With the shift toward hybrid working, employees must have the tools they need to maintain or boost their productivity. The tools that many of us use in the knowledge economy are a keyboard and mouse. We interact with these two items probably more than our pens or phones. And yet, many companies seldom upgrade those tools beyond the cheap and nasty basic keyboards that ship with many desktop computers.
To address this massive potential market of some 100 million hybrid workers around the world, the Swiss technology brand Logitech has developed the Signature Slim K950 Wireless Keyboard and Signature Slim Combo mouse. This double act consists of an advanced full-sized keyboard plus a multi-button mouse, both in a single kit at a sensible price. Logitech also produces an identical brown-box version for corporate markets.
The new Signature Slim Combo has been designed for the kind of people who use work and personal computers or employ a single device for both types of work. The Signature Slim keyboard looks like Logitech’s excellent MX Keys keyboard but is considerably cheaper. The keyboard is designed for productivity and includes several time-saving custom keys for accessing emojis, microphone mute and screen grabs. Some of the keys are also customizable. One feature the keyboard doesn’t have is backlighting for the keys, so if that’s something you have to have, then look at the MX Keys instead.
The Signature Slim Combo consists of the Logitech Signature Slim K950 wireless keyboard and Signature Plus M750 wireless mouse. The combo kits are available in Graphite and Off-White finishes. The keyboard has keys for a range of computers including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android or Linux. The mouse includes left, right and center buttons, plus two side buttons and a SmartWheel with both precise and silent scrolling.
On their own, the Signature Slim keyboard and mouse are superb to use. The numeric keypad built into the full-size keyboard makes it an ideal tool for spreadsheet use. There are little extendable feet on the base of the keyboard so the typing angle can be adjusted. The individual keys are carefully sculpted for more accurate typing and the sound of both the keyboard and mouse is almost silent, ideal for use in a busy office or at home in the quiet. The silent keys and buttons are especially useful if you need to type or click while talking on the phone.
When used with Logi Options+ software, the Signature Slim keyboard and mouse can be turbo-charged for extra productivity. Individual keys can be programmed to behave in a certain way depending on the software being run. For example, you can program keys to trigger certain actions depending on the software package being used. Logi Options+ already includes settings for popular pieces of software like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Word.
The other great feature offered is a function called Flow. Both the keyboard and mouse can be paired wirelessly with up to three different devices using Bluetooth or Logitech’s highly secure Logi Bolt wireless dongle. Users can move their mouse from screen to screen and can even copy and paste seamlessly between devices so long as they are on the same Wi-Fi network. It’s very clever technology and a real productivity booster.
Logi Options+ has another clever feature up its sleeve called Smart Actions. This feature lets you skip repetitive actions by automating multiple tasks into a single keystroke. Logitech provides a few basic templates to get you started. You can, for example, use Smart Actions to fire up Zoom, a notetaker and your favorite browser with a single keystroke. Or you could decide to start up your favorite social media apps or websites with a single click.
For IT teams who are updating the keyboards and mice used on workstations in the office, Logitech’s new Signature Slim Combo for Business makes that transition easy by providing a new keyboard and mouse kit for mass deployment. The kit comes with Logi Bolt secure wireless technology for reliable and secure connectivity, even in an office where there’s a crowded spectrum. With Signature Slim Combo, IT teams can mass deploy a single keyboard and mouse across an entire global workforce while keeping an eye on all the devices remotely using Logitech Sync to update the firmware.
In the corporate world, sustainability is a hot-button issue, especially when businesses are deploying thousands of keyboards and mice throughout an organization. The Signature Slim K950 and Signature Slim Combo have been designed with sustainability in mind. For a start, both devices can run off either AAA or AA batteries with up to 36 months between battery changes. This low energy usage represents much lower electrical waste and battery costs.
Both the Signature Slim K950 keyboard and M750 mouse are certified carbon neutral. Both items are made with certified post-consumer recycled plastic that gives a second life to end-of-use plastic that’s been reclaimed from old consumer electronics like retired laptops. The Graphite version uses 61% recycled plastic while the Off-White colorway comes in at 48%; something to consider for corporates who are keen to boost their ESG rating.
Verdict: The Signature Slim Combo is a game-changer for the corporate world. It’s an easy way to boost productivity thanks to the features offered by Logi Options+. The ability to seamlessly transition between three different devices makes the keyboard and mouse ideal for hybrid workers who may be working from home with more than one computer. The keyboard is much nicer to type on than most laptops and helps improve the user’s posture when working at home from a cramped desk. Likewise, the multi-button M750 mouse can easily be programmed for enhanced productivity thanks to its multiple buttons. The ability to mass deploy the business version of the combo will please IT departments who can standardize on one advanced keyboard and mouse. Highly Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Signature Slim K950 Wireless Keyboard and Signature Slim Combo are available in Graphite and Pale Grey from March 2024 at www.logitech.com and other global retailers. The recommended retail price is $109.99 / £109.99 / €119,99. The keyboard can be purchased separately here. The Signature Slim Combo for Business costs the same and you can find out more here.
More info: Signature Slim Combo
Tech Specs:
- Keyboard dimensions (LxHxW): 433.8 x 23.1 x 134.8mm.
- Keyboard weight: 685g (with batteries), 662.6g (without batteries).
- Mouse dimensions (LxHxW): 108.2 x 38.8 x 61mm.
- Mouse weight: 101.3g (with battery), 76.3g (without battery).
- Connectivity: Bluetooth or Logi Bolt.
- System requirements: Windows 10, 11 or later, macOS 11 or later, ChromeOS, Linux, iPadOS 14 or later, Android 9.0 or later.
- Warranty: 1-year limited hardware warranty in the U.S. and Asia/ 2-year limited hardware warranty in EMEA and Japan.