Last month, Logitech released CRAFT, a wireless “advanced keyboard” complete with a creative input dial for controlling customizable, app-specific functions. I’ve been testing the company’s latest Mac/PC accessory for the past few weeks to see if it can live up to its $200 price tag.
Design
At 960 grams (2.1 pounds), the full-size CRAFT Advanced Keyboard felt heavy compared to my daily workhorse, Logitech’s compact K810. The extra space it took up on my desk was immediately noticeable, but on the upside it imbues the CRAFT with a premium feel, and there’s no chance of it sliding around as you type or turn dials.
The keys aren’t wider than you’d expect on a typical full-size keyboard, but if you’re coming to it from a K810 or a 13-inch 2015 MacBook Pro keyboard, it will take some getting used to. Just something to think about.
CRAFT features smart lighting, with backlighting that detects hands and automatically adjusts based on room lighting conditions. The backlighting bleeds around the edges of the keys, something to note if that bothers you. There are also proprietary buttons above the Insert/Home/Page Up keys that let you dynamically switch between any three connected devices.
Standard Mac system controls are clearly labeled on the top row of function keys, but numbered slightly differently due to the additional “show desktop” function (F5). Helpfully, the modifier keys are labeled with both Mac and Windows commands.
Right on the back edge of the keyboard is a power switch and a USB-C port for connecting the supplied USB-C to USB-A cable, which charges the integrated 1,500mAh battery. The LED on the top-right of the raised aluminum strip is blue when there is a decent charge and red when the battery is low.
Meanwhile, the dial or “crown” sits on the opposite end of the aluminum strip and is touch sensitive, so you can tap or turn it to adjust specific settings depending on the application.
The box contains a small USB unifying receiver that uses 2.4GHz wireless technology to provide connectivity up to 33 feet (10 meters) away. It’s capable of connecting up to six keyboards and mice to one computer, so from that perspective it’s a useful inclusion if you have existing wireless Logitech accessories. Otherwise it just takes another USB port. Fortunately, you can pair with Bluetooth instead, which I set it to do right out of the box.
performance
Unfortunately, my initial attempt to pair CRAFT failed. Before I was able to input the pairing code the keyboard disappeared from the list of devices in Bluetooth preferences. After replicating the behavior on several other devices, I concluded that the keyboard was faulty and resorted to using the Unifying USB receiver until Logitech could send me a replacement unit.
The second keyboard I got connected to Bluetooth without a hitch. The backlight on the first pairing key flickered when I connected the CRAFT to my MacBook Pro. Later I added an iPad mini 4 and an iPhone X to the mix, and was able to seamlessly switch between the three by tapping pairing keys 1, 2, or 3.
The first thing I noticed after a few minutes of typing in CRAFT was the location and size of the Enter key: I can’t tell you how many times my little finger missed and accidentally hit the key directly above it ( “\”).
As a UK user familiar with ISO-style keyboard layouts, my muscle memory constantly expects Enter to stretch vertically across two rows in an inverted L-shape, as it does on the UK version of the K810 and MacBook Pro. Apple’s Magic Keyboard. CRAFT is only available in an ANSI layout that will be familiar to US users, so it’s something to consider if you’re used to ISO keyboards. Still hit the wrong key sometimes.
The CRAFT’s key travel is very reminiscent of the MacBook Pro keys of the pre-Butterfly era, which many users will no doubt welcome. The keycaps themselves have a shallow concave depression, which also feels nice to the touch. The keys are definitely closer together than on my MacBook Pro, which makes some adjustments, but in my experience, finger fatigue isn’t an issue with the CRAFT, and the angle of the keyboard feels just right for use at a computer desk. The hand proximity sensors do a great job of lighting up the layout before you start typing, so you’re never looking in the dark for the right key.
Crown functionality can be adjusted using the Logitech Options software utility, which includes custom profiles for Adobe Photoshop CC, Adobe Illustrator CC, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, and Adobe InDesign CC. Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Word profiles currently only work on PCs, according to Logitech.
Tapping the dial brings up an onscreen menu overlay that provides functions specific to that app, such as brush size, brightness, chart type, font size, etc. Turning the crown takes you to the menu, clicking it selects the appropriate tool, and turning it again adjusts the value or setting. After playing with it for a few hours, using it like this soon becomes second nature.
Additionally, the touch-sensitive crown can be set up to access various global Mac controls, so you can use it to activate screen zoom, navigate between apps, adjust brightness, or even assign a specific shortcut key combination to it. .
It’s also possible to assign the crown function to each app you like, but after a while I found that I prefer to keep the controls global, so that by turning the dial switch desktops, pressing it brings the current app to fullscreen, and then pressing the turning system volume changer. Thus using the crown has become a convenient method of performing these functions without looking at the keyboard, and my MacBook Pro’s trackpad is perennially out of reach on a raised stand.
In addition to assigning crown controls, the Logitech utility very effectively lets you remap function keys. For example, I never use the macOS Launchpad, which can be invoked using F4, so I reassigned the key to display the notification sidebar instead.
bottom line
I found Logitech’s Wireless Craft Advanced Keyboard to be a solid, well-built peripheral that’s comfortable in everyday use—even with my Enter key issues. I would have liked a longer battery life – it’s about 8 days on average for me – but it’s not sold as a portable keyboard, and anyway, you get plenty of warnings before it runs out of juice completely.
As for Crown, I found it to be intuitive and easy to get to grips with, requiring little thought when used to adjust system controls and only a gentle learning curve when working between Adobe apps.
That said, if you’re a professional who spends a lot of time on more specialized creative applications, you may run into trouble. CRAFT’s software support is still wanting on the Mac, but that’s something Logitech hopes to address soon.
My only real gripe is the price. $200 – or £180 in the UK – is a lot to pay for a wireless keyboard, dial or no dial. In my opinion, $150 might be a more reasonable ask considering the current state of CRAFT’s software compatibility.
professional
- Customizable dials and function keys
- Comfortable to use
- Pairs with up to 3 devices
cons
- Battery life could be better
- Lack of app support
- expensive
How to buy
The Logitech CRAFT Wireless Advanced Keyboard costs $199.99 and can be ordered directly from the company’s website.
Note: Logitech provided the CRAFT keyboard to MacRumors for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
