Satechi Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard for Mac, Illuminated Keys & Multi-Device Sync, for MacBook Air/Pro M4, iPad Air/Pro M4, iPad/iPad mini, Mac mini, iMac - Space Gray

This product embodies just about everything I'm looking for in a keyboard.Switching from Mac to PC, I'm coming off of 10 years with Apple's magic keyboard, the one that connects exclusively through Bluetooth and lacks a number pad. In the end, I missed the number pad, and having to change batteries was boring to me. Otherwise, I enjoyed the design of it.This keyboard is a natural upgrade. I'm thankful that it has the wired option, so I no longer have to deal with batteries. And the number pad checks the number pad box. This is essentially the only magic keyboard variant I could find with these features while retaining the more compact layout. So thanks to Satechi for this design. Just because I'm on a PC doesn't mean I want a loud, clunky keyboard and carpel tunnel syndrome from working the thing. So if you like the feel and style of the apple keyboards, this is just the thing.You'll know from the imagery if the layout is for you. Do I miss the "page up," "page down," "insert," etc. buttons? No, not enough to give up the smaller form factor. Am I bothered by the compact design of the arrow buttons? Not in the slightest; use that space up. If these things bother you, look elsewhere. Do I have a hard time finding the buttons? No. Would I use it for gaming? I'm not much of a PC gamer, but, yes, I would. I like the keyboard; I'll use it for everything that requires a keyboard.Contrary to its intended design, I bought it to use with Windows 10, so I'll shed some light on how it performs there. There are a few idiosyncrasies, but overall, it suits my needs, so I'm happy with it.Right out of the box, I plugged it into my PC and, to my surprise, it worked instantaneously. I guess I thought I might have to pair it over Bluetooth or download drivers. Nope. It just works. Of course, it does pair over Bluetooth without issue. (UPDATE: As per Satechi, connect through control panel if you have trouble with the standard Bluetooth menu.) Also to my surprise, the function keys seemed to carry some of their functionality over to Windows without any extra effort. For instance, the brightness and volume keys function smoothly. The buttons for the backlights work as well.The search key on F3 does not work, presumably because Windows doesn't have Mac's "Spotlight" search feature.I haven't tested the "previous" and "next" buttons on F7 and F9 respectively, but I can confirm that "play" on F8 does its job.You can lock the function keys to just plain old F1-F12, which is actually fantastic because then there isn't any overlap in functionality when using an application that utilizes those buttons. It's a welcome feature that I hadn't realized I needed. And it works exactly as intended on Windows.Apple keyboards like this one don't have the "Windows" button, which is, of course, a centerpiece of all PC keyboards. Here, the "command" key functions as the Windows button. And, if you're coming from Apple like me, the "Control" button essentially takes the place of "command" in all the usual apple shortcuts. Not a problem, really, and I'm rapidly getting used to it despite my initial resistance. The rest of the modifier keys function as normal.The "clear" key, located on the number pad, is of great importance here. "Clear" actually functions as "num lock," and the num lock has to be engaged in order to type the numbers on the number pad. Otherwise, Windows interprets them as a "up" (8), "down" (2), "left" (4), "right" (6), "home" (7"), "end" (1), "page up" (9), and "page down" (3). There isn't an LED indicator of the num lock's status, so you just have to make a mental note.The "=" on the number pad doesn't do anything, irrespective of the num lock. And I have yet to find any functionality in the "eject/usb" key.I did spend a decent amount of time exploring the idea of remapping keys so that I wouldn't have any quirks like the dead "=" key, for instance, or so I could switch ctrl and cmd so that it would be more like working on a Mac. But it can get weird, and will often create a conflict. If you try to remap the search shortcut on F3, for example, Windows interprets that as a "space" button; remap it and now you have no space bar. There's only one "space" function to go around, it seems. But remember that that F3 search button does nothing on its own, so one would think you could assign it to something else without giving up a non-existent space button. If you're scratching your head a bit, then you're reliving my experience. In the end, I decided that it was best to do no remapping at all, and to let the keyboard do its thing. It did seem entirely feasible to remap F1-F12 in their standalone, locked state, however. But some of my apps use those buttons, so I keep them clear for that. If you're a tech wizard, you may have a remapping solution that solves every problem I've mentioned. I knew nothing about keyboard remapping going into this, I feel like I learned a lot about it in the process, and yet I decided against it. For reference, I was using PowerToys, with a brief dabble in SharpKeys.At first, I had written off the ability to switch between multiple Bluetooth devices using the buttons in the top right. But once I had it connected, I thought, "Why not connect it to my phone?" One pairing later, and now I can use it to type on my phone by pushing one button. Then I thought, "Why not connect it to my old iMac that's just sitting here waiting to be discarded?" So I did. I can jump between all three devices with ease; the switch takes about a half a second. As someone who wasn't interested in the feature at first, I was sold on it in no time, and I can easily see myself taking advantage of it in the future.My only minor complaint is that it seems to take just a second too long to connect to my computer upon startup despite the fact that I keep it wired to the PC. I'm ready to type in my password, and I tend to jump the gun just a little. I suspect, therefore, that the keyboard doesn't send the input signals over the cable. I would prefer it did, but I'll let it slide. By the same token, I can't seem to use it to enter my BIOS on startup because it presumably has not connected yet. My magic keyboard always seemed to connect to my iMac right away, so perhaps the responsibility for these minor connectivity quirks falls more squarely on the shoulders of my PC; who knows? (UPDATE: It does have a wired mode; press fn+eject to use it. But it still doesn't connect automatically on boot up. I'm not sure if something changed, but what I actually have to do is boot the computer, unplug the keyboard, and plug it back in for it to be recognized on the wired connection. A hassle, but....)Other than that, it seems to be smooth sailing, and I'm having a comfortable and efficient time gliding across this keyboard. I wasn't expecting it to be as compatible as it seems to be with Windows 10, and for that, I can safely say that it has exceeded my expectations. Make me a PC version and maybe I'll get that, but this will do just fine in the interim.

