10 Nov
Blog

Logitech Pop Keys Review: A Typewriter for the Modern Age

Logitech Pop Keys in Daydream color scheme.

Logitech Pop Keys put to the test: a modern mechanical keyboard with retro charm

RRP $ 99.00

"The Pop Keys mechanical keyboard from Logitech is a stylish and modern interpretation of the venerable typewriter of yore."

advantages

  • A modernized version of the keys on a typewriter

  • Satisfactory mechanical buttons

  • Easy pairing with up to three devices

  • Logi Bolt support

  • Emoji key

disadvantage

  • No backlight

  • No replacement keycap options at this time

The humble keyboard doesn't often conjure up images of a beautiful work of art. It is often perceived as a more useful device.

Yet the simple keyboard exerts so much creative power – some of the greatest writers of our time, from Mark Twain to Ernest Hemingway and Maya Angelou, wrote their best works on a keyboard (more precisely a typewriter in most cases). . With its latest Pop Keys keyboard, Logitech aims to inspire by combining the retro charm of typewriters with some of the best technology today.

The Logitech Pop Keys is a mechanical keyboard that is highlighted by bright colors, support for modern connectivity, and even emoji keys for modern communication. While not the first keyboard to mimic the old-world charm of typewriters, Logitech's $ 99 Pop Keys is perhaps the most accessible and affordable modern mechanical take on what has become a relic, especially when compared to the QwerkyWriter S for $ 299, the Azio MK retro keyboard for $ 220, or the Rymek Knewkey for $ 164.

draft

Logitech Pop Keys color palette.

The first thing you'll notice about Logitech's Pop Keys is that they come with a "pop" of color. The keyboards are available in bright colors, including Daydream, which combines mint, yellow and lavender keys, a pink heartbreaker, or the classic Blast, which is available in black and yellow. The designers at Logitech claim that the keyboard was developed for Generation Z users who want more individuality and personality in their workspace.

Although I was initially wary of the stark contrast of the blast unit for review – I'm more used to a floating sea of ​​beige or black keys that are more common on corporate desks – the bumblebee-colored keyboard was playful but not garish like some Gaming keyboards. I found the color fun and the accented keys brightened my desk in unexpected ways. Unfortunately, more professional key colors are not available and I would still like the option for subtle, adult colors for everyday use.

Logitech Pop Keys versus Logitech MX Keys Mini.

My Blast keyboard comes with a yellow keyboard deck that is accented by a sea of ​​circular floating black keys with yellow glyphs. Like the MX Keys Mini, the keyboard is designed to work with both Mac and PC. Some of the modifiers and special keys on the keyboard – Control, Function, Shift, Tab, Caps Lock, Delete, Enter, and more – are gray with yellow glyphs.

While the Qwerkywriter and KnewKey attempt to be a more authentic reproduction of the tools that preceded them, the Pop Key takes a more minimalist, modernized, and deconstructed design into its aesthetic. It comes with more modern buttons – the dictation and microphone mute buttons are one of my favorites along with the new emoji support – and the design is a playful interpretation of the typewriter buttons and not a faithful reproduction of the chrome-framed buttons found on the KnewKey and Qwerkywriter.

Logitech's latest Pop Keys keyboard has dedicated emoji keys.

At 321.2 x 138.47 x 35.4 mm, the Pop Keys keyboard is slightly wider than the MX Keys Mini – you get a similar keyboard layout, but the former comes with an additional column of emoji shortcuts next to the full-size arrow keys compared to the latter's more compressed inverted T layout. The mechanical key switches also make the Pop Keys thicker overall.

Emoji shortcut is the second biggest feature of the Pop Keys that sets this humble keyboard apart from the competition. In addition to standard writing, Logitech is banking on emoji as the future of communication, and the pop buttons come with four pre-installed emoji buttons and four additional buttons in the box that can be swapped out. A fifth emoji button brings up the full emoji menu so you can choose any emoji or character you want.

While the purpose of these new buttons is to help users communicate with emojis, which Logitech claims is the fastest growing language in the world, the buttons can be customized to launch certain emoji characters (even if these characters are not defined by the supplied keycaps). via the downloadable Pop keyboard customization software.

As with the MX Keys Mini, you won't find an extended keyboard layout with a dedicated number pad in the Pop Keys. The more compact size, Logitech claims, makes this keyboard more ergonomic if you don't use spreadsheets or numbers a lot.

The golden escape button.

Our Blast keyboard comes with a metallic, lacquered, copper-colored escape key that enhances the typewriter aesthetic of the keyboard. Purists may complain that the escape key is the lone key in a different color, but the brass-like finish gives it a vintage vibe.

There are function keys in the top row next to the Escape key. These buttons can also be used to switch between device inputs – the Pop buttons can be paired with up to three devices, like Logitech's Premium MX series for work. You'll also find keyboard shortcuts for controlling media playback, a voice dictation button, a screenshot button, and a microphone mute. That final key was a godsend during the pandemic as Zoom calling has become the new normal.

