Best keyboard for smart tv 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]

Last Updated December 1, 2023

Best keyboard for smart tv of 2018

Many brands have introduced keyboard for smart tv on the market. These brands have resulted in a variety for the user. These require that the consumers be well aware of what they are buying so as to make the best choice. Here, I will review 3 of the best keyboard for smart tv of 2018, and we will also discuss the things to consider when looking to purchase one. I hope you will make an informed decision after going through each of them.

There are dozens of choices for an keyboard for smart tv these days. These are composed of modern styling with modern technology to match it. Here are some good examples. I’ve based my selection methodology on customer feedback, the size, functionality, and budget to meet various demands.

Test Results and Ratings

Rank	№1	№2	№3
Product
Total	4.8	4.5	4.3
Ease of use	4 points	5 points	4 points
Size	5 points	5 points	5 points
Durability	5 points	4 points	4 points
Value	5 points	4 points	4 points
Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

№1 – Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

Why did this keyboard for smart tv win the first place?

I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch! The rear part fits perfectly! It is mounted really tight and reliable. The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack. I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product.

Ease of use 4

Size 5

Durability 5

Value 5

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№2 – CHONCHOW Wireless Keyboard Mouse Touchpad Combo 2.4G Portable Mini Compact Full Keyboard with Numpad for Laptop Mac Tablet Desktop PC Computer Raspberry PI 2 Smart TV

Why did this keyboard for smart tv come in second place?

I recommend you to consider buying this model, it definitely worth its money. The material is pretty strong and easy to wash if needed. This is a pretty decent product that perfectly fitted the interior of our office. Managers explained me all the details about the product range, price, and delivery.

Ease of use 5

Size 5

Durability 4

Value 4

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№3 – Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse

Why did this keyboard for smart tv take third place?

I liked the design. We’ve been using it for 2 months and it still looks like brand new. This price is appropriate since the product is very well built. It is inconvenient to use due to the size. I am going to get something different next time. The material is incredibly nice to the touch. It has a great color, which will suit any wallpapers.

Ease of use 4

Size 5

Durability 4

Value 4

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keyboard for smart tv Buyer’s Guide

Quick Tips

Don’t buy a TV with less than 4K resolution (i.e., avoid 1080p sets) if you want a future-proof set.

LED and LCD Sets

Most LCD sets use LEDs on the edge of the screen. The better of these models support active dimming, but it takes some digital sorcery to do this by merely manipulating lights along the edge.

Full-array LED sets have light-emitting diodes directly behind the screen, in a grid of “zones” that can be lit up or darkened individually. Such an arrangement makes the backlight more precise and allows a more-detailed picture regarding contrast. Full-array backlighting was once reserved for top-tier models, but with more Ultra HD sets appearing at lower prices, this feature is becoming more common on modestly priced sets.

Another LCD technology, called quantum dots, is becoming more common, spurred on by the requirements of HDR to produce a wider array of colors and more brightness. An LCD that uses quantum dots basically has another layer, or added “rail,” of different size nanocrystal dots that light up when the LED backlight hits them. The result is a wider color spectrum and increased brightness.

Be aware that some brands offer confusing labels. Samsung’s newest sets are dubbed “QLED.” These are quantum-dot LCD TVs — not to be mistaken for OLED.

Wide array of prices, sizes and features; Some affordable Ultra HD 4K models; Bright screens visible even in a sunny room; Image quality steadily improving with full-array backlighting and quantum-dot technology.

OLED TVs

Best TV picture, bar none; Colors truly pop, deeper blacks and better contrast and shadow detail than LCD TVs achieve; Retains image quality when viewed from the side.

Stratospheric prices; lower peak brightness than some LCD sets, uncertainty about how screens will fare over time, including whether they will retain “ghost” images (also known as burn-in) from displaying a static picture for too long.

Credit LG

LG EOLED should be at the top of your list. This stunning TV offers fantastic picture quality, thanks to its 4K OLED display. In our testing we were impressed with the TV’s deep blacks, crisp images, and impressive brightness and color fidelity.

The Esupports all major high dynamic range (HDR) formats, (Dolby Vision, Ultra HD Premium, and HDR10) and sounds so good you may not need a soundbar for excellent audio. But it goes beyond stellar picture quality and cinematic sound with an impressive “picture-on-glass” design and a rich selection of apps and services, making it an excellent smart TV, as well.

Credit TCL

For those on a budget, the TCL Roku TV 55P60delivers a great overall value, with a 55-inch 4K display that delivers a punchier picture than other bargain 4K sets. It also offers robust HDR support with compatibility for both HDRand Dolby Vision.

While plenty of companies have embraced Roku’s smart-TV interface, the TCL 55P60has the best version of it, complete with Roku’s excellent remote control with voice interaction and a headphone jack for private listening. If you want the best blend of smart TV functions for under a grand, the 55-inch TCL Roku TV 55P60is the biggest and best around.

How We Test TVs

To evaluate TVs we use a combination of instrument-based testing and eyes-on viewing. Our dedicated lab staff tests displays using an Xrite iPro colorimeter and SpectraCal’s CalMan ColorChecker software, allowing us to gather clear, objective data about brightness, color accuracy, color gamut and more. We also test for lag time using a Leo Bodnar HDMI input delay tester, which measures to the millisecond how long it takes for content to travel from the original source to displaying on the screen; this is valuable info for anyone who wants to game on their new TV. We use these results to make numbers-based comparisons about color and display quality.

All the numbers in the world don’t mean much if you haven’t actually watched the TV, so we also spend time with each set for more subjective evaluation. In our testing facility we compare sets side by side, using a variety of content sources and media formats, from newly released movies on 4K UHD Blu-ray to digital files on USB and upscaled 1080p content. We watch live over-the-air channels and stream video from several apps and services, looking for everything from color quality and on-screen detail to upscaling performance and backlight quality.

In our reviews, we combine these real-world findings with our lab test results to provide as clear a picture as possible of a given TV’s performance and viewing experience.

HDMI connections

If you’re planning on cutting the cable TV cord, or you have already, you might want to make sure the TV you get has a built-in over-the-air tuner. It will allow you to watch free local TV broadcasts, usually in higher quality than cable, satellite or streaming.

Let me reiterate

All HDMI cables are the same. If you don’t have a universal remote already, you should get one. Our list of best home video and best home audio gear has other good suggestions.

Because rear-projection TVs are no longer on sale as of 2012, and the last plasma TVs were manufactured in 201They’ll be missed.

Budget

Visual quality and screen size:   When considering the visual quality, the frame refresh rates, contrast ratios and viewing angles should be taken into consideration.  In general, it is seems that the higher the price, the higher the visual quality. Now, many high-end smart TVs feature 3D and Blu-ray, when you purchase smart TV, you should decide whether these features are highly needed.  Also, you should consider the screen size of your smart TV according to your viewing habit. In short, the bigger screen size offers you a better visual experience.

Extra Tips

If you are an Apple Music subscriber and also want to remove DRM from Apple Music and iTunes M4P Audio.

Sidify Apple Music Converter should be the best choice, which enables you to convert Apple Music tracks to plain MP3, AAC, FLAC and WAV format losslessly at 20X speed, while keeping all the ID tags and metadata.

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Design is also striking. The bezel of the ZDis trimmed in a rose gold, while connections are hidden behind pop off panels. There are four HDMI inputs, all HDCP 2.ready, plus, digital optical audio output and Ethernet/Wi-Fi. Active 3D is also supported.

Picture quality is outstanding. In addition to that Backlight Master Drive, the set employs a new X1Extreme HDR image processor which does a remarkable job with all sources, even when they’re not 4K resolution.

If the set does has an Achilles heel it’s audio. A small carp (which incidentally is what it sounds like), given the general excellence of this superb set.  And you’ll probably use a soundbar anyway.

Android

When it comes to Android tablets, you have no shortage of options — both in terms of hardware and software.

You also have a plethora of hardware options, too — from the aforementioned Fire tablets to Samsung’s wide-ranging offerings to the Asus ZenPad series, to name just a few.

Windows 10

Windows 10, the newest version of Windows, builds upon the foundation Microsoft laid in Windows and 8.The new OS is easier to use on traditional PCs than Windows was, and it makes using Windows on a tablet much more seamless than before. Windows offers several concessions to tablet users, such as large, touch-friendly window controls and buttons, a Tablet Mode (which expands the Start menu to fill the whole screen) and various touch-screen gestures.

Windows remains heavily oriented around the keyboard and mouse, though, so some apps and features may be awkward to use via a touch screen. It makes sense, then, that many Windows tablets are of the convertible kind.

For Gaming

What about Windows-based convertible tablets? Since these devices run full-fledged Windows, you can play a good many PC games on them. They won’t keep up with high-end gaming rigs, but many are more than suitable for more casual PC gaming.

Processors

Android tablets pack processors from a variety of manufacturers. Samsung’s Exynos chips and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are the most common: Look for the Snapdragon 800 series and Exynos processors for better performance. Nvidia’s Tegra processors are found on Nvidia tablets, and you’ll find some Android machines with Rockchip CPUs.

