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Matias
Aesthetics are important to Mac users, and it's for that reason that the best Mac keyboard should reflect this while offering tight Mac compatibility and other useful features. Matias’ Wireless Aluminum keyboard checks those boxes, with a solid aluminum design that looks as good as if it were made by Apple itself. Not to mention you can pair it with up to four Bluetooth devices and it boasts a super long battery life as well.
The design of the Matias’ keyboard closely mirrors Apple’s own Magic Keyboards, since it’s doubtful any company is going to be able to improve much on Apple’s own designs. It's available in four color options, presumably intended to match Apple’s MacBooks: Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold.
This makes it an especially great choice if you’re looking for something to go along with your MacBook at your desk. Four dedicated Bluetooth keys on top let you switch between using it with your iMac, iPhone, iPad, or even an Apple TV. To top it all off, there's also a full numeric keypad and a beefy internal battery promising up to a year of life on a single charge.
While there are lots of great third-party keyboards that closely adhere to Apple's minimalist aesthetic, sometimes it’s hard to beat the original, classic designs, and the Magic Keyboard remains the standard by which all other Mac keyboards are measured. Plus, of course, you’re guaranteed unparalleled compatibility within the Apple ecosystem.
If you’ve got a desktop Mac, you probably already have the standard tenkeyless Magic Keyboard, which mirrors that which is built into your MacBook. However, fans of Apple’s Magic Keyboard in need of a full-size typing layout will prefer the Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad onboard. It provides seven more columns of keys. In addition to the eponymous numeric keypad, you will also find dedicated navigation keys that are better spaced out, and six more function keys, which are unique to Apple’s own keyboards.
Otherwise, it’s the same Apple Magic Keyboard design that you know and love, with a comfortable low-profile typing experience, and an internal battery that lasts months and recharges using the included USB-to-Lightning cable. It has Bluetooth, but it can also be used as a wired keyboard simply by plugging it into one of your Mac’s USB ports.
If you like the design of Apple’s Magic Keyboard but not the price, Anker’s Ultra Compact keyboard is hard to beat. At 11.3 x 5.0 x 0.5 inches, it lives up to its name, at a price that means you won't have to worry about tossing it into a bag to take on the go. And it’s lighter than an iPad mini.
Comfortable, low-profile keys provide for a comfortable typing experience, and while it has a layout that clearly fits in with the Mac, it’s compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows as well and includes media playback keys and macOS function keys at the top.
It’s powered by an 800mAh rechargeable lithium battery, which should provide about six months of life between charges based on two hours of typing per day. An included micro USB cable will let you charge it up from just about any USB power source. The Anker Ultra Compact keyboard is an especially handy option for MacBook users who still want to use an external keyboard when traveling.
While many folks tend to see keyboards as clunky, utilitarian devices, Logitech’s Craft Advanced Wireless Keyboard may just make you rethink what a keyboard should look and feel like. It’s one of the classiest Bluetooth keyboards we’ve ever laid our hands on.
Craft employs a standard keyboard layout with concave chiclet-style keys that make for a comfortable typing experience. Key action is firm and responsive, reinforced by the solid design of the keyboard itself, which combines solid plastic construction with an aluminum bar at the top for extra weight and stability. It’s heavier than it looks, which means you’ll have no problem making sure it stays firmly in place on your desk. You can hook it up to your Mac either via Bluetooth 4.2 or by plugging Logitech’s included Unifying Receiver into a USB port. The Logitech Craft can be paired with up to three devices at a time.
Beyond that, Craft also packs in some unique and cool features. Smart backlighting adjusts automatically based on room conditions. Until you place your hands above the keyboard, it switches off. Logitech’s new Crown, an aluminum dial in the top-left corner, can be programmed with its Options software for a whole range of context-specific tools, from simply adjusting your volume to tweaking settings like color and saturation in creative apps like Photoshop.
If you’re looking for a keyboard with advanced features you can pound away on all day, look no further than the highly-durable, German-engineered Das Keyboard 4 Pro. A serious keyboard for serious users, it's built to last while yielding exceptional tactile feedback.
And it's one of the few mechanical keyboards designed with Mac users in mind. Its layout mimics Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, negating the need for custom drivers. There are dedicated macOS keys for all of the usual functions, and a prominent set of media controls in the top right corner, including a big volume dial. A built-in two-port USB 3.0 hub also lets you easily connect high-speed USB storage devices without having to fish around for ports on the back of your Mac.
As a mechanical keyboard, it exhibits a level of tactile response most low-profile keyboards can’t match. And you can even choose between Cherry MX Brown switches, for a softer and quiet feel, and Cherry MX Blue if you like your keyboards really clicky. At any rate, you can expect a clean, natural type-feel with laser-etched keys rated for over 50 million strokes.
