Logitech Illuminated Ultrathin Keyboard with Backlighting

Table of Contents

While for my VDR I got the the wireless version a few days earlier, the USB version arrived late last week and is attached to the machine where I use a keyboard most. As always, I got myself a US layout.

##The good

  • tactile feel is very much to my liking.
  • backlight is controlled directly on the keyboard, with a single button that switches through 100, 50, 25 and 0% light intensity.
  • most of the FN keys work out of the box under a modern Linux distribution (e.g. F15’s gnome3 allows you reassigning easily under the System Settings, Keyboard, Shortcuts). While an entertaining feature, I have no use for it and did not bother investigating why FN-F4, FN-F5 and FN-F6 did not trigger in the reassign phase while the others worked fine, nor why FN-F9 reports as a key named Tools instead of some music related name (the icon is a note).

##The bad

  • the USB cord could be 10 cm longer, then again my machine is further than usual from the keyboard.
  • the last row of keys (ctrl, win key, alt, …) is less bright than the other keys. No biggie but at this price, for a wired keyboard, I expect even lighting.
  • the block above the arrow keys has a layout unfamiliar to me.
  • the F1-F12 keys have their FN function lit (e.g. Eject as opposed to F8), I’d like F1-F12 lit. But well, I know most buyers will not share my preference (no, SetPoint does not run on my OS of choice).