On the Windows front, you’ll find mainly Intel processors, including the Core m3, iand iprocessors. Tablets based on Intel Core processors tend to be higher-end devices, and will generally cost you more. Lower-cost Windows tablets and convertibles often use Intel Atom processors.

Doing Away with Terminology Confusion

The old TVs used to be cathode ray tubes which were replaced with LCD, then Plasma and then LED TVs. These, in very short are different technologies used in presenting the picture.

Whereas 720 pixels HD, FULL HD, 4K or UHD TVs etc determine the picture quality of a TV screen and can be based on any of these technologies, the same goes for smart TVs too.

Smart TVs are different from general TVs only in terms of the user interface and internet connectivity and not in terms of the back end technologies.

Privacy

Just like in the case of accessing internet on a computer or a laptop, another concern with the use of smart TVs is the interference with the viewers’ personal privacy.

Concerns have been raised about the possibilities of spying through the cameras that come with these TVs. Loss of personal data is also another possible drawback. Since viewers use smart TVs to access their social networking sites, the users’ sensitive information such as passwords may also be at risk.

With internet connectivity and social interaction at the core of smart TVs, there are more chances that your content preferences be known to friends and others.

App Repetitions

Most of the social media apps that come with smart TVs are already on our smart phones.

It is much easier to access some of these apps on smart phones rather than smart TVs due to typing restrictions on smart TVs. Typing is available using the remote as a default feature, which can be very tasking unless you connect an external keyboard. A lso, many of these apps are personal in nature where you might not want everyone to see your information on a big screen, for example, your Facebook timeline or email.

Come with Pre-installed Apps

Most of the smart TVs come with pre-installed apps. Some do not offer the option of updating the apps or adding new ones. That means the viewer will be stuck with the same apps until they decide to buy another smart TV.

Compare TVs

Most TV manufacturers announced new models at CES early this year, but most of the announcements tend to showcase high-end TVs usually not found in smaller sizes. TVs from 40 to 4inches are still quite popular, but 5and 6inch TVs are now the top choices for manufacturers. Therefore, 40-4inch TVs tend to be mid-range or budget models.

What it is

TV Shows in a bright living room. The TV will be used in to watch TV shows, in a bright room during the day, from multiple viewing positions at different angles. The content watched has an average quality: cable, streaming, SD channels, etc.

Wallpaper TV

LG led last year with its ultra slim ‘picture-on-glass’ design, and this year it’s keeping up the trend with its new 4mm thick ‘Wallpaper TV’. The signature super-thin TV comes with a 65″ OLED screen, while the 77″ model is a little thicker at 5.7mm. These super slim TVs are of course equipped with the best in picture quality — supporting Active HDR with Dolby Vision.

QLED Is The New SUHD

While OLED (standing for ‘organic light emitting diode’) is a distinct type of technology that stands apart from LCD screens, QLED is still fundamentally an LCD screen — albeit with quantum dot technology. So QLED is not, as it sounds, an upgrade from OLED — rather it’s an upgrade from Samsung’s own SUHD branding. QLED does have some advantages over its OLED competitors, however — such as a dramatic increase in peak brightness, something that makes a big difference in viewing HDR content.

Samsung’s QLED range is all 4K, of course, and interestingly comes in both curved and flat panel models — despite the diminishing demand for curved screens over the past few years.

Master OLED

Panasonic is jumping into the OLED fray this year, joining the likes of LG with its impressive Master OLED range. In OLED screens, every pixel produces its own light, bypassing the need for the backlights that LCD screens require. With a 77-inch and 65-inch model, Panasonic’s Master OLED screens are also, of course, 4K.

While it’s not unique in offering OLED screens, Panasonic claims its experience in technologically similar plasma televisions has helped it to fine-tune the new, top-of-the-line OLEDs. To this end, it’s boasting two new quality-boosting features in its top-end TVs.

Absolute Black and Dynamic Blade

The two new features Panasonic hopes will set its premium TVs aside from the rest are its Absolute Black Filter and Dynamic Blade Sound. The former is just what it sounds like — the filter works to reduce glare and improve the showing of blacks on screen. With greyish-looking blacks a known weakness with OLED screens, the Absolute Black Filter could prove a valuable asset for picky videophiles.

Multi-HDR Support

While last year was the year when HDR really came into prominence, this year is the year of HDR format wars. We’ve already touched on Dolby Vision HDR, one of LG’s supported formats, but Panasonic is jumping on a few different formats.

The modern battery is featured in so many of our favourite technologies that you could almost be forgiven for not spending time learning about their workings.

Read More, which can be charged with a standard micro-USB cable. A simple switch lets you flip the keyboard on and off as needed.

The K830 does everything else the Gosin keyboard above does. It supports both Bluetooth and Wireless USB, so you can connect via any interface you want. And yeah, that means you can connect it to your Android device too.

Why OS X Works Better with a Trackpad

While Microsoft has focused on bringing touchscreen technology to the desktop, Apple has continued to optimize for the more traditional pointer-based approach.

Read More. The Bluefin is just bringing those two essential Mac accessories together.

Now, the Bluefin isn’t the only gizmo of its type. There’s also the MagicWand by Twelve South, for the same price. However, the MagicWand only connects at the top, while the Bluefin is a full plastic resting case for both devices.

Some users noted that Bluefin’s full plastic case makes your finger have to push more to register clicks on the Magic Trackpad, but you’ll get used to it quickly enough. Overall, it’s still the better option.

You’ve got one mini-size, 7.9-inch iPad, the iPad mini 4; two slightly different mid-size models, the 9.7-inch iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro; and then there’s the super-sized 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is the biggest and costliest option.

Budget and requirements

Your choice of the individual models will depend on how much money you’re willing to spend, how portable and powerful you need your iPad to be, how long you need to be able to use your iPad (and for it to support the latest software), and in what areas (if any) you are willing to compromise.

Let’s get started. First of all we’ll decide if you should buy a standard-size, a mini or an extra-large iPad, and then we’ll narrow down your choice from there.

Create bar charts

Traditionally, the biggest mark in favour of buying from the iPad mini range was the low price. However, since the new iPad was announced that is no longer the case. The only model of iPad mini available is the iPad mini 4, and it’s only sold by Apple in 128GB versions. The Wi-Fi only model costs £419, while the cellular version will set you back £54- the same price as the cheapest 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

The new iPad starts from £339, £80 cheaper than the Wi-Fi-only mini 4.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at at a punishing £769, but note that Apple has doubled the storage allocation for the iPad Pro models – so that money gets you a very decent 64GB. The top-end models come with 512GB, and for the 12.9-inch model that’ll set you back a dizzying £1,03and £1,16for the Wi-Fi and cellular versions. We’re getting into MacBook price territory (for comparison, the 13-inch MacBook Air starts at £949) and these models are clearly not for casual or budget-conscious buyers.

As we mentioned in the portability section, the larger iPad Pro is more something to consider as an alternative to a laptop. For these reasons it calls for more pre-purchase research, trying a sample out in an Apple Store and so on.

Hopefully by now it’s become clear whether a mini, mid-size or large iPad is right for you, which means you can proceed to…

Colour options

We really like the iPad in gold, as we mentioned earlier – it’s quite bronze-like in its warmth – and the pink, while a bit of an opinion divider, is nowhere near as bold as that sounds. But grey or silver are the more conservative options.

Features

With it, you don’t need a cable or satellite TV. You can watch all your favorite live channels and buy an additional Direct Now subscription for more channels. If you like watching CBS Primetime shows, then consider buying CBS All Access subscription.

If you have a Prime subscription, you can enjoy unlimited access to Prime Video. This feature gives you access to thousands of TV shows and movies. Members also get HBO, Showtime, and many other premium quality channels. You don’t have to pay anything else for videos and channels.

This Android TV box has a very nice user interface. When you turn it on, you find your favorite videos on the home screen. From here, you can go to any of these videos or simply browse for other options. You can use the search feature to quickly locate your favorite videos.

NVIDIA SHIELD TV Streaming Media Player

The Nvidia Shield TV Streaming Media Player delivers an unparalleled streaming experience on TV. It supports 4K HDR video so you can expect awesome quality when using this TV box.

Although this TV box does pretty much what other top quality devices do, it does have an advantage over its competitors. It’s the way this device lets you enjoy games. Nvidia is known for its hardware that has been powering GPUs for decades now. This device includes all that power to help you play the latest games on your TV. The remotes that come with this device are very impressive. You can play exclusive Shield games with it.

This box also comes with a voice feature. It allows you to use your voice to control the box. Instead of using buttons to do things, you can simply ‘say’ them. The Shield uses Google’s Voice Search to deliver results in seconds. So next time you want to watch a video on your TV, simply ask your Nvidia Shield to play it for you.

When you buy this Nvidia branded streaming player, you also get a remote with it. A redesigned Shield controller also comes with the device. The controller is voice-enabled.

Design & Build

If you want a smart TV but aren’t planning to upgrade to one in the near future, then a media player is probably what you need. These devices that are also called Smart TV converters connect to your TV and let you use it like a smart TV. Not only can media players give you the benefits of accessing online services but can also let you stream videos from your smartphones and tablets to the TV. Apart from flat panel TVs, some of them can also be used with old CRT TVs. There are quite a few options to select from, but identifying the best media player can be a little tricky. To help you out with this, we’ve put together a short buying guide that’ll will help you narrow down your choices.

File formats supported

Media players were initially designed to play media formats that TVs didn’t support. This shouldn’t be a big problem as most HDTVs today support all the popular media formats. On the flipside, if you own a CRT TV and don’t have any plans to upgrade in the near future, then it’s probably a good idea to take a closer look at this feature. Most media players will support almost all the video formats. If you want to enjoy HD content, then make sure the media player supports formats such as MKV and MPIt is better to compare the list of formats you want to play with the list of formats the media player supports.

Online services present

Most media players today can connect to the internet and almost all of them let you access some online services. These services support popular entertainment channels across a number of categories such as sports, music, social media, education and many others. The commonly found services on media players are Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo among others.

Each media players may offer a different set of services. Look for a media player that has services you are looking out for and ones that are active in India.

Gaming support

Remote Control

Media players come with remote controls that let you control various features of the device. Some media players come with a QWERTY remote which can prove handy for surfing the internet or chatting with friends on social media sites. It also saves up a USB port, as you don’t have to connect an external keyboard to it.  Some media players on the other hand, come with motion controlled remotes, these remotes have very few buttons and are fun for playing games.

Phil Dzikiy

The Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard allows you to pair it with up to three devices and switch between them with the press of a button, a useful feature that few Bluetooth keyboards have. The keyboard is comfortable and responsive; it’s also solid enough for desktop or lap use, yet it’s small and light enough for you to slip it in a bag and use it on the go. Logitech says the K380 has up to two years of battery life with heavy use (defined as eight hours a day, five days a week), though the keyboard hasn’t existed long enough for us to test that claim. The K380’s unusual round keys can take some getting used to, and the keyboard lacks backlighting and the operating-system-specific layouts you’ll find on our upgrade picks, but those amenities aren’t available on other keyboards in this price range either.

If the K380 is sold out, we recommend waiting for a restock—it’s that much better than the competition in its price range. If you need something right away, however, our upgrade or full-size options below may fit your needs.

If you spend all day typing and need a wireless keyboard, consider Logitech’s Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboards (for Mac and Windows). Our top picks for several years, these two models have long been the gold standard for Bluetooth keyboards because of their smooth, well-spaced keys, their adjustable key backlighting, their platform-specific layouts for Mac and Windows, and their ability to switch instantly between multiple paired devices. But we don’t recommend them for most people because they’re expensive. Unless you need backlighting or a platform-specific layout, we think the K380 is about 80 percent as good for just 40 percent of the price.

If you need a keyboard with a built-in number pad or want to connect to a computer or device without Bluetooth, we suggest the Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard. The K780 also comes with Logitech’s Unifying wireless USB dongle, but it is otherwise very similar to the K380—offering the same round keys, multidevice Bluetooth pairing, and estimated two years of battery life. It adds a number pad and a built-in stand for smartphones and tablets, too. It shares some of the K380’s flaws, however, as it lacks backlighting and isn’t available in Windows- or Mac-specific layouts.

Who this is for

Wireless and Bluetooth keyboards can help you declutter your desk, type more comfortably on your phone or tablet, or use a computer or TV streaming box from your couch without running a cable across the room.

Traditional wireless keyboards, or RF (radio frequency) keyboards, typically include a small USB dongle that you need to plug into your computer for them to work. Historically they’ve been cheaper than Bluetooth keyboards, and they’re easier to set up since you don’t need to pair the keyboard to your computer as you do with a Bluetooth keyboard; they may also be a better fit for older laptops or desktops that don’t support the Bluetooth standard. But that dongle takes up a USB port, and you have no easy way to use these keyboards with phones or tablets. And most wireless keyboards these days have clunky, outdated designs that offer an inferior typing experience. All of our picks, therefore, are Bluetooth keyboards—but we have a pick that supports both Bluetooth and traditional RF wireless, if that’s what you require.

For most people, the Bluetooth standard is a better option. Desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, smart TVs, and streaming boxes all use Bluetooth, and some Bluetooth keyboards can switch easily between multiple devices without requiring you to re-pair them. Bluetooth keyboards used to be more expensive than their wireless counterparts, but they’re getting cheaper all the time, and most manufacturers are focused on making Bluetooth keyboards rather than wireless models—that means more choices and higher-quality keyboards.

