Logitech finally makes a wireless mechanical keyboard with a true Mac layout

Logitech has Mac-ified its MX Mechanical Mini wireless keyboard. That is to say, it has created a version of the truncated keyboard for people who use Mac computers. The Logitech MX Mechanical Mini for Mac joins a small number of mechanical keyboards that are designed for macOS, from its use of Option and Command legends to software support and an Apple-like aesthetic. It’s built for a cable-free setup and has pleasant typing but it’s not a good fit for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts who like various switch options, premium keycaps, or high programmability… or numpads.

True Mac layout

Logitech released the MX Mechanical Mini, a 75 percent keyboard, alongside the full-size Logitech MX Mechanical in May. The portable Bluetooth LE keyboard can wirelessly connect to three devices, allowing users to pick which device they’re controlling by pressing Fn and 1, 2, or 3. Officially, those devices can run Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux, Android, iOS, or iPadOS. Because of that, key legends cater to both Windows and Mac users. The bottom row includes a key that can be Option or Start/Windows and one that serves as Command or Alt.

The MX Mechanical for Mac isn’t so neutral. Its layout only includes Mac legends, making for a cleaner-looking bottom row than the original MX Mechanical Mini.

The MX Mechanical for Mac still supports Bluetooth LE pairing with up to three devices and worked perfectly fine when I used it with Windows 11 and 10 computers, as a Logitech rep told me it would. However, Logitech only lists macOS, iOS, and iPadOS as officially supported platforms for its series of MX-for-Mac peripherals, so support may not be so helpful if the keyboard starts acting weird with any other OS.

And unlike the original MX Mechanical Mini, the Mac version doesn’t include a USB-A dongle. You could still pair the keyboard with a Logitech USB receiver purchased separately, but Logitech doesn’t make a USB-C dongle for Mac users who prefer the simplicity of a dongle or the potential for less latency and don’t have any USB-A ports.

All Mac users like white and gray, right?

You probably also noticed that the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac looks whiter and brighter than its more platform-agnostic counterpart. In a press briefing, a Logitech representative said the company was aiming to better match Apple’s aesthetic. The keyboard added a bright pop to my desk, and the shimmery silver metal top plate sitting atop the grayer plastic base delivered subtle pizzaz. Still, it feels limiting that Mac users aren’t offered at least the darker color scheme of the original MX Mechanical Mini (and vice versa). Logitech assumes that since you use a Mac, you want a whiter keyboard.

White keycaps, however, aren’t easy to keep clean, especially when they’re ABS plastic, which is known to attract fingerprint smudges more than good PBT ones. The keycaps are less slick and slimy than typical ABS but are still decently smooth and lack grip. The legends are laser-engraved with a protective coating added on top, but they should still fade after heavy, frequent use.

Unlike the original MX Mechanical Mini, which you can buy with low-profile linear, tactile, or clicky switches from Kailh, the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac only has Kailh’s low-profile tactile switches. A Logitech representative told me that this is because Mac users tend to want something quieter and with strong tactile feedback.