I’ve been waiting for Apple to update the 2007-vintage Apple Wireless Keyboard and 2010 Magic Trackpad since the first time OS X displayed a “low battery” notification — since then, I’ve had years of near-daily pop-up reminders that either my keyboard or my trackpad (both fueled by Apple’s official Battery Charger, no less) were supposedly running low on power. Although I preferred the minimalism of a wire-free desk, I reluctantly switched back to Apple’s old but still excellent Wired Keyboard to cut “low battery” notices in half, hoping that Apple would leverage 5+ years of Bluetooth and battery improvements to produce better wireless input accessories.
Last week, Apple finally released sequels to its three major input devices: the new Magic Keyboard ($99) replaces the $69 Wireless Keyboard, the Magic Mouse 2 ($79) updates the $59 Magic Mouse, and the Magic Trackpad 2 ($129) vaults over the $69 Magic Trackpad. The signature improvement to each is the replacement of AA batteries with integrated Lithium-Ion rechargeable cells, refueled once per month with an included Lightning cable — previously only used for iPad, iPhone, and iPod accessories. Apple also tweaked each of the accessory designs, one more significantly than the others.
Having given up mice five years ago (and radically improved a carpal tunnel-damaged wrist in the process), I opted not to test the Magic Mouse 2, but my colleague Dom Esposito discusses it and the other Magic accessories in the video below. My review is focused on the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2, neither of which I’d call “must-have” accessories, though each has a couple of worthwhile assets, and at least one surprising Apple device compatibility limitation. Should you buy Apple’s latest accessories, or go with excellent third-party alternatives such as Logitech’s K811 Keyboard and Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac instead?… (Updated November 2015 and December 2015 with new battery testing results.)
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Key Details:
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Check out Dom’s video review here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjoHBX7EkJU&feature=youtu.be]
Given the growth of Bluetooth keyboards since the Wireless Keyboard debuted in 2007, Apple could have gone in a half-dozen directions with the Magic Keyboard — it could have added multi-device-compatibility and backlit keys like Logitech’s K811, stripped features to go ultra-thin and light, or kept a body as thick as the Wireless Keyboard but with far longer lasting batteries, just to name a few possibilities. Instead, the Magic Keyboard feels like more of a “shrug” of a design, doing just enough to be “better than before” without attempting to push the envelope in any particular way.
The Magic Keyboard’s biggest advance over its 2007 predecessor is a built-in battery that can be refueled using an included Lightning cable. Plug the cable into your Mac and the Magic Keyboard into the cable, and the Mac will instantly pair the two together without requiring wireless configuration — a welcome but very minor trick that turns out to be the most “magic” you’ll find with this keyboard. The same trick works with the Magic Trackpad 2 (and the Magic Mouse 2), and all three promise the same one-month battery life on a complete charge, with the ability to run for an extended work session off a two-minute charge. A month of life between charges is short by modern Bluetooth keyboard standards, but based on my early testing, Apple may be understating the Magic Keyboard’s longevity (at least for some Macs).* Update: You can expect around 2.5 months of real-world use on a single charge; long-term testing took my Magic Keyboard from October 19 to December 31 before a “Keyboard Batteries Very Low” warning appeared.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Magic Keyboard looks a lot like every Apple keyboard released over the past 8 years: silver aluminum top, matte white keys, glossy white plastic bottom and gray rubber feet. The box and Apple’s web site note that it “requires Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later.” This requirement is fairly specific — note that the language omits “iPad,” “iPhone,” and “Apple TV” — but Apple doesn’t specify either the version of Bluetooth the Magic Keyboard is using, or a mandatory Bluetooth version required by your Mac. During testing, my Bluetooth 2.1 (late 2011) iMac and Bluetooth 4.0 2013 Retina MacBook Pro both paired without complaint; both were running OS X 10.11 El Capitan.
If you were expecting the Magic Keyboard to be a lot smaller than the Apple Wireless Keyboard, sorry: they’re very close to one another in size. Still 11″ wide with the same six rows of keys as before — all in the same locations — the Magic Keyboard is now around 4.4″ deep rather than 5.1″ deep, and a hint over 0.3″ tall rather than just over 0.7″ tall, differences attributable to two things: the removal of the prior battery tube, and a noticeable reduction in key depth. Apple has made the F-key row full-height rather than half-height, and updated one icon to match current OS X functionality, but otherwise left the F-keys unchanged from how they’ve been for years. Left and right cursor keys have become full-height as well, mimicking a change some people groaned about in the 12″ Retina MacBook. I personally don’t care much about this change, and was glad that it was the only major modification to the key layout.
