The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad is the second generation of the Apple Magic keyboards, replacing the Apple Magic Keyboard 2017. There are only a few design differences compared to the older model, with rounded edges and new hotkey buttons, but the main feature is the new Touch ID. It works with any M1 Mac computer, so you can quickly unlock it, but it's not compatible with the iPad or iPhone. It's available in a compact and a full-size option with a numpad, but it still lacks backlighting, which is disappointing for those who work in a dark environment. It's also only available in the silver color scheme if you buy it on its own, even though Apple sells other colors with the 24-inch iMac.
Our Verdict
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID performs poorly for gaming but isn't designed for this use. While the switches have a short pre-travel distance and are fairly light to press, the latency is too high for competitive gaming and only adequate for casual gaming. You also can't reprogram or set macros to any key.
- Scissor switches have a short pre-travel distance.
- Can't reprogram or set macros to any key.
- No backlighting.
- Latency is too high for competitive gaming.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is very good for office use. Typing feels great because the keys are light and offer good tactile feedback, and you shouldn't feel fatigued during long typing sessions, thanks to the low profile. It connects to any device via Bluetooth, but only one device at a time. Its Touch ID feature only works with certain macOS computers, which isn't convenient if you don't have those.
- Connects to any device via Bluetooth.
- Great typing quality.
- Quiet typing noise.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is decent for mobile use. The variant we tested is full-size, which is too big to carry around, but there's a compact version available. It connects with any device via Bluetooth, but there's no multi-device pairing feature. While most keys work with iPadOS and iOS, the Touch ID isn't compatible with either.
- Connects to any device via Bluetooth.
- Lightweight design and excellent build quality.
- No multi-device pairing.
- Touch ID feature isn't compatible with iPad or iPhone.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is unremarkable for programming. It lacks a multi-device pairing feature, doesn't have backlighting, and you can't reprogram any of the keys. On the plus side, it offers great typing quality, and you shouldn't feel much fatigue during long programming sessions because it has a low profile.
- Great typing quality.
- Quiet typing noise.
- Can't reprogram or set macros to any key.
- No backlighting.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is poor for home theater PC use. It's not designed for it, so it doesn't have a trackpad, and it also lacks any sort of backlighting. Luckily, it connects to any device via Bluetooth.
- Connects to any device via Bluetooth.
- No backlighting.
- Lacks a trackpad.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID delivers poor raw performance overall. It has high single-key and multi-key latency using all connection types and an extremely low effective update rate via Bluetooth. While still a good option for everyday tasks and productivity, this keyboard isn't well suited for gaming overall.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 22, 2026: Our Test Bench 1.4.3 update adds clearer terminology and new measurements to our Keystrokes test group. For more details, see the full changelog.
- Updated Jan 09, 2026: Our 1.4.2 Test Bench Update makes changes to the Hardware Customizability test group. We've created a new Magnetic Switch Compatibility test and renamed our previous PCB Socket test to Mechanical Switch Compatibility. See our full changelog.
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Updated Jul 31, 2025:
Added a reference to the Razer Joro as an alternative with better latency performance in the Single-Key Latency box.
- Updated Feb 09, 2024: When updating this keyboard to our current test bench, we didn't list latency results over a wired connection in the Multi-Key Latency section for using a wired connection.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad, which is part of the second generation of Magic Keyboards from Apple, replacing the Apple Magic Keyboard 2017. You can see the differences with the other second-gen keyboards below. When purchased separately, the keyboard is only available in one color, even though Apple offers it in different color schemes when bundled with the 24 inch iMac.
| Name | Size | Touch ID |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Magic Keyboard | Compact | No |
| Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | Compact | Yes |
| Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad | Full | Yes |
If you have the keyboard and it's different from ours, let us know and we'll update the review. You can see the label for our unit here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is a good office keyboard, but it's only really useful if you have a Mac with the M1 chip so that you can use the Touch ID feature. Otherwise, it's an expensive keyboard and there are cheaper options available, like the Logitech MX Keys.
Also see our recommendations for the best keyboards for Mac, the best keyboards for programmers, and the best keyboards for iPad.
The Logitech MX Keys is a more versatile keyboard than the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. The Logitech has multi-device pairing with up to three devices at once, and it has white backlighting, both of which the Apple doesn't have. The Logitech also has dedicated software to reprogram a few function keys, and it works fully on Windows and macOS. However, the Apple keyboard is meant for Mac computers and it has a Touch ID button, which the Logitech doesn't have.
The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad is a newer version of the Apple Magic Keyboard 2017. As the name suggests, the newer model features Touch ID with compatible Mac computers. It also has a few aesthetic changes like rounded edges and new shortcut hotkeys. The model we tested is full-size, but it's also available in a compact version like the 2017 model we tested. Typing also feels better on the newer keyboard because the keys are more tactile. That said, the newer model we tested flexes more than the 2017 version, but it's also significantly wider, so this is to be expected.
The Razer Joro and the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID are quite similar in terms of typing feel. Both use responsive scissor switches with a very short travel distance. While the Apple keyboard is better built with a full metal chassis, the Razer can double as a competent gaming keyboard thanks to much better latency performance. It can also pair to multiple devices and has backlighting, which the Magic keyboard lacks. That said, while the Razer offers all the necessary shortcuts and legends for use on macOS, it doesn't have a Touch ID for easy and secure login.
The Microsoft Surface Keyboard and the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad are both very good office keyboards with different purposes. The Microsoft is designed to work with Windows computers while the Apple is meant for Mac computers, specifically those with M1 chips. However, they both connect to any device via Bluetooth so you can use either with any operating system, but some keys don't work. The Apple has a rechargeable battery and the Microsoft uses disposable batteries. Other than that, they're very similar because they have great typing quality and decent ergonomics, but they each lack backlighting and customization features.
Test Results
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