Wrecked by Keyboards: The Logitech Wave Review
An autistic writer’s review of the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Lift Mouse — what works, what doesn’t, and why this combo might be the most user-friendly setup for neurodivergent minds.
Written By Sesilie Shea Karrick
A Neurodivergent’s Quest for a Desk Setup That Doesn’t Mutiny
The Treasures: Why the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Lift Mouse Work
I am a writer, autistic, and work at a call center, where I need to take notes fast. These three facts may account for my slight fascination with keyboards. Who am I kidding? I don’t have slight fascinations. Either I am completely obsessed with something, or I have no interest in it at all. There is no middle ground.
Who am I kidding? I don’t have slight fascinations.
I started working from home two years ago, and my quest for the perfect desktop setup began. I’ve tried all kinds of keyboards and mice.
I’ve tried different types of keys:
Scissor Switch: This is a low-profile version of mechanical switches. It uses plastic pieces to stabilize the keys. One notable example is Apple keyboards.
Mechanical — A type of key that uses mechanical switches under each key. These keys are customizable. Users choose switches to match their preferences. These preferences include responsiveness, audible clicking sounds, and tactile feel.
Membrane: A type of key that uses pressure pads instead of mechanical switches. We use these keys in most low-budget keyboards found in offices and schools.
I’ve tried different types of keyboards:
Split — A keyboard divided into separate halves.
Ortholinear — A type of keyboard with keys in a uniform grid. This is a deviation from the standard staggered keyboard layout on most keyboards.
I’ve tried different types of mice:
Trackpads: A rectangular pad where you control the computer’s cursor using your fingers.
Trackballs: A pointing device where you move the computer cursor by spinning the ball.
Low Profile — A type of mouse with a reduced height and flatter shape compared to standard mice.
Throughout this expensive quest, I have learned a few things about keyboards and mice. My latest setup is the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Logitech Lift mouse. I have been using this setup for the last few months. I will share what I like and dislike about it, and deliver my final verdict. Is this the setup for me?
This isn’t a technical review, and I won’t share any technical specifications. You can find that information in any other review. This review will focus on things users care about. It will include my thoughts on setup, customization, and ergonomics. If you are looking for a review that tells you about the daily use of this setup, this is the one for you.
Cramp-Free Cruising: Ergonomics
My goal when starting this ideal desktop setup was ergonomics. My mother was recovering from having surgery on both her hands. She suffered from carpal tunnel in both hands. The pain was so intense that it would keep her up at night, sobbing. — And my mother is a stranger to pain. She had two children, has rheumatoid arthritis, and suffers from herniated discs in her back.
If carpel tunnel came for my mother, there was no way it wasn’t coming for me.
She never had a desk job or spent much time on devices. Still, she ended up with carpal tunnel. Meanwhile, I spend my days on the computer, typing notes from the calls I take. After work, I spend my evenings writing. This time is for preparing my writing portfolio and journaling. If carpal tunnel came for my mother, there was no way it wasn’t coming for me one day.
Ergonomics drew me to the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Logitech Lift Mouse. The keyboard has a curved shape that conforms to your hand’s natural position and a wrist pad.
The membrane keys use scissor-style switches with raised keycaps, offering tactile feedback without the low profile of Apple keyboards or the loud clicks of mechanical ones.
The result is a pleasant typing experience. Users can feel when they press a key, which I have found not to be the case on the more low-profile keyboards like Apple keyboards. Additionally, it doesn’t have the loud clicking sound of mechanical keyboards. I spent years chasing keyboards with the audible click. After my diagnosis, I realized the loud clicking keyboards distracted me from my work. This keyboard eliminates a distraction from my workflow that I didn’t even know I had.
This keyboard eliminates a distraction from my workflow I didn’t even know I had.
The Lift Mouse is the true revelation; instead of placing your hand flat on top of the mouse like standard mice, with this mouse, your hand curves around the mouse. This position is more comfortable. The right and left click buttons are already placed underneath your fingertips. No longer do I flex my fingers to reach the buttons.
The mouse also has a scrolling wheel between the left and right click buttons. There are two buttons on the side, which the user can customize.