Keys now hover around 1mm above the aluminum top frame, versus the Wireless Keyboard’s 2mm, a difference in travel that can be felt with every tap of input. If you love the decided “click” of a DAS Keyboard or Apple’s prior classics, Magic Keyboard takes another step away from that sort of pronounced “plunk” in the service of becoming slimmer and quieter. However, the new keys aren’t as soft or low-travel as the controversial ones in the 12″ Retina MacBook, making for a much faster adjustment period and — in my case — typo-free typing within a very short period of adjustment.
So far, nothing I’ve mentioned qualifies as “magic,” and unless you think of a rechargeable battery in that way, you’ll struggle to find a justification for either the keyboard’s name or its price. Apple touts the keys, which now use the San Francisco font, as more precise than before, though the average user may well take a few days to reach the same conclusion. I agree with the claim, and have enjoyed typing on the Magic Keyboard 2, though it’s not a night-and-day difference relative to the other Apple and top third-party keyboards I’ve tested.
There is one unusual and potentially show-stopping limitation of the Magic Keyboard: its compatibility with devices other than the Mac. How do you pair the Magic Keyboard with an Apple TV? An iPad? Maybe you don’t. The back of the Magic Keyboard has an on-off switch, a Lightning port in the center, and an antenna bar, but there’s no Bluetooth pairing button. Previously, the Wireless Keyboard’s power button could be held down to initiate pairing, but that’s no longer possible. And Apple’s instructions offer no guidance for iPad or Apple TV use: Magic Keyboard’s manual, packaging, and marketing are solely focused on the Mac. (Note: A reader points out that if you don’t pair the Magic Keyboard to a Mac, it will silently sit in a waiting to pair mode that can be seen by the old Apple TV and iOS devices. Apple does not appear to acknowledge this functionality on its own web site.)
Logitech’s K811 topped my list of the best Mac and iPad keyboards earlier this year by offering great features such as great backlit keys, the ability to switch instantly between three different Bluetooth devices (say, Mac, iPad, and Apple TV), and a rechargeable cell with up to 1 year of power between charges. The only knock against it was its $100 price, which represented a $31 premium over Apple’s Wireless Keyboard — but with at least three functional advantages that earned that premium. Now that the K811 and Magic Keyboard are peer-priced, there’s little reason save a slightly smaller footprint to prefer Apple’s option. If I was shopping today, I’d almost certainly pick the K811 given its superior features and device compatibility.
| Manufacturer: Apple |
Price: $99 |
Compatibility: Mac with OS X 10.11 (or later) |
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Magic Trackpad 2
With the Magic Keyboard (and Magic Mouse 2), what you see is what you get — there are no subtle frills or happy surprises to match or better options that have been available for years. But the Magic Trackpad 2 is a very different beast. It’s the starkest-looking Apple accessory design to date, taking the prize from the famously button-compromised third-generation iPod shuffle, and yet it’s also the most sophisticated standalone input device Apple has ever designed. I’m not going to tell you that I think it’s a must-have for trackpad fans — yet — but unlike the me-too Magic Keyboard, the Magic Trackpad 2 has a lot to admire under the hood.
The biggest visual change from the Magic Trackpad to the Magic Trackpad 2 is the color of its top surface. Apple shifted from the clean all-silver glass and aluminum top of the Magic Trackpad to an edge-to-edge uninterrupted white glass surface for the Magic Trackpad 2. I strongly preferred the prior color, which was mimicked (and improved upon) by the full-glass top of Logitech’s Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac, as white looks increasingly foreign alongside black-and-silver Macs and MacBooks. But given the typical longevity of Apple’s wireless accessories, perhaps the Magic Trackpad 2 is signaling an upcoming trend in Apple industrial design.
Measuring 6.3″ long by 4.5″ deep by just over 0.3″ tall, the Magic Trackpad 2 precisely matches the height and depth of the Magic Keyboard, and when they’re put right next to each other, the two Magic accessories are less than an inch wider than the Apple Wired Keyboard without anything else on its side. Like the Magic Keyboard, the Magic Trackpad 2 drops the rear AA battery tube to achieve a shallower profile, instead hiding its rechargeable cell in a glossy white plastic bottom compartment. But it’s actually 1.2″ wider than the original Magic Trackpad, which was already larger than the trackpad surface on any MacBook computer Apple has sold.
My first reaction to the Magic Trackpad 2’s gigantic touch surface was that I didn’t need something so big — bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus — for cursor movement or gestures. Several days later, I still feel like it’s unnecessarily large, enough that my whole hand tends to rest on it rather than only the fingers needed for movement and gestures. But “unnecessary” doesn’t mean “unreasonably,” nor “uncomfortably,” as OS X’s touch recognition is sophisticated enough to recognize that a thumb or pinky now lingering on the trackpad’s edge is not there for pinch or other gestures. There’s a lot more going on with the Magic Trackpad 2 than meets the eye.
For instance: the Magic Trackpad’s clickable buttons, hidden in the bottom two rubber feet, are gone. Instead, the “click” is mimicked perfectly using basic haptic feedback. Turn off the Magic Trackpad 2 and you cannot click it at all; turn it on and you can not only “click” normally with the anticipated feedback, but press harder to Force Click to a more pronounced level with deeper feedback. The mind-blowing moment is when you open System Preferences > Trackpad > Point & Click and choose “Silent Clicking.” Treble disappears from the click, leaving you with nothing more than the bass and a subtle vibration or two to signal input. After a not-too-extended period of time with the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2, you’ll notice that your Mac is now even quieter than it was before (a goal of mine, as noted in my recent Make Your Mac Run Silent article). The Magic Trackpad 2 will be great for people who enjoy working quietly.
I’ll be the first person to admit that paying $129 for a quieter, bigger version of the Magic Trackpad doesn’t make a lot of financial sense, as the last one wasn’t super loud or too small. Similarly, the current state of Force Touch/Force Click on the Mac is pretty underwhelming: deeply pressing the trackpad on a web link lets you open a preview version of the page in a floating window; selecting a word lets you check its definition in the dictionary; in some cases, hitting it on a fast forward/reverse button changes the rate from 2x to 60x based on the pressure you’re applying. OS X Preview’s signature feature can sense differences and using them to make ‘ink’ look thick or thin, as shown here, but like most of the Force features, this is a hidden trick that you need to hunt to discover. Even as someone who has looked forward to using Force Click features on the Mac, I can only describe them as forgettable at this point.
One other oddity with the Magic Trackpad 2 is its Mac support. Unlike the Magic Keyboard, which one would reasonably have expected to use on non-Mac devices (only to be disappointed), the Magic Trackpad 2’s stated Mac-only compatibility isn’t a huge shock. But here, the requirement is for a “Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later,” seemingly denying compatibility to most Macs sold before late 2012, even if they’re running OS X 10.11 El Capitan. I’m honestly not sure why Apple says this, as I was actually able to get a Magic Trackpad 2 to pair with my late 2011 Bluetooth 2.1 iMac without complaint, though I’m not sure whether battery life or pressure sensitivity data transmission work the same on older and newer Macs. Apple promises only a month of battery life between Trackpad 2 charges, but it’s already clear from the battery percentage indicators on my iMac that the Keyboard will last longer than the Trackpad 2 on a charge.*
Updated November 2, 2015: After two full weeks of use with my mid-2011, non-Bluetooth 4 iMac, the Magic Keyboard shows 76% remaining battery, while the Magic Trackpad 2 shows 21%. I expect the Trackpad 2 will be out of juice after only three weeks, versus well over the promised month for the Magic Keyboard. Second Update: On November 5, the Magic Trackpad 2’s battery died mid-day, while the Magic Keyboard was at 71%. In other words, expect less than three weeks of Trackpad 2 battery life when not using Bluetooth 4, and easily two months of Keyboard run time. Third Update: On December 31, the Magic Keyboard displayed its first-ever “Keyboard Batteries Very Low” notification, hitting 2%. That’s nearly 2.5 months of battery life on a single charge.
Who is the Magic Trackpad 2 really made for? The answer, as I discovered during testing and discussions with Dom Esposito, is “anyone looking for greater input precision.” Unlike the Magic Trackpad, where top-of-surface clicks rarely registered properly, every input from edge to edge registers properly on the Magic Trackpad 2. Having a larger surface can really help during video editing today, and there will unquestionably come a point (say, OS X 10.12) where many apps will take advantage of the added depth and pressure sensitivity of a surface like this. Calling the Magic Trackpad 2 a solution in search of problems isn’t quite right, but it’s certainly a tool that isn’t being properly exploited quite yet.
The Magic Trackpad’s $129 price point isn’t really mainstream for an input device, and the Force Click/Force Touch hardware functionality it offers really needs more software support to be truly worthwhile. But unlike the Magic Keyboard, which could easily be replaced with (and bettered by) Logitech’s K811, the Magic Trackpad 2’s technology and design give it additional value — particularly the prospect of greater future value — that I wouldn’t write off. Even if you don’t want to buy it for yourself because of the price, consider putting it on your holiday wish list, because over time, you’re probably going to want to have access to the next generation of Mac input devices, and if history’s any indication, this may be the only accessory to offer it for the next 5 years.
| Manufacturer: Apple |
Price: $129 |
Compatibility: Mac with Bluetooth 4* and OS X 10.11 (or later) |
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If the TP2 works just fine with BT2.1 I’ll get one tomorrow. At €149 I personally don’t think it’s expensive as it’s a great device. It will also keep clientele out of the Apple ecosystem that Apple doesn’t want to cater to in the first place.
