Logitech Casa evaluation: A one-stop workplace

It’d now not really feel like a matter of urgent urgency, with lockdowns largely within the rearview mirror, however having a remotely respectable residence workplace setup remains to be a problem that plagues tens of millions of employees.

Whether or not you’re employed flexibly full-time or a few days every week, if you do not have a monitor and an entire bunch of equipment it may well really feel such as you’re working at a drawback. Enter the Logitech Casa, billed by its creators as a one-stop answer for versatile working that may pack away on the finish of the day.

Design and options

The Casa is successfully a fold-out laptop stand, however one which additionally homes storage for an included keyboard and trackpad – these stow away contained in the book-like design when it is folded shut.

The thought right here is that you simply successfully have every part you must work most trendy jobs, with the addition of your precise laptop computer, in a single bundle, together with that all-important stand for more healthy posture and viewing angles.

The outer case is offered in three equally-classy colors that may be matched roughly together with your laptop computer when you’re fussed, and is product of sturdy onerous plastic, with a material outer layer to make it soft-touch.

This makes it resemble a binder or perhaps a cloth-bound guide (if we’re being beneficiant) when it is closed, and it is compact sufficient to stow away pretty simply and take up possibly double the area of a laptop computer.

That stated, I’ve examined folding laptop computer stands just like the Roost that fold away to slim rods, so that is undeniably bulkier than some choices.

The Casa additionally is not adjustable – you open it up and magnetically clip it into place, and your laptop computer sits in it on the solely peak obtainable – one which’s miles higher than a desktop, however nonetheless may not be excellent for everybody and which is not all that top.

If it is a bit of cumbersome, although, that is as a result of the Casa is not only a stand – it additionally homes a keyboard and trackpad, caring for extra storage for you.

These two equipment are color matched and properly low-profile, each slim however good and stable. The keyboard is not mechanical, so it is nearer to one thing just like the MK470 by way of actuation, which I will increase on under.

They’re each beautiful to take a look at and simple to fit out and in of their respective grooves contained in the Casa. There’s another compartment left over for cable storage and no matter else you wish to squeeze in it – it isn’t too massive, so you will not match all that a lot.

Keyboard and trackpad efficiency

So, if the precise laptop computer stand person expertise that the Casa presents up is stable however not huge inspiring, it is also bought an attention-grabbing twist within the type of keyboard and trackpad combo.

Whereas Logitech is the grasp of the mouse world, producing a bunch of our favourite mouse options for productivity and gaming alike, amazingly it is by no means made a trackpad earlier than, making the Casa Contact (because it’s referred to as) one thing fairly distinctive.

The thought right here is that folks used to laptops do not wish to be taught new muscle reminiscences with a mouse, which I discover a bit of onerous to swallow – I am satisfied it is simply because a trackpad’s flat sufficient to suit into the storage compartment with out making it unbearably chunky.

In any case, whereas it is a very stable trackpad, it is nonetheless simply worse to make use of than nearly something from the wonderful (and probably actually compact) wi-fi mouse roster that Logitech boasts.

Gestures are helpful when you’re into them, however for precision and velocity an actual mouse is an workplace staple for good purpose, and the Casa Contact does nothing to dispel that, even with good responsiveness and construct high quality, plus useful multi-device swapping.

Fortunately, the keyboard is much more spectacular, with a stunning low-profile feel and look, all of the buttons and shortcuts you’d hope for, and a welcome diploma of customisation by way of Logi Choices+ on each Home windows and Mac.

The factor is, although, Logitech additionally makes nice keyboards – and the Casa actually has to return collectively right into a bundle that outweighs the choice: shopping for a laptop computer stand, a keyboard and a mouse, and storing them much less aesthetically.

Whereas the Casa keyboard is sweet, it isn’t a standout, not like the astoundingly satisfying Logitech MX Mechanical Mini that I’ve used every single day for ages now.

Whereas that comparability is harsh given the MX Mechanical Mini prices two-thirds of the Casa’s value in a single go, it nonetheless leaves me considering that purchasing my selection of keyboard, then a $50 mouse and nearly any low cost laptop computer stand would go away me with extra flexibility than the Casa.

What it would not get me, although, is a storage system that packs all of it away extraordinarily neatly on the finish of the day, and is reliably straightforward to pack into a piece bag.

That leaves the Casa as a little bit of a conundrum – all its elements work solidly, even when I would a lot quite have a mouse than a trackpad – however I nonetheless assume I would quite purchase its part elements individually.

Verdict

The Casa is a very attention-grabbing product from Logitech, and for that it deserves credit score – when you’re trying to get a very properly matching residence workplace setup, however you already know {that a} monitor is off the playing cards, that is definitely a easy choice.

That stated although, shopping for an inexpensive keyboard and mouse (from Logitech itself, probably) might see you save a heck of a wedge even with a pleasant laptop computer stand within the bundle, so I am not satisfied that it represents worth at £179 (with a US launch but to be confirmed or priced).