After years of abuse, my Logitech UltraX keyboard decided to die and forced me to find a replacement. As I always have been Logitech man when keyboards and mice are concerned (despite those few years in 90s, when I enjoyed Cherry keyboard) and I was really really pleased with UltraX keyboard, I went on a quest to find a replacement.

Rules were simple. Get me a wired keyboard, which will feel pleasant and be comfortable for typing. If that meant it came with notebook-like thin keys, that much better. Thus, I checked Logitech web site for UltraX newest model. There just got to be one. Right? Wrong. UltraX is dead for some time and what replaces it apparently is Logitech Illuminated Keyboard, which is a sad news for anyone that thinks illuminated keyboard is plain annoying and waste of electricity. I spent enormous efforts to find a computer case that does not look like a Christmas tree when powered on, and I definitely don’t want my keyboard to glow in the dark. I am sure, there is an option to turn it off, but what is the point of buying a back-lit keyboard, if you are not using the back-light option?

Thus, I went to check other available options. Logitech listed me a vast catalog of four corded keyboards:

  • Washable Keyboard K310
  • G710
  • G19
  • Keyboard K120.

 

I do enjoy an occasional game, but I am far from being a true gamer, so, G19 and G710 were scrapped there and then, which left me with either illuminated keyboard, washable K310 or a standard K120. I don’t know about you, but in 27 years of tinkering with computers, I have yet to spill a single drop of beverage on my keyboard. Thus, all I was left with was K120.

Sure, there are more choices, if I would go wireless. However, if experience with wireless keyboards thought me anything, it thought me that wireless mouse or keyboard would drain their batteries in most inappropriate moment. Preferably on Sunday night when all stores are closed, with work due on Monday. So, sorry, but I am not going down that path ever again.

Now, back to K120. It cost me a whopping 10 EUR and I was worried that it would fall in “you get what you paid for” category. However, I was pleasantly surprised by plain look, feel and comfort of typing. There are two problems with this keyboard. One is that it’s cable is too short and thus, I need an extension to reach my pc case. Secon is it’s loudness. I don’t know how loud UltraX one was when it was brand new, but this one is definitely louder. So, off I went and downloaded a decibel meter app for my Windows Phone to measure the approximate noise level. With only my computer turned on, my home computer area has 35.5 dB of noise on average and peaks to 37.6 dB. Bloody Intel box fan! I then did a test while typing this article and the meter measured 49.9 dB on average of which peak was at 53,1 dB.

Thus, my keyboard, combined with my not so quiet PC, makes a noise of a quite suburban conversation.

Now, let’s see what that means in practice.