Logitech has unveiled its Alto Keys K98M mechanical keyboard in North America, following its debut in China and other select regions. Priced at $149.99, the Alto Keys K98M features an 1800-layout design that is nearly full-size yet slightly compact, preserving the convenience of a number pad. What truly distinguishes this keyboard is its full hot-swappability, compatible with standard Cherry MX key switches, and its internal gasket mount, providing a semi-soft typing experience. Logitech appears to be drawing inspiration from enthusiast-grade keyboards.

The Alto Keys sports a two-piece plastic casing with a translucent top and an opaque bottom that matches its keycaps. Available in white, graphite, and lavender combinations, the keyboard boasts white backlighting and shine-through PBT keycaps, delivering a minimalist and universal appeal. It also offers impressive features, including a claimed battery life of up to 12 months (with backlighting off) and Bluetooth/Logi Bolt wireless connectivity. It supports a wide array of systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android.

Having spent some time with a review unit of the Alto Keys, I am impressed by its aesthetics, sound, and typing feel. The translucent plastic casing, combined with the visible internal gasket, gives the keyboard an elegant, airy design. The lavender model I tested is particularly striking, though the graphite and white versions offer a clean look as well. These color options also allow for customization with different keycaps. Furthermore, the hot-swappable switches enable users to tailor the keyboard’s sound and feel to their liking.

However, the software experience leaves something to be desired. The Logi Options Plus app is user-friendly and offers basic settings adjustments, such as backlight levels and auto battery saver mode, complete with onscreen notifications for brightness and volume changes. Yet, the customization options for the keyboard itself are limited, allowing modifications only to the alternate functions of the 12 F-row keys. In contrast, more affordable keyboards with QMK and VIA software provide extensive remapping capabilities.

The Alto Keys may not produce the robust, distinctive sound of metal-cased enthusiast boards, but it delivers a pleasant typing experience. It emits a light, clacky sound that is not overly loud, making it suitable for most office environments. The keyboard’s design is light and airy, and its marble switches provide a smooth linear travel with a 3.5mm depth and a 40-gram actuation force, striking a balance between resistance and ease. The underlying UniCushion gasket adds a slight flex without compromising firmness.

Overall, the Alto Keys impresses with its design and functionality, and it would be exciting to see more enthusiast-inspired features in future Logitech keyboards. Nevertheless, at $150, it competes with other high-quality prebuilt offerings from smaller brands, which often provide more comprehensive software customization and superior materials at a lower cost. Brands like Epomaker, Wobkey, and Chilkey offer compelling alternatives, while Keychron and Aula present budget-friendly options with plastic cases.

Still, this is the first interesting Logitech keyboard I’ve tried in a while, and I’m stoked to see more. Maybe next Logitech can bring over the 75-percent Alto Keys K75M, for those of us who don’t care for number pads.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge