Satechi Slim X1 Bluetooth Keyboard – not bad, but there's a serious firmware issue causing key chatter
After noticing the space bar key on my Apple keyboard was starting to fail, and seeing that a replacement would have cost $250 BBD here in Barbados, I decided to look at third party options. I wanted a keyboard similar to the compact design offered by Apple (i.e. a 75% TKL layout) that is specifically designed for Mac systems.
I came across the Satechi Slim X1 keyboard on Amazon, priced at $70 USD. I already knew that they also had a cheaper wired version, the Satechi Slim W1, but it wasn't in stock on Amazon at the time. So, I went ahead and placed an order for the wireless version, the Slim X1. Now, if you're from Barbados, you'll be thinking... "but wait, wouldn't this be just as expensive due to the shipping and import fees?" Yes, probably, but I also needed to buy something else from Amazon at the same time, and I had a $30 USD gift card to use. Plus, this keyboard is backlit, so even if it turned out to be the same price, I'm still apparently getting better value for money. (Also, since I placed this order, Amazon started offering free delivery on certain items if the order total is over $49 USD – you still have to pay an import fee deposit of course, but the free shipping takes some of the sting out of it, I guess).
It took just over two weeks from the day that I placed the order for the keyboard to arrive. To the best of my knowledge, Amazon uses DHL to fulfil orders bound for Barbados, and thank goodness for that, because DHL are literally the only courier in Barbados that doesn't suck absolute dick. Avoid UPS like the plague – you've been warned.
Bluetooth connectivity
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the Slim X1 keyboard can connect to three separate devices. As you can see in the photo below, there is a bluetooth symbol on the first three keys across the number row:
It's been a while since I first connected the keyboard to my Mac, but I think I just had to hold down the Fn key and the number 1 key for a few seconds to allow the bluetooth keyboard to be discoverable. However, you can also use the keyboard plugged in, without having bluetooth enabled, meaning that you can use the keyboard while it's charging. Speaking of which, the cable is USB-C end-to-end, so if you have one of those newer Macs where Apple removed all the useful I/O except Thunderbolt, you will be able to charge this keyboard without needing a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
It's so fucking annoying that almost every Mac desktop is now sold without USB-A ports, or really any diversity of I/O at all. I have a 27-inch 2017 iMac with all the useful I/O you could possibly need. For the longest time, I refused to upgrade to a newer Mac because of Apple's obsession with removing useful I/O and their dumb decision to kill off the 27-inch iMac (like, for real, Apple?), but this 2017 system is seriously starting to show its age. So, I reluctantly bought a new Mac mini M4 to replace this ageing system, but it really sucks how bare the new Macs are in terms of I/O. I'm not using the new Mac mini just yet, but once I do, I'll post my honest review of it here. Goodbye Intel – you've treated us well.
Anyway, back to the keyboard.
Battery life
I haven't really timed how long the keyboard lasts, but I'm certain it doesn't last quite as long as the Apple keyboard, and that's without using the built-in backlight on the Satechi Slim X1. In my experience, the Apple keyboard can last for up to two months on a single charge. The Satechi X1 definitely does not last that long. I was a bit surprised just how soon I had to recharge the keyboard after I started using it. If I had to guess, maybe 3 to 4 weeks?
The keyboard does have some kind of 'sleep mode' where it turns itself off if not used for a short while, which is good because I don't bother to turn it off when I'm not using it. I never turned off the Apple keyboard either, so the battery life comparison is fair.
Having said that, it does take a second or two for the keyboard to 'wake up' from sleep, which is triggered by pressing any key. Nothing egregious, but if I impatiently try to enter the password to unlock my computer as soon as I return to my desk, nothing shows up since the keyboard is still waking from sleep. So now, I just spam a few keys when I return to my desk until shit appears on the screen, cmd-delete, and then enter my password. 😉
Keyboard backlight
As I mentioned, this keyboard has a built-in backlight, unlike the Apple keyboard. I don't know why Apple has still not released a backlit version of the Apple keyboard for desktop systems. Must just be too complicated for Apple engineers or something. I'm sure they've got some dumb excuse that they share amongst themselves.
