Comparisons and Concluding Remarks
Coming to the business end of the review, we have to take into consideration that the four keyboards reviewed in the preceding pages all target different price points and usage scenarios within the HTPC market. While the PERIBOARD-706 PLUS is a trackball keyboard, the other three provide touchpads. Personally, I prefer touchpad keyboards for HTPC use, but I can see users opting for trackball-based units given the advantage in terms of keyboard size. Some users believe that a backlit keyboard is a necessity for their HTPC setup and are quite willing to pay the premium for that. The Logitech K830 targets that niche.
The table below summarizes and compares the various aspects of all the wireless keyboard / trackball / touchpad combinations that we have reviewed so far.
| Keyboard Bench | ||
| Aspect | Logitech K830 | |
| Device Type | Keyboard + 2-button Touchpad | Keyboard + 2-button Touchpad |
| Dimensions | 14.40" x 4.90" x 0.65" | 16.14" x 5.71" x 1.02" |
| Weight | 1.09 lbs / 495 g | 1.12 lbs / 507 g |
| Power Source | Internal rechargeable battery | 2x AA |
| Communication | 2.4 GHz RF | 2.4 GHz RF |
| Power Saver | Explicit On/Off Switch | Explicit On/Off Switch |
| Keys Count | 79 + 3 volume control keys | 85 (with 11 multiplexed multimedia hotkeys) |
| Touchpad Dimensions (Diagonal) | 3.7" | 3.66" |
| USB Receiver Storage Compartment | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | No |
| Keyboard Layout | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Ergonomics | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| MSRP (USD) | $99.99 | $24.99 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
As evident from the table above, it is difficult to declare one particular unit as the best HTPC interfacing option out there. All of the presented units could do with an upgrade to operation in the 5 GHz band. Backlighting and internal rechargeable batteries carry a huge premium. Thankfully, almost all of the above options carry an explicit on/off switch.
In our opinion, the Logitech K400 presents the best balance of price, keyboard layout, ergonomics and build quality for HTPC purposes. It is not for everyone, though. Readers interested in a particular feature can use the above table to narrow down their choices and see how they compare to the other options.
Moving forward, we are looking forward to reviewing more options in this particular niche. If there is any particular model that you would like us to review, please sound off in the comments.
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