The Pop Keys is clearly meant to bank on the same artificial nostalgia as products like the Polaroid Go, creating a retro look that’s reminiscent of what used to be cutting-edge tech.
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In addition, the MX Keys Mini’s rechargeable battery and its slim, portable form factor make it much more user-friendly. Overall, the Pop Keys is a practical keyboard, but its utility is about on par with the MX Keys unless you type a lot of emoji (who am I to judge if you do?).
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The one useful function exclusive to the Pop Keys is the minimize button, which can minimize and reopen all of the windows on your desktop. However, all of these functions except one are also available on the MX Keys, which is a fantastic keyboard.
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Being able to play and pause media, swap between three Bluetooth devices, take screenshots, and adjust volume with a single press is convenient. In addition, the function row’s default actions are all useful. While I did have the occasional issue with the keys not remembering what I set them to, it was easily fixed by resetting the keyboard’s macros. The emoji keys can be reprogrammed to any individual keystroke or multi-key input, and they can be reprogrammed to open up a webpage in your default browser when pressed. Sure, they’re a fun gimmick, but they’re probably only going to be used for casual conversation, and apps like Slack and Discord already have systems for typing emojis that work just as well.īesides typing emoji, the keyboard is fairly useful and utilitarian.
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Let’s get it out of the way: emoji keys likely won’t be a major boon to your workflow. However, Logitech does claim that the keyboard’s batteries can last for up to three years worth of use. If the Pop Keys is meant for a Gen Z market, I’m sure they’ll be disappointed that this keyboard chooses the less eco-friendly option for power. Because of this, the keyboard can’t be recharged and instead will require you to search around your house for a pack of batteries once it runs out. Instead of having a rechargeable battery, the Pop Keys is powered by two AAA batteries. The only unusual thing here is the colored plastic sheet that goes over the plate and snaps into the bottom case. The switches are on a plate that’s soldered to a PCB, and the plate-PCB construction is screwed into a case. The inside assembly isn’t super interesting. Replacing a broken switch would likely be difficult, if not impossible.ĭespite that, the screws that hold this keyboard together are 50mm T6 screws, a fairly nonstandard type that gives the impression this keyboard isn’t meant to be taken apart. Opening up the Pop Keys, it seems intentionally hard to disassemble - multiple screws are hidden under adhesive feet, and there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to remove the plate and PCB from the outside case without breaking the keyboard. Since the stabilizers have not been lubricated in any way, and since it would be nearly impossible to do so, any keys that use a stabilizer sound incredibly rattly - especially the space bar. These legends probably won’t last as long as other printing methods like dye-sublimation, where dye is embedded into the keycap using heat, resulting in a type that almost never wears away, or double-shot molded, where text is made of a second type of plastic and is physically unable to wear away unless the plastic of the keycap is worn down completely.Īnother result of the strange keycaps is the Pop Keys’ sound profile: combined with the keyboard’s hollow, low-profile case, the typing sound of the keyboard is plasticky and high-pitched. In addition, the legends on the keycaps seem to be pad-printed, resulting in a noticeable raised portion at the center of each key that feels unpleasant to type on. My typing speed with my regular mechanical keyboard. We only include products that have been independently selected by Input's editorial team. Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
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The keyboard uses recolored TTC Brown tactile switches with red housings placed in a low-profile case with no internal silencing, resulting in a simple and uninteresting construction that’s average for a $100 mechanical keyboard. According to Logitech, the Pop Keys’ dedicated emoji keys, along with its colorful typewriter-like aesthetic, is meant to appeal to Generation Z by allowing the owner to “showcase” their “style and individuality.” The Pop Keys is a brightly-colored productivity-oriented Bluetooth mechanical keyboard with a 75% layout and a side row of dedicated emoji keys.
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If you’ve ever felt like your keyboard wasn’t unique enough, or that it didn’t encapsulate your quirky and colorful style, then Logitech has the keyboard for you - as long as you don’t expect it to be fun to type on at the same time.