For a low-cost alternative to Apple's Magic Keyboard, you'll be happy with Anker's universal Bluetooth keyboard. It uses the Magic Keyboard's scissor mechanism keys, so your typing experience will be very familiar. It doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles, but for the price, it's the perfect alternative. There are lots of on the market. These are specifically for those of you that like the Magic Keyboard's design, but are looking for something slightly different. My personal favorite is the. I love being able to quickly switch between my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This post may contain affiliate links. See our for more details. Mac mini with missing keyboard If you've got a new Mac mini and you've already got a keyboard that works with it, you're sorted. Plug that in and use it forever —or until you start to miss some features that you can get in alternatives like backlighting or a numeric keypad. Or until you wear yours out. Or until you just want a change. Don't underestimate the difference that swapping keyboards makes And definitely don't underestimate the value of a keyboard that you like. Maybe you spend all your time staring at a screen but if you skimp on the keyboard, you'll forever find typing a chore. So given that there are about three issues to consider and then an impossible number of different keyboards to choose from, here's what you need to think about —plus some of our favorites as recommendations. Start with where you'll be typing If you were getting an iMac then you'd be putting the keyboard right in front of the screen. If you were getting a MacBook then, well, you'd have a keyboard built in but there are still reasons to buy alternatives. MacBooks can work with the lid closed, like a flatter Mad mini, for instance. If you want to do that or maybe want to elevate your MacBook on a stand, you're still going to position that external keyboard in front of the machine. ![]() In comparison, people can and many do use their Mac mini on their desk or on a shelf somewhere else. This makes two differences. One is that if your Mac mini is halfway across your office then you're not going to be using a wired keyboard. The odds are, though, that you also just won't be typing on anything all that much. That distant Mac mini is going to be a server more than a machine for general, everyday working. So if that's you, get a cheap wireless keyboard for occasional use. Many of the same would do you for this too. Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard When you're going to be doing a lot of typing work on your Mac mini, however, keep that Mac close and the keyboard closer. Keep it close enough that it doesn't make a difference whether you go for wired or wireless. Wired or wireless Wired keyboards where you directly connect them to your Mac mini have the obvious advantage that they get their power from the machine so you never have to think about recharging them. Plus you never find that the Bluetooth connection has mysteriously dropped. They should also be faster that wireless ever can be yet we defy anyone but a gamer to tell the difference in typing between the two sorts. Mac keyboard shortcuts By pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device. To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. Also, battery power is sufficiently good now that having to recharge every month, every three months or sometimes just every year is a burden we can live with. Consequently our recommendation is that there's nothing in it —unless you're going to be travelling. It's not the most practical thing to take your desktop Mac's keyboard with you wherever you go but you can do it and wireless keyboards will typically work with iOS just as well as they do Mac. Apple Magic Keyboard ($99) is good for travelling because it's small, flat and has an off-switch to stop the battery being run down through accidental jostling in your bag. That off switch doesn't matter on your Mac mini but being flat can be good because arguably it gives a good typing experience. And the smallness is definitely useful on a crowded or messy desk. This keyboard would be the one all others are measured against simply because It's what Apple bundles with the iMac but it's also just very good. We were partial to the which is just a little bigger than Apple's but this is now discontinued and only available at inflated prices by secondhand sellers. Logitech's current closest equivalent is the which is a very good $22 or so. Where you can only pair Apple's keyboard with one device at a time, the K380 can be paired to three. Which means from the same keyboard you can tap a button and be writing on your Mac mini, the iPhone or your iPad. These are both wireless keyboards that come without numeric keypads but you can get similar models that have them.
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March 2019
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