Logitech DiNovo Edge Rechargeable Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac review: Logitech DiNovo Edge Rechargeable Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac

Aside from a few extra keys, there's very little about the Mac edition of high-end Logitech's diNovo Edge keyboard that's different from the Windows-based original. It remains one of the best-looking, and most expensive, keyboards around. We like the feel of its typing action, too, but at $159 the diNovo Edge Mac Edition is hard to justify. We also wish Logitech had done a more complete job refining its touch-sensitive features. If you have a particular dislike for your Mac's keyboard, the diNovo Edge may provide a satisfactory replacement. But while it's both an attractive and a responsive typing device, even design snobs may find that the diNovo Edge doesn't distance itself enough from Apple's own hardware, especially for the price.

A few features about the Mac Edition of the diNovo Edge set it apart from the original version. First, it comes with the Mac-specific keys you'd expect it to, including the disc eject, and Control, Option, and Command keys. You also get special keys for putting your Mac to sleep and for opening up Front Row, Apple's media-browsing application. A cluster of media keys on the left edge mimics the buttons on the Apple Remote, and the touch pad and touch-sensitive volume control slider on the right side will look familiar if you recall the first diNovo Edge. Logitech's configuration software works better for refining the touch-pad sensitivity this time around, but the volume slider is still maddeningly clunky. You need to move your finger several times along the slider to adjust the volume across its full range. We'd much prefer it took only one stroke.

Because all new Macs now ship with built-in Bluetooth receivers, the diNovo Edge no longer comes with a separate USB dongle. Instead, you simply turn it on and pair the keyboard with your Mac via Apple's built-in Bluetooth matching software. Our iMac found the keyboard easily enough. In addition to letting you customize the touch-pad sensitivity, Logitech's own configuration software also gives you some control over the F-keys' secondary functions.

Whether the glossy black and silver diNovo Edge complements Apple's system design is probably up for debate. The newer iMac keyboard is more visually appealing than your typical Windows PC's default keyboard, so we'd argue that the diNovo Edge provides less of an aesthetic upgrade to Apple's systems. The recharging capability is also a definite plus, but the clunky charging base station won't park underneath the iMac's screen, which means more desk clutter.

What you will appreciate about the diNovo Edge, regardless of your design philosophy, is the responsiveness of its keys. Logitech boasts of a PerfectStroke key design that blends characteristics of both laptop and desktop keyboards in terms of key travel and key responsiveness. We found the typing experience was indeed satisfying, especially because its keys are spaced out well. The keys on the default Apple keyboard feel as if they're too far apart from each other, although that keyboard is also miles better than half the Windows keyboards we see. That's really the chief problem facing the diNovo Edge for Macs. In the Windows world, it's a supermodel among cavemen. But in Apple's league, the competition is much more advanced. That makes the diNovo Edge, and its high price tag, a harder sell.