Logitech (although their device names are Logi for some reason) has been delivering quality parts for many years. I just replaced my keyboard and decided to review all my Logi devices and software all at once. I use them for my mouse, keyboard, and webcam.

All of these Logitech devices are admittedly expensive, but when you work from a home office most of the time, you should invest in quality parts.

There is a weirdness to Logi’s software packages. They have several ways to connect devices (Bolt, Unifying, Bluetooth, Direct) and different software packages (Options, Options + Beta, LogiTune, and more. Its really confusing. My suggestion to Logitech is to get it together and have one software package.

Logi Brio

In a Zoom world, we all need to have a decent camera. I tried many cameras on Amazon trying to get one that would look right. My requirements are:

1. Auto focus
2. High quality HD image
3. Windows compatible
4. Good microphone
5. Sits well on the monitor
6. Privacy flap
7. Doesn’t break or stop working!

I don’t think these are being picky, but you would be surprised how many of the ones I tries failed in one or more categories. The number one problem was reliability. A camera has to work.

The Logitech Brio (currently $161 on Amazon) has solved all of my problems. Sure it’s 3x as expensive as the other options, but when I bought it, everyone commented on the clarity of my camera. It has tons of options, but I generally leave it at default settings.

This is a review for general work purposes, so I am not going to go into all the bells and whistles it has. For my purposes, it just works. Clear-crisp images and good sound. What else do you want?

Logi MX Master 3

I am a little picky about mice. My hands start to hurt if the keyboard or mouse is flat. My requirements:

1. Comfortable and ergonomic
2. Wheel on top
3. Wheel on side (used for Trello, Figma, and Spreadsheets)
4. Bluetooth
5. Doesn’t break or stop working!

The Logi MX Master 3 (currently $97 on Amazon) satisfies all my requirements. Again, it’s very expensive, but the quality is high. It has lots of fancy features, but honestly, I don’t use most of them. Most of the side-buttons, I never click on. Left and Right, that’s enough for me. Still, its comfortable and works without a hitch. I like the little ridges in the design.

I guess the only thing that is odd is the name “Master”. I know it’s a word to mean mastery over something, but it also is a little too close to slave terminology. We have (as a tech community) agreed to swap that name out for other alternatives. There are a million names they could choose for a mouse.

Logi Ergo K860

The newest addition to my Logitech collection is the Ergo K860 keyboard (currently $130 on Amazon). My requirements are:

1. Ergonomic
2. Attached number keypad
3. Bluetooth
4. Windows oriented
5. Doesn’t break or stop working!

I had been using the Microsoft Sculpt previously. It was a decent keyboard, but had a few problems. First, the keys would break or start to stick after a while. Second, it was not Bluetooth. Lastly, the detachable keypad was actually not that convenient for me. It was close to being perfect, but it just wasn’t right. I considered the Surface version but because of the other problems, I decided to give Logitech a try.

Today is my first day typing on it and already I have had a few issues.

1. The keys don’t depress very far. It might be an issue, not sure yet.
2. The orientation of the keys is slightly different than I am used to and I can feel my hand starting to ache. I am hoping my brain adjusts. This is also causing me to have increased typing errors.
3. It did not install immediately. I am not sure what went wrong, but it was hard to get it paired. I ended up using the little USB connector, but that is not ideal.
4. The keyboard has some Mac keys on it. It might come in handy later, but for now, it’s annoying.
5. The Logi Options + Beta does not support this keyboard yet. I don’t want to install the old software. I am not sure the consequences of this in the short run. So far, all the keys work as expected.

On the positive side, the printscreen button (which I use constantly for screengrabs) is nice and big. Also, the attached keyboard seems to work.

It’s only been a day, but if my hands start to adjust and it doesn’t break, I think it will be a solid keyboard for me.

Summary

Unlike Samsung, whom I am boycotting, Logitech has earned my respect for high quality hardware. I will continue to give them my money if they keep it up. On the flip side, if it breaks, then maybe I will try Microsoft again. I am a fickle consumer. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