Logitech MX Mechanical Mini: A Solid Wireless Keyboard, with a Catch

MX Mechanical Mini (Brown Switch). I've been using it since its release date (6/30). To get straight to the conclusion:

• Aside from the physical key layout, it's quite good.
• The Mini (Japanese layout version) has a unique physical key layout, so if you don't have a strong commitment to saving space, the full-size MX Mechanical is a safer bet for programming purposes.
• Even with the Mini, it's generally fine if you tweak the keybindings. It's tough if you don't.
• Nowadays, even within Logitech, wireless mechanical options like the Signature K855 (though only in Red Switch) would be a consideration.

Originally, I used a MacBook for work and a gaming desktop for personal use. Last winter, I switched my personal machine to a gaming laptop, and took the opportunity to switch my wired mouse to the wireless (LogiBolt) M650 and work on reducing cables around my desk.

Following that trend, I introduced the MX Mechanical Mini as a keyboard that supports the same LogiBolt connection as the mouse and allows switching between multiple machines (Win and Mac).

https://twitter.com/oubakiou/status/1542385971995746305

It's very compact, has great battery life, and the typing feel is good (to my liking)—it's full of good points. However, I just can't get used to the unique physical key layout. I tried using it for about three weeks, thinking it was just a matter of adjustment, but there was no sign of it getting better. I think the symptoms vary by person or might not occur at all, but in my case:

• The right Shift key is unusually small. For me, symbols frequently used in programming like <>?_+*{}"" which I usually output using the right Shift, would fail to register—or rather, I'd miss them about 97% of the time.
• I misfire the home/end/pg up/down keys, which are right next to the Enter key, about once an hour.
• I keep hitting the Win key when trying to press left Ctrl+5 (an operation only needed during gaming).

These issues were severe.

Reference image for the right Shift key in US layout

https://twitter.com/oubakiou/status/1549253658742644934

Reference image for the right Shift key in Japanese layout

https://twitter.com/oubakiou/status/1549261953008533504

I'm the type who prefers to use everything—whether it's Vim or a keyboard—in its standard state as much as possible (though I don't actually use Vim), but it's sad to have a keyboard I spent a lot of money on be unusable. So, I tried to improve things by changing the keybindings.

Settings on Mac

I've disabled the keys from the Home key to the Pg Dn key using the standard utility Logi Options+. However, since other key settings cannot be performed through Logi Options+, I use Karabiner-Elements.

• Assigning F13 to "grave accent and tilde" is a setting to map the input mode switch to the Half-width/Full-width key.
• Mapping Cmd to the left Ctrl key.
• Mapping Ctrl to the left Opt key.
• Mapping Ctrl to the right Cmd key as well.
• Mapping Shift to the Up Arrow key (keeping the original Shift key as it is and using the adjacent Up Arrow key as an additional Shift key).

I've configured these settings. Most of them (except for the Shift key expansion) weren't strictly necessary before, but using a single keyboard for both Win and Mac made me more aware of the context-switching cost. I'm now using these settings to unify the operation feel.

Settings on Windows

Just like on Mac, I've disabled the keys from the Home key to the Pg Dn key using the standard utility Logi Options+. For other keys, I change the keybindings by directly editing the registry without using any additional applications.

https://twitter.com/oubakiou/status/1549386306828259328

While the Shift key expansion is the same as on Mac, I've also disabled the Win key to prevent accidental presses.

Physical Improvements

https://twitter.com/oubakiou/status/1549303781388857344

In addition to the originally tiny right Shift key, I also use the Up Arrow key to its right as a Shift key. However, it's still hard to press when the physical keys are split into two, so I cut a plastic plate bought at Daiso and glued them together using Cemedine BBX (a removable adhesive).

The usability is perfectly fine, but the appearance is terrible, so I want to do something about it.

todo
https://shop.dailycraft.jp/products/gravity_keycaps_vlong

Results of Improvements

I am using it with satisfaction and without any particular issues. I do feel a bit of regret that it could have been smoother from the start if only the right Shift key were a normal size. However, its compactness is still a great advantage.