INTRODUCTION

   How many times have you accidentally spilled water or soda on your precious keyboard? Well i can't speak on behalf of everyone out there but it has happened to me more than just once and unfortunately most keyboards out there if not all of them offer nothing to counter the effects of something like that. So if you are lucky enough to just spill water on your keyboard chances are that it will still keep working after you dry it but if you are unlucky enough to spill soda then ingredients like sugar and citric acid will definitely ruin it or at the very least put you through lots of trouble cleaning it. Well with the latest k310 washable keyboard Logitech just might have the ideal solution to such incidents and naturally we just had to take it for a spin.

   Logitech was founded in 1981 at Apples, Switzerland and the first device they conjured was the mouse which provided a more intuitive way of interacting with computers. Since those early days they have expanded their expertise in product design beyond the computer mouse, with a broad portfolio of interface devices that are the “last inch” between you and your computer or your console game, digital music or home-entertainment system. With products sold in almost every country in the world, Logitech’s leadership in innovation now encompasses a wide variety of personal peripherals (both cordless and corded), with special emphasis on products for PC navigation, gaming, Internet communications, digital music and home-entertainment control. For each of their product categories they study how our customers use their digital devices and their our designers and engineers set their sights on how they can create a better experience with those devices – richer, more comfortable, more fun, more productive, more convenient, more delightful. Focused on innovation and quality, Logitech designs personal peripherals to help people enjoy a better experience with the digital world.

   If you are looking around for an impressive feature-rich gaming keyboard then just by looking at the k310 washable keyboard you can easily see that it's certainly not the one you're looking for since it just looks like yet another one of the countless mini keyboards that are available in the market today mainly for HTPC use with sole difference being that it's wired and as the name clearly states water proof (up to 30cm) thanks to Logitechs new rubberdome key technology. Of course the water-proof feature can come in very handy and i bet that it's something we've all wished our gaming keyboards had i know i have on many occasions and that's also why i would expect Logitech to release a gaming keyboard with that feature. However the k310 Washable Keyboard might just be the start of that trend and our main goal in this review is to see exactly how durable and water proof it really is.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Just like the keyboard itself the box is very plain and at the front has a couple of product pictures (one showcasing the washable feature), the Logitech logo and the keyboard layout language.

The product features list and the bundle contents list are placed at the rear in 4 languages right next to 3 product pictures.

Aside the k310 washable keyboard you are also getting a setup guide, important information booklet and an rather tiny brush to help you clean hard to reach spots (beneath the keys mostly).

THE K310

Although the k310 is indeed a small keyboard still its layout is the usual one with 105 keys.

The Logitech logo along with the Num/caps/scroll lock LEDs are placed on the left upper corner.

F1 through F4 also double as home/email/search/calculator shortcut hotkeys.

On the other hand from F5 and up to F11 Logitech has placed the media control hotkeys while F12 also doubles as a PC sleep key.

The bottom/belly of the k310 is painted blue and has two legs.

At the bottom there's also a space where you can mount the brush along with keyboard cleaning instructions.

The 8 degrees tilt legs raise the k310 by almost 2cm.

To see just how thin the k310 is (19mm) i placed it right next to an 9mm 2.5" HDD.

Logitech launched the k310 as a washable keyboard but i was more interested in its water proofing capabilities so i placed it under 10-15cm of water for almost 30 minutes (had to use a battery to keep it down since it floats).

CONCLUSION

   The very first thought that crossed my mind when Logitech send us their news release about the launch date of the K310 was that i didn't really expect that and the reason is that in the end we are still talking about just a small and light water-resistant wired keyboard that really offers nothing else. I mean how many people use mini wired keyboards that they either fear might stop working if they drop water on them or would like them to be easier to clean/wash? On the other hand is this not something enthusiasts and gamers alike think about all the time since they tend to drop a lot more money for gaming keyboards and naturally none wish to have them ruined by water or a soda? However the introduction of the k310 washable keyboard means that we are one step closer to seeing washable water resistant gaming keyboards and that's very good news. That aside there aren't many thing one can say about the k310, it's small, light, water resistant and quite durable but unfortunately although it worked fine when using our small file server for daily tasks i can't say the same about typing long documents since it doesn't offer good feedback and the keys are way too soft (that however comes down to personal preference).

   Aside being water proof the k310 washable keyboard by Logitech has another great feature and that's its price since currently it's set at USD29.99 inside the USA (Purchase Directly from Amazon.com) and at 34Euros inside the EU (Purchase Directly from Amazon.co.uk). Granted the price could be even less but let's not forget that we are talking about a Logitech product and not an OEM one so build quality and of course warranty are also large factors that determine the price of a product. Personally i don't really like wireless keyboards (at least in their current state) so the k310 has found a place right next to our small file server (meaning right next to several soda cans) and since this will probably be the father of all washable gaming keyboards to follow we are happy to award it with our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Water Resistant
- Design
- Size
- Price

CONS

- Plain 105 Keys Keyboard