By Rob Starr

The Logitech Slim Combo MK470 is a mouse and keyboard combo with a minimalist design. The Qwerty keyboard is laid out in the same traditional way that keeps typing keys familiar, and also boasts scissor switches, the interlocking technology commonly found in laptops. It’s compact but has a number pad and 12 FN shortcuts. Everything is available here that’s found on larger keyboards.

One noticeable difference is the Logitech Slim Combo MK470 is 9cm shorter than its Microsoft counterpart.

But a smaller size doesn’t mean a compromised battery life. The keyboard can get up to 36 months. The mouse will run up to 18 months without changing batteries.

Wireless range

It’s easy to overlook the fundamentals when shopping for this kind of tech. Case in point: Something like an unreliable wireless connection can cost you in downtime and lost revenue. The Logitech Unifying receiver connects both the mouse and keyboard with one USB port. There’s a range of 10m.

This combo has been tweaked for noise reduction. Click noise has been reduced over 90 per cent in comparison to the previous Logitech M170 model. And the new mouse can be used by either the left or right hand.

Out of the box

The Logitech Slim Combo MK470 comes ready to work out of the box. There is no software installation required and it’s compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and 8. The mouse weighs only 100g. It operates with a High Precision Optical Tracking technology and sensor resolution that is 1000 dpi. Other specifications include the keyboard weight at 558g with the batteries. The Logitech Nano Receiver is the technology used in the keyboard.

There’s a one-year hardware warranty on the combo and high precision optical tracking.

The bottom line

The Logitech Slim Combo MK470 is a good mouse and keyboard combination for most enterprise needs. The company has been supplying reliable business tech for years now, and its latest mouse and keyboard combo is affordable at CA$60. The Logitech Unifying receiver means there’s no need for two receivers. If there’s a drawback, it has to do with the compact size and attending layout. A few of the tabs like “Delete” and “Inset” in particular have been shifted to the top row from the right of the Enter button. Still, that shouldn’t stop small businesses from buying these for their workplaces.