Microsoft actually gives you more extra hot keys than Logitech does, but we prefer the Logitech layout because it moves the hot keys below the space bar, thus making them more natural to use. If you prefer quantity over quality, Microsoft wins with 19 extra keys to Logitech's 10, but we find it worth asking whether you'll actually use those extra keys. Both keyboards have a hot key assigned to launch Windows' Calculator, a feature we appreciate in both cases.
Our other major criticism of Microsoft's desktop set is that the molded plastic keyboard and USB IR receiver feel thicker than they need to be. Unlike the trim Logitech keyboard, which lies flat, a bulge on the underside of the Microsoft keyboard gives it a slight upward curve. We're not sure why this needs to be there.
Logitech is perhaps second only to Apple in its lean, appealing product design, so we're not surprised to find ourselves favoring the feel of its desktop set over Microsoft's. We'll admit our preference for the feel of the Logitech keyboard is a bit subjective, but Microsoft's giant skipping rock of an IR receiver is proof that its design philosophy needs updating. Compared with the slick-looking Logitech receiver, Microsoft's looks like a relic from 1993.
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