If you’re looking for wireless ergonomic keyboards, consult our ergonomic keyboards guide.

How we picked

Just a few of the keyboards we’ve tested over the years.

For this guide, we spoke to experts with more than a decade of combined experience testing and reviewing Bluetooth and wireless keyboards to find out what makes a great one. Over the past two years, we’ve tested more than 30 keyboards—a group condensed from a list of more than 60 keyboards that were worth considering. We tested each keyboard by using it for at least a day of heavy work involving lots and lots (and lots!) of typing. After that, we spent much more time using each of our picks for work.

Easy pairing/no dropped signals: At this point, Bluetooth and wireless keyboards should have very few to no problems related to pairing or to dropped signals. They should also have as little delay as possible when it comes to seeing your keystrokes show up on the screen.

Portability: A portable keyboard needs to strike a balance between compactness and ergonomics. It should be small and light, but it should not cram three or more functions onto a single key or be too cramped for you to type normally. Some people may never take their Bluetooth or wireless keyboard anywhere—it might solely be a desk keyboard. But if you want to bring a keyboard with you, it should be easy to tote around, and it should be sturdy enough that dropping it shouldn’t cause you to panic. A design or cover that protects the keys is ideal but not necessarily required.

Battery life: Most modern Bluetooth and wireless keyboards offer long battery life, but they still have differences in this regard. A keyboard can use built-in rechargeable batteries or swappable batteries, and each kind has its advantages. Built-in batteries don’t need replacing and create less waste, but they can be recharged only a finite number of times—though any decent keyboard battery should last years before expiring completely. Many newer keyboards with built-in batteries will last for months on one charge, at least. With swappable batteries, you don’t have to replace the keyboard until it’s falling apart, but you do need to carry spare batteries or buy disposable batteries periodically (rechargeable AA and AAA batteries may come in handy here).

Logitech’s K380 is light enough, sturdy enough, and cheap enough to remain our favorite Bluetooth keyboard.

After outperforming a number of newer keyboards in our latest comparisons, the Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard remains our top pick. The comfortable, compact, and inexpensive K380 can switch between up to three paired devices and has battery life that (Logitech claims) you can measure in years. It’s similar in design and function to our long-standing previous picks, the Easy-Switch K8and K811, but it has round, shallower keys and lacks backlighting. Despite those flaws, we think the K380 is about 80 percent as good as the Easy-Switch models for 40 percent of the cost.

The K380 is a little thicker than our upgrade picks, the Logitech Easy-Switch K8and K811, but it’s still a good size for picking up and carrying around.

The K380 is a little thicker than our upgrade picks, the Logitech Easy-Switch K8and K811, but it’s still a good size for picking up and carrying around.

The Logitech K380 measures 10.inches wide, 4.inches deep, and 0.inch thick, and it weighs 1ounces; it isn’t too large or heavy to slip in a bag and take with you. The K380’s slight slope isn’t ergonomically great for your wrists—flat would be ideal—but the angle is not as steep as on most keyboards, and it isn’t uncomfortable to use for long typing sessions.

The round keys are springy and satisfying to type on. Each key is slightly concave—except for the keys in the top and bottom rows, which are convex—so they’re more comfortable than flat slabs. The Logitech K380 is comfortable and responsive enough for most people’s typing needs, but if you type a lot you should consider the K8or K81instead. The K380’s keys sound snappy and provide gratifying audible feedback, but they aren’t so loud or clacky as to disturb another person in the same room.

Even with round keys, the K380 doesn’t feel cramped or uncomfortable.

The Logitech K380’s keys are all where they ought to be and don’t feel cramped, but the round shape leaves larger gaps between the keys than a traditional, square shape would. In our tests, getting used to the key shape took a little time, but after a brief period of acclimating ourselves to the keyboard, we were able to use it without issue. The K380’s textured plastic coating doesn’t feel cheap and doesn’t amass hand oils.

The biggest advantage the K380 has over most Bluetooth keyboards is its lengthy battery life. The K380 runs on two included AAA batteries, and Logitech told us it would last for about two years of heavy use (defined as eight hours of use a day, five days a week). We haven’t been able to test the limits of that claim, but our K380 is still going strong after more than a year of daily work and entertainment. This result compares favorably with what we’ve experienced with our upgrade picks, which have lasted about three weeks on a full charge whether the backlight is in use or not. You can recharge the K8and K81via USB and use them when they’re charging, but the K380’s impressive battery life is a huge advantage.

The K380 can easily switch between up to three paired devices.

