A living room keyboard that can handle more than one role
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| The Logitech Illuminated Living Room Keyboard K830 |
On the plus side, a great feeling keyboard with
an excellent touch pad that makes typing pleasant.
On the downside, a bit high on price points and no Bluetooth
Recommend: Yes, just make sure you don’t miss
the numeric pad
Rating: 7 Desktops out of 10
Most of us settle for the
keyboards that accompany our computers.
By and large, they are acceptable, for the most part. After experiencing one that is higher end,
you quickly see that they differ, widely.
Designed for home entertainment
systems where interaction with a computer is part of the deal, the Logitech Illuminated
Living Room Keyboard K830 easily occupies the role for which it has been
cast.
Slightly small than your average
keyboard, it loses the numeric pad. However, it is not cramped or uncomfortable
to handle. Where this keyboard shines
is the inclusion of a touch pad, a very accomplished one.
Not often seen, the inclusion of
this feature allows access to the touch screen features of Windows 8 without
getting your screen dirty. It is one of
those features you appreciate after you have had it. Theoretically, you could use it to interact
with your computer, but that may not be right for most of us, particularly designers
who need pointing devices.
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| Presentation is everything. Logitech actually has the keyboard wrapped in tissue paper. A touch that indicates this is a deluxe device. |
Usb devices can be difficult to
pair up, not so with the K830. This one peripheral
is literally plug and play simplicity at its smoothest. Although not required, Logitech provides gratis
software to obtain granular control of some features. Most
users may not have need for it, which is nice.
As a usb powered rechargeable, the
age old question of charging time and battery life are answered here. I powered up the keyboard and managed to see
an insane amount of use from one charge.
To assist in energy conservation, there is a discreetly placed on and
off switch.
In a
micro miniaturization move, the usb receiver for this device is small. It may challenge larger hands to even handle
it. Whatever you do, do not lose this apparatus. The K830 does not have Bluetooth capability,
a bit of a draw back. Big point, keep
all cables and the easy to lose usb receiver in mind.
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| The Keyboard as you will find it out of the wrapping paper. |
A
question that comes up, and it is certainly a logical one, is how bright are
the keys? In my very informal pitch
black room setting, you can see my video of it in action, the keys were as
bright as stars. If you like more hands
on control, you can manually set them if you are not happy with what the
keyboard does on its own. There are
three settings for the keyboard, but the automatic setting does a very good job
of calculating what is best.
If one
has an entertainment system that requires a keyboard, the K830 fits the bill. If you are a home user who wants wireless
connectivity, a light weight key pad and extremely long battery life, this
offering from Logitech makes sense.
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| The clean interface of the optional software. It features the new flat design that is become the signature of 2015 software. |
Designated
a home entertainment system device, there is a lot here to like for the home
user, power business user, content creator or aspiring author. If you type a great deal, the comfort factor
does justify the cost.
The
only down side to an otherwise great keyboard is the price. At $
99.99, this is not a bargain basement peripheral. On the flip side, if comfort, wireless connectivity
and wildly long batter life matter, this could be a reasonable price to pay. I have seen prices in the vicinity of $ 50
something, which makes this a really accessible keyboard.
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| Check out my video link to see the opening and see how it performs in the dark. |
For me,
the K830’s real strengths are found in a good touch pad, bright illumination,
comfort, solid good looks and a long last rechargeable battery. For someone who writes often, this keyboard managed
to make typing pleasant. If you can
afford it, this is an excellent choice for the home office, an artist, designer or anyone else. If you don’t mind the loss of a numeric pad,
this is a winner.
System Requirements
- Windows®
7, Windows 8 or later
- Internet
connection (for software download)
Warranty Information
1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
Package Contents
- Illuminated
Living-Room Keyboard
- Unifying
receiver
- USB
Recharge Cable
- USB
Range extender
- User
documentation
Part Number
- PN
920-006081
Dimensions
Width:
367 mm (or 14.4 inches)
Height:
125.3 mm (or 4.9 inches)
Depth:
16.5 mm (or 0.65 inches)
Touchpad size:
80 x 52 mm (or 3.1 x 2.0 inches)
Weight:
495 g (or 17.5 oz)
