Logitech MX Mechanical review: It rattles more than you think

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Logitech makes one of the best slim, laptop-style keyboards I’ve ever used. I’ve tested several models at this point and have always liked them. But Logitech has expanded from mice and flat keyboards to mechanical keyboards–you know the ones where the keys spring back up after you’ve pressed them down? Those are the mechanical switches that are unique to those types of keyboards. The MX Mechanical is one such keyboard. As far as layout goes, it follows the same design as its siblings.

So, what does that mean? It means the 110 percent key layout is large enough to accommodate a numeric keypad and navigation keys. It also has separate buttons for switching between paired devices. The design language is similar to the flat version–all grey keys against a grey background.

The MX Mechanical has mechanical switches, which raises the keys above the surface of the keyboard. They’re designed to help you make less mistakes when typing. That said, they’re tall, so you’ll need something to boost your wrists up.

Logitech MX Mechanical: Noise level

One thing you certainly can’t say about the MX Mechanical is that it’s gentle on its surroundings. It comes with three different types of switches. The switches I’m using are called MX Tactile Quiet, so there’s no noticeable clicking sound. That said, the chassis itself rattles a lot when I’m typing. The suspension and frame aren’t designed with vibration and noise damping in mind at all.

Mattias Inghe

The Clicky switches are red in color and they produce a distinct mechanical click when you press down on the keys. I can’t imagine they’re much louder than the Tactile Quiet ones, though. Whether you find this annoying is, of course, a matter of taste, but it can definitely irritate family members or cubicle buddies.

The backlighting is adjustable across seven levels. You can choose from a few lighting effects such as a wave or a keypress reaction, depending on what you fancy. An RGB keyboard is more fun. Personally, I prefer static and fairly subdued lighting.

Just like the flat MX keyboards, the backlight dims after about half a minute to save battery life. It’s activated by a presence sensor. You don’t need to be typing, just hold your hands above the keys.

Logitech MX Mechanical: Build quality, compatibility

The keyboard is solidly built with a metal plate on a plastic base. It isn’t as heavy as other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested, but it still got a little heft to it. Fold-out feet at the back allow you to adjust the angle slightly.

The MX keyboards offer dual functionality for Windows and Mac users, with functions for both systems assigned to the same keys on the bottom row. You don’t need to manually switch between Windows and Mac OS modes like you do on most keyboards. The MX Mechanical detects this automatically.

Mattias Inghe

On the top row, you’ll see a few keys for the emoji menu, quick searches, and context menus. That’s the same function as a right-click.

Logitech MX Mechanical: Software, battery life

You control the keyboard’s settings via the Logi Options Plus software, which also manages other Logitech devices. It’s available for Windows and Mac OS. Even though Logitech says it only works with those systems, I’ve found that it also works fine with Chrome OS computers, Android, iOS, and Linux.

The keyboard has a built-in 1,500 mAh battery, which is relatively small. According to Logitech, it should last for around 15 days if you use it daily with the backlight on. After three days, my battery had dropped by 20 percent, so that seems to be accurate.

While Logitech excels with the MX Keys, the MX Mechanical isn’t quite such an obvious top choice. As always, the design and layout are spot-on, but typing on this thing isn’t exactly a quiet experience. The noise isn’t coming from the switches themselves. It’s coming from the chassis.