Catching a wave: Logitech’s ergonomic Wave keyboard

Ergonomic keyboards are one of those things that have a big following but don’t really get the airtime they deserve. Considering this, I was pleased to see that Logitech is having another go at the category with the Logitech Wave Keys.

Swiss peripherals maker Logitech has a long and storied history of crafting high-quality gear and has a devoted following for their keyboards and mice. This begs the question: Is the Wave Keys a decent wireless keyboard for QWERTY bashers wanting to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome and other computer-related ouchies?

Design-wise, the Wave Keys sports a grey textured finish, like Logitech’s MX Keys. It’s crafted completely from plastic but feels sturdy. As an ergo widget, it comes with a built-in wrist rest. The Wave Keys comes in graphite or white, while a rose model will also be available later this year. It’s crafted from 61% post-consumer plastic in the Graphite option and 46% in the white model (I wonder if the rose version uses post-consumer recycled Barbie dolls?)

Would you like to support our mission to bring intelligence, insight and great writing to entertainment journalism? Help to pay for the coffee that keeps our brains working and fingers typing just for you. Witchdoctor, entertainment for grownups. Riveting writing on music, tech, hi-fi, music, film, TV and other cool stuff. Your one-off (or monthly) $5 or $10 donation will support Witchdoctor.co.nz. and help us keep producing quality content. It’s really easy to donate, just click the ‘Become a supporter’ button below.

Where most keyboards nowadays tend to be flat with scrabble tile keys, the Wave Keys has a curved keyboard with a hump in its middle and its keys are sculpted for better touch typing accuracy. This raises the keys in a wave-like way, which is why Logitech gave it the wave moniker. The curved shape helps you position your arms and wrists so they’re apart in a more natural position. This makes for more comfortable typing over extended periods, even if, like other ergo gear, it looks a tad odd.

This design also has the added benefit of making the key layout more compact. Compared to a conventional keyboard, the layout took a bit of getting used to, but it takes up less scarce computer desk space. Most importantly of all, it proved surprisingly comfortable to type on.

It wouldn’t be a Logitech keyboard if there weren’t a few added flourishes. To this end, Logi has added a few nifty extra bits and bobs to the Wave’s function Keys. These include a dedicated emoji key (F6), a mic mute (F8), and snipping tool shortcut (F7). While I didn’t make much use of the emoji key, the snipping had a tonne of use.

The other hallmark of any Logitech design is simplicity. This is exemplified by the Wave. Spinning it around reveals a single simple on/off switch, and its underside has a battery hatch for two AAA batteries (and a slot to stow the bundled Logi Bolt USB receiver). This made getting it set up a bomb-proof undertaking. Other PC peripheral makers could look and learn from Logitech.

Annoyingly, the Wave Keys doesn’t use mechanical key switches but membrane keys. I’m no fan of membrane keys, preferring the tactile feedback that only a mechanical switch can provide. That said, the Wave’s keys were comfortable to type on, even if they lacked the crisp tactile feel of a mechanical key switch. Given the price premium the Wave commands, the lack of mechanical key switches is an odd omission.

While the Wave Keys took some getting used to, I found that after 2 weeks of use, typing was a far more comfortable experience, and my normally abysmal typing accuracy had improved markedly.

On the connectivity front, the Wave Keys connected to my SurfaceBook and MacBook via Bluetooth. The bundled Logi Bolt receiver worked like a charm, too. With the ability to pair up to three devices, using the Wave in a hotdesking environment should be a complete doddle. Switching between machines was as simple as tapping the dedicated function key.

In terms of battery life, Logitech says the wave will run for up to three years with the supplied AAA batteries. This excellent battery endurance is helped by the fact that the Wave doesn’t have backlit keys or other garish RGB LED gimmickry.

The other big plus with which Wave Keys excels is its super-slick Logi Options+ utility software. It confers the Wave with a huge amount of extra functionality thanks to what Logitech calls “smart actions.” These allow you to assign system-level commands to a single keypress and to remap keys. Logitech also provides preset choices if you don’t want to take the time to program your own.

Logitech’s Wave Keys is their first ergonomic keyboard for some time, and it’s a winner. While adding mechanical key switches would have earned it a solid 10/10, its solid build, simplicity and excellent design combine with the Logi’s Options+ utility to make it a solid choice for anyone wanting an ergonomic keyboard.

https://www.logitech.com/en-nz/products/keyboards/wave-keys-ergonomic-wireless.920-012281.html