It’s that time of the month, when we find something to poke at and see if it’s still worth keeping or is there a better solution.
In question today…is there a better keyboard and mouse?
Current setup
Mac Mini (M1) with 2 monitors (LG and Dell)
CalDigit TS4 connected.
(the last of the lightning stage)
Apple Mouse
Apple Keyboard (the longer one)
Apple TrackPad
Issue - First world problems
Lightning
When one mouse dies, I use the trackpad until the mouse is done charging. Yes, I could just charge daily, but I forget.
Weird issue - sometimes my screen won’t wake up at all, but if i plug the keyboard in with the wire that’s connected the mac, it wakes up. (I guess the BT loses connection somehow randomly?)
Apple mouse and extended keyboard on an iMac. I just leave the keyboard plugged a lot of the time and unplug it to charge the mouse. Sometimes I forget to charge the mouse. My iMac never sleeps but I do have the display turn off. Rarely have an issue with the keyboard waking up the display.
I have the same three devices. Recently it became necessary to bring my Lenovo home from work for working from home (including overnight on call) which necessitated a bit of a shuffle.
I bought the Logitech MX Keys S because it is Mac/Windows. But in general, once the Lenovo is put away, I return to the Apple Keyboard. When the Lenovo is in use, I do have the keyboard set up to switch to the Mac for those occasional “work breaks” but I can leave both the Apple mouse and the tiny Logitech one on the mousepad side by side.
Because there are so many options and many are very much a matter of personal preference, I’d say don’t even start down the path of looking at replacements unless you’re trying to solve a problem. Aside from no Touch ID, I don’t think I could get used to the Logitech for my Mac life.
This is the Logi M650 L[arge] Left. I am right-handed but I learned to mouse with the left following prolonged spell of RSI.
Keyboard is a recent purchase and I am still evaluating it: Keychron K15 Pro Alice layout (brown switches, for the afficionados). It’s really great. I am still transtioning from Logitech MX Mini (which is my backup). Mechanical is nice! I am also learning to properly blind 5-finger type which is a huge bore after too many years of my idiosyncratic method. But I am hopeful that the Alice layout and better technique will help with my RSI flare ups. Also at the moment I lug the Keychron to the office and home with me wrapped in its huge box, which isn’t fun. I am deciding whether I will get a second (perhaps the smaller 65%) for my permanent home desk, and I am waiting for their next sale (they seem to be quite frequent).
The ZSA Moonlander. It has done wonders for my shoulders.
Plus as an automator being able to configure the keys on different layers gives me a lot of options.
As mouse there is only one thing that works and that is the Apple trackpad.
The swipe features are used a lot.
There is always a better keyboard and mouse. But it is really personal preferences.
I don’t have a problem with batteries going flat because I use a wired keyboard and wired mouse.
The keyboard is a 35 year old mechanical Northgate OmniKey/102. It’s been fantastic. I like the quality of the keycaps, the feel, the sound, and the rigidity of the steel frame. If it ever dies, I’ve got a couple of spares in my closet. The only downside for me is that it is full size and I never use the numeric keypad. So a smaller keyboard would be nicer.
I’ve used lots of different mouses over the years. I tend to like them simple and light. I’m currently using a Logitech B100. Nothing special. It works and is cheap to replace.
I also have an Apple Magic Trackpad. But I rarely use it.
My Logitech keyboard and mouse both use AA or AAA batteries that last for years. When they finally die, I just pop in new ones and keep working. Far superior IMO to built-in batteries that need frequent recharging and gradually degrade.
It sounds daunting to make your own keyboard from a DIY kit, but at least for a Sweep (without any diodes involved) it was quite easy and turned out to be a somewhat pleasurable experience. Can’t Seay how much of this is the IKEA effect, but I really love this keyboard! So much so I now have four of them.
When I use my MacBook Air in clamshell mode at home I use a Keychron K3 Pro and Logitech MX Anywhere 3S. Both are USB-C and relatively quiet (Red switches and ‘S’ respectively). I use them via Bluetooth. The keyboard is similar to the internal one in layout and travel so I don’t find myself adjusting when moving between the two. The mouse is much more comfortable than a Magic Mouse in my experience. It has enough buttons for me and I use the excellent BetterMouse rather than Logitech Options+ to map Mission Control, panning etc so I don’t miss anything from the trackpad.
For my Mac I use a Keychain K8 Pro, in wired (USB) mode, and an Apple Magic Trackpad. I also have an Apple Magic Mouse (AA battery version) as my wife prefers a mouse to a trackpad when she uses the Mac.
For my work laptop, Windows, I use a Keychron K3 Pro and a Logitech MX Master 3. I again use the keyboard via USB.
Just changed jobs and the new firm has bought me a Logitech Wave Keys which isn’t bad (though the Fn button location is a bit of a pain) and a Logitech MX Vertical.
I use the Wave now for the Mac as well, but use a MX Ergo trackball alongside it, though I’m finding I’m also using it on the work laptop occasionally as well.
I do have a capacitive switch keyboard as well, Niz Micro 82, which is lovely to type on, but is an ANSI layout, so causes minor irritations on Windows (as Windows love to switch keyboard layouts at various times whilst writing, and doesn’t have an easy access £ symbol). I also bought the wired one when I got it, and I now want wireless as it makes life easier moving between the three PC’s at my desk!
Goldtouch keyboard - tented and angled nicely for my hands. I’d love one of those split keyboards, but they’re pricey.
Elecom EX-G thumb trackball on the left - I try to primarily use this, so that when I inevitably forget I end up with about 50% actual use of each hand. Seems to be warding off RSI. My left wrist was becoming unhappy a couple of years ago when all the mousing was right handed.
Logi Ergo thumb trackball on the right - I’d buy two of these if they had a left handed version.
AliExpress no-name mechanical 10 keypad on the far right - helpful for work - not necessary, but faster a few times each day.
Magic trackpad on the far left - necessary with a mac.
Black disc is a wireless charger, brown disc is a circle cut from kanuka for a coaster. Other bits of wood are risers to get the right height / angle on things. I’ll borrow Dad’s router one day and route some cable channels under the coaster and main monitor stands so that I can hide the two keyboard cables a bit more.