20 years ago, Microsoft was one of the first to introduce an ergonomic keyboard. So it's no surprise the company continues to lead the way, making the best keyboards in this category. Its latest, Sculpt, has taken the design to a whole new level — no bells and whistles needed.
The split design is fairly standard by now. For those unfamiliar, the keyboard is split into two halves, keeping your wrists and forearms in a natural position thereby relieving stress and strain. Its dome design and cushioned palm rest position the wrists at a more comfortable angle. A numeric keypad is cleverly separated. You can use it in whichever way suits you.
Despite being a Microsoft keyboard, it also works remarkably well with the Mac. A physical switch will toggle the top row of keys between acting as function keys and media control keys, which map to their macOS functions as you’d expect. The only caveat is that it’s wireless but not Bluetooth, so you’ll need to take up one of your USB ports with the included USB dongle.
If you do a lot of accounting work or other number-crunching, you’ll definitely want a keyboard with a numeric keypad. Though Apple makes its own variant on the Magic Keyboard for this purpose, we prefer Satechi’s take on it, as it mirrors Apple’s design while offering a few additional niceties and a more affordable price tag.
First off, unlike Apple’s own keyboards, you can pair this one with up to four Bluetooth devices, which means you can easily use it to control your iPad, iPhone, or second Mac. Satechi promises up to 50 hours of continuous use on a single charge, but you can also use it while it’s charging via the included USB-C cable.
The typing experience is very similar to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard. However, the concave keys provide slightly better ergonomics. Along with the beveled aluminum edges and a form factor that won’t take up too much space on your desk, the Satechi Aluminum Wireless Keyboard is one of the best Mac keyboards you can buy today.
Because of their low-profile keys, most Apple-tailored keyboards aren’t designed with gamers in mind, so it's challenging to find a decent gaming keyboard that’s also fully compatible with your Mac. Fortunately, Logitech has been playing nice with macOS for a long time, and its G910 Orion Spark provides the same great level of Mac support as the other keyboards in its "G" (gaming) series lineup.
Aside from Mac support, the G910 wields its own bespoke "Romer-G" mechanical switches. The result is up to 25 percent faster actuation, making it one of the fastest mechanical gaming keyboards you can buy. Yet the switches are some of the quietest we’ve ever heard, meaning your coworkers aren't likely to file a noise complaint.
With a palette of 16 million colors, the customizable per-key RGB lighting adds a touch of flair, and the keys are nicely sealed in such a way that light won't bleed from around the edges. Nine dedicated "G-keys" can be programmed with custom macros, uniquely assigned for each game. As for on-the-fly adjustments, the Logitech G910 Orion Spark is graced with a volume roller as well as the usual set of dedicated media keys.
The G910 also packs in one other cool and unique feature: Arx, which lets you use your smartphone or tablet as a second screen to display supplemental in-game content or general system stats.
These days, wireless keyboards may have improved battery life, but that doesn’t mean you don’t still have to charge them in some way. And if you don't want to run out of juice minutes before your deadline, doing so can be a real nuisance. Fortunately, Logitech has come up with a creative solution to this problem in the form of the Solar K750, a keyboard with effectively infinite battery life.
The full-sized K750 keyboard is similar in design, layout, and spacing to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, and it provides the comfortable typing experience we’ve come to expect from Logitech, its keys concave and its key switches quiet. There’s even a hotkey for quickly bringing up the macOS Launchpad.
Although Logitech dubs the K750 "Solar," the reality is that it will charge up from any light source, so you don’t have to worry about keeping it in the sun or near a window. The lights in your office, even the desk lamp in your dorm or hotel room should be more than sufficient. Once fully charged, it runs for three months in the dark. Unless you live in a cave, you don't have to charge it.
If you're a Mac user, you probably have an iPhone or an iPad, and maybe an Apple TV. So if you're looking for a keyboard that plays nice with all of your Apple devices is a priority, Logitech’s K811 is a compelling option.
The K811 supports multi-device pairing, allowing you to easily switch between controlling any one of three devices. In addition to a full Mac keyboard layout, it also includes special function keys for controlling iOS devices, such as a Home button, and boasts full compatibility for media playback and brightness controls. You'll feel right at home using it with your iPad and Mac in equal measure.
It also flashes brightly backlit keys, so you can type easily, even in the dark, with illumination that automatically adjusts according to your surroundings, and stays off until you place your hand near the keyboard. The typing experience is also everything you’d expect from a Logitech keyboard, with comfortable concave keycaps and quiet key switches.
An internal rechargeable battery provides around 10 days of typical use depending on typing time and backlighting level, though you can still use the keyboard when it’s charging using the included USB cable.