Author: Lin Fei Source: IT Times
Compared with Windows users, macOS users need to choose a high-quality third-party keyboard that is compatible with the system and takes into account their individual needs in addition to Apple's Magic Keyboard, which is both more and less difficult. Difficulty means that there are almost no third-party keyboards that can be perfectly adapted to macOS, and the difficulty refers to the limited number of keyboards designed specifically for macOS.
Logitech MX Keys Mini For Mac: Easy-to-use and inexpensive
Logitech has launched a number of membrane keyboards optimized for macOS, but only the MX KEYS MINI For Mac and K380 For Mac are currently available on the official store, and the former is more recommended.
MX Keys Mini For Mac is a compact Bluetooth keyboard with a light gray exterior design, a single aluminum alloy frame with hard plastic, a sturdy structure that is not easy to slide on the desktop, and the keycaps are spherical and concave on the outside. The keys fit your fingers naturally, the feedback is excellent, the feel is smooth, and the keyboard is light on the volume, so you can get a lot of quick input done with a little adaptation.
The keys are laid out in Mac, and the function key area at the top is preset with shortcut keys such as media control and brightness adjustment that Mac users are accustomed to, ensuring consistency with the experience of native Mac keyboards. In addition, the built-in distance sensor supports intelligent backlight, the backlight will light up when the finger is close to the keyboard, and the backlight will turn off when you leave, and the brightness will automatically adjust with the ambient light, and the user can also adjust the brightness or turn off the backlight by himself.
MX Keys Mini For Mac has a strong battery life and can last up to 10 days with the backlight on. Dual-ended USB-C charging cable supports wired fast charging, but cannot be used as a wired keyboard.
MX Keys Mini For Mac supports Flow technology and works with MX Anywhere 3 mouse to switch between different Apple devices, enabling cross-device copying and pasting of text and files, greatly improving work efficiency.
NuPhy Air75 V2：多达7种轴体可选
Nuphy Air75 V2 is a three-mode low-profile mechanical keyboard that comes in three elegant color options: Ion White, Moonrock Gray, and Basalt Black. The low profile switches reduce fatigue during long periods of typing, while reducing typing noise, making it ideal for office environments, and the 4000mAh battery ensures long-lasting use on long journeys. The keyboard is overall thin and light, and can be stacked on most laptops, including MacBooks.
Air75 V2 adopts aluminum alloy upper frame and plastic lower frame, in terms of shaft body, Air75 V2 provides traditional red, tea, green and Jiadalon customized wisteria, aloe vera, bilberry and moss shafts and other up to 7 options, both linear and paragraph axes, support hot swapping.
Powered by a new MCU-developed platform, the Air75 V2 is the first low-profile mechanical keyboard to support both QMK firmware and 1000Hz wireless return rate, providing wireless low latency and strong anti-interference performance.
In addition to providing Mac systems, the Air75 V2 also supports Windows and Linux systems, and for keyboard players, all function keys can be freely defined using VIA.
Sathi x3:神似"妙控键盘"
Satechi is an officially approved Apple peripheral partner, so it's no surprise that the Satechi Slim X3 looks like a new Space Gray Apple Magic Keyboard at first glance. It is also an ultra-thin design of the aluminum alloy shell, and the layout of the three modifier keys Control, Option and Command keys and the function keys in the F area and the keycaps are almost the same as those of the Apple keyboard, and perfectly support MacOS shortcut operations including volume, brightness adjustment, multimedia control, and Spotlight search.
The Slim X3 offers both Bluetooth and wired connection modes, and has a 10-level adjustable LED backlight that shines through the edges of the keycaps, making it soft and non-glare, making it suitable for use in low-light environments. As a membrane keyboard, the Slim X3's flat key triggering is precise, with a strong sense of passage, moderate key travel, and a much better input experience than the keyboard of Mac laptops.
The Slim X3 keyboard has softened corners for a gentle touch that won't scratch your desktop or other devices. The power button is located on the right side of the top, and there will be a clear on/off status prompt when toggled. The USB-C charging and wired connection interface is placed in the middle of the top, and there is a power status indicator on the digital area, which takes about 2~3 hours to fully charge, and can last up to 45 hours when fully charged, and automatically enters sleep mode after 30 minutes of non-use.
The X3 comes with two stickable feet to accommodate the user's need for a keyboard tilt angle, and it would be nice if the multi-section feet could be used to further adjust the height.
The Slim X3 can memorize up to four devices at the same time, and it can be quickly switched through four Bluetooth status keys.
Keychron Q3 Pro SE: High configuration and many features
Keychron is one of the few domestic brands that is willing to continue to spend time in the field of Mac keyboards. The Q3 Pro SE breaks the exterior design of the Q series, with a three-horizontal light window design and bare screw decorative elements highlighting a strong "straight man of steel" style. It features a CNC-machined all-aluminum body and is available in black, silver-grey and olive green.
The Q3 Pro SE adopts the QMK underlying solution and supports VIA key change. While retaining the classic 87-key layout, it features a large metal knob and four dedicated macro buttons in the left expansion area. Users can customize functions according to their personal needs, such as zooming in/out, adjusting screen brightness, brush size, volume control, or adapting to PS, AE and other professional software for quick operation, which greatly enhances the convenience of operation and work efficiency. With support for up to 1000Hz (90Hz in wireless mode) and 22 preset RGB lighting effects, users can also customize the light color, saturation, brightness, and various dynamic effect speeds for a personalized visual experience.
The Q3 Pro SE can connect up to 3 Bluetooth devices at the same time, and can also be wired via the USB-C port. With a built-in 4000mAh battery, it has a battery life of about 100 hours in wireless mode at the lowest backlight brightness and a charging time of 5 hours. The factory defaults to a Mac layout, and comes with Window system keycaps for users to replace. In terms of shaft body, the Q3 Pro SE is equipped with Keychron's self-developed K Pro series shafts, which support hot-swappability, and are equipped with KSA-height PBT two-color injection keycaps, which have the advantages of wear resistance, durability and stain resistance.
In terms of structural design, the keyboard adopts an innovative Gasket structure, that is, a cushioning material is embedded between the PCB board and the shell to form a double shock absorption effect, effectively reducing the internal friction noise generated during the tapping process.
Tips
Why is it so hard for a keyboard to be compatible with Mac?
Why isn't there a third-party keyboard that works perfectly with Apple's Mac OS computers? In 1983, when Apple released the first Lisa computer with a graphical interface (GUI), the Command key was first introduced on the keyboard for shortcut key operations in the interface, which later became a major feature of the macOS keyboard, while the mainstream IBM PC keyboard layout at the time was centered on the Ctrl and Alt keys. With the development of the Windows system, in 1994, when Microsoft released its first generation of ergonomic keyboards, it added the Windows key and the Menu key to the Windows 95 operating system at that time, further increasing the difference between the two in terms of keyboard layout and function.
Also with the evolution of macOS, the F-zone of Apple's official keyboard also carries many system functions, such as adjusting the screen brightness, volume, etc., which is significantly different from the third-party keyboard in the F-zone functional design. At the same time, some specific function keys on Apple's official keyboard, such as F3's dispatch center, F4's launchpad, etc., are difficult to achieve perfect mapping and compatibility on third-party keyboards.
As Apple continues to add new key features such as Spotlight Search, Dictation, and Focus to new products, it has become increasingly difficult for third-party keyboards to keep up with the pace of macOS updates, coupled with Apple's high level of integration of its hardware and software, as well as strict authorization requirements for third-party accessories, such as the "Touch ID" login system function of the Miaoguan keyboard, which is impossible to open to third-party manufacturers, resulting in Mac compatibility OS keyboard development has always been challenging, which is why it's hard to find a third-party keyboard that is perfectly compatible with macOS on the market.