MX Keys S vs MX Mechanical in the UK: Which to Buy?

For most people in the UK, the Logitech MX Keys S is the one to buy. It uses scissor keys, the low, quiet mechanism of a good laptop keyboard, in a full-size board with a number pad. The Logitech MX Mechanical is the better choice if you want mechanical switches: it offers Tactile Quiet, Linear or Clicky low-profile switches and a longer quoted battery life. Both charge over USB-C, connect by Bluetooth or a Logi Bolt receiver, and switch between three devices. They sit within our guide to ergonomic keyboards and mice, which covers the rest of the desk.

The short version

• Buy the MX Keys S if you are used to a laptop keyboard, want the quieter of the two, or prefer Pale Grey to Graphite.
• Buy the MX Mechanical if you want mechanical switches and a choice of feel, or you would rather charge less often.
• On the MX Mechanical, avoid Clicky if you take Teams calls or share the room. Tactile Quiet and Linear have no click.
• Order the English UK layout. The part numbers are below.
• Neither has a split or curved layout. For those, see our best ergonomic keyboards guide.

Side by side

Battery life is Logitech’s figure and varies with use.

Buying in the UK: layout and switch

Logitech sells both keyboards in many layouts, and its UK store lists them all. A UK keyboard has the tall ISO Enter key, the £ sign on Shift+3 and @ next to the semicolon, so a US or Nordic board will catch you out. Look for English UK (QWERTY) and these part numbers on Logitech’s UK MX Keys S page and MX Mechanical page:

• MX Keys S: 920-011584 in Graphite or 920-011585 in Pale Grey.
• MX Mechanical: 920-010756 in Graphite. The page has a separate switch selector, so make sure it shows the switch you want before you pay.

Amazon UK also sells both. Its MX Mechanical listing is titled Tactile, Graphite; check the layout in the product details before ordering.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a keyboard must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, and you can reject a faulty one for a refund within 30 days. A keyboard in the wrong layout isn’t faulty, though, so a return then depends on the shop’s own policy.

Scissor keys or mechanical switches?

Under each MX Keys S keycap is a scissor mechanism: a small hinged frame that keeps the key level, over a rubber dome that registers the press. It is what most laptops use, which is why the MX Keys S feels familiar from the first minute. Logitech adds dished keycaps and extra key stability for less noise.

The MX Mechanical puts a mechanical switch under every key, in a low-profile design that keeps it close to the MX Keys S in height. Logitech’s keyboard guide describes the three types it offers:

• Tactile Quiet: a clear bump tells you each key has registered. Logitech markets it as "Quiet mechanical typing" but gives no noise figure.
• Linear: a smooth, even press with no bump and no click.
• Clicky: the tactile bump plus an audible click on every press.

If your desk is in a bedroom or a shared living room, Clicky is the one to skip.

Battery and connection

Both use a 1500 mAh battery charged over USB-C. The backlight makes the big difference: Logitech quotes days with it on (10 for the MX Keys S, 15 for the MX Mechanical) and months with it off (5 and 10).

Each comes with a Logi Bolt USB receiver and also connects by Bluetooth, at up to 10 m. Neither works with the older Unifying receivers. If you use a Mac with FileVault, connect through the Logi Bolt receiver, because Bluetooth keyboards may not work at the FileVault login screen.

On the MX Mechanical, keep the firmware current. Logitech’s release notes show a July 2022 update that added a 70 ms delay to stop keys registering twice, and firmware now arrives through the Logi Options+ app.

Size on the desk

Both need about 43 cm of width and 13 cm front to back. The difference is height: 20.5 mm for the MX Keys S against 26.1 mm for the MX Mechanical. If the taller board leaves your hands hovering, the MX Palm Rest is the matching accessory. On a small desk, Logitech’s MX Keys Mini and MX Mechanical Mini drop the number pad; we haven’t covered them here.

Software and systems

Both work over Bluetooth with Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iPadOS and Android, and the MX Mechanical also lists iOS. Logi Options+, for remapping keys and backlight settings, is Windows and macOS only; elsewhere, the keyboards type normally without it.

Which one is for you?

• You type on a laptop all day and want a desk keyboard that feels the same: MX Keys S.
• You want mechanical switches: MX Mechanical in Tactile Quiet, or Linear if you prefer a smooth press.
• You share a flat or take calls: MX Keys S, or the MX Mechanical without Clicky.
• You forget to charge things: MX Mechanical, with the backlight off.
• You want a split or curved keyboard, or a different mouse: see our ergonomic keyboards guide and our vertical mouse vs trackball comparison.

How we chose

We have not tested these keyboards. The comparison uses Logitech’s published specifications, its keyboard guide and firmware notes, and its UK store’s layout list for the part numbers. The scissor mechanism of the MX Keys S is listed on Logitech’s MX Keys spec sheet.