Thanks for a solid review Dom.
It does work with BT2.1 but you wont be able to use it wirelessly
I’m currently using it wirelessly with BT2.1.
Battery may take a significant hit. There’s a reason why Apple said what they did.
Apple didn’t say much of anything about non-BT2 devices, which is why there is so much confusion and discussion over it. A simple “two months battery with BT4 Mac, 3 weeks battery with BT2 Mac” or similar disclaimer would have been great.
I fixed it, now using it wirelessly
How did you fix it? I’m really eager to get this working!
At 149€ (Trackpad) 90€ (Mouse) and 120€ (Keyboard) I’m not going to renew anytime soon. Crazy incredible prices.
I suggest black and white photography.
Agreed. I noticed it as well that everything has a pink tint to it as if the products had been left in the sun too long or suffered some type of chemical exposure.
It was just a color correction issue. Apple’s bright whites sometimes throw cameras (and Photoshop) off.
I’ve been using apple products for over 30 years. Apples own mice have always been dreadful to use. They are not comfortable or functional to use. Now they include a charging port on the underside of the mouse which makes it so that you cannot use the mouse the same time you are trying to charge it. The worse thing is the absurd price of $80 plus tax that is charged.
It charges in 2 minutes in order to use it. A total non issue. If it was an issue, Apple wouldn’t have released it.
I got the Mobee Magic Feet as it comes with a wireless charging for the older keyboard/trackpad, mouse and it works great. I do think they need to redesign the mouse as the edges are a little on the sharp side and become uncomfortable, and they should have put the connector at the butt of the mouse so we can still use it even while it’s being charged.
I think they should figure out a way where spilling liquid on the keyboard won’t mess it up. I have resorted to using one of those silicone skins for my keyboards, which work pretty well if they are made precisely.
I don’t know how much Jony Ive is involved with the design of Apple hardware anymore, he seems to be doing more and more publicity interviews than he used to.
the charge port is on the centre back – it is not underneath – that would be plain silly design – and it can still be used while charging
but it is expensive
Good review, @Horwitz! I’m especially glad you pointed out and dinged Apple on the multi-device issue, and then specially mentioned the Logitech K811. This was the single feature I felt most compelling for Apple to add, and the biggest disappointment not to see. I mean, by using the name “Magic”, the ad copy could have written itself! “A keyboard that works with your iMac, AppleTV, AND iPad. All. Seamlessly. Like Magic!”
And I also agree with your take on the Trackpad. I think it is definitely the evolutionary improvement that was expected…but the price jump is just a bit boo much to handle. I’m already having issues getting users to consider using a trackpad over a mouse; the added cost of “just try it” will definitely kill it for Windows switchers. And they seem to hate the Apple mouse too, and the new Mouse 2 won’t do anything to change that.
I’d like to see some information about what Boot Camp features Apple has worked on with these devices, too, if any. With Win 10 going “all in” on gestures, how Apple’s devices work in Windows becomes a consideration (I have many clients who are running Mac hardware but booting Windows). The previous generation was wonky at best, the Mouse worst of all with its bizarre touch responses and complete lack of software control in Windows. The trackpad wasn’t Windows aware either, so it became nothing more than a basic input device.
eject button?
Eject what?
No DVD drive!!!
Should have been a power button. It would be much better to hit power on the keyboard than find the button round the back.
Yes, an Eject button, for those with a Mac that has them. OSX runs on 7 year old HW; the keyboard needs an Eject button. It already has a power button:
– Ctrl-Eject-Enter to power off the Mac.
– Ctrl-Shift-Eject to power off the screen.
Shortcuts don’t work
Also, eject button is used in several keyboard shortcuts for shutting down your system and logging out and restarting.
So would a power on / off button.
Ejecting can be done on screen.
You can’t power up on the screen.
I’d still go for a power button over an eject button.
I haven’t used a DVD since the 90’s.
The shortcuts are new to me but seem a real fiddle.
In conclusion….. I’m right. Boom
Maybe ejecting .img files?
No, that won’t work. (would be cool though to be able to eject posters like James off the site)
iMore has a How To guide on pairing with an Apple TV. http://www.imore.com/how-connect-magic-keyboard-your-apple-tv
Weird that Apple would post such instructions on iMore rather than its own support site. (The support site includes Apple’s manual (https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1738/en_US/magic-keyboard-userguide.pdf), which only references the Mac and makes no provision for other devices.)
Note that the guide doesn’t (currently) work with the Apple TV 4.
The Magic Trackpad 2 is about what I expected with great potential. But I’m disappointed by the Magic Keyboard, it looks great in my opinion (as does the MT2) but the lack of compatibility with non-Mac Apple products and no backlit keys put me off. The Logitech alternative has everything the MK should of been, even though I don’t like its styling…overall then another dull overtly evolutionary product from Apple. I wish they would pick up the rate of innovation that they used to possess. The competition seem to be speeding ahead. With the exception of the iPad Pro (which I really like!) I’ve been more impressed by Microsofts recent hardware introductions than Apple’s.
You don’t know what innovation is. 3D Touch? Apple Pencil?
If Microsoft impresses you… All they’re doing is making a tablet bad and a laptop bad by trying to combine the two, which is inherently idiotic. Too bad only Apple understands that.
Thank you for this, I couldn’t find confirmation either way that these new accessories would work with my 2011 iMac. My old trackpad is a top shelf piece of equipment, so if this is an improved evolution I’m looking forward to my upgrade. I’m also one of the few fans of the new butterfly keys, but agree with every single other person: where is my backlight???
I couldn’t make it through the sobbing over having to charge a mouse once in a while when not in use.
Actually, the keyboard works with iPad no problem.
see this link,
http://www.imore.com/how-connect-magic-keyboard-ipad
I’ll stick with my removable battery Magic Mouse. Actually, I don’t get why Apple stuffed a rechargeable battery into it. It didn’t save any space or make it smaller
It literally is smaller, but okay. Haha. Don’t go with superior easy of use.
I disagree with a lot of conclusions made in this review.
1. Magic Trackpad 1st generation can be completely silent. It’s like most folks don’t even learn the new features that Apple comes out with. There is absolutely no reason to click on trackpads. Ever since I started using MackBooks in 2008, all gestures, including moving objects, selecting blocks of text, etc. can be performed without any clicks. Apple even went back and added this feature to 2007 MacBook Pros, which had a previous generation trackpads (with two physical buttons underneath the trackpad). So, when the reviews say that Magic Trackpad gen. 2 is much more quiet, I really don’t understand how anything can be more quiet than silent because my Magic Trackpad gen. 1 is completely silent.
2. I own two Logitech K811 keyboards. The Logitech keyboard has some issues. First, it does not last for a year on one charge. That’s a ridiculous statement. I used to use it in my daily work (with backlighting on), and I had to recharge it every two weeks. Secondly, the backlighting on it is dumb – it’s either always on or alway off. It does not have an ambient light sensor, which is annoying. Additionally, the quality of the key mechanism on the Logitech K811 is not as good as on the Apple’s wireless keyboard. The keys do feel differently and one could argue that the Logitech keys feel more solid, but I noticed that the Logitech K811 keyboard slows down my typing. It seems that the keys travel down and up slower on the Logitech K811 than they do on the Apple’s wireless keyboard. This would only be noticeable by very fast touch typists, so I guess I graduated into the higher league because I definitely notice it, and the difference for me is significant – I can type about 20% faster and more accurately on the Apple keyboard. That’s the reason I switched from the Logitech K811 to the Apple wireless keyboard after using the Logiteck keyboard for 2 years.
3. The author claims that he used to see the “low battery” notification for his Aplle’s Bluetooth Magic Trackpad and Apple wireless keyboard every other day. If this is not an exaggeration, I would recommend getting new rechargeable batteries. I have been using Apple’s rechargeable batteries that come with the Apple’s charger for years now. I use the Magic trackpad and Apple wireless (Bluetooth) keyboard every day, and I am a very heavy user. I have to replace batteries in the Magic Trackpad once every 2-3 weeks, and in the Apple’s wireless keyboard once every two months or so. The Apple’s charger comes with enough batteries to be able to rotate them among the keyboard, trackpad, and charger to always have two fully charged batteries on hand. The replacement of batteries is tool-less, and takes less than 30 seconds.
1. “I really don’t understand how anything can be more quiet than silent…”
A lot of people hate “tap to click.” It doesn’t provide feedback and, depending on how one uses a trackpad, can be less precise because lighter input is registered as a click. That’s why Magic Trackpad 2 provides options that feel like deliberate clicks but are close to silent. That’s also why Apple calls this “silent clicking” and differentiates it from “tap to click.”