Since switching to this setup, my wrist and joint pain have vanished. The comfort is just right, without any overcompensation. Unlike other ergonomic keyboards that tend to overdo it, this setup strikes the perfect balance, ensuring both comfort and functionality.
Split keyboard manufacturers market themselves as ergonomic. Yet, the tilting mechanisms distracted me from work. I became obsessed with finding the perfect angle, fiddling with the tilt all day.
Ortholinear keyboards may have been comfortable, but the learning curve was steep. I’d typed on a staggered keyboard layout my entire life.
Switching to a grid keyboard meant weeks of adjusting. I was typing like a grandma learning to text for the first time. The period for adapting to the keyboard never ends. Every time I switched back to a traditional keyboard, it was like learning to walk again.
The Logitech Wave Keyboard and Lift Mouse nail ergonomics without sacrificing function. The setup is inherently ergonomic, requiring no adjustments or learning curve. As an autistic writer, I often struggle with change. But this setup makes my workday easier on my body, without any added stress.
Pick Your Poison: Plug and Play or Bluetooth
With the keyboard and mouse, setup is a snap. This setup is wireless, unlike split keyboards, which come with three separate cords. With both devices, the user can choose between Bluetooth and plug-and-play.
With the Logi Bolt receiver, a USB that plugs into a USB-A port, the user plugs the receiver into the computer port. I appreciate that the Logi Bolt Receiver can pair with the mouse and keyboard. This means you don’t have to use up multiple USB ports for each device. Six Logitech devices can pair with one receiver, which is a major advantage for those who use computers with limited ports. This feature also reduces the clutter of multiple receivers, making it a convenient and space-saving solution.
After plugging the receiver into a USB port, the keyboard and mouse may pair with new devices. But if the devices don’t pair, you can pair them to the receiver. The user must download Logi Options+ and select Add a new device. Follow the prompts to add the keyboard and mouse as devices connected to the receiver.
Once the user adds the devices, the user can start using the mouse and keyboard immediately. Users can also dive into customization features using the Logi Options+ software. I will get into the customization options and LogiOptions+ in the next section.
Bluetooth is another more versatile option for pairing devices to your computer. Logitech has amplified the convenience of these devices. The keyboard and mouse can pair with three devices at once, and users can switch between the three devices with a click of a button.
The feature I use the most is Easy-switch. I switch between my work computer, my personal computer, and my phone throughout the day.
The pairing setup offered by Logitech offers the best of both worlds. The receiver provides a more reliable connection with stronger encryption. For users who need to jump from their personal computer to their work computer with no hassle, Bluetooth is the way to go.
Personalize or Perish: Customization and Logi Option+
Another thing that Logitech gets right is customization. Logi Options+ is the customization software. Users can download the software onto their Mac or Windows computer using the link below.
This software is both powerful and user-friendly. Users can do the following: remap keys, change the functions of mouse buttons, and set up app shortcuts.
Yet there are limits to what Logitech will let you customize: the F4 through F12, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down buttons. I have tried keyboards that let you remap every key on the keyboard. This limitation is for your own good. When I could remap every key, I had to print a map of my keys and what each one meant. It was supposed to make me more productive, but all it did was confuse and slow me down.
The Logitech Lift Mouse is where this software shines. With the software, you can customize the two side buttons, the scroll, and the DPI button. Users must download the software on all their devices for their changes to work on every device. Thank the Tech Gods. My Logitech Options+ is one of the approved applications for where I work.
At work, I copy and paste account numbers, confirmation numbers, and dates frequently. Logi Options+ allowed me to change the two side buttons to a copy-and-paste button, simplifying my workflow. I also changed the DPI button to Command M. This is the keyboard shortcut I have set for Snag It (on my work computer) and for Cleanshot (the screen capture software I use on my personal Mac).
The scroll button both scrolls and undoes my last action. The screenshot below shows how my mouse buttons are set up.
The Triggers: Why the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Lift Mouse Don’t Work
While others remember to complete tasks. I struggle to remember chores and keep track of the writing projects I am working on. I have taken up all my available brain space. I’ve been working full time, studying for an exam, and trying to pivot into a content writer career. Housework, important dates, and ordering groceries started slipping through the cracks.
