Two-minute review
Whether you’re a digital nomad or a hybrid worker, not everyone has the time, patience, or interest in meticulously crafting their at-home desk space – and that’s where Logitech Casa comes in.
Logitech makes some of the best mice and best keyboards, but it’s exciting to see something a little different from the brand. This handy little bundle of peripherals is perfectly designed to slip into your bookbag or discretely sit on your bookshelf when you don’t need it, but opens out to reveal a comprehensive mobile workstation. The set is split into three parts; the Casa Book (convertible case/laptop stand), Casa keys, and the Casa touchpad.
It comes in three stylish colorways; forest green and black, lilac and white, and pink, and it’s available in the UK and AU for £179.99 / AU$289.95. At the time of writing, there’s no confirmed US release date, but I’d be surprised if it doesn’t make it stateside at some point.
From the outside, it’s unassuming, masquerading as a simple fabric-covered book with a thick silicone belt to keep the Casa stand securely closed – but inside is where this foldable kit gets interesting.
Open it up and you’ll find the Casa Touchand Keys, as well as a small compartment for holding wires and other desktop necessities. Then, simply press on the bottom of the keyboard and touchpad in their compartments and the peripherals will pop out of the Casa Book’s base, lift the plastic lining from the lid’s underside and connect it to the magnetic strip at the front of your Casa Book, and voila; you’ve got your new mobile workstation in just four steps.
Once the novelty of this admittedly inventive idea is lost, however, some cracks begin to show. There are lots of strengths and many great reasons to buy the Logitech Casa, but it’s grossly overpriced for the quality of the results.
Logitech Casa review: price and availability
- List price: £179.99 / AU$289.95
- US launch TBC
Released in August 2023, the Logitech Casa will set you back £179.99 / AU$289.95, and it’s available directly from Logitech or from retailers like John Lewis in the UK.
There are no two ways about it – that’s a lofty price tag for something so simple and, at times, flawed. You could easily get an affordable but good quality portable laptop stand, keyboard, and mouse for less than £75 / AU$125; and you could even kit yourself out with a Logitech K380 keyboard (£44, AU$79) and Logitech Pebble Mouse 2 (£24.99, AU$54.95) if you want Logitech products specifically – and that would still be more affordable than the Logitech Casa.
What you’re really paying for is the convenience of everything being all-in-one, which may just have landed if the Logitech Casa had been released three years earlier during the pandemic. At this point, it’s a gimmick; a useful one, but not something I’d pay much more than £100 / AU$150 for.
Granted, the touchpad also contributes to this price inflation, and it’s difficult to find a standalone trackpad for less than £50 / AU$80. However, there’s not a huge demand for these; I certainly would almost always choose a regular mouse unless I’m using creative software or want to benefit from touch gestures.
Value: 3/5
Logitech Casa review: design
- Not very ergonomic
- Clever, albeit flawed convertible design
- Slim and lightweight peripherals
Let’s first dive in further to the Casa keys. Minimalist in design and petite at 1.7 x 11.2 x 28mm, this compact and programmable keyboard features a full row of 12 function keys; apart from its square keys, it’s almost identical to the Logitech K380. There’s no kickstand, and only a very slight wedge shape, meaning it’s not great ergonomically – I found my hands got sore within a few hours of using it.
Also featured in the function keys are three customizable hotkeys, which can be adjusted using the Logi Options+ application.
The Casa Touch is pretty simple design-wise; it’s also slightly wedge-shaped, but (again) not ergonomically so. Otherwise, it’s much as you’d expect – a rectangular trackpad measuring 1.4 x 8.8 x 12.5mm.
On the top left of both the keys and trackpad are the power switches, and both devices offer the ability to switch between Bluetooth profiles, so you can connect it to three different devices, and switch between them quickly. On the keyboard, you can switch between these using the F1-3 keys, and on the underside of the trackpad, there’s a button to switch between them.
When in its laptop stand configuration, the Casa Book is fairly robust, though there is some wobbling. Still, through all of my testing, the magnetic strip kept it in its upright position, and I didn’t feel like my laptop was at any peril – Logitech says the Casa can hold devices weighing up to 7.5kg and between 10 and 17 inches in size. Two rubber grips hold the laptop in situ, and a rubber circle in the middle of the plastic backing to the stand keeps the underside of the laptop from slipping – a thoughtful inclusion.
Frustratingly given its price, the Logitech Casa has some pretty fundamental flaws. The fabric Casa covering is easily smudged and dirtied, but not easily cleaned (despite supposedly being wipeable), some of the plastics used in construction feel quite tacky and, despite being an ingenious idea for digital nomads, the entire setup is pretty heavy at 1.2kg / 2.65lbs.
It also irks me that there’s only one viewing angle for the stand, and while it’s undeniably better than using a laptop below eye level, it’s still not particularly high, and can’t be adjusted for different needs.
Design: 4/5
Logitech Casa review: performance and features
- Programmable keys
- Not the most comfortable
- Excellent battery life
In use, the Logitech Casa is pretty satisfying for the most part, but once again there are definitely some sacrifices made at the behest of the innovative design.
There are some things I love about the Logitech keys in particular; the programmable keys, the size, and weight all lend themselves to increased productivity even when working in a smaller space. They’re wonderfully quiet to work on, too, which is great for me as someone who regularly works in public spaces.
I also found the three Bluetooth profiles supported across the Casa Keysand touch immeasurably useful; I regularly switch between my drawing tablet, work laptop, and iPad, and being able to seamlessly transition between these devices is super useful. The Casa peripherals are also compatible with phones, PCs, and Apple TV; the latter makes good use of the 10m (33ft) Bluetooth range afforded by the devices, too.
Aside from the lack of ergonomic features in both the stand and peripherals, my greatest bugbear is the trackpad. I just don’t think there’s any good reason not to at least offer the option of a slimline mouse with the Casa, and the fact I experienced some (albeit very mild) lag when scrolling only further sours me on this particular choice by Logitech. As a MacBook user, I do like that you can use Logi Options+ to enable Apple’s gestures, but it’s woefully apparent how subpar the Logitech touch sensitivity and accuracy are versus Apple’s in-built and standalone trackpads.
The peripherals do, however, have incredible battery life – a quality we’ve come to expect from Logitech’s devices. According to Logitech, the battery life of the keyboard will last up to five months, while the Casa Touchlasts for up to three weeks. I used the setup for several months and only very recently had to charge up the touchpad for the first time, and my keyboard still has charge!
Performance: 4/5
Specs table
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Logitech Casa |
|---|---|
| Layout | 75% compact TKL |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, three channels |
| Programmable keys | Yes |
| Dimensions | Casa Book – 2.9 x 23 x 29mm (h x w x d) or 16mm opened as a laptop stand, Casa Keys- 1.7 x 11.2 x 28mm (h x w x d), Casa Touch- 1.4 x 8.8 x 12.5mm (h x w x d) |
| RGB or backlighting | No |
| Ergonomic | Ambidextrous |
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.65 lbs |
Should I buy the Logitech Casa?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
How I tested the Logitech Casa
- I used the Logitech Casa for several months
- I tested it with a variety of compatible devices
- I used the Logi Options+ software to customize the devices.
As a very regular PC user and tech reviewer for the last three years, I’ve developed an understanding of what makes a good, well-rounded device. For several months, I used the Logitech Casa for work and play, both at home and while away to see how well the setup performed in different environments. I observed how well the device travelled, how easy it was to set up and use, and how robust all of the components were.
I typed on the keyboard and used the trackpad, comparing them both to my in-built laptop controls, Apple peripherals, and HyperX gaming peripherals, considering everything from how quickly my hands developed symptoms of fatigue to lag and accuracy.
I also used Logitech’s Logi Options+ software to see how easily and successfully the devices could be customised and tested various setups to see how they impacted my user experience.
Read more about how we test
- First reviewed December 2023
This post originally appeared on TechToday.