I have needed a new keyboard for a while to replace an excellent, but noisy Dell. Here’s my criteria for the replacement:
- Quiet keys – you may have heard me bashing away at keys during my YouTube videos and I’m really hoping to reduce this noise a bit
- Wired – I like to use one keyboard for two PC’s which I switch between all day long…one of which I cannot attach a Bluetooth device to
- Full sized layout
- Quality – I’d be quite happy to never have to change my keyboard again
Based on the above and reviews, I went for the Logitech 740 illuminated wired keyboard:
Unboxing
It’s heavier than I expected! It was securely packaged in cardboard and was easy to open (apart from the cable…maybe I should have edited that out of the video!). The only minus here was the plastic around the keyboard, although it is clearly marked with recycling information.
First impressions
It looks great, especially the clear trim around the edges. The are 5 rubber feet on the bottom to stop it from moving and 2 pop-out feet to lift it up at the back…which I will definitely use as the keyboard is very slimline and flat. The wrist support feels just right.
First use
I plugged it in and it worked instantly…as it should. The key back-lighting is really nice, there’s a physical button for you to get the white lighting just right. I have had two Logitech keyboards in the past with automatic lighting and a sensor, that feature useless; the lighting activation seemed borderline random.
The ‘PerfectStroke’ key movement is lovely; as you press down there is just enough resistance, then they travel just the right distance and return in a crisp, positive movement.
Are the keys as quiet as I had hoped, and as quite as the below quote from Logitech.com suggests? Well, no. Sure, it is quieter than my old keyboard, but ‘whisper-quite’? Watch the video for a side by side comparison and see me try to hide my disappointment.
Conclusion
It’s too soon for a conclusion, I’ll update this post once I have used it for a while. First impressions? All good…it is a really nice keyboard. I just wish its ‘whisper-quiet’ keys could whisper quieter.
Research and Buying
Don’t just take my word for it! Regardless of where you buy from, Amazon is a great place to read reviews and ask questions. A good example of this is several reviewers pointing out it isn’t great for gaming as the ctrl+W+spacebar combo has been disabled. Remember to to focus on the reviews which comment on features important to you; if you’re not a PC gamer then the above shouldn’t put you off. This keyboard is currently reviewed at 4.4/5 with over 750 reviews and has 39 Q&As. View the Logitech 740 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3raLLJn
Alternatives
I’m drawn to Logitech as I have used the brand for years, but there are hundreds of alternative options. Click the image below to browse for (often cheaper) alternative ‘quiet, wired, keyboards’ on Amazon:
