Quick verdict: Buy the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID if you use one Apple silicon Mac and want fingerprint login, a compact footprint, and a battery you rarely think about. Buy the Logitech MX Keys S if you switch between several computers, want a number pad, or type in dim rooms and need backlit keys. Both are slim, quiet, low-profile keyboards; the choice comes down to Touch ID versus flexibility.
- Type
- Low-profile scissor
- Bluetooth
- Layout
- Full-size
- Compact
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth + Logi Bolt
- —
- Pairing
- 3 devices
- —
- Charging
- USB-C
- USB-C
- Auth
- —
- Touch ID
- Battery
- —
- ~1 month+
- Quiet, precise low-profile scissor keys
- Pairs 3 devices, Logitech Flow support
- Backlight wakes as your hands approach
- Not mechanical — shallow key travel
- Battery drops fast with backlight on
- Touch ID for secure one-tap login
- Crisp scissor keys, slim profile
- USB-C charging, ~1-month battery
- Touch ID requires a Mac with Apple silicon
- No backlighting
The Core Difference: Touch ID vs Multi-Device Flexibility#
The Magic Keyboard's headline feature is the Touch ID sensor in the top-right corner. Apple designed it for fast, secure authentication, so you can unlock your Mac, approve logins, and fill passwords with a fingertip instead of typing them. If your Mac sits closed in a dock or under a monitor, that is a genuinely useful upgrade, because the built-in sensor on a MacBook is out of reach. Note that Touch ID requires a Mac with Apple silicon; on an older Intel Mac you lose the feature that defines this keyboard.
The MX Keys S has no fingerprint reader. What it offers instead is reach: it pairs with up to three devices and switches between them at the press of a key, using either Bluetooth Low Energy or the included Logi Bolt USB receiver. Logitech lists support for Windows, macOS, Linux, and other platforms, so the same keyboard can drive a work laptop, a personal Mac, and a tablet. If your desk has more than one computer on it, that matters more than Touch ID.
Layout and Typing Feel#
Both keyboards use low-profile scissor-style keys, so neither is a mechanical keyboard and both feel closer to a laptop than to a desktop board with tall keycaps.
The MX Keys S is a full-size layout with a number pad. Logitech shapes each key with a spherical dish that cradles your fingertip, and describes the result as a fast, precise, and quieter typing experience. It also sits at a slight built-in angle that Logitech says is better for wrist posture. The trade-off is width: a full-size board pushes your mouse farther from center.
The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is a compact layout with no number pad, which keeps your mouse closer to your body and takes up less desk space. Apple describes the typing as comfortable and precise, and its flat, thin profile matches the look of a MacBook keyboard. If you enter a lot of numbers, the lack of a keypad is the main thing you give up.
Backlighting and Battery Life#
This is where the two keyboards pull furthest apart. The MX Keys S has backlit keys that light up as your hands approach and adjust to the light in the room, with extra lighting options in the Logi Options+ app. The Magic Keyboard has no backlighting at all, so in a dark room you are typing by touch.
Backlighting costs battery. Logitech rates the MX Keys S at about 10 days per charge with the backlight on, and much longer with it switched off. Apple rates the Magic Keyboard at about a month or more between charges. Both recharge over USB-C, so neither needs disposable batteries, but the MX Keys S will need the cable noticeably more often if you leave the lights on.
Setup and Mac Integration#
The Magic Keyboard pairs automatically with your Mac: connect it once with the included woven USB-C cable and it is ready to use, with Apple's own key labels and media keys already in place.
The MX Keys S takes a little more setup but gives you more control. Through the Logi Options+ app you can create Smart Actions, which chain several steps into a single keystroke, and customize the backlight. Without the app, it still works as a standard Bluetooth keyboard.
Who Should Buy Which#
Choose the Logitech MX Keys S if you:
- Use two or three computers and want to switch between them from one keyboard
- Need a number pad for spreadsheets or data entry
- Work in dim rooms and want backlit keys
Choose the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID if you:
- Use a single Mac with Apple silicon, especially one that sits closed in a dock
- Want fingerprint login and password autofill at your desk
- Prefer a compact keyboard that keeps your mouse closer
Frequently Asked Questions#
Does the Logitech MX Keys S work well with a Mac?#
Yes. Logitech lists macOS among its supported systems, and the keyboard connects to a Mac over Bluetooth or the included Logi Bolt receiver. Installing the Logi Options+ app on the Mac unlocks Smart Actions shortcuts and backlight settings. The one Mac feature it cannot offer is Touch ID.
Does the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID work with Intel Macs?#
Touch ID on this keyboard requires a Mac with Apple silicon, which is how Apple labels it. If you have an Intel Mac, the fingerprint sensor will not work, so the MX Keys S or a Magic Keyboard without Touch ID is the more sensible purchase.
Which keyboard has a backlight?#
Only the MX Keys S. Its keys light up as your hands approach and adapt to the brightness of the room. The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID has no backlighting.
Which keyboard lasts longer on a charge?#
The Magic Keyboard. Apple rates it at about a month or more between charges, while Logitech rates the MX Keys S at about 10 days with the backlight on. Turning the MX Keys S backlight off extends its battery life considerably.
The Verdict#
For a single Apple silicon Mac, especially a desktop setup or a closed MacBook, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is the more Mac-native choice: fingerprint login, automatic pairing, a compact footprint, and a month-plus battery. The MX Keys S is the better keyboard for everyone else, thanks to its backlit keys, full-size layout with a number pad, and three-device switching across Mac, Windows, and Linux. Decide whether Touch ID or flexibility matters more to you, and see our full keyboard reviews for more options.
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