Razor thin and great for typing

Android tablets are more capable than ever, but you can’t get much work done on a touchscreen. For years, though, your choice of good tablet keyboards has been largely limited to mated keyboard cases that can be bulky and expensive, and the thousands of questionable off-brand gadgets with less-than-great construction. Android tablet makers rarely try to match the Apple Magic Keyboard’s premium design.

Logitech’s new Keys-To-Go 2 tablet keyboard changes that with a premium design and consistent, straightforward functionality. This compact, minimalist, refined keyboard slots into the high end of a market niche where it doesn’t really have any competition. While $80 is a somewhat large ask, you can’t get anything as svelte and reliable.

Price, availability, and specs

The nearly 10-year successor to the original Logitech Keys To Go, the Keys To Go 2 launched on June 18, 2024 in major markets worldwide. It starts at $80 in the US, but as is typical, the price can jump 20% or even more in some regions. It comes in Universal and Apple-focused variants, with no international layouts offered. We reviewed the eye-catching Lilac version, and the Graphite and Pale Gray colorways sport the same great materials in a slightly less bold package.

What’s good about the Logitech Keys-To-Go 2

Great feel, easy connections

It’s clear upon sliding it out of the box (where it’s completely unaccompanied by accessories, incidentally) that you’re dealing with an entirely different level of peripheral than the many cheap, hard plastic alternatives. The materials look and feel great, including the soft-touch folio cover and not-quite-smooth plastic that’s great under the fingertips. It feels robust in your hands, too, with next to no flex — impressive for something that gets as thin as 4mm on the front edge.

Really, it’s nearly as thin and light as I could imagine it getting. Some even smaller, ultra-compact keyboards are out there, but they’re not all very versatile. The Keys-To-Go 2’s wedge-shaped body drops about 5mm from back to front, giving the typing surface enough of an incline to allow comfortable posture.

Bluetooth pairing and connectivity were fast and reliable on all operating systems with no noticeable lag. Out of the box, it supports the major operating systems from Google, Microsoft, and Apple, with Linux users (including Steam Deck owners) also reporting back favorably. You can pair it with three devices simultaneously and switch between them quickly by pressing F1, F2, or F3 keys. You’ll also need to set the keyboard for different platforms, with Fn plus the G, P, O, or C keys denoting Android, Windows, iOS (or MacOS), and Chrome OS.

Typing feels surprisingly great; smooth scissor switches and plenty of spring make it easy to move quickly. Amazingly, I’m actually not that far off the words per minute I usually get with the mechanical keyboard on my desk. I expected the keyboard to come across as a quality piece of hardware; I didn’t predict just how nice it would be to type on. Naturally, it can’t touch the typing experience of wireless mechanical keyboards like the excellent Lofree Flow, but those tend to be a little bulkier and more expensive.

The key spacing is necessarily tighter than, for example, the Redmi Pad Pro’s mated keyboard. Compared to Xiaomi’s similarly priced type cover, the Keys-to-Go 2 exhibits remarkably little key rattle and a more distinct actuation point, which stays relatively consistent across all keys and makes typing shockingly easy.

After using it for several days, I’ve noticed that it’s great at replacing a bulkier-than-ideal keyboard case with something smaller and actually better for typing. Physically decoupling from the tablet also means you can stick with a simple folio case, which makes it considerably more convenient to break out and enjoy a tablet at a moment’s notice.

What’s bad about the Logitech Keys-To-Go 2

Missing the backlight

The Keys-To-Go 2 compared to mated keyboards for the recent Redmi Pad Pro and ancient Acer Switch Alpha 12

One missing link arguably holds this back from being a nearly perfect keyboard: its lack of a backlight. Lighting would almost certainly have increased the size and weight while thrashing battery life, though, so it probably wasn’t feasible. But it would’ve been a magical inclusion, if at all possible.

The cramped layout can introduce a bit of a learning curve, but that’s inherent in the form factor. As is the near-microscopic key travel distance, although the dependable switches, sensors, and keycaps do make up for it. And as nice as the soft-touch material feels, I wonder how well it’ll hold up to the nicks and dings of daily life. Speaking of everyday dings and bumps, be sure to use the on/off switch because closing the keyboard doesn’t automatically turn it off, and it can register keystrokes when closed.

Logitech’s software doesn’t have a stellar reputation, but that’s not a problem if you’re using an Android tablet because Android doesn’t support the Logitech Options+ suite. So you’ll miss out on a little customization, but features like Logitech Flow cross-computer connectivity probably wouldn’t be very helpful with a portable keyboard because it’ll rarely be used with a multi-computer setup.

Then there’s the battery. The battery life’s fine; Logitech says it’ll last a whopping three years, given 2 hours of daily use. Naturally, that daily use time will vary greatly among users. Probably due to concerns over the charging port and Li-ion cell sizes and possibly to ensure compliance with the EU’s new replaceable battery directive, the input device giant opted for two coin-cell batteries rather than anything rechargeable.

That’s not likely to impact anybody anytime soon. But the batteries are secured behind two Torx screws, which calls for a relatively uncommon bit that most people don’t have. So, it might cause a minor headache down the line.

Should you buy the Logitech Keys-To-Go 2?

If you’ve ever used a common portable keyboard, know that Logitech’s high-end offering is in an entirely different class. It types better than something this tiny has any right to, with precise action and just barely satisfying key travel. It’s also ideal for any of today’s awesome gaming handhelds. If you’re OK with the cost and willing to go without a backlight, you might be surprised how much you can do with it.