There's a sleek back bar protruding from the back of the keyboard in a design that mimics Logitech's MX Keys and MX Keys Mini. This bar houses the battery compartment; two AAA batteries are required. The company claims that fresh batteries last around three years after typing. A power switch on the right edge of the keyboard helps to conserve the battery when not in use. Personally, I would have loved if the Pop Keys came with internal batteries that could be charged via a USB-C cable, but company executives claimed that Logitech appealed to a different, less tech-savvy audience than those who did use the MX series.

Typing experience

A splash of color with the Logitech Pop Keys

Unlike traditional desktop productivity keyboards, the Pop Keys use mechanical key switches – a design more commonly found on gaming keyboards – for a more responsive and satisfying typing experience. Logitech didn't name the type of switch used on the Pop buttons, but the design and typing feel similar to Cherry MX switches.

This means the keyboard was relatively quiet, especially since it's a mechanical keyboard, and it didn't require as much force as other premium gaming keyboards. And thanks to the concave, circular design of the keycaps, the keys wrap well around the fingertips and are stable, even if you press the keys from the edge of the keycaps rather than from the center.

When we asked about the key travel and actuation force, the company's executives were similarly reluctant and did not provide any information about the pop keys. We found Key Travel to be generous. And the moderate actuation force means you don't have to use too much finger force to move the keys, but simply touching the key while typing doesn't register accidental key presses.

It took me a solid hour to actually type and adjust to the pop keys, and I have found that even if you are experienced with typing or using a mechanical keyboard, some adjustments are required. The main reasons are that the round keys, while eye-pleasing and pleasing to the eye, and the key spacing mean that those typing with more vulnerable wrists and fingers may find fingernails catching the key when the keys are pushed up directly above it or your fingertips can brush adjacent buttons. This problem becomes very evident in those who come from flatter keys on notebook keyboards

Raised keys on the Logitech Pop Keys

While you initially get used to Logitech's button design, this may slow down your typing speed and accuracy, but things will normalize in about an hour.

Compared to the click-clack typing sound of the original Qwerkywriter (not the newest Qwerkywriter S), the Pop Keys make a deeper and more satisfying “thunk” sound when the keys are pressed. I prefer the low tone that the Pop Keys make as I found that less distracting, especially if you are sharing the office space. The auditory comparison is similar to comparing the butterfly key switches on a MacBook Pro from 2016 with the MX Keys from Logitech. Apple's standard laptop keyboard – which has since been upgraded to scissor switches on newer models – had louder, hollow sounds compared to the low-frequency response of the MX Keys and MX Keys Mini.

Looking at the key switches on my HP Omen Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, the Pop Keys definitely feel stiffer and require more actuation force, but it's more satisfying when you're typing a long document or looking to become the next Hemingway. While the keys of the Omen sound hollow and rattle a little when typing quickly, the keys of the pop keys seem more stable.

The only thing missing from the Pop Keys that would have made them even more perfect would be the backlight. Logitech wouldn't have to offer the crazy RGB lighting that's standard on many gaming keyboards, but even a subtle white glow – or lighting that is color-coordinated with the Blast's key colors – would have been nice for night-time typists. The inclusion of backlit keys makes the RK Royal Kludge – a keyboard with similar round, typewriter-inspired keys – an attractive alternative to the Pop Keys.

Although the Pop Keys are not lacking in full backlighting, there are a total of five LED lights on the keyboard. There are three white LEDs, one on each of the pairing buttons to identify which device you have paired with the keyboard, an LED indicator on the caps lock key, and a green LED on the right keyboard deck to indicate that the pop keys are activated are switched on.

Emoji

Logitech Pop Keys comes with special emoji buttons.

In addition to being the fastest growing language, a useful perk of emoji is that the characters also impart more empathy and help you connect with your audience. This is especially important during the global pandemic, where most of our communication is digital and a significant part of our interaction is virtual.

According to a study by Logitech, over 88% of users are likely to feel empathy for someone who uses emojis in their communication, and given the prevalence of emojis in casual and some professional communication, like Slack and Microsoft Teams messages, they are quick to hit Access to these special characters is particularly useful.

Heartbreaker colored Logitech Pop Keys.

To use the emoji buttons, you'll need to download software from Logitech, which is available for Windows and macOS. The keyboard also works with Chrome OS, Android, iPadOS, and iOS devices, but you can't map or use the emoji buttons.

With the software downloaded and installed, Logitech gives you many customization options with the emoji. You can map the emoji to match what is displayed on the button – for example, the smiling face with the heart-eye button shows the same emoji on your screen when pressed – or you can map the button to a different emoji than on the indicated key caps. In the latter case, if you often use the celebration emoji or the fireworks emoji, you can either assign the keycap that shows the smiling face with heart eyes.

The software allows you to universally map the emoji for all apps, or you can use different emoji for different apps. For example, if you use a specific emoji when communicating via WeChat or iMessage, you can assign it to one of the keys when you are in that app, but you can assign the key to another emoji when you are in another app.

Interchangeable emoji buttons and switches on the Logitech Pop Keys.

In addition to emoji, you can map any of the five emoji buttons along with the top row of function keys to perform various tasks. If you're not using an emoji, you can, for example, map one of the emoji buttons to show Mission Control or open Launch Pad on your Mac. A second emoji button can be used for copy and paste, access to the lookup menu, or other functions.

