Nowadays, it's not uncommon for a person to own at least two devices. Sometimes they may have a tablet and a smartphone, or even two smartphones, and not forgetting their PC or Macs. People are increasingly multitasking between these devices to do their work and replying messages, and according to a strategy analysis report, it predicts the number of connections per person will more than double to 4:3 ratio.
So what did Logitech do about this? Well, they have came up with an ingenious plan. It may seem like we don't really need it at first, but this Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard is really handy when it comes to multitasking between your smartphones, tablets and computers. The deep blue coloured keyboard is only RM129 (inclusive of GST) and it allows users to sync up to 3 different devices via Bluetooth of any operating system including Windows, Apple and Android. In fact, I'm actually using one right now to write this review as we speak. Check out what we think of the keyboard below.
Design, Tech Specs and Features - Simple and convenient
The K380 is simple and smaller than your average keyboard which makes it really compact, but don't let this small sized keyboard fool you because the materials are well made and tough. The corner edges are curved nicely, and one of the first things that you may notice, is that the key buttons are all circle and oval shaped instead of the traditional square and rectangular ones.
The front
The back with a pair of AAA batteries inside
The power switch on the side
The round and pill shaped keys
Logitech also managed to include almost all types of keys on the keyboard, thats including the sound control buttons (play/pause, etc), the arrow keys, three Bluetooth buttons and even the Apple Command key. Some people may not be satisfied with it though, since the number key pads, home, end, insert, PgUp and PgDwn buttons are missing especially if they are too used to using it.
The screenshot
Here are the tech specs:-
- Connection Type: Bluetooth Classic (3.0)
- Wireless Range: 10m (Wireless range may vary due to environmental and computing conditions)
- Software Support: Logitech Options for Windows (Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 or later), Logitech Options for Mac (OS X 10.8 or later)
- Battery: 2 x AAA
- Battery Life: 24 months
- Indicator Lights (LED): Battery LED, 3 Bluetooth channel LEDs
- Special Keys: Hotkeys (Home, Back, App-switch, Contextual Menu), Easy-Switch
- Connect / Power: On/Off Switch
- Dimensions: 124 x 279 x 16mm and 423g (including battery)
As mentioned earlier, the most notable features of the K380 are the Bluetooth buttons in cyan (or is it green...nah, definitely cyan) colour in the picture. Known as the Easy-Switch, it allows the user to easily switch between paired devices in an instant. This is probably the best part of the device, so just imaging you're doing your work and chatting with your friends and family at the same time without having to juggle between the devices, all you need to do is just press either 1, 2, or 3. It's that simple, provided after you've done the synchronization already.
Performance - Easy setup and nice typing experience
Performance-wise, I've been using the K380 for about two weeks already and so far I'm quite satisfied. It's said that the pair of AAA batteries inside the keyboard can last for two years, which is very impressive; comparing to my wireless Mac keyboard back at my home town, I usually have to do the recharge every two weeks or so.
Pairing the K380 with the Apple iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) and ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser via Bluetooth
Using the Easy Switch
Pairing the K380 and other devices is easy as pie, with the instructions in the box, all you have to do is just turn on your device's Bluetooth and press hold whichever Bluetooth key for around 3 seconds until it starts blinking rapidly. Once that's done, you can go ahead and pair up your device and voila! All set, and there weren't any issues switching between the devices.
Perhaps my favourite thing about using the K380 is how nice the buttons are for typing, I think the shape of the keys may have something to do with it or something, or...maybe the fact that it's still brand new, I don't know, it's hard to explain. But I suppose most Logitech keyboards are like this, so good job!
Conclusion - An effective multitasking keyboard
Although the K380 gives a nice typing experience and the flexibility on changing between the devices seamlessly, I don't think it's the type of item that I would bring around if I was traveling. It may be portable for sure, then again I would rather use it at home than bringing it outside but that's just me. Other than that, the K380 is a great tool for multitasking, it can last for two years and it's affordable for RM129 (inclusive of GST). So if you're looking for something to minimize your multiple device usage, you can actually consider this. However, if you're looking for something with a bit more size to it, do check out our review of the Logitech K480 which features an Easy-Switch Dial and a built-in stand.
Unboxing video
Hands-on video
*TechNave.com would like to thank Logitech for providing us with the Logitech K380 Multi-Device Keyboard for this review. It allowed us to do a more in-depth review and highlight more features.
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