Is Logitech facing competition? It seems so!
If you own a wireless keyboard with a touchpad for controlling your PC from afar, it’s likely a Logitech K400. Framework CEO Nirav Patel is betting you dislike using it and will opt for Framework’s alternative launching later this year.
He claims Logitech’s keyboard is exactly why he’s developing a new one: “It’s that Logitech keyboard that everybody owns and nobody likes,” he said. “Everybody’s got the same keyboard, nobody likes that keyboard, and so we figured we can build a better keyboard.”
Hearing him say this was delightful. Patel, a typically mild-mannered tech exec who avoids public criticism of competitors, is simply being truthful. My own Logitech K400, with its spongy keys and bulky, hollow plastic design, feels like a necessary evil rather than something I enjoy.
I don’t know if Framework’s version will be better. It’s based on the Framework Laptop 12’s keyboard, which my colleague Antonio rated a “C.” I hope to share impressions after the company’s San Francisco event.
So far, I only know what Patel mentioned. The company found no good couch keyboard/touchpads while developing the Framework Desktop, so they’re using the same mechanical parts as the Laptop 12’s inputs, just with a different touch surface size. Framework also plans to release the control board so people can create their own wireless keyboards.
This board uses a “highly power-efficient Nordic nRF54 radio and open source ZMK Firmware” to connect with up to four Bluetooth devices simultaneously, along with a USB-A dongle that tucks into the keyboard’s back, and an optional wired USB-C cable. Framework also designs an expansion card for its laptops (and Framework Desktop) to hold the keyboard dongle flush, not sticking out.
Patel is announcing this early to give developers a chance to build accessories “like mounts for sim rigs.” The company will provide external surface CAD files to assist developers, and the keyboard is set to ship later this year. Pricing is still pending.