This software defined key mapping really makes the Pop Keys even more customizable and personal, whether you're a Gen Z, typist using emoji, or more of a traditional keyboard user who just wants more keyboard shortcuts.

And since the keyboard comes with a total of eight emoji keycaps – four on the keyboard and four in the box – switching between keycaps is very easy. All you have to do is grab the keycap with your finger and pull up to remove the cap, then push the keycap down on the “+” shaped switch to replace it .

Software to customize the function of the emoji buttons on the Logitech Pop Keys keyboard.

This process can be applied to any key on the keyboard, and Logitech says that in theory you can replace any key on the Pop-Keys because it uses an unnamed, standard switch mechanism. I hadn't tried the mix-and-match philosophy here with the alphanumeric keys, but you can in theory replace the keys here with square keys instead of round keys, although that's the purpose of buying a retro-inspired tool like the Pop Keys. However, company officials warned that this could affect key spacing, key travel, and the fit of each keycap.

And as with the MX Keys series, there are toggle switches for switching between three coupled devices with the function keys F1, F2 and F3. For example, you can easily switch between a MacBook Pro, Windows PC, and iPad Pro if you switch between them frequently for your workflow. The Pop Keys connect to your preferred computing device via Bluetooth, and a Logi Bolt connection dongle is also included if you need a more secure, reliable connection between the keyboard and your PC. To make it easier to carry the dongle, the Pop Keys have a dedicated slot in which the Logi Bolt connection is located when you are not using it.

Logitech Pop Keys in Daydream color scheme.

Logitech also has an accompanying pop mouse that is color-coordinated with the same color options from Blast, Daydream, and Heartbreaker. The Pop Mouse is part of Logitech's Studio series and is similar in design to the company's existing Pebble mouse. It comes with a scroll wheel and a dedicated button that can be customized, like the emoji keyboard keys on the pop keys. With the mouse, you can use a different emoji key, or assign that key to perform another task through Logitech software.

Our opinion

Logitech Pop Keys and Pop Mouse are part of the Logitech Studio Series.

The Pop Keys from Logitech bring a lot of playful mood to stoic desks with their splash of color. While the Pop Keys may have their stylish inspiration from typing tools of yesteryear, the Pop Keys isn't your grandfather's typewriter – this keyboard artfully blends its old world charm with modern technology like strong connectivity options, long battery life, and support for emoji to inspire the next generation of creatives.

are there alternatives

At $ 99 for the Pop Keys and $ 39 for the Pop Mouse, there are plenty of alternatives to these Studio-series peripherals. Some of the most notable competitors for the Pop Keys include other retro-inspired keyboards like the Qwerkywriter S, Rymek KnewKey, and the Azio MK Keyboard. All of these keyboards have similar mechanical switch mechanisms and circular keys that remind them of typewriters, but none offer the same modern day versatility of the pop keys, including dedicated emoji keys, media and function keys that can be customized, and support for Logi Bolt. Another attractive feature of the Pop Keys is that they are between $ 100 and $ 200 less than some of their closest competitors.

How long it will take

Logitech's Pop Keys, like previous typewriters, will last you a very long time. The batteries last for three years, and when you replace them with fresh batteries, they will last much longer. While replaceable batteries aren't as good for the environment as rechargeable internal batteries, you don't have to worry about the batteries holding a charge as the Pop Keys ages. This means that you don't have to throw away an otherwise perfectly usable keyboard after years because the internal battery has exceeded its lifespan, you can simply swap in new batteries and continue with this keyboard. Logitech offers a one-year limited hardware warranty for the Pop Keys in the United States and most parts of Asia, although you get a two-year warranty if you buy the keyboard in Japan and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Should I buy it

Yes, if you rely on or use emojis, the Pop Keys are an invaluable tool for your home or home office. Although designed with teenagers and tweens in mind, the Pop Keys is a fun keyboard that will brighten up any room. Logitech has modernized the typewriter for the modern age.

Editor's recommendations



28 Sep
Blog

Logitech MX Keys Mini Review: Like the Original, But Smaller

Logitech MX Keys Mini looks great in graphite.

Logitech MX Keys Mini reviewed: Honey, I made the keyboard smaller

RRP $ 99.00

"The Logitech MX Keys Mini offers the same great typing experience in a smaller, more ergonomic experience."

advantages

  • Comfortable typing experience

  • Compact and lightweight for on the go

  • Ergonomic

  • Advanced features

  • Sustainable design and packaging

disadvantage

  • Expensive

  • Cannot be used as a wired keyboard

How do you improve a near-perfect keyboard? It's a good problem for Logitech with its MX Keys peripheral, which quickly became a fan-favorite keyboard at retailers like Amazon.

Logitech's solution was to bring a more compact version of its critically acclaimed keyboard in the form of the MX Keys Mini and MX Keys Mini for Mac. Both the standard and compact keyboards have similar layouts, with the one made for the Mac edition containing Apple-specific keys such as the option and command keys. Versions with international keyboard layouts will also be available.

It's not for the serious mechanical keyboard enthusiast, but most others will find a lot in what Logitech did with the MX Keys Mini.

draft

Logitech MX Keys Mini offers a more compact design.

Smaller doesn't mean tight. Like the regular MX Keys, the MX Keys Mini has full-size keys for easy typing. To shrink the dimensions of the keyboard – the standard version measures 131.63 x 430.2 x 20.5 mm – Logitech removed essentially everything to the right of the Enter key and repositioned the arrow keys in an inverted T layout. This reduces the width of the MX Keys Mini by 134.21 mm to 295.99 mm.

This is equivalent to a size reduction of just over five and a half inches – or 30%. The compact dimensions make the MX Mini more portable, making it easier to slip into a smaller bag when you need a better keyboard for remote typing. The real benefit, however, is that a narrower keyboard makes typing more ergonomic.

Logitech MX Keys versus new MX Keys Mini.

The new size reduces the weight of the keyboard from 810 grams to 506 grams. Much of the weight is due to the solid construction of the keyboard, which has a full metal shell on the top that surrounds the keys in an island style. There's a thin plastic strip that extends from the top of the keyboard, and this area houses the sensors, battery, and circuitry. The other dimensions have also changed slightly, but are largely similar to the original model.

Like the original, the mini edition has individual keys with a circular indentation on the keycap, a design feature that helps with typing. The chiclet key layout looks a lot more modern than the 1990s-style keycaps on mechanical keyboards, and looks like you could have taken them straight off a laptop. The company claims that the dimple on each key adjusts to your fingertips as you type, and automatic backlighting is available for night work too.

The MX Keys Mini is available in three colors – rose, graphite, and light gray – and features white LED-backlit keys. A built-in battery provides up to 10 days of use on a single charge with the backlight on, or up to five months of no-light use, claims Logitech, and it can be charged using the included USB-C cable. The keyboard version that we received for testing is made of graphite and comes with slightly darker gray keycaps and white lettering.

Our model isn't made for Mac, but it also comes with dual keys that support Mac and Windows – for example, the Apple Option key can be used to activate the Start menu on Windows, while the Command key can also serve as the Alt key on the Microsoft operating system. If you're a Mac user looking to take over the MX Keys Mini, the major downside is that you won't find a Touch ID fingerprint scanner on this third party keyboard.

As part of the company's commitment to sustainability, the MX Keys Mini is made with up to 30% recycled plastic, however the amount of recycled plastic in the lighter shades will be far less than the darker graphite color variant. That's because, according to the company, it's way too difficult to extract and recycle plastics from existing keyboards – which are often made from darker materials – and convert them to lighter colors like those found on the pink and light gray keyboard .

Typing and functions

Logitech MX Keys Mini side profile.

Many of the key functions of the larger MX Keys are carried over to the MX Keys Mini, including the ability to pair and use the keyboard with up to three different Bluetooth devices. The keyboard has alternate keys in the row of functions for switching between devices. Logitech claims the keyboard will work on a wide range of devices including Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, iOS, and iPadOS.

The company will also release a special Enterprise version that uses a more secure and proprietary Logi Bolt connection. This B2B model requires a special USB-A dongle, while the consumer model that you can find in many retail stores works with Bluetooth.

1.8 mm travel is sufficient for long sessions with comfortable typing.

Logitech didn't provide any key travel and pitch specifications for the MX Keys Mini, but they feel no different than the full-size original, advertised as 1.8mm of key travel. This makes the key travel comparable to what you'd find on some larger professional laptops and gaming laptops. Many smaller laptops in the 13-inch range have keys with 1.1 mm to 1.5 mm of travel, while some larger 15-inch notebooks have keyboards with 1.5 to 1.8 mm of travel. In any case, 1.8 mm of travel is sufficient for long sessions with comfortable typing.

For comparison, Apple's newest Magic Keyboard on the MacBook Pro has a 1mm shorter key travel that uses a new scissor switch implementation, while the company's older butterfly keys on some older Intel-model laptops only provided 0.7mm of key travel.

The MX Keys Mini feels like it was made for those who love laptop keyboards but prefer to work at their desks. While my MacBook Pro keyboard feels different when typing – Apple's keys are less stiff and louder – the similarly sized Logitech offers the same ergonomic experience. When I paired the Logitech MX Keys Mini with my Apple Mac Mini on my desk, it really felt like I was working on a mobile workstation.

Logitech MX Keys Mini can be connected to up to three devices.

If you are used to working on a laptop without a built-in numeric keypad, a similar arrangement in an external keyboard makes it easier to customize and helps with ergonomics if you have the right desk setup. An external monitor would be ideal, but even if you choose not to connect a second monitor, putting your laptop on a stand helps as you won't stretch your neck to look at your laptop's screen.

And when you add the right external keyboard to the setup, you get an even more comfortable PC environment with a larger key travel. Moving the keyboard closer to your body can also reduce arm fatigue.

Logitech MX Keys Mini comes with a dedicated emoji key.

And to accommodate more modern communication modes, the MX Keys are also equipped with some special keys that make it easier to get your message across. There's an emoji button that brings up an emoji picker so you can choose the best emoticon to use, for example, to express yourself in an email, and a new dictation button helps you control your operating system's voice-to-text engine to type with your voice.

power

If you consistently work on two or three different devices as part of your workflow, the MX Keys Mini is for you. Pairing multiple devices allows you to connect up to three devices without the need for a KVM switch and also saves desk space as you don't need a separate keyboard for your desktop and a second tablet, like an iPad Pro or SurfacePro 8.