2. Logitech markets the K811 as having up to a year of battery life. That said, it notes that the battery life drops dramatically if you keep the keys illuminated, hence your higher rate of depletion. And obviously, every wireless keyboard’s battery life depends on the number of hours of usage.
3. It’s not an exaggeration. Even with completely fresh batteries, the notification would come on after a week or so of use and then persist for 2-3 weeks before the power actually gave out. Once the batteries had been used for a while, I’d get the notification after a few days of use, and it would persist for 2 weeks before the batteries gave out. Using two Apple peripherals at the same time (Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad), the low battery notification for one or the other would be on screen virtually every day.
What?! Hahah um no. Apple’s new trackpad has haptic for clicks primarily for Force Touch input. I have always just tapped the trackpad too, which in my opinion is far and away superior, and I’d only click the new trackpad for force touch gestures.
It’s great that you have an opinion that something is “far and away superior,” but a lot of people feel otherwise, which is why “Tap to click” is turned off by default.
Jeremy, I use both the Apple Magic Trackpad and the Aple Wireless Keyboard every day for at least 8 hours a day 5’days a week in my line of work. If you are truly having these notifications every other day, something is wrong with your setup. I actually have two sets of these devices connected to two Macs right now, and the experience is very similar on both of them, with the second set being used by my wife (not as extensively as my setup).
We’ve used these Apple devices with 2009 15″ MacBook Pro, late 2012 Mac Mini, mid 2014 15″ retina MacBook Pro, and late 2014 retina iMac. We have never had anything close to what you are describing. Magic Trackpad gen. 1 lasts for 2-6 weeks based on the intensity of its use, and Apple wireless keyboard lasts for 1-3 months. The low-battery notifications show up just a few days before the batteries die.
As for the Logitech K811, I really think it’s a good product, but have you personally confirmed Logitech’s claim that it could be used for a year without a charge? There’s no way it’s possible.
Finally, I love the device switching feature of the K811, but switching to OS X from the Logitech K811 is pretty slow – much slower than switching to Windows. Unless you work on two different computers side by side, this feature cannot really be utilized for anything noteworthy. People used to say they could text on an iPad using this keyboard and then switch to Mac on the same keyboard to do work. However, at this point you can text, iMessage, Facebook, and tweet from OS X, so using an iPad side by side with a Mac makes much more sense as a second monitor, via the Duet app, than as an autonomous computing device. Programming an Apple TV as one of the there devices into the Logitech is convenient, but unless you watch your TV in your office or live in a studio apartment, chances are you will use the traditional input method, using a remote (or a dedicated keyboard that you keep in your living room), rather than go to your office to get the Logitech K811 keyboard off your desk to use it with the Apple TV in the living room.
@telecastle Up until I stopped using the Wireless Keyboard (approx. 6 months ago), I was using them both for around 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, plus some time on weekends. I’ve had a late 2011 iMac since late 2011 and previously used a 2009 or 2010 iMac. Not exactly an unusual setup. The low battery notifications have been persistent and annoying despite routine OS X upgrades, different batteries, etc. It was bad before the Apple Battery Charger was released, and continued after switching to the rechargeables in a predictable fashion (performance declining subtly after X recharges, with X being “way less than 50”). Is it possible that Apple revved the products after initial release? Yes. I bought the Trackpad the day it came out, have had the Wireless Keyboard a long time as well. They’ve both been on the market for what seems like ages compared with most Apple products.
Re: the K811, I use it in a very different way with multiple devices than I did with the Apple Wireless Keyboard. If you’re asking whether I personally did a 1-year battery stress test on it, the answer is obviously no. No one does that. But I’ve used the K811 with three different devices at a time and typically found myself wanting to connect it to a micro-USB charging cable every four or five months, just out of habit.
The value of the K811 as a switchable keyboard will obviously depend a lot on one’s personal setup. I keep it in a room where I have an Apple TV, a Mac mini, and an iPad that might at various times benefit from it. Switching the K811 between them is a matter of pressing one button and waiting 1-2 seconds. I wouldn’t call it slow, but maybe your setup is different from mine. It works wonderfully here, and the rechargeable battery has made it far easier to deal with than the Wireless Keyboard.
I’m with Jeremy on point 3. I start getting ‘low power’ notifications for both my Magic Mouse and Apple Keyboard weeks and weeks (sometimes months) ahead of when they actually die. It’s got to the point that I dismiss the notifications and simply ignore them until they actually die, at which point I swap the batteries out for another set.
My Magic Keyboard functions key (F1-F12) don’t work as whatever is printed on them (brightness, volume, etc) even when I hit the fn key. I tried changing the settings under the System Preferences, but no option is available to change the function keys. Has anyone been run into this issue?
