Can You Recommend a Cordless Keyboard and Mouse?

Yes, but not exactly.

Tired of keyboards that fail too soon or slow you down? I’ll share what I think matters when choosing a keyboard and mouse, what I do, and why “wireless” may not be your friend.
an individual typing/pounding hard on a computer keyboard
(Image: Gemini)
Question: Do you have any suggestions on a cordless keyboard and mouse that is under $100?? I can’t even believe how many keyboards I have gone through that wind up slowing me down and then stop working, particularly the space bar and shift key with capitalizing.

Maybe.

I’ll share two approaches to keyboard and mouse selection — and why at least one aspect of your request is something I’d advise you to avoid.

TL;DR:

A good keyboard

Good keyboards don’t have to be expensive. Gaming keyboards are often stronger and last longer, even for everyday typing. Another option is to buy simple, low-cost keyboards and replace them when they wear out. I now prefer wired keyboards and mice, since wireless ones often have small but annoying problems.

Gaming keyboards

Good, solid keyboards exist. Look for those labelled as “gaming” keyboards in particular. They’re typically built more solidly because gamers tend to be harder on their hardware.

As an example, I’m currently typing on a Redragon S101-3 PRO Gaming Keyboard. It’s got a good feel and seems solid enough.

These keyboards often include additional features or appearances (mine has constantly shifting color) that don’t appeal to non-gamers, but the improved resiliency can make it worth it. They also often have software to customize the keyboard (or those colors), but that’s unimportant if all you need is the basic keyboard functionality.

Ask Leo! is Ad-Free!
Help keep it going by becoming a Patron.

Going cheap

My alternate approach is to go inexpensive. I might buy an inexpensive keyboard with the expectation that it’ll have problems sooner, and thus expect to replace it more frequently.

I generally have a few Amazon Basics keyboards around. They’re cheap spares to have on hand in case something breaks. They’re also fine keyboards to use regularly, assuming the feel of the keyboard is to your liking. They tend to be “softer” than some of the higher-end keyboards, and I know keystroke feel is important to some.

The issue, of course, is that more frequent replacement means greater e-waste.

Wired, please

I’ve stopped recommending wireless keyboards and mice.

In my experience, wireless connections are often a source of more problems and frustration than the convenience warrants.

Once I switched back to wired connections for both keyboard and mouse, a variety of random and annoying issues went away. That doesn’t solve specific key problems, such as the space bar issue you mentioned, but it resolved several intermittent and frustrating issues. It’s unlikely I’ll ever bother with wireless for my primary machine again. There’s just no compelling reason.

If you do stick with wireless, my recommendations above still apply: gaming keyboards and mice tend to be more resilient.

Do this

I’ve included specific links above to a couple of candidates, but as always, they are a snapshot in time and represent my personal preferences1. Rather than focusing on those specific items, use them as examples for the kinds of keyboards you might be interested in trying for yourself.

Use that keyboard to subscribe to Confident Computing! Less frustration and more confidence, solutions, answers, and tips in your inbox every week.

Podcast audio

Play

Footnotes & References

1: For example, keystroke feel doesn’t matter nearly as much to me as it does to some.

4 comments on “Can You Recommend a Cordless Keyboard and Mouse?”

  1. I’ve had good experiences using Logitech keyboards and mice. My current keyboard is a Logitech Signature K650, which can use either a USB receiver or Bluetooth to connect wirelessly. I’ve found the USB receiver to be more reliable than using Bluetooth.

    I do keep a wired keyboard and mouse around for infrequent use, such as setting up a new machine or reinstalling Windows.

    Reply
    • logitech is the worst brand one could ever purchase. i had a logitech wireless mouse and keybord. after about a month whatever i clicked on what was under it it clicked too. the mouse would sleep as soon as i stopped using it. no, i would never buy another logitech accessory again

      Reply
    • I agree. I’ve used Logitech wireless keyboards and mice and have been quite happy with them. I buy them as a set, so they only use one USB dongle.

      I mainly went with wireless because I was traveling with my laptop quite a bit and wireless made it easier to pack up and go. But I don’t travel as much as I used to, so I might consider a docking station along with a wired keyboard and mouse in the future.

      Reply
  2. I thought you were going to mention security (kepress stealing, perhaps capturing passwords) as a reason not to use Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless. I’ve found references saying that Bluetooth is secure, but after using wired exclusively, forever, I can’t help but think of security issues with using any wireless protocol.

    Reply

Leave a reply:

Before commenting please:

  • Read the article.
  • Comment on the article.
  • No personal information.
  • No spam.

Comments violating those rules will be removed. Comments that don't add value will be removed, including off-topic or content-free comments, or comments that look even a little bit like spam. All comments containing links and certain keywords will be moderated before publication.

I want comments to be valuable for everyone, including those who come later and take the time to read.