Like its bigger brother, the MX Keys Mini offers a very comfortable typing experience with its full-size keys. Compared to the butterfly key switches on my aging MacBook Pro 13 inch, the keys of the MX Keys Mini are deeper, stiffer (since they require more actuation force) and a little quieter. A quieter keyboard could be useful if you share a small apartment with someone else and prefer to work at night.

The backlight turns on automatically when your hands approach the keyboard.

LED-backlit keys on a wireless keyboard aren't a new technology, but Logitech has made some smart upgrades to make this popular staple even better. Like the backlit keyboard on many modern laptops, the backlight can be adjusted manually – there are six levels of brightness, and you can also turn it off – or automatically based on the ambient light in the room.

Thanks to magnetic sensors, the backlight can also turn on automatically when your hands approach the keyboard. This feature may sound trivial, but it is extremely useful. On other keyboard models, the backlight turns off after a period of inactivity to save battery life. To turn the backlight back on, you need to tap any key on the keyboard randomly to wake it up.

If you press a non-character key, such as the Shift key or the Ctrl key, everything is fine. However, if you tap any of the character keys like a letter, you are accidentally adding gibberish to your open document and will have to delete any additions you made. Distorting the MX Keys Mini's magnetic field to wake up a backlight is an ingenious solution to a problem many didn't even know they had until they started using the Logitech keyboard.

Logitech MX Keys Mini supports Windows and Macs.

Since the keyboard has full-size keys, it didn't take me any time to get used to the keyboard and was able to type accurately and quickly right out of the box. My typing speed and accuracy on this model rivaled that of keyboards on Apple, Lenovos, and HP laptops, and I had no problems with typing accuracy. The deeper key travel feels more similar on Windows laptops than it does on Mac laptops.

As someone who mainly works on a laptop, the biggest criticism of the MX Keys Mini is that the keys feel a little too stiff. While key travel is generous, the Logitech keyboard's keys require greater actuation force before they move. The greater force required to operate it could result in increased finger fatigue, at least until you get used to the keyboard. It took me about a day to acclimate and once I did it, the MX Keys Mini delivered one of the better typing experiences with responsive switches outside of a mechanical keyboard.

Logitech did not provide precise actuation force measurements for the Mini, but in general the typing experience is very similar to that of the larger MX Keys. If you are experienced with the MX Keys you will feel right at home here. Compared to Apple's external Magic Keyboard that comes with the iMac, the MX Keys feel a little quieter when typing and require a little more force to operate.

Mac users who choose this keyboard will have to forego Touch ID support, a feature supported by some of Apple's newer external keyboards. However, this is not limited to Logitech as no third-party Mac keyboards currently support fingerprint recognition on Mac. Since most Windows systems rely on face scanning with Windows Hello, this may be less of a concern for PC owners.

Logitech MX Keys Mini charges via USB-C.

The MX Keys Mini comes with a single USB-C to USB-A cable for charging and can be connected to your PC or Mac via Bluetooth. The Mac edition comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable instead. tThe keyboard's USB-C port is used for charging only and you cannot connect it to your PC to use it as a wired keyboard. You can still charge the battery while using it via Bluetooth.

While I didn't experience any lag or latency from the wireless connection, if you're concerned about Bluetooth security or around, you can also opt for the MX Keys Mini for Business model, which works with Logitech's proprietary Bolt standard Make input delays. Logi Bolt, as it's called, also works with Bluetooth if you don't take the adapter with you when you travel.

In my weeklong review of the MX Keys Mini – this test was done entirely with the MX Keys Mini connected to a MacBook Pro via Bluetooth – I was unable to discharge the battery. During the day the backlight was generally turned off to save power and at night I let the keyboard automatically adjust the backlight to the available ambient lighting.

Despite the added convenience of a narrow keyboard, the MX Keys Mini is not designed for ergonomics.

Compared to a wider, full-size keyboard with a number pad, the MX Keys Mini's narrower keyboard makes working on long documents more convenient, although it may not be the ideal solution for a finance or accounting job. If you work with a lot of numbers or live in Excel spreadsheets, you're better off using a keyboard with a dedicated number pad like the full-size MX keys.

The Logitech team informed me that the narrower dimension was designed for ergonomics. It's supposed to reduce muscle fatigue by reducing your arms spread as widely and resulting in a more natural posture at the desk. But despite the added convenience of a slim keyboard, this keyboard is not designed for the same ergonomics as the split-design keyboard.

Another advanced software-based feature of the MX Keys and MX Keys Mini is called Flow. For Flow you need an MX series mouse, such as the MX Master 3 or MX Master Anywhere. Once these devices are paired on multiple computers, you can essentially copy and paste text, files, and documents between Mac and Windows devices. This helps simplify your workflow so that you don't have to rely on USB drives or cloud storage to access a document that is on another paired device. In practice, it works really well, adding to the support for pairing multiple devices.

