery life estimation, and that could take a while because Logitech says that a couple of AAA batteries should last two years. The Ergo K860’s MSRP is $129.99 which makes it a high-end product.

In conclusion, the Logitech Ergo K860 is an ergonomic keyboard with exceptional design and build quality. I used to look at the Microsoft ergonomic keyboards as the benchmark, but the K860 is clearly above them in my opinion.

If you have never used an ergonomic keyboard, it’s essential to understand that these keyboards are designed to minimize hands and wrists motion, that’s why it is comfortable, but it works better if you type with proper technique.

Filed in Computers. Read more about Keyboards and Logitech.