The best budget-friendly wireless keyboard and mouse options to complete your workstation in 2026

If you’re in the market for a wireless keyboard and mouse, you can’t go wrong with the latest offerings from Satechi.

Though this brand is geared at Apple users who want a cheaper alternative, it works just as well with Windows and Android devices.

I’ve recently begun docking my laptop more often in favour of using a big screen monitor, and that has meant I ad the need to find a good wireless keyboard and mouse.

In the past I tried a Logitech and mouse combination, but that still required a USB receiver which I had to plug into the laptop.

Satechi: Affordable Alternatives to Apple Keyboards and Mice

There was also frequent delay when typing and I would go as far as to say that it was barely usable.

I did some digging and came across Satechi. This brand positions itself as a cheaper alternative to the Apple products, especially in the keyboard and mouse market.

At first I bought the Satechi Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard. This is a great keyboard, and the typing experience is right up there with my MacBook Pro.

However, this X2 is a full-size keyboard which comes with a numeric keypad which I hardly use.

I then discovered there was a more compact option, and at a much lower price too. The X1, which is just a smaller version as it doesn’t have the numeric keypad.

Affordable Bluetooth Keyboard: X1 vs. Apple Magic Keyboard

It also allows Bluetooth connection to three different devices at the same time, and by holding down the function 1, 2 or 3 button you can switch seamlessly between inputs.

This keyboard positions itself directly against the Apple Magic Keyboard, but at a fraction of the cost I would go with the X1 every time. The cheapest small Apple Magic Keyboard goes for R2399 on the iStore website, while the X1 is priced at R1299. In fact, I got mine for R799 while on sale during a Black Friday promotion, so you can easily pick this up for under R1000 if you are prepared to wait for a price drop.

Satechi M1 Bluetooth Wireless Mouse: A Premium Alternative to Apple Magic Mouse at a Fraction of the Cost

Then there is the Satechi M1 Bluetooth Wireless Mouse. This is honestly the best wireless mouse I have ever used, and I had a Magic Mouse until it broke after many years.

Though it has a conventional scroll wheel so you can’t use two-finger scrolling like on the Magic Mouse, the M1 feels just as good.

I’ve never experienced any delay with this mouse and the cursor, clicking or scrolling, so it does everything you would expect from a premium product.

The kicker is the price; at R699, this is much cheaper than an Apple Magic Mouse, which starts at R1999. Again, I got this mouse for even less during a Black Friday sale for an incredible R399. That means for R400, I picked up a mouse which is objectively every bit as good as a Magic Mouse.

All in, I spent R1,198 for this keyboard and mouse, which feels like a top-of-the-range setup, which would cost you at least R4,398 if you bought a Magic Mouse and keyboard from Apple.

There’s no contest then, in my opinion, if you’d like a top-of-the-range setup without that hefty ‘Apple tax’, you have to go with Satechi.

@Michael_Sherman

IOL Tech