The backlight is reasonably even, but there is a bit of light bleed around some of the keys, and the left Option key seems brighter than all the other keys. It probably won't come through well on the photo, but here goes:
Typing experience
As far as key feel is concerned, I have to say it is not as good as the Apple keyboard. The keys on the Satechi Slim X1 feel spongy and mushy compared to the tactile and crisp feedback from the Apple keyboard. Actually, the typing experience on the Satechi Slim X1 is a little like what the older Apple keyboards used to be like, in terms of tactility. At first, I really did not like the sponginess of the keys, but I got used to it. My typing accuracy is not as good on the Satechi keyboard compared to the Apple keyboard, but not to the extent where it's a serious annoyance.
But there is a problem with this keyboard, and others have reported the same on both the wired and wireless variants of this model. The keyboard has a serious debounce problem (also known as key chatter). It appears the firmware is not correctly handling debounce events. So, if you type A, it might come out as AA. To be clear, most keyboards would have this problem if not for appropriate firmware to 'cancel out' debounce events. However, it appears the firmware in the Slim W1 and Slim X1 is not up to scratch. I reported the issue to Satechi, and apparently their team can't reproduce the issue. Typical, right? I guess the experience that myself and others are having is just a figment of our imagination!
Honestly, the debounce rate is high enough to become an annoyance, so for that reason alone, I cannot recommend this keyboard, but you can use third party software to minimise the key chatter. You might recall that Apple's awful 'butterfly keyboard' had similar debounce issues, and this led to a developer creating an app called Unshaky to work around it. While the app was designed to provide a workaround for the issues with Apple's butterfly keyboard, it works with any keyboard. I have Unshaky installed and set at 45ms, meaning that if a character is repeated by the keyboard within a 45ms window, the key event will be rejected. I find that it stops the vast majority of the key chatter, but a few do still slip through. I tried lowering the delay to 40ms, but I am certain I started getting false-positives at that point. So, 45ms seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Perhaps at this point you are no longer interested in this keyboard and will stop reading. Understandable. If that's you, well thank you for stopping by. But for those of you who are unfazed by the dumbass firmware and are willing to use third party software to work around it, then keep reading!
Function keys
I am currently using this keyboard on a Mac system with macOS 13 Ventura. All the function keys work for me, including the brightness controls, Spotlight key, media controls, etc. I'm a bit surprised Satechi decided to have the last function key as the Eject button. Apple hasn't sold a Mac with a built-in optical drive for a very long time now. Honestly, they could have repurposed that for something else. A useful function key missing here is to activate Mission Control. If they had decided to repurpose the Eject key for something else, they would have had enough room on the function row to add a key to activate Mission Control. It's not a deal-breaker for me, as I use an existing keyboard shortcut to activate Mission Control (Cmd Key + Right-Click), but it would have been a welcome addition to the function row.
By the way, you can create custom keyboard and mouse shortcuts to activate Mission Control by navigating to "System Settings" > "Desktop & Dock" > "Shortcuts..." and holding down the Option or Cmd key after opening the "Mouse Shortcut" dropdown menu.
Honestly, I don't know why they bothered to place a dedicated Spotlight key in the function row when Cmd-Space is already the default keyboard shortcut in macOS to activate Spotlight search.
Arrow keys
Like the Apple keyboard, the Satechi keyboard features tiny ass 'up' and 'down' arrow keys which are really fucking annoying. I really wish someone – anyone – would figure out how to design a 75% layout without skimping on full size arrow keys. Due to the small size of the 'up' and 'down' arrow keys, it's quite easy to hit other keys like the Shift key when you're trying to press the 'up' arrow key, or both the 'up' and 'down' keys at the same time. Very annoying.
Conclusions
For the price, this wireless keyboard is not bad at all, but it's nowhere near as good as the Apple keyboard. As far as third-party keyboards are concerned, especially ones which are designed for Mac systems, this is certainly one of the better options out there. However, the piss-poor firmware that causes key chatter is not acceptable – that's like, a rookie-level error. But, with Unshaky for Mac installed, the keyboard is at least serviceable.
There are very few 75% TKL options out there for the Mac platform, aside from the Apple keyboard and the Satechi keyboard, so it's not like I could have returned this keyboard and picked a different third-party option instead. I really don't know why manufacturers are still not taking the 75% TKL layout seriously. Most keyboards sold today are still full-size variants and I don't know how anyone tolerates them anymore. They are stupendously uncomfortable to use with a mouse. With a 75% TKL layout, the mouse is closer to you, making it far more comfortable and ergonomic.
Once you go TKL, you never go back.