Computer peripherals like keyboards can ease the strain and simplify workflow in important ways. The Logitech Craft capitalizes on the chance to assist busy professionals with a solid, attractive design that connects to three different devices via two wireless input options, is macOS- and Windows-compatible, and includes a handy number pad. This full-size computer keyboard ups the ante with a dial that offers precise control and handy shortcuts during detail-oriented tasks. This is a lot of keyboards, but it presents plenty of appeal for multi-device creatives or shoppers who want style and advanced capability from their wireless keyboard.
Design: Refined and intuitive out of the gate
At a bit over 2 pounds and nearly 17 inches long, the Logitech Craft will occupy a fair amount of desk space. But the rounded edges, slim profile, premium aluminum materials, and pulsing LED backlighting won’t easily offend design-conscious users. With the lighting turned off, the keys are still easy to read, pleasant, and responsive to the touch and aren’t prone to smudging. In addition to the standard character keys, this keyboard features media controls and macOS-specific shortcuts that make it feel like a natural fit with Macs. The convenient number pad also houses a few unique hotkeys—that I used more than I thought I would—to launch the calculator, snap screenshots, and lock your machine when you step away from your desk. The upper-left corner is where you’ll find the puck-like crown that Logitech dubs a “creative input dial.” It stands out but doesn’t take away from the sleek aesthetic and offers functionality in just about every application, especially creative and productivity apps like Photoshop and Microsoft Word. The exact prompts can be controlled through the accompanying Logitech Options software. Even before you dive into the software and despite the many design details, this keyboard is intuitive to use from the get-go.
Performance: Convenient shortcuts and customization
The main attraction of the Craft is the dial, which can help simplify repetitive or detailed processes. With browsers like Firefox and Chrome, I could flip easily between tabs, use the handy media controls in Spotify, and also perform faster actions in Photoshop such as zooming and adjusting brightness—or simply undoing an action with the tap of the dial. Like other Logitech products with productivity in mind, the Craft can be set up with numerous, customizable application profiles. The crown can also be fashioned with general settings that will apply across the board regardless of the program you’re using. The Craft also benefits from compatibility with other Logitech peripherals and technology like Logitech Flow, for seamless use with multiple devices at once. The MX Master 3 is one device that can interact with the Craft by unlocking a new set of features. Using the function key reveals an additional set of commands and expanded actions including adjusting the volume using the side scroll wheel on the mouse, maximizing and minimizing windows, or a shortcut to open Logitech Options. I enjoyed the extra level of control, but it wasn’t necessary for my workflow. Users who jump back and forth from multiple machines and want quick mouse-prompt shortcuts for everything will enjoy this perk more.
Comfort: Alignment limits ergonomics
The Logitech Craft offers a responsive key feel that isn’t overly spongy or stiff and produces a mild clicking noise. Each key is concave, which promotes comfortable fingertip fit and typing accuracy. The key travel is short like most membrane keyboards, which means you’ll fully depress the key down to register it. But even after hours of typing, my hands didn’t cramp. And my wrists, though they didn’t feel fully supported, didn’t feel taxed either. Pairing this keyboard with a wrist rest would likely enhance the ergonomics. Some users won’t have an issue with this, but I also found the key layout ever-so-slightly too left-leaning. In reality, the character keys are shifted left just slightly more than compared to a typical keyboard layout, but these mere inches felt awkward and caused some strain on my wrists. Using the mouse also required what seemed like a bigger reach because my hands felt pushed more to the left. And if I shifted the keyboard further to the right to correct this, then the distance to the mouse increased.
Software: Unintimidating and offers a fair amount of customization
The Logitech Craft works with the Logitech Options software, which is compatible with Windows and macOS devices. While it’s not as open to user manipulation as some software that comes with the macro programming, keybind customization, and lighting intensity adjustments, the Logitech Options software presents customization in a streamlined and clear fashion. Advanced users who really want to dive in might enjoy enabling developer mode from the Settings panel. Otherwise, there are three intuitive screens to interact with: one for the keyboard, which encompasses all the function keys and the top row of shortcuts on the number pad (plus the function key, which can be harnessed with certain Logitech mice), the crown, which covers the gesture and motion functions, and finally a screen that lets you know which devices you’ve associated with each wireless input. The software is also the place to keep track of other unifying devices, turn the backlight off, mind low-battery notifications, keep the software up to date, and restore from an automatic backup. All of these options are easy to find, experiment with, and apply.
Battery: Not the hero of this device
I didn’t charge the Craft out of the box and used it for about 16 hours before the indicator light flashed red. That’s slightly more generous than Logitech’s claim that the Craft has the battery capacity to last for about one week, at 2 hours each day, and with consistent light usage. Charge time via the provided USB-C charging cable hovered at around 4 hours, though there really was no way of knowing for sure when it was charged to 100 percent. Logitech Options only gives a visual indicator of battery life. That said, I didn’t have the opportunity to test the claim that the keyboard can last on a single charge for up to 40 hours without the backlighting. But it’s fair to say that just two 8-hour days with the lights on will drain the battery completely. I find this a bit of a letdown, especially since the pulsing lighting effect is a selling point. In a perfect world at this price point, it would be great to enjoy the light show with a slightly longer battery life.
Wireless: Steady and reliable
The Logitech Craft offers fast and easy switching between three devices via the Logitech wireless unifying receiver or Bluetooth. All you have to do is select the channel from the input section and pair/switch accordingly. While pairing and switching always proved to be fast and I never noticed any latency issues, I did encounter interference when using a Logitech mouse that was paired to the same receiver. This is a known issue with the Logitech Unifying software that the brand seems to be addressing. Updating macOS and Logitech Options software seemed to help ever-so-slightly, but it wasn’t perfect. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re a MacBook user. Logitech says that the Craft has a wireless range of nearly 33 feet. I tested it at an approximately 20-foot distance and noticed no drops.
Price: Expensive, mainly for the dial
In many respects, the steep, nearly $200 price of the Logitech Craft is hinged on the value of the crown feature. Aimed at creatives and those who need some precision in their work, it can perform quick tasks like zooming in and out of photos when editing details, navigating spreadsheets and creating fast charts, or changing type and text layout in documents. Having this extra level of fast and accurate control is worth an investment, especially if you use multiple applications that require this level of attention. But it comes down to how valuable it is to have an instant change via the dial rather than keyboard shortcuts. The time-saving could be negligible or make a great impact on your workflow.
Logitech Craft vs. Apple Magic Keyboard
While the Logitech Craft benefits from both Windows and macOS compatibility, Mac users will find this keyboard very amenable to the Mac keyboard experience. Of course, another premium wireless keyboard for Mac users to consider is the Apple Magic Keyboard (see on Apple). It’s $100 cheaper and has a longer battery life—approximately one month and possibly more between charges. It also sports a much smaller and slimmer profile at only about .5 pounds and 11 inches wide. The Magic Keyboard also provides a pleasant scissor-switch mechanism below the key that gives a nice amount of give without being spongy or stiff, which will please fans of older generation MacBook Pros. You’ll lose some of the functionality of customizing keys, app-specific hotkeys, the ability to connect to multiple devices, and of course the hallmark precision dial of the Craft, but you’ll gain the benefit of true Apple-product compatibility and the brand aesthetic. The Logitech Craft is a premium wireless keyboard that offers a unique set of features you won’t find elsewhere in one single product. While there are less expensive options on the market, multi-device switching, the high-quality build, and the crown with application-specific control offer considerable value. But creatives and professionals who use the supported applications will likely be able to justify the investment more than the general user.