I made my own as I have always done when systems don’t work for me. With this software and one press of a button, I can open Notion. This allows me to check on things I need to complete, projects I’m working on, or track my time at work.
I customized F5 to open the Hemingway Editor, software that flags complex sentences and passive voice in your writing. I mapped the home key to open the calculator, as you never know when you will need one. Bills, how I loathe you! Other changes I made include changing End to Refresh, Page Up for Search, and Page Down to put my computer to sleep.
I have always struggled to remember keyboard shortcuts. Switching between my Windows work computer and my personal Mac computer complicates this. Rote memorization has never been one of my strengths. Logitech Options+ allows me to customize my tools to remember the shortcuts.
In the Year of Our Lord 2025… It Takes AA Batteries: Power Source
One thing I miss about other keyboards I have tried is the power source. With wired keyboards, you never have to worry about running out of juice. Even with most wireless keyboards, companies provide a charging cable.
Remembering to charge my devices is one more thing I forget. So I always left my wireless keyboards and mouse plugged in. It kind of defeats the purpose of wireless, but I know my limitations. I can’t remember to plug in my phone, and I have searched the house for my glasses, which are already on my face.
While remembering to charge devices is a hassle, Logitech has made things worse. This is the era of AI and smart cars, but Logitech chose to power these devices with AA batteries. Call me dramatic, but it hurts to even type the words.
I had to create a Notion Database to run my life.
As if life weren’t complicated enough, Logitech expects me to remember to check the batteries in my keyboard and mouse. If by some miracle, I remember to check the batteries. If the batteries in my devices are dead, I hope I have batteries to replace them. So now, I must remember to buy batteries. Sure, I can’t remember to replace the paper towel roll when I run out of paper towels. Yet magically, I’ll remember to replace the batteries in my keyboard and mouse.
It’s not like I’m Autistic. It’s not like I had to create a Notion database to run my life. A database I called The Autism Survival Kit. All so I can remember to take the trash out.
Prepare to Capsize: Button Placement
Let’s talk buttons. Yes, I can customize some of the keys to simplify your workflow. Yes, the keys are tactile without making so much noise that I get distracted. Yes, I can switch between devices with a click of a button.
On the keyboard, switching to another device is as simple as ordering something you don’t need on Amazon. F1 connects your first device, which in my case is my personal computer. F2 connects your second device, which in my case is my phone. F3 connects to your third device, which in my case is my work computer.
It is not as convenient with the mouse. The button for switching between devices is on the bottom of the mouse. Anytime you want to change devices, you must turn the mouse over. After the user turns over the mouse, there is another irritating step. They must hit the single button until a light appears beneath the device they want to connect to.
Whenever I turn over the mouse to reach that ridiculous button, I grit my teeth, cursing Logitech.
Despite all the customization options, there’s no way to remap the device-switch button. It’s a small inconvenience — but one that grates every time I flip the mouse over. I thought it wouldn’t bother me. I was wrong. Whenever I turn over the mouse to reach that ridiculous button, I grit my teeth, cursing Logitech. Was this designed with the user in mind? Who thought it was?
Yet, I must concede that this may not bother everyone as much as it bothers me.
The Verdict: Worth the Gold or Toss It Overboard?
Would I recommend the Logitech Wave Keyboard and Logitech Lift Mouse? Yes, I would, despite my frustration at the placement of certain buttons — buttons I will not name for my own sanity. Despite the fact that it is powered by AA batteries, the positives outweigh the negatives.
I would have sold on the ergonomics alone. Even without the customization and Easy-Switch features, I can’t deny the device’s comfort. These three features combined make me not regret my decision to buy this keyboard. Unfortunately, that is not a statement I can make about other keyboards I’ve bought, keyboards that had a much higher price tag.
The world was not made for us, but this keyboard might be.
This keyboard is a gold mine for the neurodivergent. Neurodivergents will value the customization. Its ability to work with their brains and workflows will simplify their lives. They will value the feel and quiet sound of the keyboard keys. Finally, they will value the mouse. The comfortable grip will be a nice change from other mouse grips. The world was not made for us, but this keyboard might be.