One of the K380’s best features is that it lets you pair it with up to three devices and switch to any of those instantly with the push of a button. (Our upgrade and ergonomic picks also do this.) So if you wanted to, you could use the K380 to start typing an email on your computer, switch to your smartphone to send a quick text message, switch to your Apple TV to change your background entertainment, and then swap back to your computer to finish up that email. Few keyboards do this well (most can pair with only one device at a time), and our picks are the only models that combine this convenience with comfortable, responsive keys. It also supports Logitech’s Flow software, which when used with a compatible Logitech mouse lets you hop between multiple computers on the same network (you can even copy and paste or drag and drop files from one machine to another) as you move your mouse from screen to screen.

The Logitech K380 comes with a one-year limited warranty; Logitech will repair, replace, or give you a refund if your keyboard is defective.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Logitech K380 lacks a couple of features that our upgrade picks provide. First, the K380 isn’t available in different layouts for Windows and Mac, instead offering a one-size-fits-all layout. Some of the keys do different things depending on which platform you’re using it with, but you might find functions in unfamiliar places. For example, the K380 places Ctrl in the bottom-left corner with Fn immediately to the right, which is traditional for Windows keyboards but backward for Macs. This limitation is not a dealbreaker for most people, but if you can’t stand the K380’s layout, you should upgrade to the Mac-specific K811.

As we mention above, the K380 has round keys that take some getting used to. Most of our testers were up and running at full typing speed after an hour or so (some even sooner), but we would have preferred traditional, square keys. The round keys have less surface area and leave large gaps that make it easier to miss the keys if you’re touch-typing.

The K380 also lacks a built-in number pad. That’s a bummer for people who have to input a lot of numbers, but not everyone needs this feature, and the added weight and bulk wouldn’t be worth it for most owners. Our full-size keyboard pick, the Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard, includes a number pad and has a layout very similar to that of the K380.

Long-term test notes

Kimber Streams has used the K380 for work nearly every day (when they haven’t been testing other keyboards and laptops) for about a year and a half, typing hundreds of thousands of words on it and traveling with it a few times a month. Aside from normal wear and tear—namely shiny spots worn into the most frequently used keys—the K380 works just as well as on the day it arrived. And the battery hasn’t died yet.

Logitech’s Easy-Switch keyboards have separate Mac and Windows layouts.

What to look forward to

Logitech announced the Craft, a keyboard with a customizable “creative input dial.” At launch, there are only built-in integrations for seven apps—Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and InDesign on both macOS and Windows, and Microsoft Office on Windows only—but you can customize the dial for other apps on your computer. If you’re using the brush tool in Photoshop, tapping the top of the dial will bring up options for size, hardness, opacity, and flow; tapping the side will click through to what option you want; and turning the dial will activate what you’ve selected (e.g., changing the brush size). In PowerPoint, you can edit text boxes and charts through the same procedure, and in Chrome, turning the dial will scroll between tabs. The Craft, which can be used with Bluetooth, Logitech’s Unifying Receiver, or a USB-C cable, is due for release in October, and we’ll compare it with our full-size pick, the Logitech K780, then.

The competition

Although the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 lets you switch between multiple paired devices with a dial, the keyboard is huge and heavy—it weighs 1.pounds, nearly double our top pick—and its large, clacky, plasticky keys make it feel more like a Fisher-Price toy than a quality keyboard.

The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard folds in half for easy portability, and it can connect to two devices at once. But the large gap down the middle is disruptive to some typists, and it’s too expensive.

The Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard has larger, less-cramped keys than Microsoft’s Universal Mobile model, but it’s heavier and less convenient to store in a bag.

The Logitech Tablet Keyboard is really affordable, but it has miserably small key spacing, and many shortcuts (such as the volume and music controls) require hitting a secondary key.

Compared with the Logitech K780, the Microsoft Designer Bluetooth Desktop has keys that are less comfortable; it’s also compatible with fewer operating systems, and it doesn’t let you pair with and switch between multiple devices.

Sources

The dimensions of your next keyboard are probably the most ordinary choice, but they are also determinant. Not all the keyboards have the same dimensions. There are standard ones, also called full size, and the mini models, used for portable devices or Smart TVs.

A keyboard can be tenkeyless, so without the numerical section. They offer the same user experience of the full sizes but occupying less space on your desk. Well, you have to choose your next keyboard depending on how you want to use that and how much space you have.

When you decide to buy a new keyboard pay attention to the layout. The layout is the key disposition within the keyboard. The nomenclature of the layout is established by the first three keys of the alphabet. The most common layout is the QWERTY because the first keys on the left side are these: Q-W-E-R-T-Y.