Our opinion

Logitech doesn't shy away from experimenting with a proven formula to improve its existing products. By removing its popular MX keys while keeping the keys at full size, the company has made arguably the best keyboards on the market even better by making it more portable and focusing on ergonomics.

are there alternatives

At $ 99, the Logitech MX Keys Mini will cost the same as the full version when shipped next month. So you're making a compromise between ergonomics and a dedicated number pad for entering data in spreadsheets. There are plenty of other wireless and wired keyboards competing in the same place as the Logitech MX Keys series, but keep in mind that you'll be sacrificing some of the more advanced features – deep key travel, flow, and sophisticated backlighting – if you choose for cheaper models.

Some brand competitors include Apple's Magic Keyboard, which sells for the same price, or the new Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, which adds a $ 50 premium. There's also Microsoft's Premium Designer Compact Keyboard, which costs $ 50 less than what Logitech has to offer.

How long it will take?

The MX Keys Mini is covered by Logitech's one-year limited hardware warranty, while the MX Keys Mini for Business with Logi Bolt support has an additional year of support.

A premium keyboard like the MX Keys Mini should last for many years. Unlike a laptop, there aren't many innovations in the keyboard area that will warrant an upgrade to a newer model anytime soon, so this device should last as long as the rechargeable battery can be charged.

Should I buy it?

Although expensive as a Bluetooth accessory, the MX Keys Mini is a solid investment that will help you stay productive and keep your body happy thanks to its thoughtful ergonomic design. It offers the great typing experience that the original MX Keys offered in a more compact package.

Editor's recommendations



14 Jun
Blog

Keys to Monitor An Athlete’s Workload

Effective training plans are based on levels of complex planning, preparation, and implementation. Simply throwing a template program on a group of athletes and hoping that they will magically improve after eight weeks is not enough. Trainers need to take the time to assess what is happening along the way and to make the necessary changes as they see fit.

Anyone can be the artist of a program that smokes their athletes. But the best coaches act as a guide to steer the program in the right direction and offer the optimal appeal. Surveillance techniques are undoubtedly essential for a high-level sports performance program.

Why we monitor

To understand why it is important to monitor your athletes and their training, it is helpful to ask yourself what would happen if you did not watch. No monitoring means no understanding of how athletes react to the training from an analytical perspective.

Some coaches believe that they can use their coaching eye and assume what's going on with their athletes. Monitoring is therefore seen as a waste of time. Although I believe it is important to use some intuition and deep understanding of your athletes, planning your programming using perception techniques is a recipe for disaster.

Monitoring enables us to assess stress responses to individual training sessions or a series of sessions (more on that later). We also receive information that can help make decisions and control the training process. We can get an idea of ​​how hard an athlete works, what his recovery looks like, and even his potential risk of injury

Key to monitoring an athlete's workload - fitness, fitness, recreation, pace training, programming, optimal performance training, game day, training programs, customer evaluation, coaching process, sports injuries, heart rate variability

Monitoring not only leads to training and provides information about our athletes, but also validates the approaches and methods we use. By testing and monitoring performance, we can determine if our programming is working and achieve a positive performance gain.

In addition to the performance on the match day, this is one of the few ways in which we as performance specialists, sports coaches, sports directors and athletes alike can validate themselves in order to keep a job. It's a competitive environment, and if you can't prove you are getting better, many just assume you are getting worse.

What to monitor

It goes without saying that more is not always better when it comes to monitoring.

One should not only collect data for the purpose, without the intention to use this data. Monitoring must improve the effectiveness of the training, make logical sense, and provide reliable information about the specifics of the athlete's training. It must be specific to the age, gender, sporting event, age of training, level of performance and injury status of the athlete. It must also be easy to present to coaches and athletes. 2

There is simply not enough time to collect data as this can be very distracting and can cost valuable training time if used inappropriately. Implementing the least amount of monitoring for the maximum results is paramount.

Monitoring athletes' training and performance can basically be divided into two categories:

  1. Internal load
  2. External load

The internal stress represents the athlete's physiological and psychological responses to the physical stimulus, while the external stress is simply the training stimulus applied It is important to note that the training load goes far beyond the sets and repetitions that we prescribe in the weight room. It includes all of the athlete's training units, from sports exercises to competitions and conditioning sessions.

Within the training load paradigm, we have a dose-response relationship that can be classified under:

  • Acute Training Effects – Acute training effects can be designed as immediate or immediate effects such as an increase in heart rate during a sprint.
  • Immediate training effects – Immediate training effects occur in a single training session, e.g. B. A change in the ratio of testosterone to cortisol after exercise.
  • Cumulative Training Effects – After all, cumulative training effects are the physiological or motor / technical responses that you get from a series of training sessions or a training plan.

It is important to understand what each piece is and what it contains, as they all help create an effective athlete monitoring program.

How to monitor

Once you understand the various aspects of athlete monitoring, you can start collecting data. As mentioned before It is important to collect information about both the internal and external training load.

If we do this, we can determine the impact of our external training load on the internal training load of our athletes.

External training load

There are dozens of variables that we can monitor when we look at the external training load. For example, we can track the number:

The key is choosing the right variables for tracking the athlete you are working with.3

A soccer player can benefit from GPS monitoring that tracks the distance traveled and the total number of accelerations during a game, which would be rather useless for a competitive weight lifter. Having an idea of ​​the global training stimulus is key, but when it comes to the weight room, we can certainly be a little more specific.

