Logitech Craft, put a smile on your dial (review)

Logitech craft

Logitech Craft is a keyboard that puts a smile on your dial – literally. Its dial helps creative workers do more particularly with Adobe software.

Logitech Craft (Australian website here) is a wireless keyboard that gives a good typing experience plus a versatile input dial that adapts to the creative app you are using. It helps to keep you focused and in your creative flow.

Looks – Logitech Craft

It is kind of space age. Carbon grey platform, darker grey island-style chiclet keys, white lettering, smart adaptive edge backlight, a matt stainless steel top bar and a dial on the top left.

The backlighting is controlled by proximity sensors that detect your hands and adapt to room lighting conditions. You can also manually set it.

It is fairly heavy at 960g and quite stable at 32 mm x 430 mm x 149 mm. The platform is slightly angled (not adjustable).

Logitech Craft

Logitech Craft

What is that dial?

The dial, Logitech call it a crown as in a watch, controls multiple functions depending on the app in use. In some respects it is similar to Microsofts Surface Dial – it is an aid for creatives.

For example, in Adobe Photoshop CC you can use it to edit photos and change brightness etc. In Adobe Illustrator CC change stroke weight or pen type. In Microsoft PowerPoint its font sizes and more.

Yes, developers need to integrate the Craft API into their code. But the acceptance of dial or crown input is growing. See a list of compatible apps at the end of this review.

Logitech Craft

Logitech Options

You must install Logitech Options software to use the crown. It shows the different functions for each app and shows what apps later become compatible.

Logitech Options software lets you customise:

  • Change function key shortcuts
  • Customize mouse buttons
  • Adjust point and scroll behaviour
  • Enable and disable touchpad gestures (if you have one)
  • Get on-screen notifications when your device’s battery runs low or when you press a lock key

Typing – better than a MacBook keyboard

It is an island-style, chiclet keyboard – like you find on a MacBook or laptop. The keys are 15mm square and well spaced.

The throw is 1.5mm (good for a laptop-style keyboard), and actuation force is 50g (a little light but better than too heavy).

There is no key bounce giving it a solid feel. The top of each key is concave making every press accurate.

In typing tests, it gave 85% of results using a mechanical key switch Logitech G613 series with a 5mm throw and 60g actuation – perfect.

Logitech Wireless or Bluetooth

It comes with a Logitech Unifying 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle and also connects via Bluetooth LE.

Battery

It uses a 1,500mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged via a USB-C port. It should give many months of office use between charges. Recharge time is about three hours.

Firmware updates are via USB-C, but you cannot use it as a cabled keyboard in this way.

Mac and Windows

Its alt, start, cmd and ctrl keys (Windows) are also mapped for Mac.  Craft can switch between three devices with the touch of a button.

Logitech Craft

You really can’t ask for something to be more compatible.

Price

Sorry, it’s not cheap – quality never is. But for the right user, $299.95 is not bad.

Logitech Craft is available from Logitech online and major retailers.

GadgetGuy’s take – Logitech Craft is perfect for creatives!

If you use apps such as the Adobe Creative range, strongly consider this keyboard for your workstation.

We covered the announcement here.

Pro

  • Logitech quality
  • Rechargeable
  • Bluetooth and Unifying receiver
  • Good typing feel – better than a Macbook
  • Crown adds workflow and productivity options

Cons

  • Limited app support for the crown at present

Ratings

As this is a unique product with no competitors, we will not formally rate it.

List of compatible applications with Crown:

Windows Only:

  • Word
  • PowerPoint
  • Excel 2010, 2013, 2016
  • Adobe Reader DC
  • VLC Media Player

Mac Only:

  • Preview
  • Quicktime
  • Safari

Windows and Mac: Adobe products

  • Photoshop CC
  • Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC
  • Illustrator CC
  • Premiere Pro CC 2017 and above
  • and Spotify