Recommend a wireless keyboard mouse combo (single dongle)

almoststew1990

almoststew1990

almoststew1990

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I work from home a lot and I currently have a pretty ancient Microsoft 3050 keyboard and mouse set. It has one dongle for mouse and keyboard and I like this because I switch it between my work laptop and gaming PC every day and having one dongle makes this easy.

Considering I'm using this keyboard and mouse all day I want get a nice wireless keyboard and mouse set that uses a single dongle. It doesn't need to be "gaming" or RGB but ideally I would like a mechanical keyboard. Overclockers doesn't seem to have much selection as usually a kbm wireless combo is the cheaper option...

So far I have come across the Logitech MK850 and MK710 and both seem nice I guess but is there anything else out there?
 
As I see it you have two main options. You can stick with 2.4GHz wireless or you can go Bluetooth.

2.4GHz is what Logitech use for their most basic peripherals and their better Unifying receiver peripherals. Then they have Bolt which appears to be Bluetooth or at least the receivers are Bluetooth compatible.

Logitech make a range of multi-device peripherals - look for keyboards that end on 80 so 380, 580, 780 etc. are all multi-device and have buttons on the keyboard to switch between 2 or three computers.

Pretty much every laptop has Bluetooth so you plug the Uniying or Bolt dongle into your main PC and use the keyboard and mouse with that and Bluetooth with your laptop.

As far as I’m aware the only multi-device mechanical keyboard that Logitech sell is the MX Mechanical Keyboard which is quite pricey at £160 but it is a mechanical keyboard.

If yiu go to Logitech’s website and filter the keyboards and mice based on ‘multi-device’ there is quite a bit of choice (albeit not cheap).

If you add a £10 Bluetooth dongle to your main PC (assuming it doesn’t have it already) then many, many more manufacturers offer wireless multi-device keyboard and mouse solutions. I have an Apple Magic Keyboard and Mouse that works in this way and that’s not mechanical so may not suit you and hopefully it gives you the idea.
 
almoststew1990 said:
I work from home a lot and I currently have a pretty ancient Microsoft 3050 keyboard and mouse set. It has one dongle for mouse and keyboard and I like this because I switch it between my work laptop and gaming PC every day and having one dongle makes this easy.

Considering I'm using this keyboard and mouse all day I want get a nice wireless keyboard and mouse set that uses a single dongle. It doesn't need to be "gaming" or RGB but ideally I would like a mechanical keyboard. Overclockers doesn't seem to have much selection as usually a kbm wireless combo is the cheaper option...

So far I have come across the Logitech MK850 and MK710 and both seem nice I guess but is there anything else out there?
Click to expand...
Bit later here - single dongle basically takes you down three options:
Bluetooth, your laptop/desktop might have this built in or you can grab a dongle.
Microsoft matched usb dongle
Logitech universal usb dongle(s).

Having used all three options, I'd probably say go with logitech. In some cases they also support bluetooth but most of the mice and keyboards can support being connected to more than one device and can be switched by a button or in some cases flow.

In the case of the MK850 you have 2 ways of setting it up, option 1 is bluetooth on laptop and usb dongle on desktop, option 2 is buying a second 'unifying reciever' (dongle) and then connecting that on a different button (1,2,3)... either way would save you needing to keep unplugging each time. MK710 is just option 2. Benefit with logitech is you could then buy say a 'better' mouse at a later date and just swap it over or if you'd prefer now you could buy the kb/mouse as individual items as long as they support the same unifying receivers (there's 2 options now...).

Can't comment on their mechanical keyboards though.
 
If you had a USB hub for your dongle(s), you could use two dongles but move the hub over between systems, then you get the convenice of unplugging one thing and using only one port but without the restriction of specifically needing one dongle.
 
It turned out that my wireless logi mechanical keyboard I already had has bluetooth and 2.4GHz support so now I just switch modes on the keyboard. the laptops built in bluetooth connects fine and leave the dongle in my main PC. Saved me buying a new keyboard!
 
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