When Logitech unveiled the Logitech Craft, a wireless keyboard with a Crown on it, I asked myself, “What is the purpose of that crown? Volume control?” Well, after spending a couple of weeks with it, I’m not entirely wrong. But it has more to offer with the help of the Logitech Options software and also depends on what application you use.
The first thing that everyone needs to know about the Craft is that it has a substantial weight to it, which is a good thing. It keeps the keyboard firmly rooted to the desk, and for someone who types a lot, it makes sense. I often find myself adjusting my keyboard a little here and there just to position it optimally for typing. With this, I know that it will be in the same spot where I left it.
Speaking of typing, the keys on the Logitech Craft feel great. The keys are well-spaced apart, so your fingers do not have to travel far to hit the next key. But it does take a while to get used to it if you normally type on laptops. Also, each key has a slightly concaved design that wraps comfortably around the fingertips, which reduces typing fatigue and makes typing enjoyable.
The Craft has a standard full-size keyboard. What sets it apart from the others is that Logitech designed this keyboard for both Windows OS and MacOS users. That’s why you will find symbols for both OSes printed on the keys. Although it is not an essential feature, it does show Logitech’s attention to detail for its customers.
Another useful feature that Logitech puts in the Logitech Craft is the Smart Illumination. Making use of the proximity sensor at the top, when you hover your hands above the keyboard, all the keys will light up. It also automatically detects the lighting conditions of the environment and optimises the brightness accordingly. The feature is useful for typing in low-light conditions.
The Crown, as named in Logitech Options, is an input dial that serves to help with productivity especially when you are doing creative works. For normal usage, the volume, screen brightness and the switching of tabs on your browser can all be done by turning or pressing down on the dial.
When using creative software like Photoshop, the functions of the dial change. It gives designers quick access to properties of the tools like adjusting saturation, contrast, brightness, size of shapes, size of the eraser tool, etc. For tools that do not have features that are supported, it allows you to zoom in and out of the canvas.
Here’s a video to show you in a nutshell what we meant:
To get the full experience on what the dial can do, you should have the following software:
- Microsoft Word®;Microsoft PowerPoint®;Microsoft Excel® 2010, 2013 and 2016 – Windows only;
- Adobe® Photoshop® CC;
- Adobe® Illustrator®CC; and
- Adobe® Premiere® Pro CC 2017 and above.
There are two ways you can pair the Logitech Craft with your laptop or PC. You can connect them using the Unifying Receiver or direct Bluetooth connection. The latter is more convenient because it does not require a USB port.
Many of Logitech’s PC peripherals now come with Easy-Switch. What it does is to allow you to pair your peripheral device with one or more devices. For the keyboard, I paired it with my iMac, Google Pixel 2 XL and MacBook Pro. You can set it up by pressing and holding down the number button of your choice to initiate the Bluetooth connection to your device. Once you are connected and you are good to go. If you want to pair it with another device, just repeat the same on a different number.
As someone who types every day and for long hours, I enjoy using the Logitech Craft. It’s a joy for my fingers each time they hit the keys. The sturdiness of the keyboard adds to the typing experience too. In the area of creativity, the dial does make things easier for designers by granting them quick access to the properties of the tools they need when creating their masterpiece. However, the designers will need some time to adapt and rely on the dial to adjust the properties. Else, it would probably be used for volume control most of the time.
If you are in the market looking for a minimalistic yet highly customisable keyboard or you are a designer in search of better and more efficient ways to design your projects, you can consider getting the Craft.
The Logitech Craft retails at S$329, and you can get it at Challenger and Hachi.Tech.
