Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo review
Ergonomics is a word that gets thrown around a lot when we talk about peripherals like a keyboard or mouse – but what does this actually mean? The layout and shape, for starters, should adjust to the body’s natural position, and these devices should be engineered to reduce any strains or pains that might arise from prolonged use.
Logitech is no stranger to incorporating ergonomic design into its long history of products, but the Signature Comfort Plus Combo – a Bluetooth-powered keyboard and mouse set – takes this a step further by putting your comfort front and center. Designed for prolonged use, these chic and sophisticated peripherals introduce additional padding and softer buttons. Functionally, Logitech is also aiming to increase productivity with customizable buttons. But how do these peripherals cope with the daily workplace or home office grind?
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Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo: Unboxing and setup
Open up the rather large rectangular packaging, and you’ll find the keyboard and mouse both tightly and securely fitted side by side, wrapped in a soft white protective fabric. You’ll find some documentation – but that’s it. Both devices are pre-installed with batteries (AAA and AA for the K880 keyboard and M850 L mouse, respectively), and both are designed to be used wirelessly via Bluetooth only – so there is no additional cabling. This is quite surprising, given the additional flexibility USB-C ports might offer if, say, you prefer a wired connection, or there’s something amiss with your Bluetooth.
Nevertheless, we’re happy that setup is thankfully painless. First, switch both devices on using the physical switch, located on the rear right of the keyboard and the base of the mouse. Getting the mouse connected is straightforward – press the button to choose your input, and you’re good to go. Above the navigation keys (Insert, Home, Page Up) on the keyboard, you’ll find physical buttons to switch between inputs. All three have separate LEDs that indicate the status of your connection. Hold one of these buttons down and follow the instructions in the Bluetooth settings menu.
Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Logitech has adopted a standard charcoal-esque Graphite colour for both the keyboard and mouse, although a brighter off-white finish is also available. Both are strong in isolation (with Off White winning out marginally for looking a little more interesting), but it’s important to have the optionality to aesthetically complement the devices you already own. Each has complementary design features; for example, the grooves on the padded palm rest mirror the ridges on the thumb rest on the side of the mouse, and there’s a similar darker tone for the padded regions on both devices.
The keyboard itself is really large – with plenty of room for a full array of keys you’d expect from a conventional full-sized device, including a Function row and a number pad. Each key is slightly indented to cup your finger, with the 3D quadrilateral shape meaning the base of each key is gapless while there’s plenty of room between each surface.
The shape also flows like a wave, rising then falling from left to right, which is great for angling either hand slightly outwardly as you’re typing with it. Beneath the keys, this flowing motion is reflected in the curved palm rest with rows of circular contours running in the opposite direction. It’s a triumphant design scheme overall. There’s also room for the pairing buttons, a customizable function key, and little extras like video conferencing shortcuts. Beneath, there are two kickstands (four degrees and eight degrees) that let you alter the angle depending on what works best for you.
Where we felt the K880 lacked was in the cheapness of the sticker effect of the key labeling, as opposed to a seamless translucent effect that would disguise this. Secondly, there’s no backlighting or underlighting, sadly, so using the peripherals in a darkly lit room may not be such a great idea unless you can touch-type with near-perfect precision.
The M850 L mouse is a small, compact, and simple device with one unusual feature that sets it apart from the crowd: a palm rest. Although the keyboard palm rest makes sense, we weren’t sure there was much of a point in the inclusion of one here, given the plastic feels fairly soft to begin with – and there’s a certain firmness to the palm rest, and you’ll only feel its efficacy if you push down in an unnatural way. In addition to the two main left-click and right-click buttons are a mouse wheel, a function key beneath it, and Forward and Back buttons above the thumb rest.
Incidentally, Logitech says both devices are made from 49% recycled plastics as it strives to incorporate sustainability into its engineering. Despite that, the build quality of both is excellent, and there’s no sense of frailty while you’re using either.
Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo: K880 keyboard
Typing with the K880 keyboard is superb, and we could feel just the right amount of feedback in each keystroke – with enough mid-pitched noise to satisfy those who need audible feedback as well as that sensory punch. Keystrokes are deep, too, for a membrane keyboard, and while it won’t give you the depth of a true mechanical machine, it’s a brilliantly simple setup that means you can touch type for extended periods of time without discomfort or disquiet. The only oddity is that the padded palm rest can warm up, retaining your body heat during usage – but this isn’t excessive and doesn’t spoil the overall typing experience.
There’s one minor grumble, however, which is that the feedback in each key is not consistent; most keys behave the same way when pushed, but a small handful, including the column featuring the Backspace and Enter keys in particular, have muted and understated reactions. This is, perhaps, one casualty of the elevated contour design, but it affects only a small handful of keys in that column arrangement, with the Enter key being the least satisfying to tap.
Using the keyboard itself on a day-to-day basis is made simple and effective thanks to the specific function keys that Logitech has baked into it. The brightness functions, for example, are a nod to the fact you’ll likely be using a laptop for the most part, while the videoconferencing keys – including the mic and camera activation toggles – are useful shortcuts for remote and hybrid workers. We also love the inclusion of functions to control audio volume and playback – important for those who want ultimate control as well as those who love listening to music while they work.
The most useful features, however, are the ways you can customize certain keys. The AI key, for example, can be assigned to your preferred agent, application, or chatbot. The circular action key above the number pad, meanwhile, is a great tool that you can configure to your whim with the Logi Options Plus app. Smart Actions let you perform actions with a single key press, letting you chain different apps, perform specific actions (like AI replying to emails or changing your interface into a focused work mode), or even create new functions yourself. This freedom and flexibility – especially the power to chain together several functions and applications – was a great one-tap way to save ourselves time and get into a groove with a simple automation.
Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo: M850 L mouse
(Image credit: Future)
There’s an elegance in the simplicity of the M850L mouse, but there are still enough interesting details in the design and functionality of this peripheral to feel far from boring and plain. The sharp ergonomic curve on the left, where you place your thumb, for instance, adds to the sense of comfort you get from using this combo, and the device itself is suitable for larger hands despite being relatively compact. The strong grip also makes the mouse feel as if it’s an extension of you as you’re working on a day-to-day basis – giving you precision in every movement.
There’s a little strangeness in that each type of physical key has a completely different physical sensation when you’re using it. The left-click and right-click buttons are muted so heavily, with a quiet click the only indication you’ve used either, beyond the effect on-screen. There’s little force feedback either, which makes for an understated and fuss-free experience – but you may want a little more bite. The Forward and Back keys offer a bit more of a punch, but again, this is on the softer side. You get the same sensation clicking the button below the mouse wheel (which controls cursor speed), and the mouse wheel itself is more akin to a conventional one – with hefty bite and satisfying rubberized grip as you scroll up or down. You can scroll horizontally by tapping either the Forward or Back buttons, then scrolling with the mouse wheel as normal.
Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo: Is it worth it?
Logitech has set out to design a keyboard and mouse set steps beyond simple ergonomics to give you maximum comfort, letting you work for hours on end without pain or strain thanks to a softer and rounder design language and plenty of padding. For the most part, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo is a triumph – and you’ll find yourself not only giving your home office setup, or workplace desk space, a visual boost but a functional one too.
Both devices are expertly crafted and complement each other well from a looks perspective, but the thought that’s gone into functionality and day-to-day usage also pays off tremendously. We are, however, concerned about one or two bugbears that prevent this from being an outstanding proposition – one being inconsistent keystroke sensations down one portion specifically, the lack of backlighting, and the absence of a biting feedback in left- and right-clicking. These minor grumbles aren’t enough to discount what’s otherwise an excellent pair of peripherals.
Available in the UK for £99, it’s on the pricer side when you consider Logitech’s other basic combo sets – the MK250 Compact Bluetooth Wireless Combo is available for £19.99, for example – but given it’s a full-sized keyboard with plenty of productivity-centric customization, as well as the additional comfort and ergonomic elements, we reckon it’s worth every penny
