Satechi SM1

Satechi has almost always managed to excel in a very narrow market with a focus on price-conscious {Apple}-based accessories that almost always make life with the same {Apple} products easier. Sure, there are a few that stand out with broader compatibility, but usually the focus is narrow.

This isn't an iPad stand with a built-in charger, or a {Mac Mini} baseplate with extra ports, or a headphone holder with MagSafe charging. This is "just" a keyboard, and it'll set you back just under £100, so not only is Satechi competing on a very different and broader front, but they've lost their competitive pricing as well.

So, it's worth shedding some light on what alternatives the SM1 is up against. Right now you can get a full-size {Logitech MX Mechanical} for the same price, for example, or a variety of different Keychron models, all of which are pretty amazing. In other words, it's tough competition.

First of all, it's quite nice to look at. Satechi has always had a striking visual design, and the SM1 continues that tradition. It's only available in two colours, but the {Light} version in particular has a rather nice combination of white and grey keys that is actually quite eye-catching. However, we can't escape the fact that a lot of it is plastic. Yes, it's an "aluminium enclosure", which means that parts of the base plate are made of just that, but since the base is plastic, it becomes quite dominant when you pick it up. Next to a Keychron of the same price, it looks decidedly cheap, and although there are feet underneath in two steps and rubber strips that prevent it from moving on any given surface, there's no "special sauce" here.

There's Bluetooth 5.0, there's compatibility with both {Windows} and MacOS, and there are 14 different backlight modes. They all just pulse white, there's no RGB here, but it looks pretty cool, no doubt about it. But it also has a pretty big impact on battery life, because with it on you only get 16 hours of use between charges, but with it off it can be up to two months on a single charge (we assume this is with Bluetooth, and not 2.4GHz).

The tactile {Brown} switches and these keycaps (which Satechi won't really reveal if they are doubleshot or PBT or not) are pretty quirky though. Yes, most enthusiasts will probably want more distance between top and actuation as a {Red} switch can typically provide, but since this is low-profile, it actually feels surprisingly responsive, and it is undoubtedly one of the better keyboards we have used this year.

But that doesn't change the fact that the SM1 is far too expensive for what you get, and apart from a few quirks or Satechi-like goodies, it's hard to say that this stands out from the competition. If it had cost £70 it would have been a different story, but it just doesn't.