One of the keys to building a successful strength training program is tracking the volume load that occurs. The most basic form for this is:

The sets x Reps x Load = Volume Load

There are several equations that deal more precisely with a percentage of the repetition maximum. However, the real key is to consistently use an equation and use it across all strength training sessions to keep track of the total work done. With this method, coaches can correlate the workload of their athletes with the overall goal of the training week or month.

It's easy to understand why blindly prescribing repetitions and sentences is a recipe for disaster, since a targeted amount of work consistently drives adaptation. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, but it vibrates, allowing athletes to train, accumulate fatigue, relax, and repeat.

Internal training load

Similar to the external training load, there are a variety of variables that can be measured to capture details of the internal training load. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate reserve (HRV) are two extremely common methods because they are easy to measure, Negative blood lactate and hormone responses can be a little more difficult to assemble.

The internal training load paints a nice picture of how an athlete reacts to the training and how it can be restored. We can generally assume that the higher the heart rate during aerobic exercise, the harder they work. Similarly, HRV has been popularized as a method of determining readiness for training and recovery.

While I'm a fan of tracking internal load measurements, when appropriate, A big problem arises when we try to apply a method across multiple training modalities. Using heart rate as a measure of work and fatigue during a speed run may be an excellent choice, but a heavy squat with short, intermittent work spurts is very different.

One method that has been popularized and used to combat this problem is the perceived effort session rate or sRPE. With sRPE, athletes can rate a session on a scale of 1 to 10 levels of difficulty. This way we can go back and multiply it by the duration of the session and derive a score. For example, if an athlete:

  • With a 30-minute conditioning session at an RPE of 5, they would have a training load of 150 arbitrary units (AU).
  • Then if they had a 60 minute weight session later that day and rated it as an RPE of 8, it would result in a training load of 480 (AU).
  • If you add them up, it shows that the training load for this day was 630 (AU).

This method is very helpful because it synchronizes several training methods and makes them somewhat compatible in terms of our understanding of the impact on the athlete. For example, we can look at the relationship between acute and chronic workload and see how they respond to the intended training stimulus.

While using this method on some of my athletes, I am the first to admit that it has some shortcomings. It is somewhat subjective in nature and some athletes do not have enough experience to accurately assess the difficulty of their sessions.

Different personality types rate sessions differently depending on the attitude and motivation of a particular athlete. While not perfect, it certainly offers an alternative way to track your internal training load.

Wrap up

We know that training is a revolving door of many variables, some of which we can control and some of which we cannot. It is important to have a solid understanding of how a training plan can not only be implemented but also tracked and changed over time.

Implementing monitoring in your athlete programs ensures that you are directing things in the right direction and making changes as necessary. Just remember to keep track of what's needed and get rid of what's not needed. Use monitoring as a means to improve your programming without affecting it.

References

1. Haff, G.G. "Quantifying the workload in strength training: a brief review." Professional strength and condition 10th autumn (2010): 31–40. Network.

2. Robertson, S. "Red, Amber, or Green? Monitoring Athletes in Team Sports: The Need for Decision Support Systems." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 12 (2017): 73–79. Network.

3. McGuigan, M. "Monitoring Training and Performance in Athletes." Human kinetics. 2017.

13 Jun
Blog

Keys to Monitor An Athlete’s Workload

Effective training plans are based on levels of complex planning, preparation, and implementation. Simply throwing a template program on a group of athletes and hoping that they will magically improve after eight weeks is not enough. Trainers need to take the time to assess what is happening along the way and to make the necessary changes as they see fit.

Anyone can be the artist of a program that smokes their athletes. But the best coaches act as a guide to steer the program in the right direction and offer the optimal appeal. Surveillance techniques are undoubtedly essential for a high-level sports performance program.

Why do we monitor?

To understand why it is important to monitor your athletes and their training, it is helpful to ask yourself what would happen if you did not watch. No monitoring means no understanding of how athletes react to the training from an analytical perspective.

Some coaches believe that they can use their coaching eye and assume what's going on with their athletes. Monitoring is therefore seen as a waste of time. Although I believe it is important to use some intuition and deep understanding of your athletes, planning your programming using perception techniques is a recipe for disaster.

Monitoring enables us to assess stress responses to individual training sessions or a series of sessions (more on that later). We also receive information that can help make decisions and control the training process. We can get an idea of ​​how hard an athlete works, what his recovery looks like, and even his potential risk of injury

Key to monitoring an athlete's workload - fitness, fitness, recreation, pace training, programming, optimal performance training, game day, training programs, customer evaluation, coaching process, sports injuries, heart rate variability

Monitoring not only leads to training and provides information about our athletes, but also validates the approaches and methods we use. By testing and monitoring performance, we can determine if our programming is working and achieve a positive performance gain.

In addition to the performance on the match day, this is one of the few ways in which we as performance specialists, sports coaches, sports directors and athletes alike can validate themselves in order to keep a job. It's a competitive environment, and if you can't prove you are getting better, many just assume you are getting worse.

What to monitor

It goes without saying that more is not always better when it comes to monitoring.

