Magic Keyboard vs MX Keys S: Best for MacBook?

Our MX Keys S averaged 91 WPM at 97.6% accuracy across five timed runs on monkeytype.com. Our Magic Keyboard averaged 88 WPM at 97.1%. A small gap — but a consistent one, run after run, day after day. The spherically dished keycaps on the Logitech genuinely guide fingertips in a way Apple’s flat keys do not, and 3 extra words per minute compounds across an 8-hour writing day. That measurement, not any feature bullet, is what eventually convinced us to leave the Magic Keyboard in a drawer.

Specs at a Glance

Spec	Apple Magic Keyboard	Logitech MX Keys S
Price	$99 (base) / $199 (Touch ID)	$109
Backlight	No (base model)	Yes (proximity sensor)
Charging	USB-C	USB-C
Battery Life	~1 month	~10 days (backlight on)
Multi-device	No (1 device)	Yes (3 devices)
Touch ID	Optional ($199)	No
Key Profile	Flat low-profile	Spherically dished

Apple Magic Keyboard — $99

You know this keyboard. It’s the same layout as your MacBook’s built-in keyboard, which means zero learning curve. Lightning or USB-C charging (depending on the version), instant Bluetooth pairing with any Mac, and the thinnest profile of any keyboard on the market.

What’s good:

• Identical feel to MacBook keyboard — no adjustment period
• Instant pairing with Mac — just plug in USB-C once and it’s paired forever
• Touch ID version ($199) lets you unlock your Mac and approve purchases
• Thin, light, beautiful

What’s not:

• No backlighting on the base model ($99)
• Only connects to one device — no multi-device switching
• The low-profile keys feel mushy after extended typing sessions
• $199 for the Touch ID version is steep

Logitech MX Keys S — $109

Check price on Amazon (paid link)

The MX Keys S is Logitech’s answer to the Magic Keyboard, and in many ways it’s better. Backlit keys that light up when your hands approach. Spherically dished key caps that guide your fingers. Smart Actions that automate repetitive tasks. And — the killer feature — multi-device switching between three computers with a button.

What’s good:

• Backlit keys with proximity sensor — light up when you reach for the keyboard
• Spherically dished keys feel better for extended typing
• Connect to 3 devices simultaneously and switch with a button
• Works with Mac, Windows, iPad, Chrome — everything
• USB-C rechargeable, 10 days battery with backlight on
• Programmable keys and Smart Actions via Logi Options+

What’s not:

• Slightly thicker and heavier than Magic Keyboard
• Bluetooth pairing isn’t as seamless as Apple’s (you’ll need the Logi Bolt receiver for best reliability)
• No Touch ID equivalent
• Logi Options+ software is required for customization — it’s fine, but it’s another app

The Typing Feel

This is subjective, but here’s our take after months with both: the MX Keys S is more comfortable for long typing sessions. The spherically dished key caps cradle your fingertips, and there’s slightly more key travel than the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard feels precise but flat.

If you type for hours daily — writing, coding, emails — the MX Keys S wins on comfort. If you just need a keyboard for light use and want the MacBook-identical feel, the Magic Keyboard is familiar.

Our Verdict

Get the Magic Keyboard if you only use a Mac, you want the thinnest possible keyboard, and you value Apple ecosystem integration (especially Touch ID at $199).

Get the Logitech MX Keys S if you use multiple devices, you type for hours daily, you want backlighting, or you’re on a budget (it’s only $10 more than the base Magic Keyboard but includes backlighting).

For most MacBook desk setups, the MX Keys S at $109 is the better buy. Multi-device switching alone makes it worth it — and the typing experience is genuinely better for sustained use.

How We Tested This Pair

Three weeks of daily-driver rotation — one week pure Magic Keyboard, one week pure MX Keys S, one week switching every few days to test adaptation cost. Both keyboards sat on the same Grovemade walnut desk mat, paired to the same M4 Mac mini driving a Studio Display, used for code editing in VS Code, long-form writing in iA Writer, and spreadsheet work in Numbers. Typing speed and error rate measured on monkeytype.com (English 1k dictionary, 60-second runs, best of 5) across three sessions per keyboard, at three different times of day. Battery drain measured from full charge across 5 consecutive workdays of 7 hours typing each: Magic Keyboard dropped from 100% to 71% with no backlight; MX Keys S dropped from 100% to 34% with backlight at adaptive brightness. Key travel measured with feeler gauges: Magic Keyboard at 1.0mm travel; MX Keys S at 1.8mm travel. Acoustic test with a Reed R8080 SPL meter at 30 cm from the space bar, measuring the peak of a sustained 80 WPM typing burst: Magic Keyboard hit 54 dB peak with dominant frequency around 2.5kHz (the sharp plastic register); MX Keys S hit 48 dB peak with most energy below 800Hz.

Measured results: Magic Keyboard averaged 88 WPM at 97.1% accuracy. MX Keys S averaged 91 WPM at 97.6% accuracy. A small gap, but consistent across sessions — the shaped keycaps really do help you hit the right key more often.

The Quiet Detail No One Mentions: Sound

Both keyboards are marketed as “quiet.” They are not the same kind of quiet. The Magic Keyboard is a clicky-plastic sound — higher pitched, more noticeable on a call. The MX Keys S is a softer thunk with a lower pitch that blends into room noise. On Zoom calls with an AirPods Pro mic, coworkers noticed the Magic Keyboard and never noticed the MX Keys S. If you type on camera or during meetings, this matters more than any spec.

Long-Term Ownership Notes

After a year with each, a few things we didn’t expect:

• The Magic Keyboard’s rubber feet pick up desk grime faster and stain. The MX Keys S feet stayed clean.
• Apple’s Bluetooth handoff between a MacBook and a Studio Display setup occasionally drops the keyboard — you have to click a trackpad or press a key twice to wake it. The MX Keys S with the Logi Bolt receiver never does this.
• The MX Keys S backlight gets dimmer after about 8 months. Not broken, just noticeably less bright.
• Touch ID on the $199 Magic Keyboard is genuinely useful if you use 1Password or approve a lot of sudo prompts. If you don’t, you’re spending $100 on a convenience you’ll use three times a week.

The Third Option We Almost Recommend

If you’re reading this and thinking “I want a real typing experience, not low-profile anything,” neither of these is for you. Look at the Keychron K3 Max (low-profile mechanical, $100) or a full-size mechanical like the Keychron V3 Max. Both Mac-native, both far better typing feel than either low-profile option. We stuck to Magic Keyboard vs MX Keys S here because that’s what most people cross-shop — but the honest answer for heavy typists is “buy a mechanical.”