My four-year-old Apple Magic Keyboard destroys the competition
I use a four-year-old Apple Magic Keyboard at work, and I would not trade it in for anything.
I started using the Magic Keyboard in 2021, after having spent over five years before that writing on a Microsoft Sculpt.
The transition was not smooth. The Sculpt was a high and curved in shape, with bulky keys, and my hands were trained to type along this shape.
The Magic Keyboard by comparison is flat and straight – with thin, shallow keys that run almost flush with the keyboard’s frame.
For weeks, I typed in pain. My hands would physically ache after 10 minutes of writing. I made a ton of typos every day, and I was constantly repositioning the keyboard.
But the pain eventually passed as my hands grew to love Apple’s minimalistic design. Now, I cannot imagine a world where I would using anything but the Magic Keyboard.
Feels as good as ever
Once you are used to a certain style of keyboard – specifically a Bluetooth keyboard – your ability to type fast and effectively on it is no longer the most important aspect.
What becomes important is:
- Does the keyboard connect seamlessly every time you turn it on?
- Is it robust? (i.e. Do you get sticky or faulty keys?)
- Does the battery last a long time?
- It is in a stylish black and grey colour scheme that matches the black mouse and mousepad you own?
The answer to all of the above is a resounding yes for my Apple Magic Keyboard.
You turn it on, and it simply works. All the keys function as well as they did on the day I got it.
I only charge it once a month for a couple hours, thanks to the long-lasting built-in battery, and it looks damn cool while I am using it.
Considering I work six days a week – typing for at least 70% of each day – this is an impressive feat. Well done, Apple engineers.
Getting picky
If I had to get picky, and I mean really picky, there are a few tiny faults I must mention.
The first is that the function key and backspace key are very close together. This results in the occasional mistype, which brings up an emoji menu instead of deleting text.
The second is that due to its age, they keyboard charges using a Lightning port. Not the end of the world, but you will need to buy the new USB-C model if you want one cable to do it all.
Lastly, all the keys looks great – except for the “A” key. For some reason, it has turned into a little white triangle – the only key face to lose its lustre.
Four more years
My colleagues have received a range of new keyboards over the years, and the majority have not come close to making me consider a change.
The only keyboard I have seen which made me pause is the Logitech MX Keys. It looks like a great unit, and feels decent with a quick type, but was not enticing enough to make me want to switch.
Whether this is because the Apple keyboard is designed better, or because my hands have spent four years getting used to working in it, I don’t know.
We may have to simply attribute this loyalty to a bit of Apple Magic.
This is an opinion piece, written using a 4-year-old Apple Magic Keyboard.
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