One should not only collect data for the purpose, without the intention to use this data. Monitoring must improve the effectiveness of the training, make logical sense, and provide reliable information about the specifics of the athlete's training. It must be specific to the age, gender, sporting event, age of training, level of performance and injury status of the athlete. It must also be easy to present to coaches and athletes. 2

There is simply not enough time to collect data as this can be very distracting and can cost valuable training time if used inappropriately. Implementing the least amount of monitoring for the maximum results is paramount.

Monitoring athletes' training and performance can basically be divided into two categories:

  1. Internal load
  2. External load

The internal stress represents the athlete's physiological and psychological responses to the physical stimulus, while the external stress is simply the training stimulus applied It is important to note that the training load goes far beyond the sets and repetitions that we prescribe in the weight room. It includes all of the athlete's training units, from sports exercises to competitions and conditioning sessions.

Within the training load paradigm, we have a dose-response relationship that can be classified under:

  • Acute Training Effects – Acute training effects can be designed as immediate or immediate effects such as an increase in heart rate during a sprint.
  • Immediate training effects – Immediate training effects occur in a single training session, e.g. B. A change in the ratio of testosterone to cortisol after exercise.
  • Cumulative Training Effects – After all, cumulative training effects are the physiological or motor / technical responses that you get from a series of training sessions or a training plan.

It is important to understand what each piece is and what it contains, as they all help create an effective athlete monitoring program.

How to monitor

Once you understand the various aspects of athlete monitoring, you can start collecting data. As mentioned before It is important to collect information about both the internal and external training load.

If we do this, we can determine the impact of our external training load on the internal training load of our athletes.

External training load

There are dozens of variables that we can monitor when we look at the external training load. For example, we can track the number:

The key is choosing the right variables for tracking the athlete you are working with.3

A soccer player can benefit from GPS monitoring that tracks the distance traveled and the total number of accelerations during a game, which would be rather useless for a competitive weight lifter. Having an idea of ​​the global training stimulus is key, but when it comes to the weight room, we can certainly be a little more specific.

One of the keys to building a successful strength training program is tracking the volume load that occurs. The most basic form for this is:

The sets x Reps x Load = Volume Load

There are several equations that deal more precisely with a percentage of the repetition maximum. However, the real key is to consistently use an equation and use it across all strength training sessions to keep track of the total work done. With this method, coaches can correlate the workload of their athletes with the overall goal of the training week or month.

It's easy to understand why blindly prescribing repetitions and sentences is a recipe for disaster, since a targeted amount of work consistently drives adaptation. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, but it vibrates, allowing athletes to train, accumulate fatigue, relax, and repeat.

Internal training load

Similar to the external training load, there are a variety of variables that can be measured to capture details of the internal training load. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate reserve (HRV) are two extremely common methods because they are easy to measure, Negative blood lactate and hormone responses can be a little more difficult to assemble.

The internal training load paints a nice picture of how an athlete reacts to the training and how it can be restored. We can generally assume that the higher the heart rate during aerobic exercise, the harder they work. Similarly, HRV has been popularized as a method of determining readiness for training and recovery.

While I'm a fan of tracking internal load measurements, when appropriate, A big problem arises when we try to apply a method across multiple training modalities. Using heart rate as a measure of work and fatigue during a speed run may be an excellent choice, but a heavy squat with short, intermittent work spurts is very different.

One method that has been popularized and used to combat this problem is the perceived effort session rate or sRPE. With sRPE, athletes can rate a session on a scale of 1 to 10 levels of difficulty. This way we can go back and multiply it by the duration of the session and derive a score. For example, if an athlete:

  • With a 30-minute conditioning session at an RPE of 5, they would have a training load of 150 arbitrary units (AU).
  • Then if they had a 60 minute weight session later that day and rated it as an RPE of 8, it would result in a training load of 480 (AU).
  • If you add them up, it shows that the training load for this day was 630 (AU).

This method is very helpful because it synchronizes several training methods and makes them somewhat compatible in terms of our understanding of the impact on the athlete. For example, we can look at the relationship between acute and chronic workload and see how they respond to the intended training stimulus.

While using this method on some of my athletes, I am the first to admit that it has some shortcomings. It is somewhat subjective in nature and some athletes do not have enough experience to accurately assess the difficulty of their sessions.

Different personality types rate sessions differently depending on the attitude and motivation of a particular athlete. While not perfect, it certainly offers an alternative way to track your internal training load.

Wrap up

We know that training is a revolving door of many variables, some of which we can control and some of which we cannot. It is important to have a solid understanding of how a training plan can not only be implemented but also tracked and changed over time.

Implementing monitoring in your athlete programs ensures that you are directing things in the right direction and making changes as necessary. Just remember to keep track of what's needed and get rid of what's not needed. Use monitoring as a means to improve your programming without affecting it.

References:

1. Haff, G.G. "Quantifying the workload in strength training: a brief review." Professional strength and condition 10th autumn (2010): 31–40. Network.

2. Robertson, S. "Red, Amber, or Green? Monitoring Athletes in Team Sports: The Need for Decision Support Systems." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 12 (2017): 73–79. Network.

3. McGuigan, M. "Monitoring Training and Performance in Athletes." Human kinetics. 2017.