Review: Logitech MX5500 Revolution keyboard and mouse

Paying more than £120 for a keyboard and mouse package seems a bit steep to us.

However we can’t deny that Logitech has packed a lot of clever features into the MX5500 Revolution to try to justify that price. A fair chunk of that is down to the fact that the MX5500 uses the latest Bluetooth 2 wireless technology to connect to the computer.

This provides a wireless range of up to 10m, so it could be handy for those who have to make presentations as it will allow them to control a presentation from the back of a conference room or another fairly large room. The mouse is one of Logitech’s MX Revolution models, a rechargeable unit that provides high-speed scrolling through long documents.

However it’s the keyboard that really catches the eye – not least because it’s one of the few keyboards we’ve seen to have its own screen. Most of the time this simply displays the date and time, but if you slip in a CD or DVD the panel displays track or chapter information, as well as allowing the user to control playback using the various buttons on the keyboard.

We wonder how useful this really is, as you can generally see this information on the computer screen anyway. Like most modern keyboards the MX5500 is packed with programmable buttons that can be used to launch programs and control CD and DVD playback.

And if you’ve got Windows Vista on your PC there are buttons specifically designed to control Vista-specific features such as the Gadgets sidebar. Installation is straightforward thanks to the Setpoint software included with the MX5500, which does a good job of setting up the wireless connection between the PC and the mouse and keyboard.

To be honest, though, the on-keyboard display seems like a bit of a gimmick, and doesn’t provide any really practical advantages over less expensive keyboards. As a result, the MX5500 Revolution is probably most suitable for business users who want a fancy keyboard and mouse set for their plush offices.

Also consider the Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser.