Logitech MK550 Wireless Wave Keyboard and Mouse Combo — Includes Keyboard and Mouse, Long Battery Life, Ergonomic Wave Design

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Background: Ive been using computer keyboards since before Apple or Microsoft existed. So, as you might imagine, Ive had the opportunity to use (and loathe) a lot of horrible keyboards over those many years. Before finding this keyboard, I found that I preferred the precise feel of keyboards which relied on crisp mechanical key switches made by Keytronics. Unlike most other keyboards, the key mechanism had very tight tolerances with virtually no "play" in the movement. This means the key didnt flex side-to-side or front-to-back while traveling vertically, even if you pressed the key slightly off center. Unfortunately, those mechanical key switches made a LOT of noise compared to many of their competitors. As a fast touch-typist who wrote many millions of lines of code before I retired, I can assure you the extra noise was substantial. But for me, the noise level was acceptable because the feel and tactile feedback when pressing those keys was simply excellent. I minimized the noise level by playing music through headphones while coding. Back in those days, there were no proper ergonomic keyboard designs. Over time, the perpetual bend in my wrists required when using a straight row keyboard combined with the repetitive motion to damage the carpal tunnels in my wrists. So, eventually I began searching for alternatives. The Ergonomics Craze: I admit I mindlessly bought into the "ergonomics" hype and immediately purchased the original Microsoft ergonomic keyboard design at its introduction believing it might reduce the pain and irritation of my many hours of keyboard use every day. I tried using that center-hump, split keyboard design for months, but it only seemed to make my wrists worse. Looking carefully at the way my hands moved while using that "ergonomic" keyboard, I realized the hump in the center was causing me to twist my wrists outward frequently in order to reach the outer edges of the keyboard with my pinkies. I could see the design was well suited to helping your index and middle finger move more naturally but that benefit was canceled out by requiring extra wrist motion and eliminating any semblance of natural movement for your ring finger and pinky. Ergonomic Reality Check: Being analytical in nature, I realized a truly ergonomic design would need to be more W-shaped, rather than having a central hump only. By that, I mean the keys in the center portion of the keyboard, under the index fingers should be elevated because the index finger is shorter than the middle finger. The middle finger keys should ideally be the lowest parts of the keyboard, as those fingers are the longest. Then the outer edges of the keyboard located under the ring and pinky fingers should be raised similarly to the center of the keyboard in order to eliminate the wrist rotation and finger strain required to reach those keys. Truly Ergonomic! : Eventually, I saw the Logitech Wave ergonomic keyboard design. "Finally!" I thought. "Somebody looked at the length of human fingers and designed a keyboard to accommodate the differences in length!" In addition, the key rows were also slightly curved in a way that keeps your wrists entirely straight from your elbows hanging at your sides to your hands resting near the center of the keyboard. The slight inward rotation of your forearms necessary for your closely grouped wrists to stay straight was now properly handled by joints actually designed to rotate (your shoulders.) I bought one and was quickly hooked. This keyboard reduced my pain levels noticeably, allowing me to put off wrist surgery a while longer. I havent bothered trying any other keyboard since I started using the Logitech Wave design. At this point, everyone I know who has tried my keyboard has subsequently purchased the same model. If you are sensitive to any unusual strains on your wrists or fingers, you will appreciate the neutral joint positions and natural finger movements you are able to maintain while using this keyboard. Comparison to my beloved mechanical switch keyboards: How does it compare to my former favorite keyboards that used mechanical key switches? Well, the tactile feedback is definitely not as good. On the other hand, I feel the benefits of using this keyboard compensate for the reduced tactile feel versus classic mechanical switches. Plus, the sound level produced by typing is vastly lower than the pronounced metallic "clickety-clack" of mechanical switches. In fact, I am also of the opinion that this is the first keyboard shape which actually deserves the "ergonomic" designation. On top of that, this keyboard has good key travel, and minimal sloppiness in the vertical movement compared to most other keyboards. As a bonus, the additional functionality offered by the added media, application, and zoom keys is actually useful if you are a heavy Windows and MS Office user. (I havent tried it on my single Mac, but I use it on all of my numerous Windows systems.) Of course, you will need to install the Logitech software bundle in order to get those extra functions to work. In my opinion, this keyboard is the ideal companion for my favorite mouse (Logitech MX Master) with both devices utilizing a single "unified" 2.4 GHz USB micro-dongle. This type of radio seems to perform noticeably better than Bluetooth for input devices. Considering all of these pluses, I would say this keyboard is definitely a step up from anything Ive used before, including my beloved mechanical switches. Regarding noise levels: Normal typing on this keyboard does produce noise, but the sound it makes is mostly from your fingers hitting the plastic keys. In other words, the majority of the sound you hear while typing is not generated by the operation of the keyboard mechanism. You can tell this is true by resting your finger on a key, then pressing that key repeatedly while maintaining constant finger contact. If your fingers never leave the keys, you will discover the normal slight "clack" of your fingers hitting the plastic virtually disappears. The single exception to this is noticeable metallic clunk of the space-bar, which seems to make twice as much noise as anything else on the keyboard. Space-bar aside, the sound that remains when you press keys while maintaining constant contact is predominately a very quiet, low-frequency thump generated when the key switch bottoms out (thereby closing the contacts on the switch.) While keeping your fingers in constant contact with keys demonstrates that the mechanism is not the source of most of the sound, it is basically impossible to type anything useful without moving your fingers around to hit different keys on the keyboard. Since that means making and breaking physical contact with the keys as you move your fingers to press other keys, eliminating the previously described "clack" sound is simply impossible. I dont find the noise level disturbing, but I came from years of living with the sound of very noisy mechanical key switches, so Im probably not the best judge of the noise levels. Compared to what I was used to, these keyboards are remarkably quiet. You may feel differently. Durability: Having cats who perform regular gravitational experiments by pushing a wide variety of things off desks, counter-tops, and bookshelves, I can assure you this keyboard can handle multiple falls pretty well. I would say the durability is quite good overall with one notable exception. The text on the keys rubs off incredibly quickly. For me, the letters "E," "N," and "S" disappeared within the first month of (admittedly heavy) use. Many other keyboards have the white letters molded directly into the key-caps using two different colors of plastic during the injection molding process. For some reason, Logitech decided to cheap-out on this particular feature. Why Logitech would make such an excellent keyboard and then paint the letters onto the black keys with cheap white paint (easily rubbed off) is just perplexing. Everything else about this keyboard is excellent quality. It even looks great with the black and silver color scheme accented by the perforated leather-look wrist rest. That is, it looks great until the paint rubs off half the keys. Then it looks like garbage. ** Hey Logitech, if youre reading this, charge me 5 bucks more and use higher quality key-caps with molded-in lettering for this keyboard. The low-quality white paint is just embarrassing. ** Why buy wireless?cscart_ Im generally a big fan of wireless keyboards and mice these days for reasons Ill explain in a moment. This particular wireless keyboard is exceptional. Like most wireless keyboards, this one requires batteries to operate. Unlike some other wireless keyboards, the batteries last an incredibly long time in the Logitech keyboard. I type a LOT of text and after probably a couple of years of heavy use, I still havent needed to replace the batteries. I dont do anything to extend the battery life. The keyboard power switch stays on 24/7. Its astonishing really. The current draw must be infinitesimal. There is another huge advantage most people probably dont consider when deciding whether to switch to a wireless keyboard and mouse. It is very dry in the desert, where I live. There is a lot of static electricity buildup in the air during much of the year. One day, before I switched to the wireless versions of the keyboard and mouse, my wife came into my office/shop and lightly touched my shoulder while my hands were on my corded mouse and keyboard. When she touched me, a big spark of static electricity traveled from her fingers, through me, out of my own fingertips, then through my keyboard and mouse straight into the motherboard of my computer. That single spark fried most of the chips on the motherboard. (Amazingly the CPU, RAM, and graphics card were fine.) Unfortunately for me, it was a high-end motherboard which wasnt stocked in any retail store near my home, so I had to order it online. As a result, I was without a computer for nearly a week while waiting for the replacement to arrive and then finding the time to install it. As soon as I realized the static discharge had fried my computer, I started trying to come up with a way to make sure it didnt happen again. At first, my approach was focused on attaching a grounding strip to my desk surface to rest my wrists on. But, I realized that approach would only work while my wrists were in direct contact with that strip. There was still a significant probability that I would fry another motherboard at some point. Then, it dawned on me that if my keyboard and mouse were not physically attached to my computer, it would be impossible to discharge static into my computer system that way. Thats when I switched to wireless keyboards and mice and never looked back. I even keep spares around in case static fries one of them. It never has. SUMMARY: I highly recommend this keyboard for all users who are highly sensitive to the joint strain caused by the poor wrist positioning and excessive finger curl required to use more generic keyboard designs. Those who already have carpal tunnel issues may even notice a slight reduction in pain levels. This was definitely the case for me. I also highly recommend this keyboard to anyone who cant afford the expense and extreme hassle caused by frying their motherboard with a static discharge. Its easier, faster, and cheaper to replace a wireless keyboard than to replace a motherboard. Lastly, I recommend this keyboard for fast touch typists. I was fast already, but I believe this keyboard increased my speed by at least another 10%. Its amazing how fast your hands can move when all of the joints are moving in their most natural orientation. In fact, Id generally recommend this keyboard to anyone who spends more than a couple hours a week at their computer. Non-touch typists may find the disappearing key labels to be an issue, but for most, the rub-off white paint is really only a minor nuisance. Keep in mind, you could always repaint them or buy stick-on labels for the blank keys. Each time my keys have worn off, I simply replaced the keyboard. Highly recommended!

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Severa of the kes stick. In fact, I am writing this and leaving the typos that the keyboard makes to demonstrate the level of frustration this causes. Specificall the "Y" button doesnt work unless ou hit it several times. The "L" button is off too. Here is the alphabet as this keboard thinks it should go: abcdefghijkmnopqstuvwxz

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Good compromise between ease of use and ergonomic design. The keys have a good action, and are fairly quiet. The built in wrist pad makes long term use more comfortable. Battery life seems good. I never really used any of the grey keys, so I cant comment on those. This is the second unit Ive had. The first lasted about 2.5 years of heavy use: about 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. After lots of use the keys were not working quite as smoothly, although all of them still functioned. 2017.03.03 UPDATE. My second unit failed after about 10 months of heavy use: about 6-8 hours per day, 5 days per week, in a clean office environment. Mechanically it was in good shape, but it increasingly began to skip characters or hesitate in transferring data to the computer, resulting in me often having to go back and retype characters or words. It was subtle at first, but increasingly frequent. When I swapped it for an old, USB wired keyboard, the problem disappeared entirely. I notice that the keys on the new unit are noticeably stiffer than the old unit, but I remember seeing other comments that the keys seem somewhat stiff initially but relax after a little use. This seems consistent with my experience. I like this keyboard for its ergonomics and performance, but two of the four units Ive purchased required replacement: the latest one, after only 10 months use. For that reason, Ive dinged my review rating from 5 down to 4 stars. I recommend this model, but if you buy one, consider getting an extended warranty, and keep your receipt.

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I was considering purchasing either this Logitech K350 Wave wireless keyboard or the Microsoft Natural Keyboard after I started getting pains in my hand, which would always be worse after a long day at work, where I would be using my keyboard and mouse constantly. I finally decided on the Logitech K350 Wave and I do not regret my decision. My main concern was that the Logitech was not contoured enough to the natural position of my hands. The Microsoft Natural seems more of a drastic change from the typical keyboard position, and I thought that would be better. After carefully reading reviews though it seemed like the Logitech Wave was a good fit for comfortable typing. I find the position to the keys to be comfortable, and I like how the keys are quiet. I currently have it paired with the Logitech MX Master 2S, and with these two items my hand/wrist cramping has all but disappeared.I definitely highly recommend this keyboard.

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I generally only buy Logitech when I get third-party stuff because I trust the quality, and this keyboard is really good EXCEPT for one shocking problem. The keyboard sags in the center when resting your palms and typing. It makes this ANNOYING creaking sound that will drive you crazy. The good news is that I fixed it by applying some felt “feet” under the center where is sags (see pic). Very easy, but WTF!!! Come on Logitech, are you guys sleeping at your work stations?!

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Great UNTIL they start having poor contact, hesitation and finally after reading other posts see similiar pattern. Great and love the wave and all but the contacts wear quickly (I really expect more than a year from a Logitech (or any keyboard) . I have other different Logitech keyboards and love them and they are 5 years old (wired) and not the wave. Wish they could put the same quality into this because the ergonomics are great. ;( I now have two sitting in a box, 1 purchased in 2013 and it died 2 years later, bought one last Nov. 2015 (now its Sept. 2016) and so i guess I want to try to contact Logitech and see if they have any answers! UPDATE: November. 2016 - I emailed thru Logitech website for warranty as I had another one as well both did the same thing. A few weeks later I got the one and only response from logitech Customer S. asking if I was SATISFIED with their response. I clearly told them NO and then heard nothing. A month later 2 new ones showed up at my door. So since Id bought another in the meantime a MK710 which I was TOLD was a better quality... we shall see. I DO love the wave and ergonomics of it, but certainly not the life expectancy or the bizarre Customer Service - that I really am disappointed with Logitech about.

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Takes some getting used to for sure!! I have never used a split keyboard before and the spacing is not like your conventional keyboard. The worst feature, in my opinion, is that the space bar is in a "hump" position (due to ergonomics), so the keyboard is VERY difficult to push down. I almost sent it back because of the space bar difficulty. I gave it a chance though and now I am used to it and do not even notice difficulty. The wrist support is wonderful, as I have tried gel wrist rests, raising, lowering, changing keyboards angles.... you name it, and none of those provided as much ease and comfort as this keyboard. I do not find myself using any of the special buttons it offers but thats just due to pure laziness ;) Overall I would rate this keyboard a B+. If you can get over the learning curve of the new spacing and space bar difficulty, I think you will be very pleased!

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I dont usually write reviews on products over 2 years after I have had them but this is an exception. Today I bid farewell to my wave keyboard as the A key has officially stuck in a down position never to rise again. For starters, I am an individual who spends HOURS on a PC at a time. I write fiction as a hobby as well as play hours of video games. WASD are the keys that almost all games use to control characters now days... and with that, the hobby writing, and the general use... time has took a tole on the poor key and it can take no more. On to a review of the keyboard. I really loved the ergonomic feel of the keyboard and the natural slant as well as the fact that it has two heights on its little feet. I always used the 2nd height (not the base height and not the mega height), which was just perfect for the way I sat at my desk.. I actually had learned to type one handed on this keyboard due to its nature and cure. It was mainly an ability I utilized on quick searches and links.. ...I utilized the extended function keys very rarely; though they were a nice feature of the keyboard. Having them on the same as the normal function keys were a downplay as how often I used F2 and F5 alone made turning on the extended feature keys more of a hindrance than a help. ...I never understood SLEEP keys being on keyboards. Until I rendered the key null in the options I hit the key a numerous times which was annoying at best. ...Battery life was wonderful. Though I know I changed batteries just a couple of weeks ago. I couldnt tell you when I changed them last and I NEVER turned the keyboard off until today when the key died. All in all, the keyboard lasted almost 3 years and had a great feel with excellent battery life. The mouse, however, died over a year ago; cant say much for that. I remember having to change the batteries in the mouse more often than the keyboard. A negative I would find, overall, being the range of the wireless. Wireless is not infinite; in fact, the range of this devices wireless to connection is really short. I would have disconnect issues if I had the adapter on the back of my PC. On the front of my PC there was zero issues with connectivity as it was merely just 3-4 inches away from the adapter. Regardless, RIP my Wave keyboard Feb 2015 - Dec 2017...you will be missed. Just debating if I want to get the same kind or get a mechanical keyboard that allows removable keys next time. Temporarily using a tiny basic keyboard until I decide.

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I decided to use bigger keyboard and mice at home, though I like my Logitech K360 and other Logitech mice. Pros: 1. well-designed keyboard. The palm cushion is a little soft which makes you wrist feel comfortable when you are not typing. It may take some time to get used to the gradual wave-shaped contour, but I think its good too. 2. 18 programable keys. 3. The size of M510 mice is exactly what I look for. Mouse Dimensions (height x width x depth): 2.56 in (65 mm) x 4.72 in (120 mm) x 1.61 in (41 mm) 4. Battery life is long. According to Logitech, the keyboard has 3-year battery life, and the mouse has two years. Both of them use 2 AA batteris. Cons: 1. No Caps-lock light in the keyboard. 2. Home/End/Delete/PageUp/PageDown key layout is not good. I often press the bigger Delete key when I tend to click the End Key. 3. The Logitech SetPoint software (6.67) does not support M510 mouse. I can pair my other Logitech devices in the Unifying Software and manage all of them in SetPoint, but M510 is an exception. I had to download another software Logitech Options to manage M510.

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UPDATED 6 mos. Later: This product is definitely counterfeit. It is not actually a Logitech product although thats what the label says. It was half the price though and serves its purpose. The side keys dont work and neither do any of the other keys besides the music control keys. I have used this product now for 6 months (Original purchase date 12/3/2016, date of review 06/05/2016). This product has ceased to be functional. I use it 3x/week for generally 6-7 hours/day as I work online. After about 3 mos. I had trouble connecting the product to my computer- I would have to fiddle with it and restart my computer in order for it to actually connect. Today, it is finally done. I cannot connect it to either my work computer or my home computer.-------- The true $75 Logitech keyboard/mouse combo that I bought at Office Depot lasted for about 4 years before I spilled coffee on it one too many times. It survived numerous glasses of water, a candle! with hot wax that I scraped from in between the keys, numerous moves, various children and replaced adapters. I would highly suggest forking out the $75 for the real thing and forget the $30 you save by purchasing this look-alike wannabe.

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