At a look
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Solid typing with enormous gasket mount
- Lots of options
- Hot-swap sockets
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Few software program choices
Our Verdict
The Alto Keys Ok98M is a superb improve for Logitech boards devoted to high quality typing. Thanks to further options like hot-swap sockets and PBT keycaps, it’s a stable begin for many who wish to get into mechanical designs. Just look forward to a sale.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$99.99
Best Prices Today: Logitech Alto Keys Ok98M
$99.99
As a keyboard nut, Logitech frustrates me. It’s by far probably the most seen producer of mice and keyboards, exterior the gaming house. And it makes some great things for each of these. But I can’t advocate Logitech’s mechanical keyboards. They’re too costly for what they provide, and have far too few options, to advocate to anybody over options.
But anyone at Logitech is listening. If to not me particularly, then to the final market that’s gone “meh” on the firm’s mechanical choices as others innovate. Enter the Alto Keys K98M.
Gasket mount? What’s that?
This keyboard hits a stunning variety of the options I might contemplate important when you get above the $100 mark, like hot-swap key switches, triple-device wi-fi, and PBT keycaps. Already it’s incomes extra factors than the last Logitech mechanical keyboard I reviewed.
And that doesn’t even point out the keyboard’s signature characteristic, the “UniCusion.” This is Logitech’s reply to a gasket mount, mainly a layer of suspended silicone (or one thing comparable) that goes into the plastic body and beneath the printed circuit board. This is a considerably distinctive strategy, a form of mix of a typical gasket mount (which simply sandwiches the PCB in between two layers of squishy materials) and full inner dampening.
This keyboard hits a stunning variety of the options I might contemplate important…
The end result, mixed with customized linear switches, is a typing expertise that’s surprisingly elevated. It’s each satisfying and tender with a little bit of bounce. Don’t get me flawed, this gained’t compete with a super-premium keyboard at a a lot greater worth. But it’s positively one of the best Logitech mechanical keyboard I’ve ever examined for typing, each in commonplace “office” aptitude and on the gaming aspect.
And for those who don’t just like the switches (which aren’t significantly quiet or clicky), you may swap them out. Any commonplace MX-style swap will match. That’s pretty huge for any mechanical keyboard fan (guilty), nevertheless it’s an effective way to introduce the extra normal consumer to the thrill of keyboard customization. Ditto for the PBT keycaps, that are additionally surprisingly good. The solely non-standard sizes on this 1800 structure are the right-Shift key and management keys, in addition to the 0 on the quantity pad.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Refreshing model
In phrases of fashion, I’m a fan. The indigo and white keycaps on the translucent plastic physique, which exhibits off that massive inner gasket, are good in a form of faux-retro means. You also can get a uninteresting grey or white choice, however critically, this blue is good, particularly when the interior LEDs are blaring.
Speaking of which, the battery lasts about two weeks with most brightness, and I’ve seen it go for not less than one other week in battery-saver mode. That means months and months of battery for those who don’t thoughts turning off the lights. Even the underside seems good in that matching off-blue — be aware the keyboard ft and just a little hole within the case for the USB wi-fi dongle.
Logitech
If this keyboard has a evident draw back, it’s software program help. Using Logitech’s Options+ supervisor, you’ve gotten just a few choices. Custom key binds for F4 to F12, plus End, Page Up, and Page Down. Logitech graciously helps you to construct in ChatGPT instructions with the “AI” Prompt Builder. You can set the backlight brightness and period, and that’s about it.
This is rather a lot fewer choices than any gaming keyboard, or any commonplace keyboard with VIA or comparable customization. But that’s okay. It’s a bit annoying that you may’t do extra — for instance, I’d like to have the ability to bind macros to the quantity pad, which I don’t use in any other case — however that is about what you’d anticipate from any “office” board.
Michael Crider/Foundry
And with regards to gaming: Yeah, you are able to do it with this keyboard. It’s not splendid, it doesn’t have superhuman polling or something like that. But even on the comparatively gradual wi-fi dongle it’s high quality, until you’re the sort of participant who counts I-frames.
Is the Logitech Alto Keys Ok98M price it?
I’m not going to say that the Alto is an incredible keyboard. It’s fairly good. In phrases of worth it compares poorly to a number of different keyboards at about half the worth, which could provide all the identical bells and whistles, plus RGB lighting and full VIA programming.
Michael Crider/Foundry
But Logitech is, as I stated earlier, a reasonably substantial model. That comes with confidence, and that’s price one thing. If you’re seeking to dip a toe into the mechanical keyboard world and also you’re feeling anxious about all those scary, complicated terms, this could be a great place to begin. Ditto for those who’re shopping for a present for somebody, or searching for a mechanical keyboard {that a} baby can’t injury too badly.
Michael Crider/Foundry
I’d like this board much more if it was $20 much less. At $120 it doesn’t look nice subsequent to the MX Keys S ($130), although I’d definitely desire it for prolonged typing periods. Fortunately, that appears to be the case! At the time of writing Logitech is selling it at a much more palatable $99.99, and I believe it will be protected to imagine that worth will likely be discovered on a reasonably common foundation over the following yr or so.