The keyboard is 16.65 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches and weighs 0.97 lbs. Like other Satechi products I'm really glad this comes in space gray to match my iPad. It has a row of function keys to control display.
Here's something a little different..a keyboard designed not for gamers, but for professional Mac users. As somebody who is used to nice clicky mechanical keyboards, I wasn't expecting much. The X3 did, however, surprise me and surpassed my expectations ten-fold.
Satechi Aluminum Bluetooth Keyboard
- Products like the Satechi Aluminum Bluetooth Keyboard grant us a peek at the Apple that could be—in this case, an Apple that remains enamored with space gray aluminum but also committed to.
- The Satechi Compact Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard is a great option of Mac users on a budget and it doesn't take up the whole desk. I love the fact it can be shared between three devices and all.
No Mac No Cry
Let me be honest with you.. I do not have a Mac. I would never dream of owning a Mac. The image I have of Mac users in my head is of pretentious hipsters who just want to be different. That said, you have to admire the beauty of Apple's devices. I could never get used to the software, but the hardware itself is something to behold. This keyboard manages to capture this beauty well, all whilst not being an official Apple product, so that I can maintain my pretentious façade of 'never owning an Apple device'.
More important than it's beauty, however, is the way it performs. I've been using this keyboard at work for a few weeks now, and it fits like an old pair of shoes. Immediately, I could pick this up and type away, very rarely mistyping. Hell, even my colleagues at work seem to love this thing. I've been using this on a Windows machine, as you may have guessed, and there is almost no disadvantage to this, despite Satechi claiming that the X3 is 'designed for Mac devices'. To be honest, the best way I could describe the typing experience would be 'a very good laptop keyboard', as in, good enough to be better than the average desktop keyboard, but not nearly as solid as a great mechanical one.
Build-wise, I think it's probably the most solid keyboard I've ever owned, or even used. This thing is made out of aluminium, making it feel heavy and substantial. The only flaw I can find here is that there are no built in 'feet' like you'd expect on almost any other keyboard. Instead, the box comes with some stick-on rubber domes, but this isn't quite as nice as feet that fold in and out.
Windows Caveats
There are a few caveats you have to keep in mind if you are using this on a Windows machine. Just a couple, really, really minor ones. The first is that, I cannot get alt codes to work. It's very rare I actually need these, but I do like to cram a cheeky em dash here and there in my emails. Secondly, (and I really am nitpicking here), is that the cable provided is USB C to USB C. A lot of PCs will not have this port, so you may need to find one of your USB-A to USB-C to charge or connect this in wired mode.
Overall, I cannot fault this keyboard. The only nit-picks I have are in a niche case that Satechi does not recommend in the first place, and I'm still having a great experience. And, if it makes you Mac users out there feel any better, my Mac-a-holic colleague at work loved this thing.
Satechi Keyboard Driver
Last year, Apple released new Mac computers powered by the company's own M1 processors. Not only are there new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, but a new Mac mini desktop too. I am fascinated by the new Apple Silicon processors, so last week, I bought my very own Mac mini. Guess what? It is a phenomenal computer that I love very much so far.
Let me be honest with you.. I do not have a Mac. I would never dream of owning a Mac. The image I have of Mac users in my head is of pretentious hipsters who just want to be different. That said, you have to admire the beauty of Apple's devices. I could never get used to the software, but the hardware itself is something to behold. This keyboard manages to capture this beauty well, all whilst not being an official Apple product, so that I can maintain my pretentious façade of 'never owning an Apple device'.
More important than it's beauty, however, is the way it performs. I've been using this keyboard at work for a few weeks now, and it fits like an old pair of shoes. Immediately, I could pick this up and type away, very rarely mistyping. Hell, even my colleagues at work seem to love this thing. I've been using this on a Windows machine, as you may have guessed, and there is almost no disadvantage to this, despite Satechi claiming that the X3 is 'designed for Mac devices'. To be honest, the best way I could describe the typing experience would be 'a very good laptop keyboard', as in, good enough to be better than the average desktop keyboard, but not nearly as solid as a great mechanical one.
Build-wise, I think it's probably the most solid keyboard I've ever owned, or even used. This thing is made out of aluminium, making it feel heavy and substantial. The only flaw I can find here is that there are no built in 'feet' like you'd expect on almost any other keyboard. Instead, the box comes with some stick-on rubber domes, but this isn't quite as nice as feet that fold in and out.
Windows Caveats
There are a few caveats you have to keep in mind if you are using this on a Windows machine. Just a couple, really, really minor ones. The first is that, I cannot get alt codes to work. It's very rare I actually need these, but I do like to cram a cheeky em dash here and there in my emails. Secondly, (and I really am nitpicking here), is that the cable provided is USB C to USB C. A lot of PCs will not have this port, so you may need to find one of your USB-A to USB-C to charge or connect this in wired mode.
Overall, I cannot fault this keyboard. The only nit-picks I have are in a niche case that Satechi does not recommend in the first place, and I'm still having a great experience. And, if it makes you Mac users out there feel any better, my Mac-a-holic colleague at work loved this thing.
Satechi Keyboard Driver
Last year, Apple released new Mac computers powered by the company's own M1 processors. Not only are there new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, but a new Mac mini desktop too. I am fascinated by the new Apple Silicon processors, so last week, I bought my very own Mac mini. Guess what? It is a phenomenal computer that I love very much so far.
The problem with the Mac mini, however, is it doesn't come with a keyboard or mouse. This is by design, as Apple hopes Windows users will replace their current desktops with the little Mac -- simply reusing existing keyboards, mice, and monitors. Unfortunately, a Windows keyboard is not ideal for a Mac. Will it work? Yes, but it doesn't have the exact same keys, such as 'COMMAND.' And so, Mac mini buyers would be wise to buy a Mac keyboard.
Apple sells some great keyboards, but like many of that company's products, they are very overpriced. Thankfully, other companies make Mac keyboards too. Today, Satechi launches four such keyboards, all of which have backlit keys. There are two (called 'X1') without number pads (one is wired and one wireless) and two (called 'X3') with number pads (one is wired and the other wireless). The wired keyboards use USB-C, while the wireless models use Bluetooth.
Satechi Bluetooth Keypad
Which keyboard should you choose? Well, that depends. There are reports that Mac mini computers have issues with Bluetooth keyboards, so you might want to opt for one of the USB-C variants. If you do decide to go the wired route, you will have to choose between the X3 with its number pad and the X1 without it. I personally never use a number pad -- and prefer the smaller desk footprint -- so I would go with the wired X1 all things considered.
Of course, these new keyboards aren't only a Mac affair -- they can be used with iPads too. Satechi thought of this as well, as it is also launching the Aluminum Desktop Stand for iPad today. Mov to flv converter mac free. This stand essentially turns the iPad into makeshift all-in-one computer when a keyboard is introduced. It can also be used as a monitor with the macOS Sidecar feature.
Satechi explains, 'The stand provides a hands-free solution to elevate tablets for optimal viewing. The adjustable 180° mount and 135° base hinges give users the ability to adjust their iPad to a preferred height and angle perfect for video calls or surfing the web. The space gray aluminum finish and protective grip padding complement Apple devices, while keeping them safe from slips and scratches. Also collapsible and compact, the Aluminum Desktop Stand can create a workspace anywhere.'
If you are interested in buying any of these products, you can use the links below. Prices for each is listed next to each product. For a limited time, you can use code WFH20 to get 20 percent off your order.
Please note:Some of the above links may be affiliate links, meaning we, or our writers, may receive payment if you purchase one of these items (or other items) after clicking on them.
