logitech ergonomic keyboard with smart card reader.

However, there is no battery gauge on the keyboard itself, just a battery icon that lives inside the Options utility software. You can adjust the backlighting through 10 or 12 different gradations to eke out longer battery life.

The Craft’s backlight turns off after a few seconds of inactivity, and resumes when you put your fingers near it. The upper metal bar across the top of the Craft holds its battery and the Crown’s electronics, but it doesn’t allow for any flexibility in slope. Logitech also includes a power switch on the front of the keyboard, another tip-off that the Craft consumes more juice than you might expect. (By contrast, Logitech’s popular K360 wireless keyboard lasts three years on a AA battery.) If you turn off backlighting, the 1,500mAh battery will last about three months, according to Logitech. Charging the Craft took me about six hours via the Craft’s USB-C cable, from my PC. The first cause for concern is battery life. According to Logitech, the Craft will last just a week with the backlight powered on.

Windows also doesn’t recognize the Craft’s crown as a Surface Dial, meaning it can’t take on any of that device’s functions natively within Windows. Note that because the Options download is an executable file, most of the Craft’s features beyond its basic keyboard functions won’t work with Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 S operating system. You’ll also need to download the associated Logitech Options software, the secret sauce that connects the Craft’s crown to the applications on your PC. Mark Hachman / IDGĪ closeup of the Logitech Craft crown, slightly larger than the size of a quarter.Ĭonnecting the Craft to your PC means pairing it either via Bluetooth or with the associated Logitech unifying receiver, a USB dongle that’s included in the box. It’s absolutely sturdy, however, without any discernible flex. Unfortunately, it lacks the traditional hinge or legs to adjust the slope, set at 4.7 degrees. According to Logitech, the pitch-the distance from the center of one key to the next-is 19 millimeters, which is within the normal range for a standard-size keyboard.Īt just over two pounds, the keyboard lands on your desk with a thunk. The Craft measures just short of 17 inches across, 5.88 inches from front to back, and about 1.13 inches thick. The Logitech Craft advanced keyboard includes the “crown,” to the upper left.

Logitech ergonomic keyboard with smart card reader.