Ergo K860 vs MX Keys S: Which Keyboard Wins?
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Two very different buyers, one very similar brand
These two keyboards share a logo and a Bluetooth receiver, but they're solving different problems. One buyer is a full-time remote worker who types eight hours a day and already feels it in their wrists by Thursday. The other just wants the best flat keyboard they can get under $150, with no existing injury to manage.
If you know which of those people you are, you can skip almost everything below.
Buy the Logitech Ergo K860 if you have diagnosed or suspected RSI, carpal tunnel, or chronic wrist fatigue — the split curved layout creates a measurable reduction in ulnar deviation and forearm pronation that flat keyboards simply cannot replicate.
Buy the Logitech MX Keys S if your wrists are fine and you just want a fast, comfortable, quiet keyboard for long work sessions — it types better, sits flatter, and doesn't require you to relearn your muscle memory.
Skip both if you want mechanical switches or a tenkeyless layout — neither delivers either, and the split-mechanical market has grown enough to offer alternatives worth researching.
At a glance
| Logitech Ergo K860 | Logitech MX Keys S | |
|---|---|---|
| Street price (typical) | ~$149.99 | ~$129.99 |
| Layout | Split curved, full-size with numpad | Flat full-size with numpad |
| Switch type | Membrane (scissor) | Membrane (scissor, spherically dished) |
| Wrist rest | Integrated, padded | Not included |
| Wireless | Bluetooth + Logi Bolt USB | Bluetooth + Logi Bolt USB |
| Multi-device pairing | Up to 3 devices | Up to 3 devices |
| Battery life (claimed) | Up to 2 years (2× AAA) | Up to 10 days (rechargeable, USB-C) |
| Weight | ~1,520 g (3.35 lb) | ~810 g (1.79 lb) |
| Dimensions (approx.) | 460 × 235 × 56 mm | 430 × 132 × 21 mm |
| Ergonomic ROI* | $149.99 for split + wrist rest combo | $129.99 keyboard only (add ~$30–$50 for a separate wrist rest) |
*Ergonomic ROI: The K860 bundles an integrated padded wrist rest; replicating that with an MX Keys S and a comparable third-party wrist rest closes most of the price gap or inverts it.
Logitech Ergo K860
The K860 is Logitech's flagship ergonomic keyboard — a full-size split design with a 5-degree negative tilt, a 4-degree forward slope, and a built-in cushioned palm rest that runs the full width of the board. It's a large, heavy peripheral (460 mm wide, over 1.5 kg) that is not going anywhere once it's on your desk. The split angle forces your hands apart and rotates your wrists outward, which is precisely the geometry that reduces strain in the tendons and forearm muscles most affected by conventional typing posture.
Based on published reviews and long-term owner reports, the ergonomic benefit is real — but there's a consistent adaptation period of one to three weeks before typing speed returns to baseline. The keycaps are membrane-scissor with a light, quiet actuation. Owner feedback on Reddit and Amazon threads flags that the key travel is shallower than some typists prefer, and at 7,951 reviews the aggregate score sits at 4.5★, which is unusually strong for a keyboard in this form factor.
Logitech MX Keys S
The MX Keys S is Logitech's updated premium productivity keyboard — flat, slim (21 mm), and built around spherically dished keycaps that cup each fingertip slightly to improve accuracy and reduce lateral movement. No split, no integrated wrist rest, no ergonomic geometry. What it offers instead is a typing experience that published expert reviews and long-term owner feedback consistently describe as one of the better membrane keyboards available at this price point — confident key feedback, quiet operation, and a well-spaced full-size layout that works well across both Mac and Windows with a simple toggle.
The rechargeable battery (USB-C, up to 10 days with backlight on) is meaningfully more convenient than the K860's AAA battery setup, and at 810 g it moves easily between monitors or bags. At 3,552 reviews and a 4.4★ rating, the MX Keys S has a shorter track record than the K860 but strong early signals. One recurring owner complaint: the backlight's auto-dimming behavior can frustrate users who prefer consistent illumination.
Head-to-head breakdown
Ergonomic geometry — K860 wins decisively
This is the dimension that separates them. The K860's split curved layout physically prevents the wrist positions (ulnar deviation, forearm pronation) that accumulate damage over time. The MX Keys S is a flat rectangular keyboard with spherical keycap dishing — a comfort improvement over a cheap membrane board, but not an ergonomic intervention. If a physician or physio has flagged your posture, the MX Keys S won't solve the problem. The K860 might.
Typing feel — MX Keys S has the edge
Owner reports and expert reviewers consistently favor the MX Keys S for raw typing satisfaction. The spherically dished keycaps give the fingers a landing target; the actuation feels more deliberate than the K860's softer membrane. The K860's keys are fine — quiet and accurate once you're adapted — but this isn't where it wins.
Footprint and portability — MX Keys S wins
The K860 is enormous and stays put. At 460 mm wide and over 1.5 kg, it dominates a desk. The MX Keys S is 430 mm wide, 21 mm thin, and under 900 g — it goes in a bag. If your setup moves between locations, that matters.
Value once you factor in accessories — closer than the price tag suggests
The K860 includes an integrated padded wrist rest. The MX Keys S does not. A decent aftermarket wrist rest runs $30–50. Factoring that in, the actual out-of-pocket gap between a fully equipped MX Keys S setup and the K860 is narrow — and the K860's rest is designed for its specific geometry, which standalone rests won't replicate for a flat board anyway.
Bottom line
The Logitech Ergo K860 and MX Keys S aren't really competing for the same buyer. The K860 is a purpose-built ergonomic tool for people whose wrists are already talking to them — the split layout and integrated rest are the product, not features bolted onto a keyboard. The MX Keys S is the better keyboard for everyone else: lighter, better typing feel, USB-C charging, and a smaller footprint. Buy the K860 to fix a problem. Buy the MX Keys S to avoid creating one.