Logitech MK270 Combo Review

This keyboard, along with the mouse that accompanies it, feels exceedingly average upon first examination. As a product designed with budgets in mind, it makes quite a few sacrifices in terms of convenience and modern quality of life. Despite any preconceptions our testers might have formed because of the price, though, our gauntlet of analytical tests revealed that the MK270 can hold its own in a few surprising ways.

Performance Comparison

Typing Experience

When evaluating wireless keyboards, we respect the fact that keyboard preferences are highly subjective. That's why we weigh the subjective category of “typing experience” so heavily, and in that regard, the Logitech MK270 Combo falls squarely in the middle of the pack. With an overall layout we love, but a mushy typing feel we hate, it manages to neither impress nor disappoint in either direction.

Using a force-displacement testing machine, we measured an operating force of just under 55 gram force and a smooth 1mm distance to each key's tactile “bump.” Compared to other wireless keyboards we tested, these figures further the narrative that the MK270 offers an acceptable typing experience with nothing particularly special to mention.

We measured an average total travel distance of just over 3mm when pressing a key on this board, demonstrating that this low-profile option has surprisingly tall keys — one tester even felt the need to use a palm rest to make her experience less strenuous.

The MK270 features a rubber dome switch with a tactile feel. When typing on this keyboard, you can certainly sense the rubbery surface underneath, creating an almost swampy effect as the key bottoms out. While this can be a comfortable experience, it is worth considering that other users might prefer a crisper and more satisfying keystroke.

As for the keys themselves, they tend to be wobbly and somewhat slippery but have a gentle curve that is pleasing to the fingertip. Tester 1 reported an unsatisfying experience overall, while Tester 3 sensed some input delay that affected her typing speed.

Comfort

While it's easy to tell at first touch that this budget keyboard consists of less-than-premium materials, it is far from the least comfortable wireless keyboard we tested. The MK270 is a lower-profile board that iterates on the tried-and-true Logitech keyboard layout.

What this means for the user is that it is not tiring to type on even after long sessions, which is more than can be said for some products that try too hard to leave simplicity in the dust.

A built-in kickstand lets you elevate your MK270 from being completely flat to instead inclining at an 8º angle. Our testers felt that this was a big jump and that this keyboard could have benefitted from multiple kickstand heights, similar to what is featured in some of the other wireless keyboards I tested.

Ultimately, the MK270 has no obvious triumphs nor any failures in terms of comfort, save for one issue I encountered in testing: its height. Standing at 21.1mm at its lowest point, this keyboard can be slightly difficult to use for those with smaller hands. This is an issue easily addressed by using a palm rest, but as one might expect from a budget product that already stretches its limits by including a mouse, there is no palm rest packaged with the MK270.

Performance

The performance metric is where the MK270 Combo truly shines. I found very little to complain about in our tests, and in fact, it stood toe to toe with top performers in the wireless keyboard category that were priced much, much higher. Needless to say, if performance is your priority, you will likely get more than enough bang for your buck with the MK270.

Our performance tests across the entire wireless keyboard category consisted of typing speed and accuracy evaluations carried out by three testers of various skill levels.

Our fastest typer scored an average words-per-minute result of 83 WPM, while our other two testers achieved their highest WPM scores among all wireless keyboards we tested at 59 WPM and 49 WPM, respectively. All three testers also maintained near-perfect typing accuracy with the MK270, with an average accuracy rating of 9.6/10 between them during our tests.

It is entirely possible to attribute these findings to the exceedingly traditional design of the MK270 and its keys. Almost everyone has typed on a keyboard similar to this one, either at home or in a high school computer lab. It is a familiar layout that requires almost no acclimation. It simply produces results right out of the box.

Typing Noise

Many keyboards pride themselves on being practically silent, while certain mechanical keyboards boast their satisfying clicking sound. The MK270 does neither, focusing entirely on its functional performance at an accessible price. We surveyed our testers after evaluating the MK270's typing noise metrics and generally found that its sound profile does not universally add or detract from the typing experience in any strong way.

The MK270's volume is fairly middle-of-the-road among the wireless keyboards I tested, but there is another noise factor to consider with this keyboard in particular: rattling. Whether this rattling is a dealbreaker comes down to personal preference.

One tester asserted that he would much rather hear the loud clicking sounds of a mechanical keyboard, while another tester made no mention of the rattling whatsoever in her typing noise evaluations.

The MK270 uses rubber dome switches under the hood, which will never produce the very distinct click or thock that accompanies each individual key press on a mechanical keyboard. Instead, the sound of the keystrokes tends to run together into a jumble as you hop from key to key. It's a sound that evokes an image of crudely smashing your way across the keyboard.

Convenience

When discussing the convenience factor of modern wireless keyboards, many common features come to mind. Multi-device connectivity, customizable backlighting, and hot-swappable switches, to name a few. The Logitech MK270 Combo comes with none of those, and so it brings up the rear in our wireless keyboard testing lineup.

The MK270 does have a few saving graces that keep it afloat above the most damning convenience scores on our rubric. First and foremost is its selling point of coming packaged with a mouse, though this is a factor that will not be relevant to all potential purchasers.

Another point in the MK270's favor is its dedicated row of media buttons along the top edge of the board. This is a boon in the eyes of power users who prefer to map different shortcuts to the typical function keys. For many buyers, though, this is another convenience feature that may go unused entirely.

Should You Buy the Logitech MK270 Combo?

The Logitech MK270 Combo competently checks all the essential boxes for PC usage, especially considering it comes with a wireless mouse as well. Keeping in mind its affordable price point, this product feels like it was designed specifically for organizations looking to set up multiple computer stations at once while on a tight budget. Individuals can certainly get their money's worth out of this purchase too, but a higher-quality keyboard might be a better investment in the long run.

What Other Wireless Keyboard Should You Consider?

If you want higher quality and convenience than what the MK270 offers and are willing to spend just a bit more, the Logitech Signature K650 is another great budget keyboard at the next cost tier up. If you instead subscribe to the idea that investing in a premium product is a way to save money over time, then consider the Logitech MX Keys S. It is the complete package of quality, performance, and an overall great typing experience, albeit at more than triple the price of the MK270 Combo.