Keyboard and Mouse
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About a year and a half ago I made a permanent switch to remote work and haven’t looked back since. Having spent about 16 years in a variety of what I’ve termed “outside” work, I can speak firsthand to the incredible difference the switch has made to every aspect of my life.
Part of what precipitated this switch was the incredible difference I noticed in how my day-to-day life flowed during the pandemic. Admittedly, I also have some issues with typical office noises – read: constantly ringing phones are distracting, the constant taps and clicks of keyboards and mice get louder for me throughout the day, and I need the chance to move and/or sit comfortably during my work day without distracting others.
On that note, I’ve had to find ways to make my home office work for me while also encouraging productivity and, most importantly, not breaking the bank.
I tend to take on a bit of a Goldilocks model of choosing what works best for me, trying, returning, and repeating, until I’ve found what is “just right” for me and my needs. Some of these items have taken longer to get to than others, but I finally have a setup that I feel truly works for me, my everyday working needs, my budget, and my space.
In this post, I’ll share my current daily use keyboard and mouse along with a brief description of what led me to these specific models.
1. Logitech MX Keys
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There are a variety of MX Keys keyboards available – some with a number pad, some without, some made specifically for Mac users, etc. The version linked below is what was most widely available when I was looking for a new keyboard at the end of 2021 and is the one I have used regularly since.
I use this keyboard at least five days a week for roughly eight hours a day and have used it with both Windows and Mac with no issues switching between operating systems or devices – you can connect up to four devices – three via Bluetooth and one with the included Logitech unifying receiver dongle.
The charge lasts for weeks at a time and there is a decent amount of warning before needing to recharge.
The keys are quiet and reactive and the backlight feature offers helpful visibility in low light and a nice aesthetic.
2. ProtoArc Wireless Bluetooth Trackball Mouse
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My “backup” mouse collection runs the gambit in terms of features. Small, large, different colors, quiet, five-button, traditional, the list goes on. One I never quite thought I’d land on, and certainly not as my new normal, was a trackball mouse, but here we are!
Being a more recent convert, I’ll be the first to tell you that using a trackball mouse can take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it’s worth it on so many levels.
Often touted as a budget-friendly version of the Logitech MX Ergo, this mouse delivers for my everyday needs on every level. The trackball itself on this mouse is highly responsive and the sensitivity can be adjusted. It also has a backlight feature that can shift between colors or hold steady on a single color. I tend to keep this off, but it is nice if I’m working in lower light.
There are three channels available to connect to your devices – one with the included USB dongle, and two via Bluetooth. I most often connect with Bluetooth and have never experienced an issue with any glitches or response lags.
The attached bottom piece can be tilted between two positions. This helps to adjust the wrist angle and relieve potential stress on the wrist and forearm.
There are also front and back navigation buttons to allow for quicker browsing and smoother workflows.
My only slight pet peeve is the scroll wheel between the right and left click buttons (both of which press almost silently) can be louder than I would like when scrolling. That being said, however, I do own a backup version in black, which scrolls silently. It may just take some adjusting on my part to get it quieter, or it could just be that particular mouse, either way, it’s not enough of a nuisance to consider switching.
The Runners Up
If the above options aren’t really what you’re looking for, here are some runners up I’ve used in the past. I highly recommend each, as they all worked well for me.
Keyboards
- Logitech K780 – This is one of the only keyboards I’ve found that comes with a built in place to keep your pen or pencil and that has to be the feature I find myself most wishing for on a day-to-day basis. This is very quiet and responsive overall and is a great option at a slightly lower price point.
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- BFRIENDit Wireless Keyboard – When my husband and I first started working from home during the early days of the pandemic, I realized how loud my keyboard at the time was when our house was quiet. This was my first attempt at finding a keyboard that was as close to silent that I could find in my budget at the time. The main reason I parted ways with this was the jelly cover. I use them often to dampen the sound of my laptop keyboard, but I tend to end up getting frustrated with them and just taking them off because they get caught or slow my typing. That’s essentially what happened here. I loved the look and feel of the keyboard as a whole, but the cover just got to be too cumbersome for my regular and heavy use.
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- Arteck 2.4G Wireless Keyboard – I still have this keyboard as my backup. It’s the one I used most heavily after heading back to an office setting after our work from home order was lifted. It has an overall feel similar to the Logitech K780, but it is much lighter – and far more budget friendly. Unless something breaks on this, I think I’ll probably have it squirreled away for travel or backup use until it no longer makes sense.
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Mouse
- WisFox Bluetooth Mouse – If I’m on the go or working away from my desk in the house, this is still my tag along mouse. It’s quiet, compact, and offers three different connection channels. When I was traveling a lot and using this full time, I decided to get a backup, so I still have two…. One in teal (which is kind of the theme color of my office) and one in pink. If I feel like using a regular mouse, this is absolutely my favorite!
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