But there are also keyboards with a different layout. For example, in Germany, people also used QWERTZ, while in France AZERTY. Obviously, the keying requires experience and a good knowledge of the layout. So, if you want to key fast choose a layout you already know.

As already anticipated, in the last years, the mechanical keyboards are the most widespread. These are keyboards that use a single mechanical switch for every key, giving some advantages regarding the precision and assurance of pressure. They are preferred by video gamers and, for this reason, can be cataloged as gaming keyboards.

This category usually works with custom RGB backlight keys (with different colors and effects), but this is not only an aesthetic problem. The mechanical keyboards are perfect but they are enormously more expensive than the classical PBT keyboards. Actually, the first keyboards were mechanical but then they opted for PBT ones for the inferior cost of production.

Trackpad e programmable keys

The keyboards can be integrated with tracking systems, like a trackpad or a trackball. These devices aim is to move the cursor on the screen as they were a mouse.

In addition, there are many models of keyboards that have extra keys and programmable keys. With these ones you can manage the music playing, apps, set backlight modes or play sequential action to fasten your work or your video games performances.

Other features

There are also other features to consider for your next keyboard. After these, we can move on the list of the best keyboard that can fit your needs.

The last feature to take into consideration is the power source. The USB keyboards use the energy that comes from the ports, while the for the wireless ones is more complicated. Some models simply use AA/AAA batteries, while others can have more sophisticated solutions, like the rechargeable batteries. We suggest these last models, although are more expensive.

Logitech MK520

Logitech MK520 is another kit composed of mouse and keyboard that can reach a range of meters. It has a round shape in the inferior part and works thanks to a wireless technology of 2.GHz. It is connected to the computer through a receptacle, so you have to verify the compatibility if you want to connect it to your TV. The keyboard also has the numerical side and additional media keys.

Microsoft Designer Bluetooth

The Microsoft Designer Bluetooth is another wireless keyboard, but with a Bluetooth 4.0 protocol to communicate with the system. With its modern and minimal design, it can also count on the numerical side. The mouse that Microsoft provides uses two AAA batteries, as the keyboard does. The battery life for the keyboard is 1months, while for the mouse.

Logitech MK270 Kit

If you want an ergonomic and top quality keyboard, Logitech always deserves to be considered. The Logitech MK270 is an excellent device, sold with a mouse kit. This is a full-size model, so it integrates the numerical side as well. It has fast choice keys, while the connectivity technology has a range of meters. The declared battery duration is 2and 1months respectively for keyboard and mouse.

Logitech K780

Thanks to its dimensions, the Logitech K780 can be used as a support for portable devices to write long texts. I can connect through Bluetooth or a wireless technology, guaranteeing a wide compatibility. The keys are extremely practical and simplify the typing process. In addition, they are enormously silent. In the package, you can find two AAA batteries and the keyboard can be used immediately after you have unpacked it.

Logitech K810

The Logitech K810 is a wireless keyboard with integrated backlight for keys. It connects to PC, tablet or Smart TV via Bluetooth. It is finished with aluminum that makes it really elegant in every situation. This model is fueled by lithium batteries that can be recharged and can offer a huge operative autonomy while working.

Logitech Wireless Solar K750

The Logitech Wireless Solar K750 has a unique design and functionalities. In fact, this model has solar panels in the upside surface, above the keys. The singles keys adopt a concave design that improves the typing capability, reducing mistakes. The whole body is only 8mm thick. The system connection is via wireless with a 2.GHz technology, that works with a receptacle.

Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2

Another keyboard projected by Razer is the Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 that works with the same switches of the previous model. In addition, this model has an ergonomic design for the wrist to have more comfort during gaming sessions. It supports keys rollover in the gaming mode and implements an RGB backlight with support of 16.million of colors. It is also possible to set different features among Razer Chroma devices and the keys are completely programable.

Cooler Master Masterkeys PRO L RGB

The  Cooler Master Masterkeys PRO L RGB can count on Cherry MX Brown mechanical switches, backlighted by RGB technology. The USB cable has a golden connector for a faster response and reactivity. The Fn functions keys can be customized. This is a model thought mainly for gamers but not only for them. The Cherry MX Brown keys are perfect for video games, but they are equally practical to write long texts.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Word

First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.

Most important, have fun and choose your keyboard for smart tv wisely! Good luck!

So, TOP3 of keyboard for smart tv

• №1 — Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
• №2 — CHONCHOW Wireless Keyboard Mouse Touchpad Combo 2.4G Portable Mini Compact Full Keyboard with Numpad for Laptop Mac Tablet Desktop PC Computer Raspberry PI 2 Smart TV
• №3 — Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse