Fifty per cent off: The 10-year old Bluetooth keyboard that still rocks
Logitech K480
Logitech K480 can connect with up to three devices (Express Photo)
In this age of fast-changing tech and multiple launches and updates, the fact that the Logitech K480 Multi-Device Keyboard, which was launched in 2014, is still around and popular is a major tech miracle of sorts. That it is now available at almost half (and sometimes even less than half) its price and is still a terrific device to have makes it a candidate for being perhaps the greatest Bluetooth keyboard of all time in terms of sheer longevity, performance and now, even more value for money.
STILL looks very different, and is still hefty
Logitech K480
The keyboard can hold an iPad and a phone (Express Photo)
Logitech surprised a lot of us when it unveiled the K480 Multi-Device Keyboard in early 2014, before releasing it later that year. This was the time when the tablet “revolution” was still gathering momentum, and many people were considering using their tablets as lightweight notebook substitutes but needed a proper keyboard to complete the experience. The K480 was designed to be the perfect tablet companion. And a little more. It actually looked like no keyboard we had seen before, and actually still looks very different from the run-of-the-mill Bluetooth keyboards in the market today.
The Logitech K480 comes in two shades – black and white. Unlike most Bluetooth keyboards that tend to be rectangular in shape, it is almost square (195 mm long and 300 mm wide). It is a six-row keyboard, with the top row featuring F function shortcuts as well as special productivity shortcuts. Although the keys themselves are not very large, they are well-spaced and have plenty of travel. The most distinct part of the keyboard is the presence of a dial on the top left, a pair of buttons on the top right, and a cradle (a sort of trench) at the top, in which you can place a tablet and a phone. In the black model, the cradle is a bright greenish-yellow, giving it a very distinct look. It has four rubber supports on its base and a slot on the back for entering AAA.
The Logitech K480 is made totally of plastic and has a very solid feel to it (it will easily survive a fall, and it is spill-resistant too). Unlike most Bluetooth keyboards today that try to be sleek and slim, the K480 is unabashedly bulky. It is almost a foot wide, is more than twice as thick as most tablets at 20 mm, and at 820 grams, significantly heavier than most tablets. Although it will fit into most backpacks easily, it will add a considerable amount of weight to it.
STILL works brilliantly…and with three devices too
Logitech K480
It can convert an iPad into a laptop (Express Photo)
But you are unlikely to mind the weight of the Logitech K480 once you start using it. Thanks to its square-ish shape, the K480 does not take too much space on a table and you can place a tablet and a phone in the cradle, letting you see what you are typing, although you get only one viewing angle. Connecting a device is simple – the keyboard has separate buttons for connecting to Android/ Windows devices and for iOS ones right at the top, just below the tray.
To connect a device, just keep the relevant button pressed until the light next to it starts blinking, and select the keyboard from your device’s Bluetooth options – the light on the keyboard will switch to blue once your device is connected. You do not need to download any additional software or apps to your tablet, phone or PC to be able to use the K480 with it. All you need is a device that supports Bluetooth. You can connect up to three devices to the keyboard.
It is here that the dial on the keyboard does its magic, letting you switch between devices by simply rotating it. So you can connect it to your notebook, tablet and phone and keep switching seamlessly between them by just turning a dial. So you could be working on a document on your PC, but switch to send a detailed response to a message on WhatsApp, and then write a long note on your tablet, all by moving a dial.
And take it from us, you would WANT to move from device to device because typing on the Logitech K480 is a great experience. The keys are well-spaced and have a decent amount of travel (that 20 mm depth helps, we guess) and are clicky without being too noisy. All the regular Windows, iOS and MacOS shortcuts work – so you can do Ctrl+C/V, Alt+Tab and all. Best of all, there is never any lag in your hitting a key and it appearing on the display. This is a super typing experience. Yes, even after almost ten years. Speaking of years, the two AAA cells that power can keep it going for more than a year quite comfortably. A slight issue is the fact that you cannot see battery levels, but we play safe by simply switching batteries once a year – oh yes, we have been using ours since 2015.
A few issues, but much more affordable, and STILL terrific value for money
Logitech K480
The keyboard supports, Android, iOS, and Windows devices (Express Photo)
While typing and connectivity are still as good as ever on the Logitech K480, the passage of time and technology have created a few issues for it. Phones and tablets have got bigger and heavier since 2014, and this has made using the cradle on the Logitech K480 a slightly dodgy experience, especially in portrait mode – we actually saw the iPad (10th Gen) and the Pixel 7 Pro fall from it. Stick to landscape, though, and everything works as well as ever. Mind you, using devices on it in landscape mode means that it is difficult to keep a phone and a tablet next to each other in it, as one could originally.
The one part of the Logitech K480 that has improved is its price. It was launched internationally at USD 49.99, which at that time translated into close to Rs 3,000, and Logitech launched the keyboard in India in mid-2015 at a price of Rs 2795. The keyboard, however, is now often available at Rs 1,999 on online retail stores and at Rs 1299 – Rs 1499 at many offline retailers. Honestly, we think that even at its launch price of 2015, it is still very good value for money. At almost fifty per cent off, it is a total steal for all those who want a real keyboard to use with multiple devices. We do wish Logitech would update it with Type-C charging, an improved cradle, a battery indicator and well, a much lighter weight, but until then, the Logitech K480 remains a Bluetooth keyboard champ for all multiple device types seeking typing salvation!
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