YEs, mine don’t work either. It’s because I’m still using yosemite. I tried to update to El Capitan, but had problems and I just used time machine to get my computer running!
Good detailed review, but prefer Dom’s video. Who the fuck was drunk designing the charging port on that mouse indeed.
When the keyboard was announced last week I found it very disappointing no I device support. The prices are bat shit crazy and glad they come free with my new 5k iMac that is coming tomorrow. I almost did a custom order to get the trackpad 2 instead of the mouse, but didn’t feel like waiting until,one of the authorized resellers had that option in stock.
After I learned the mouse gives 9hrs of usage after a two minute charge I realized why they put the port on the bottom. It isn’t necessary anywhere else. 2hrs gives ~30days so basically if it happened to run dead on you, you charge it for 1-2min and then charge it over night, it’s literally no issue at all.
I completely agree with the review. The prices are silly, completely silly! And it also seem like apple don’t really prioritise batteries the way they should. A keyboard of that size without even lit up keys should last a LOT longer than 1 month (I would say at least 3-4 months) which is what the replaceable battery version actually does.
The mouse, I would prefer the old one. The idiotic charging outlet placement, the 1 month of battery time and completely the same design…I would say the previous one is a better product by far!
The keyboard has no particular innovation, even if Apple say they do. I can understand the keys they added on the Macbook, with the short travel distance…It was made this way to get the laptop thin enough, but in a regular size desktop keyboard, I assume the experience is just different, not better in any particular way. And thats all the difference there is after all these years?!? Still eject button – even not a single new Mac has a cd drive and no lit keys or anything inventive or cool/useful new features at all…
I also agree, the trackpad is the only new peripheral that is actually particularly better than the last one. the larger surface, the haptic feedback and look is an improvement. But the price on the other hand is pretty crazy in my opinion. And that is coming from a person who buys pretty much anything from apple – but Im not buying that one.
Backlit would have been a winner.
Pink editions! Sweet!
Trackpad SHOULD have been compatible with Apple Pencil .
Magic Mouse STILL doesn’t have a workaround for a Middle Mouse Button click !?
I have the previous generations of these three devices, and I’ve been using them for years now. They’ve always worked perfectly fine for me, but the fact that the new ones have rechargeable batteries made me want them, besides the new design. But then I saw the prices. I live in Brazil and they cost R$ 749 (keyboard), R$ 999 (trackpad) and R$ 649 (mouse). Yes, those are the price tags. That’s not acceptable, not really. Of course, if you have the money and want them, then buy them. But still, they are not worth such stupid values. I just hope the ones I currently have last as long as possible.
Why you buy this new accessories if they are so bad? Where you recomend put mouse connector, if bottom side is bad as you say, on the top? You say no new feature in magic keyboard, really nothing? What about key mechanism? You are crazy trying advise to apple deesigner. When you became the best designer of the world apple designers ask you about your “advises” in the future.
Number Pad…Number Pad…NUMBER PAD!!! Can Apple make a wireless keyboard w/ a number pad!?!? Major selling point for the wired version, and I’ll stay w/ my Logitech Mac Solar just for that reason.
Have to call you out on your complete first paragraph. As a fellow Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad user, I know for a fact that rechargable Duracell batteries used in each last an average of 2 months, for the keyboard sometimes up to 3 months, as usage is obviously far less than it is for the Trackpad, which is where most computer interaction is done these days. Even a set of cheaper 2100 mAh AA batteries offers 6 weeks – 2 months of energy. As for the popup reminders about low battery power, these only start when the device has 15% charge left. The reminders only increase to “daily” when the charge is closing in on the 5% mark. If a user has 6 batteries, ie. 3 sets of 2, he can easily recharge one set at his leisure and when battery energy in one of his devices becomes low, simply swap those out for the pre-charged ones. No big deal. As for these new, far more expensive devices, you have to use a cable and charge only lasts a month.
You’re not calling me out on anything; you’re just describing your own experience. As other commenters here (and elsewhere) can attest, I’m not the only one who saw far more frequent and persistent charging notices than you describe. You’re talking about the way it should have worked, but I used Apple’s own batteries and charger (including the 3 sets of 2 described), And can tell you that OS X’s percentage calculations as to remaining power were perpetually wrong, and notifications were present on my Mac almost all the time. Can’t explain why, but it was awful, and I’m glad to have moved on.
For anyone with the cash, I feel the magic keyboard and trackpad 2 are both fantastic. The keys on the magic keyboard are bigger so I can type faster and more accurate on it. The magic trackpad 2 is nice because of the bigger space to work with along with the force touch. For me it’s the most useful when trying “pop” open link without actually going on that page to read or see a picture like on reddit. But for those that sees the price points as a big investment for computer peripherals then I will say that I just got the k380 keyboard and m535 mouse (with this free third party software called smooth mouse) from logitech and those are both also great, except for less than half the price. The keyboard pairs with 3 devices and both devices go for about 40 dollars retail (i got both for about 60 thanks to a coupon and sale at best buy) which is a big difference than 100 and 129 dollars. I do think the typing experience is better not the magic keyboard with the bigger keys and key travel but I would’ve been perfectly happy with the logitech setup if I didn’t have the money to own both combinations.
We’ve had the Magic Trackpad 2 for a couple weeks and have been unhappy with it. One designer who uses the old Apple Track pad felt it was slow and unresponsive; the other designer had a hard time making use of the two finger or pinch gestures, they just wouldn’t work. I’ve used it for a couple days and I get this issue where it just won’t click. I can move it a round using InDesign but I can’t click on anything, unless I click on it 5 or 6 times in a row; after a few minutes it snaps out of it and works fine. So buggy performance so far. Not very happy.
Does anyone know of a tray that will hold both the magic keyboard and the magic 2 trackpad?
One thing I notice using my standard Apple Wireless Keyboard is that it is very easy to mistype, or as I often suspect, it gives a false output. Sometimes I see a mistype, but the wrong letter is often alien to the letter it was supposed to be, i.e. in a completely different place on the keyboard so it is a mystery as to how it got typed.
If I bought this latest keyboard, it would purely be in the hope that it was more accurate to type on than the standard one. Has anyone had any noticeably improved typing accuracy with this latest keyboard?
I’ve had no issue whatsoever like this, either with the prior Apple Wireless Keyboard or the Magic Keyboard. In all honesty, I have found that the Magic Keyboard is remarkably precise given its lowered key travel.
I would add that the new reduced size for the bottom command keys is also very bad. Don’t need the extra size on the top keys which use once in a while. I keep mistyping the arrow keys and command keys which I use very frequently.
I have razer mouse and razer mechanical keyboard and I feel that using magic mouse and magic keyboard is more suitable for both.
Magic keyboard: the magic keyboard has the same layout with my macbook’s keyboard so I have better muscle memory using it than the mechanical keyboard with the thick key caps and the difference of the layout. I am changing keyboards almost every 2-3 weeks but still i don’t deny that I really like the magic keyboard.
Magic mouse 2: I’m using gestures with my trackpad when i am on the way and the most common is three fingers slide right and left for changing fullscreen windows. I like the ergonomics of my Razer Deathadder but it doesn’t feel and work as the Magic Mouse. I still prefer my Razer mouse for gaming like Counter Strike but still for daily drive i prefer Magic Mouse. It needs some time to get used to it but then is perfect.
A tray that holds both the new Magic TrackPad 2 and Magic Keyboard together:
https://www.amazon.com/Spinido-BESTAND-Trackpad-MJ2R2LL-Keyboard/dp/B01EWXHV0W/
MORE IMPORTANTLY: Apple Magic Keyboard and TrackPad 2 can be used through wired USB, no Bluetooth required!
…despite Apple’s claim to require “Bluetooth-enabled Mac computer
with OS X v10.11 or later”
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MLA22LL/A/magic-keyboard-us-english
I found in an Apple forum asking to “Bring Back the Apple MB869LL/A
(A1242) Wired Compact USB Keyboard” [written 6/2013):
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5139793?tstart=0
In the comments section, read a post by “Attention Miser”:
> Attention Miser Apr 7, 2016 4:28 PM in response to arya.i
>
> It’s back! The new Magic Keyboard works via the charging cable! I’m using it right now with Bluetooth turned off!
It’s true! (The switch has to be on of course.)
In addition to working on a MacBook Pro Retina 15″ Late 2013 running
Yosemite 10.10.5, works, too, in Windows 7 running in Boot Camp on a
MacBook Pro 15″ Early 2011. (Was the only Windows 7 system I had
ready on hand.)
As further tests, I connected and used the Magic Keyboard to 2011/2012
ThinkPad X220i Tablet, with Bluetooth disabled in the OS, running: Windows
10, Ubuntu 12 and 14.
(The ThinkPad is multi-boot using GRUB; the Magic Keyboard doesn’t
work for choosing the OS to boot into, although I did not try changing any BIOS USB settings.)
I’m surprised no one seems to be using Better Touch Tool to supplement this. With it you could setup your own uses for Force Touch. https://www.boastr.net/