You might have seen my previous post referencing my desire for a new HTPC input device and how it might have been the Koribo. Well, I finally found a keyboard/pointing device combo that struck my fancy in the Logitech K400. In fact the K400 even looks like a pared down version of the Koribo. I had narrowed my list down to a handful of products, including the K400, and saw it was ~$27 at a ‘local’ Wal-Mart and decide to pull the trigger. It is usually listed anywhere from $30-$40 that I have seen online, so it was deal as well as the whole instant gratification factor.
What it has to beat…
The K400 is replacing the wireless keyboard & mouse that came bundled with the HP Pavilion Elite that serves as my HTPC/Living room gaming rig. I have suffered with using a full size keyboard and mouse with my set-up for over three years now, so any device that is remotely tailored to couch surfing should be an improvement.
Does it measure up?
Yes! Even more than having both input devices in one, I really appreciate the smaller package. After finally getting my Roku2 programmed into my Logitech Harmony One remote, I am down to just having the One, K400, and a PS3 controller on my small coffee table. I am not going to bother going into depth about keystroke performance or touchpad responsiveness, as this device is not designed to meet any demands other than just working. That said the few bonus features that the K400 have are a welcome addition. The volume controls work with my Windows 7 install (the HP’s media controls never worked with Win7, but did with Vista). The two-finger scrolling works fine. The precision on the touchpad is pretty good and I have no problems hitting the smallest of interface elements. While the keyboard is a little claustrophobic, it is more than adequate for entering URL’s and the odd network address when my media server acts up. You don’t buy this kind of device for composing novels as some reviewers on some of the shopping sites I frequent did.
But LargeGeek, Is it for me?
If you are looking for a decent wireless keyboard & mouse combo for a HTPC or other low input demand machine, the K400 is for you. If typing performance or pointer precision is imperative for any reason, you should have never ended up with the K400 on your radar, silly.
An Update Nobody Asked For
As of February 2018 there is still no beating the K400 for a living room environment. We are on our second one and was almost on our third, but it survived the coffee just fine after a quick disassembly.
Links ‘n such:
Fun-fact: You might wonder why local above was in quotes. Local around here is a relative term, as I live in small town Texas and have to drive at least half an hour in any direction to hit civilization. I’ll debate the term civilization with you another time.