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Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID vs Logitech MX Keys S for Mac

This is a documented workflow and desk-fit choice, not a typing-performance test. Apple’s Touch ID function is limited to a Mac with Apple silicon running macOS 15.1 or later; Logitech explicitly documents a button press to switch among up to three Macs and iPads. Use the manufacturers’ listed dimensions to check your desk.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-19

Source checked 2026-10-19 09:46 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Do you want Touch ID on a supported Apple-silicon Mac, Logitech’s documented button-based switching among up to three Apple devices, or a particular listed keyboard footprint?

Apple pairs automatically with a supported Mac and adds Touch ID, while Logitech explicitly documents switching among multiple Macs and iPads. Their manufacturers list different footprints, so desk fit is another concrete check.

Quick verdict

When the recommendation changes
  • If your Mac does not meet Apple’s stated Apple-silicon and macOS requirement, do not choose this Apple model for Touch ID without verifying your setup.
  • If you need a particular multi-host behavior from Apple, verify it with Apple for your devices; this comparison does not treat the absence of a claim as proof the feature is unavailable.
  • Measure the desk area yourself; the manufacturers use different labels for the long side and listed dimensions do not describe typing comfort.

The differences that matter

Authentication And Device Switching

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (USB-C, US English; MJLY4LL/A)

Apple describes Touch ID for authentication on a Mac with Apple silicon running macOS 15.1 or later, and says the keyboard pairs automatically with a Mac. This does not establish multi-host behavior beyond what Apple documents here.[1]

Logitech MX Keys S for Mac (Space Gray; 920-011621)

Logitech says MX Keys S for Mac can pair with multiple Macs and iPads over Bluetooth Low Energy and switch between them at a button press.[2]

What this changes: Choose around the specific workflow: Touch ID on a supported Apple-silicon Mac is the Apple feature; an explicitly documented button-based switch among up to three Apple devices is the Logitech feature. Do not infer that Apple cannot pair with additional hosts from the page’s silence.[1, 2]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Compact And Numeric Layout

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (USB-C, US English; MJLY4LL/A)

Apple lists the Magic Keyboard at 10.98 inches wide and 4.52 inches deep.[1]

Logitech MX Keys S for Mac (Space Gray; 920-011621)

Logitech Support lists the MX Keys S for Mac keyboard at 430 mm long and 132 mm wide. The support page labels the 430 mm side “Length.”[3]

What this changes: Use the listed dimensions to check the space available on your desk. Apple calls its long side Width and Logitech calls the comparable long side Length, so compare the actual footprint rather than assuming the labels match. Logitech points buyers who need a more space-saving option to MX Keys Mini for Mac; that is a different model and is not part of this comparison.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

A supported Apple-silicon Mac user who specifically wants Touch ID authentication from the keyboard

Best fit: Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (USB-C, US English; MJLY4LL/A)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Apple documents Touch ID for this keyboard and states the Apple-silicon/macOS 15.1-or-later requirement. This is a feature match, not a claim about authentication security outcomes.

View Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (USB-C, US English; MJLY4LL/A) on AmazonPaid link

A user who wants an explicitly documented button press to switch among up to three Macs and iPads

Best fit: Logitech MX Keys S for Mac (Space Gray; 920-011621)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Logitech documents pairing with multiple Macs/iPads and push-button switching. This does not establish that the Apple keyboard lacks other host-pairing behavior.

View Logitech MX Keys S for Mac (Space Gray; 920-011621) on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

No dated offer comparison is available here. Any price difference should be weighed against the authentication, device-switching and footprint needs described above; no fixed premium is supported.

No price-history assessment is available, so the evidence here supports no timing signal; compare current offers only after choosing the required workflow.

Limitations

  • No hands-on typing, key-noise, comfort, reliability, battery-runtime or controlled performance test was performed.
  • Apple’s listed Touch ID system requirement is Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 15.1 or later. Confirm your exact host and OS before buying for that feature.
  • Logitech Support lists dimensions for MX Keys S for Mac but labels its long side “Length”; Apple labels its 10.98-inch long side “Width.” Compare the measurements and the available desk area directly.
  • The Logitech support page documents product-family connectivity and dimensions; this comparison does not use it to promise that a USB receiver is included with the exact retail package. No current price or inventory claim is made.

Questions shoppers ask

Does Apple document switching between multiple computers on this page?

Apple says the keyboard pairs automatically with your Mac. Logitech explicitly documents pairing with multiple Macs and iPads and switching between them at a button press. That difference in published documentation does not prove Apple cannot pair with other hosts; check Apple’s guidance for your setup.

Will Touch ID work with any Mac?

Apple specifies a Mac with Apple silicon using macOS 15.1 or later. Check your Mac chip and operating-system version before choosing it for Touch ID.

Which keyboard takes less desk space?

Apple lists 10.98 inches wide by 4.52 inches deep. Logitech lists the MX Keys S for Mac at 430 mm long by 132 mm wide. The long-side labels differ, so compare the actual listed measurements against your desk. Logitech separately points to MX Keys Mini for Mac as its space-saving alternative; that is not the model compared here.

Methodology and sources

Compared the manufacturers’ stated host requirements and authentication/device-switching functions, then compared the listed physical dimensions for desk fit. Product-family support material is scoped to the named MX Keys S for Mac family. No test or inference about unlisted features is used.

AI-assisted research helped find and organize official product information. No keyboard was tested by Pickoryx.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.Magic Keyboard with Touch ID for Mac models with Apple silicon (USB-C) - US EnglishApple · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-19 09:46 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview; Tech Specs: Size and Weight, Connections and Expansion, System Requirements.: Apple identifies the US English USB-C Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, describes Touch ID authentication and automatic Mac pairing, lists Bluetooth/USB-C/wireless connections, gives dimensions of 10.98 × 4.52 inches and weight 0.54 lb, and requires a Mac with Apple silicon running macOS 15.1 or later. Used for documented feature fit and listed footprint only; no typing-quality or security-outcome comparison is claimed.
  2. 2.MX Keys S for Mac Wireless Keyboard | LogitechLogitech US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-19 09:46 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product heading and Space Gray selector; “Mastered for Mac”; “Connect with up to 3 Apple devices.”: The US manufacturer page identifies MX Keys S for Mac in Space Gray; its URL includes part 920-011621. It describes a dedicated Mac key layout and says the keyboard can pair with multiple Macs and iPads over Bluetooth Low Energy and switch between them at a button press. It also points to MX Keys Mini for Mac as the space-saving option. This page is used for named features, not current offer or inventory claims.
  3. 3.Specification - MX Keys S for Mac | Logitech SupportLogitech Support · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-19 09:46 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product Information M/N table; Physical Specifications; General Product Specifications; System Requirements.: Logitech Support page is titled for MX Keys S for Mac and lists keyboard M/N Y-R0073, dimensions 21 × 132 × 430 mm, Bluetooth Low Energy and a 2.4 GHz USB receiver, and OS/platform support at release. The measurements are used only as manufacturer-listed dimensions; the source labels the long side Length, while Apple labels its corresponding measure Width. No claims are made about receiver inclusion in this retail package, current software support, or typing performance.

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