I’ve been using the Satechi Slim X1 for a few weeks now, and it’s easily one of the best compact keyboards I’ve owned. The design is clean and elegant, and the Space Gray finish matches my MacBook and other Apple devices perfectly.The backlit keys are a big plus, especially for working in low-light environments. Typing feels smooth and responsive, with just the right amount of feedback — ideal for both long typing sessions and everyday use.One of the standout features is the multi-device Bluetooth sync. Switching between my MacBook, iPad, and iPhone is seamless with just a tap. It saves a ton of time and keeps my workspace clutter-free.Battery life has been solid so far, and the build quality feels premium — slim but sturdy. If you're looking for a stylish, reliable keyboard that works flawlessly across Apple devices, this is an excellent choice.Highly recommended!

I was torn between the logitech mx keys mini and this satechi slim x1 for my mac and other devices.Both offer some similar features such as backlighting and multi device support. However...On the mx keys mini, device switching is on keys F1, F2, and F3, and because of that, there is no monitor brightness control there as you normally have on a mac keyboard. On the satechi, they put multi device switching on keys 1, 2, and 3, and you hold the FN button down and press one of those to switch. This way they were able to keep the monitor brightness controls and other F-keys virtually identical to what we are used to having on our macs, including back and forward buttons for music. The Mx keys also doesn't have back and forward keys for music because they opted for other buttons there.So basically this one is more true to the mac key layout. You CAN, in the logi software remap some of the F keys to compensate for what's missing, but on the satechi there are no compromises to be made.The satchi is MUCH lighter, so if you ever lounge back in your chair and type from your lap, this one is more comfortable to pull off of your desk.There is also an issue with the mx keys mini, where on an initial bootup or restart, it doesn't pair until after you enter your passkey. Meaning you need to use another keyboard, or if you're using it with a laptop, use the laptop keyboard for that first login. That's wild, because the satechi works on the initial login without issue. It takes a second or two before the keyboard pairs on startup, but it does work for that initial login. So whatever reason logitech gives as an excuse for that, satechi seems to have made it work.The backlight stays on around a minute but dims after a few seconds, but overall works nicely. The MX keys mini now allows users to set anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 minutes of backlight though - which I believe is a new feature. This comes at the cost of battery and I normally don't need more than a minute of idle backlight anyways.Overall/TLDR:The satechi is light weight, closely resembles the true mac key layout, quickly switches between three devices, can be used corded, and can be used for an initial password screen on your mac unlike the mx keys mini by logitech. The logitech looks nicer and feels a bit higher quality, but the drawbacks still put this one ahead in my opinion.I will say though, that my power switch broke and fell into the keyboard so it is stuck on, and it took less than a month of use for the keys to get shiny from use even though I try to keep it clean. That is inevitable for any keys on a keyboard, but it happened very fast on this one, and those are the reasons I took a star off.