There are a number of things to look out for when picking out a great mechanical keyboard, and a lot of people prioritize the typing feel and sound. However, if you're looking for a fun and aesthetically-pleasing keyboard instead, the Logitech Pop Keys are there. It's been around for a few years now, and the keyboard is still known for its polarizing look, which includes typewriter-style keys and custom emoji keys. Strictly going off the typing experience, the Pop Keys aren't anything special. But the emoji keys were surprisingly useful and the colors "pop," so the Pop Keys might be a good fit for the right user.

About this review: Logitech sent me the Pop Keys for review. It did not have input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Pricing and availability

Logitech released the Pop Keys a few years ago, but they are still widely available at stores like Logitech, Best Buy, and Amazon. The keyboard retails for $100, but you can occasionally find discounts on Pop Keys. At the time of writing, you can get Pop Keys on Amazon for about $80. The keyboard comes in five colorways: Mist (tan and gray), Cosmos (purple), Heartbreaker (pink), Daydream (green and purple), and Blast (black and yellow).

Specs

What I like

The design is great if you like the aesthetic that Pop Keys match

The design of the Pop Keys mechanical keyboard should be the reason that you buy it, plain and simple. If you like how the Pop Keys look, it's worth considering picking up the keyboard. If they aren't appealing to you, it's probably best to pass on this option and check out some of the other great keyboards out there. For what it's worth, the Pop Keys are a perfect match for the aesthetic Logitech is going for. They're bright, fun, and colorful; well, except for my review unit. Logitech sent me the Mist colorway, and I like the gray, tan, and beige colors that it features.

It reminds me of older and retro-style keyboards, like the Lofree Block. The look also fits in with the typewriter-inspired design of the Pop Keys overall. However, I think the Pop Keys look best with a bright and colorful configuration.

The emoji keys are actually — kind of — useful

The second unique thing about the Pop Keys is found on the right side of the keyboard. You get five custom emoji keys, and nine total keycaps that can be used to signify the key bindings. One of those is a shortcut to the emoji drawer, so that leaves you with four direct emoji shortcut keys available. These won't be for everyone, and I'm hesitant to say that you should buy a keyboard just for emoji shortcuts. However, I must say that the custom emoji shortcuts on the Pop Keys were actually useful.

I'm not crazy about emojis, but I do use them fairly often while texting, and I do a surprising amount of texting on my computer. I find that switching to a messaging window in a desktop OS and sending a quick text is far less distracting than pulling out my phone. For this kind of use, the emoji shortcuts actually do make a difference. The problem is, it's a niche need. For this to be a deciding feature, users need to care about emojis enough to want keyboard shortcuts and use emojis on their computers often.

What I don't like

The switches aren't the best, and the function row is a big miss

The typing experience with the Pop Keys was a bit perplexing. Logitech chose a great base for the Pop Keys, with Cherry MX brown clones that are supposed to provide great tactile feedback. However, the Pop Keys might sound the loudest of any keyboard with tactile switches I've ever tried. Compared to my MX Mechanical Wireless review unit, which also features brown switches, the Pop Keys are noticeably louder. Part of the reason for this is the Pop Keys' stability issues. The space bar has a tendency to rattle, and you can feel some wobble in the keycaps.

This all comes back to the circular, typewriter-style keycaps. They're what makes the Pop Keys sound and feel a lot different than they should. You really need to love the Pop Keys' design to accept the compromises that come with circular keycaps.

It's also worth mentioning that the Pop Keys are powered by two AAA batteries, included in the box. It's great that the batteries can keep Pop Keys running for three years on a single pair, but I'd probably prefer a rechargeable battery or at least wired operation support. Separately, the strange function row key bindings rule out the Pop Keys for anyone who uses keyboard commands often. You need to use the Logi Options+ software in order to use the emoji shortcuts, but using that software breaks the OS-level keyboard shortcuts you're used to, at least on macOS.

Should you buy Logitech Pop Keys?

You should buy the Logitech Pop Keys if:

• You want a fun and colorful keyboard that resembles a typewriter
• You want custom emoji keys
• You don't need the absolute best typing experience

You should NOT buy the Logitech Pop Keys if:

• You prioritize the typing experience over a keyboard's looks
• You need a more standard function row and support for OS shortcuts
• You want a keyboard with a rechargeable battery or support for wired use

Logitech's Pop Keys are niche, and only a small subset of mechanical keyboard buyers will want one. There's a big tradeoff with buying the Pop Keys, and that's sacrificing function for form. For some, the flashy design and the emoji shortcuts will be enough to make the Pop Keys worth it. For others, there will be plenty of other mechanical keyboards that would make more sense at $100.